Elvis' Version Of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Is Divine

Sep 26, 2021 by apost team

There are some musical artists that seem to remain a very present part of culture, even when they have not been around for a long time. Elvis Presley's cover of the classic song Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel is the type of song that makes an artist seem contemporary.

Some are surprised to find that this song was released way back in 1970. Bridge Over Troubled Water was on Simon & Garfunkel's final album before they decided to call it quits. They had four other albums. The song was covered by Elvis around the time he made his comeback, years before he passed away in 1977.

Interestingly, this song was also covered by Aretha Franklin a year after it was first released.

During tough times in 1972, Elvis was touring as a B-list celebrity and a lot of time had passed. At the time, his life was being documented and a camera followed him from one city to the next. He sang the song as part of his set on several occasions while touring the US. As a result of this, quite a few videos exist of him performing the song all around the country.

True to his style, Elvis was dramatic when performing this song. Having awesome backup singers and an amazing orchestra added to the appeal. His presence on stage was beautiful and powerful. It was different than the original version that had a somber tone. Many believe Presley took the song to a whole new level. It remains a very special performance until this day.

Although he called it a "touch on the dramatic side," Paul Simon said he loved Presley's version of the song. He even told Rolling Stone that he didn't know if he could actually compete with Presley's version.

"[He was dramatic,] but so was the song," Simon told the magazine. "When I first heard Elvis perform 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' it was unbelievable. I thought to myself, 'How the hell can I compete with that?'"

One of the classic recordings of this song performed by the King himself was uploaded on YouTube over a decade ago. Elvis wears his iconic white suit during the performance. It's a video that has nearly 30 million views by now. This alone tells you how much people still love Elvis and his unforgettable music. Restoring the audio and adapting it to modern technology helped viewers hear just how amazing he was on stage.

You have to keep in mind that autotune didn't exist back then, so you're able to get a feel for the power of his vocals. His incredibly strong voice lends the lyrics of the Simon & Garfunkel song an especially haunting quality. Although Elvis covered this song late in his career, it still ended up being a classic.

The documentary that was shot in 1972, while Elvis toured the USA, went on to become its own hit. Hitting the box office in November 1972, the documentary received mixed criticism at first. However, while the critics were not completely convinced, Elvis' and music fans quickly turned the documentary into a box office hit. In 1973, the documentary even received the Golden Globe award for Best Documentary Film.

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What do you think about the King’s version of Bridge Over Troubled Water? Ask a family member if they remember the song and watch them take a walk down memory lane.