On This Day in 1969, Simon & Garfunkel Recorded a Legendary Song With a Creative Decision That Paul Simon Would Eventually Regret

Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel recorded what would become one of their signature songs, “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, on this very day in 1969. Simon & Garfunkel already had a string a huge hits up until that point, starting with the late bloomer No. 1 hit “The Sound Of Silence” in 1965, and ending with “The Boxer” in 1969, which hit No. 7 in the US.

The duo was ready to put out what would be their final studio album, and it wouldn’t be complete without a title track. Simon & Garfunkel recorded that title track on this very day in 1969, and the song included a creative decision that Simon apparently still regrets to this very day.

Simon & Garfunkel’s Paul Simon Regretted Providing the Vocals To “Bridge Over Troubled Water”

It’s hard to imagine Paul Simon regretting anything about “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. This is such a gorgeous soft rock folk song, and one of the most recognizable Simon & Garfunkel tunes, other than “The Sound Of Silence”. It’s so well-written that it almost sounds like a spiritual gospel tune.

And yet, Paul Simon had one big regret about this song. The story goes that when the time came to record the song with Larry Knechtel of Bread on piano, Art Garfunkel insisted that Paul Simon provide the main vocals on the song. However, Simon apparently thought Garfunkel’s voice was better for the tune. Later, Simon would say that he regretted that particular creative decision. 

“He [Garfunkel] felt I should have done it, and many times on a stage, though, when I’d be sitting off to the side and Larry Knechtel would be playing the piano and Artie would be singing ‘Bridge’, people would stomp and cheer when it was over, and I would think, ‘That’s my song, man…’” Simon said around the time the duo broke up in 1970.

Despite Simon’s feelings about the song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” was an enormous hit. It hit No. 1 in the US (among other countries) and took home a whopping five Grammy Awards in 1971.

Simon & Garfunkel’s album Bridge Over Troubled Water, which featured the above-mentioned title track, would drop in early 1970 and become a massively successful work for the duo. In fact, the album hit No. 1 across the board and is widely considered the duo’s most successful album. Sadly, it would also be their last studio album as Simon & Garfunkel. All great things must come to an end, after all.

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