Bridge Over Troubled Water

Released in January 1970, the song arrived during the painful disintegration of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's partnership. The album was consciously crafted as their "crystalline swansong."

This backdrop of impending separation imbues the recording with palpable finality. The song is the sound of two people drifting apart yet promising eternal support—a dynamic that mirrors the relationship between the living and the dying.

The foundational DNA is linked to African American gospel. Paul Simon immersed himself in the music of the Swan Silvertones. In their 1959 recording of "Oh Mary Don't You Weep," Claude Jeter improvised: "I'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in my name."

Simon's adaptation involved a semantic shift: "deep water" became "troubled water." While "deep" implies danger, "troubled" implies psychological distress—broadening the metaphor to anyone facing life's troubles, including grief.

Originally, Simon considered the song complete with two verses. Garfunkel argued it needed a "bigger" ending. The "silver girl" was a literal reference to Simon's wife discovering her first gray hairs.

However, in funeral contexts, this third verse is arguably the most important. The first two verses focus on the bereaved. The third verse shifts to the departed. "Sail on" transforms the song from static comfort into a vehicle for transition—facilitating movement from holding on to letting go.

Duration: At 4:55, it matches perfectly with a slideshow of 60-80 photos.

Best placements:

• Visual Tribute: The build-up allows visual narrative from childhood to prime of life
• Recessional: "Sail on, silver girl" provides ideal lyrical cue for the coffin departure

The "crash" warning: The final seconds feature loud percussion that can be startling. Funeral directors often fade the track at 4:30.