Song for the Asking

Album: Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Lasting just 1:39, this is the last song on Bridge Over Troubled Water. It's a solo piece by Paul Simon; the only one on the album with just his voice. There is a note of contrition in the song, Simon explained in the Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water documentary, "That's just to say I haven't forgotten what I did. I was not an angel, that's for sure."
  • Including this song at the end of the album helped balance out the voices of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Unlike their previous albums, they sang separately on many of the tracks, with Garfunkel singing the majority of the title track and all the verses of "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright." Separating their voices meant that each singer could have a distinct personality on the album, which is how the Beatles often recorded.

Comments: 1

  • Jennifur Sunthis will always be my fav song Paul ever wrote. I find so much of myself in it.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Daryl Hall

Daryl HallSongwriter Interviews

Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.

Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes

Chris Robinson of The Black CrowesSongwriter Interviews

"Great songwriters don't necessarily have hit songs," says Chris. He's written a bunch, but his fans are more interested in the intricate jams.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

David Gray

David GraySongwriter Interviews

David Gray explains the significance of the word "Babylon," and talks about how songs are a form of active imagination, with lyrics that reveal what's inside us.