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TOP 1200 CHOICE TRACKS

#300 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER Simon & Garfunkel
The experimentation and hedonistic indulgences of the 1960s and the Summer of Love soon soured. As the new decade dawned, the Vietnam War was wasting more young lives; memories of Woodstock were replaced by the horror of the Rolling Stones' Altamont concert; Nixon was in the White House and Charles Manson's followers were destroying the "hippie" ideal. Amidst all this tumult came Simon and Garfunkel's monumental "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Its lyrics reassured listeners enough to make it a US #1 in 1970 and the year's top single. 
Paul Simon was composing the songs for what would become his magnum opus: the  'Bridge Over Troubled Water' album. Art Garfunkel, away in Mexico acting in the motion picture 'Catch-22', was less involved in the album's creation. Simon decided the album needed a ballad and drew inspiration from gospel music. Having penned the words and music, he sang "Bridge..." in falsetto, but soon realized it suited Garfunkel's voice. Simon recognized that he had written a special song, but when his partner returned, he not only disagreed, but refused to sing the lead vocal. This drove the duo further apart. 
Fortunately, Garfunkel capitulated. His vocal performance is breathtaking and is 1 of the essential elements of the classic. Larry Knechtel at the piano adds to the occasion, as the strings take the song to its climax. Both Simon and Garunkel co-produced the recording with Roy Halee.
Along with its chart topping success in America, the single reached #1 in Britain. It peaked at #2 in Australia and reached Top 10 in Europe. The standard collected both the Record and Song of the Year Grammy Awards for 1970. 
"Bridge..." is a powerful song with a message that lends itself well to not adult contemporary, but gospel, R&B and country interpretations. Upon its release, Simon's masterpiece was immediately covered by a range of artists that has included over the years: Aretha Franklin, Shirley Bassey, Perry Como, Roberta Flack, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Willie Nelson, Anne Murray and The Shadows. Simon's original demo, featuring his lead vocal, was included as a bonus track on a re-packaged CD of the 'Bridge...' album.

This is a list made up of the songs I enjoy the most, ranked in order of preference: the higher we go, the more I cherish them. Some were released as singles, others as album tracks. Some are obscure; others were worldwide hits or have universal appeal. They aren't always the most famous or popular, but simply a personal choice. I have excluded songs from the last few years in order to get a better idea of a song's lasting impression. I hope you find some new tracks to love, or re-discover some past favourites.
2 new instalments are added each day (every 12 hours) with an expanded edition starting today. Every day, the climb continues with 1 of the remaining 300 songs as well as moving down from #1201 to 1500, with 5 of those songs added daily.