I wonder how many people would end the phrase ‘Bridge over…’ with ‘… troubled waters’? Maybe some people from an older generation might end it with ‘… over the River Kwai’, the eponymous book and film. The book was written by Pierre Boulle, and the film, directed by David Lean starred some of the biggest stars of the early fifties film industry, including Alec Guinness, William Holden and Jack Hawkins. The story was based on the dreadful events endured by so many prisoners of war in the 2nd World War, building the Burma Railway.
‘Bridge over troubled waters’, however, is the song by Simon and Garfunkel which has been sung and recorded by countless people, including… here goes, Elvis Presley ‘ The Jackson 5, Nana Mouskouri, The Supremes, Andy Williams’ Shirley Bassey , Roberta Flack, Buck Owens, Cilla Black, Bobby Darin, Neil Sedaka , Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Bonnie Tyler, LeAnn Rimes, Russell Watson, Johnny Cash, Barry Manilow , Andrea Bocelli, Mary J. Blige, Annie Lennox, Perry Como, Roy Orbison, Josh Groban, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Eva Cassidy, Stevie Wonder, Peggy Lee, Bon Jovi, Rhydian Roberts, Charlotte Church, Elton John, Leona Lewis, Sting, John Barrowman, Susan Boyle…
… and Roy Orbison and Raul Malo
Lois Elsden 