Sail On, Silvergirl: “Bridge” Returns for 40th Anniversary Edition (UPDATED 1/22)

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” began as Paul Simon’s “humble little gospel hymn song.” But upon its release, it quickly took on a life of its own. Simon’s inspirational words and music, Art Garfunkel’s spine-tingling vocal and Larry Knechtel’s majestic piano all contributed to a work that resonated deeply, as a both an epitaph for the 1960s and a reassuring affirmation for a new decade’s beginning.

Believe it or not, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is 40 years old; what’s hard to grasp isn’t that the song has reached that landmark, but that this timeless, powerful composition hasn’t, simply, been around as long as time itself. Like its spiritual cousin “Let It Be,” it’s transcended many of the boundaries of “mere” pop music. Thanks to our friends at MusicTAP for alerting us that Columbia and Legacy plan to mark the anniversary of Bridge Over Troubled Water, the chart-topping album that was Simon and Garfunkel’s swan song, with the March 8 release of a CD/DVD Legacy Edition. Bridge took home a staggering six Grammy Awards, among them Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Album of the Year! Hit the jump now for more on this landmark recording, including what will make the cut for the Legacy Edition!