The 100 Greatest Songs of 1970 #1. Bridge Over Troubled Water (1 Viewer)

[Leroy Hoard]

I don’t think I’ll encounter any single year as strong as 1970. 

Of course not. That was the year Black Sabbath released their first two albums.

 

[timschochet]

1. Simon and Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (from Bridge Over Troubled Water)

https://youtu.be/4G-YQA_bsOU

In another thread, @rockaction wrote that this song “is aware of its own importance”, and I think that’s pretty great and very apt. Yes there is some pretentiousness here; so much so that Paul Simon was pissed off for years that he allowed Art Garfunkel to sing it because many clueless fans simply gave Art the credit. 

But there was also no question in my mind that this would be the #1 song of the year. With all due respect to Rolling Stone, which ranks “Bridge” somewhere in the 60s, it may very well be the greatest song of all time. Like “Let It Be” it’s a gospel song, but because it’s about friendship rather than worship it transcends that genre and strikes a universal chord. And, of course, it’s a beautiful song. Simon’s decision to let Garfunkel sing it was the correct one, despite his later regrets; there is a purity to Art’s vocals that Paul simply couldn’t match; (I’ve heard Paul sing it a few times over the years- a typical version can be found on his live album Concert In the Park- and it’s a very different song: still great but it doesn’t soar.)

Rock critic Dave Marsh disliked Garfunkel’s vocals and believed they made the tune too vanilla and stilted; he much preferred the Aretha Franklin cover which was more traditional gospel mixed with soul and funk. (Paul also once said he liked the Aretha version better than the original, but he said it when he was feuding with Art so I suspect his comments were a diss.) I think both Marsh and Paul are wrong. This song is about melody; it has one of the greatest melodies in popular music history, so IMO there is no need to distill that with various stylings no matter how great Aretha is at them. Give me the original. 

 

[rockaction]

1. Simon and Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (from Bridge Over Troubled Water)

https://youtu.be/4G-YQA_bsOU

In another thread, @rockaction wrote that this song “is aware of its own importance”, and I think that’s pretty great and very apt. Yes there is some pretentiousness here

Flattery will get you everywhere. I see you read my write-up of Simon and Garfunkel in the Pick-A-Pair thread. That thrills me that one person read it. I always assumed people saw the records and breezed on by the other parts. I generally try and read them, for sure, so I'm glad when other people read what is being put down. I consider that a high compliment, reward, and I'd like to thank you for that.

(Did you read my Spoon write-up before I deleted it? It was a personalized remembrance, though much like I had to delete what I wrote in this thread about "Moodance," it went by the wayside. It was a doozy.)

Anyway, I guess I'd shrug and say "Why not?" to this song being number one after "Fire and Rain" grabbed number two. What's to stop the grey on a heavy, summer evening? (It's September 24, it's warm out, and I can tell you that it sometimes rains in Southern California.)

I personally hemmed and hawed about "Bridge" as a song when I did the write-up and even left it off of the playlist. (In its place? "The Boxer," a song that doesn't seem to have made your hundred. Or it did and I missed it. That's possible, though I've tried to look at every song as it's posted.) Reasonable minds can disagree about greatness, though, and "Bridge..." always struck me as ambitious at worst, as hitting its ambitious gospel-esque mark at best, and we can be grateful for people that look to the heavens to create art these days, no matter the end result (I think of Kanye and Donda here, for some reason).

So thanks for the list and the shout-out. I know you take vituperative stuff for your selections, and often from me (if you saw my Elton John/pop lyrics thing yesterday, you know it was even recently) but I'm glad you put them out there, and I do at least read them and take them seriously.

Peace and thanks again for the list and a way to spend some time, tim.

 

[tri-man 47]

And now for an interruption before revealing #1: my personal favorite song from 1970: 

Jimmy Webb “P.F. Sloan” 

https://youtu.be/o_R1US0RNi4

Jimmy Webb was a very successful songwriter in the 1970s, particularly for Glen Campbell (“Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston”)- not so much as a solo artist. Yet in 1970 he wrote and sang this gem about a fellow writer (the guy who wrote “Eve of Destruction”). It barely received any attention and it’s far too obscure to make it to this list. But for a few years now (since I first encountered it largely by accident) it’s become one of my favorite tunes of all time. 

Nice interruption!  I love Jimmy Webb’s song writing.  Fittingly, Garfunkel recorded a couple wonderful songs of his.

 

[Zegras11]

Thanks for doing this.   Hope 1977 is next.  

 

[timschochet]

Flattery will get you everywhere. I see you read my write-up of Simon and Garfunkel in the Pick-A-Pair thread. That thrills me that one person read it. I always assumed people saw the records and breezed on by the other parts. I generally try and read them, for sure, so I'm glad when other people read what is being put down. I consider that a high compliment, reward, and I'd like to thank you for that.

(Did you read my Spoon write-up before I deleted it? It was a personalized remembrance, though much like I had to delete what I wrote in this thread about "Moodance," it went by the wayside. It was a doozy.)

Anyway, I guess I'd shrug and say "Why not?" to this song being number one after "Fire and Rain" grabbed number two. What's to stop the grey on a heavy, summer evening? (It's September 24, it's warm out, and I can tell you that it sometimes rains in Southern California.)

I personally hemmed and hawed about "Bridge" as a song when I did the write-up and even left it off of the playlist. (In its place? "The Boxer," a song that doesn't seem to have made your hundred. Or it did and I missed it. That's possible, though I've tried to look at every song as it's posted.) Reasonable minds can disagree about greatness, though, and "Bridge..." always struck me as ambitious at worst, as hitting its ambitious gospel-esque mark at best, and we can be grateful for people that look to the heavens to create art these days, no matter the end result (I think of Kanye and Donda here, for some reason).

So thanks for the list and the shout-out. I know you take vituperative stuff for your selections, and often from me (if you saw my Elton John/pop lyrics thing yesterday, you know it was even recently) but I'm glad you put them out there, and I do at least read them and take them seriously.

Peace and thanks again for the list and a way to spend some time, tim.

“The Boxer” was actually released in 1969 as a single, prior to the album. It made the top 10 of my rankings for 1969. (Same for “Get Back” from Let It Be; also “Across the Universe.”) 

 

[zamboni]

Nailed it with Bridge, Tim. Nice job.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Rock critic Dave Marsh disliked Garfunkel’s vocals and believed they made the tune too vanilla and stilted

Over the years I've learned that if Dave Marsh feels a certain way about something, I probably feel the opposite. 

Nice job on the list. 

 

[Atomic Punk]

I look forward to your picks, your commentary and the banter from the crowd. Thanks so much for doing this once again. I can’t wait for the rest of the 70s.

 

[krista4]

Not a fan of "Fire and Rain" (personal preference and acknowledge I'm on an island there), but can't argue with your #1.  Fun list.  I haven't really analyzed it, but on "feel" I seemed to have appreciated the songs on this list the most.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

Thanks for another fun list Tim!

 

[Bracie Smathers]

5. The Beatles “Let It Be” (from Let It Be) 

Always think of THIS cover.

 

[Just Win Baby]

Haven't visited FFA in a while and just found the thread. I must say, of these threads I have read through, this music as a whole seems like the weakest collection.

As for the songs, IMO Immigrant Song was way too low, which was the most egregious ranking.

I'm also surprised that Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross didn't crack the top 100. Is that because it was a remake? I can't remember all of Tim's rules.

Enjoyed the thread. Thanks, Tim.  

 

[timschochet]

I'm also surprised that Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross didn't crack the top 100. Is that because it was a remake? I can't remember all of Tim's rules.

I think it’s overrated. I think the original is much better. 

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Great job again and excellent call on #1.

I went back and listened to the Aretha version again and realized that my recollection was wrong.

I prefer S&G but hers is very good, too. 

 

[Just Win Baby]

I think it’s overrated. I think the original is much better. 

Yeah, the charts and critics don't really agree with this, but I get that it is a Tim list, and there will therefore be oddities.

 

[AAABatteries]

Bridge must be the greatest song ever that I love but also sometimes skip.  I’ve listened to it so many times over the years and I think I have associations with it that I’m not always in the mood to think about.  But it’s just fantastic - Paul’s writing and Garfunkel’s incredible voice.

I echo others sentiments - great work Tim.