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Paul Simon was asked if he thought The Beatles‘ classic song “Let It Be” sounded like one of Simon & Garfunkel’s biggest hits. Subsequently, Simon said something about “Let It Be” was “weird.” In addition, Simon discussed the track’s connection to Aretha Franklin.

The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison standing
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images

Why Paul Simon wrote ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’

During a 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, Simon said he didn’t want any of his albums to have too many uptempo songs. He wanted his albums to be balanced. “So, working in the studio, I would think that when I write I have to do a ballad,” he said.

This led to one of Simon & Garfunkel’s most famous songs. “Then I wrote ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water‘ and that took care of the ballad situation,” he recalled. “I’d say ‘Now I have a good ballad, it would be nice to have something else.”

Paul Simon compared ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ to The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’

Subsequently, Simon was asked if he heard a similarity between “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Let It Be.” “That was interesting to me that we both wrote these songs that were very similar,” he opined. “The first time I heard ‘Let It Be,’ I couldn’t believe that he did that. They are very similar songs, certainly in instrumentation, sort of in their general musical feel, and lyrically. They’re sort of both hopeful songs and resting peaceful songs.”

Simon discussed how Paul sent “Let It Be” to Aretha Franklin, who recorded her version of the song. “He must’ve written it about the same time that I wrote mine and he gave it to Aretha Franklin which is funny because when I first wrote ‘Bridge,’ I said ‘Boy, I bet Aretha could do a good job on this song,'” Simon recalled. “It’s one of those weird things and it happened simultaneously.”

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How Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and The Beatles ‘Let It Be’ performed on the charts in the United States

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” was one of Simon & Garfunkel’s biggest hits. The track topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, remaining on the chart for 14 weeks altogether. The song appeared on an album of the same name. Bridge Over Troubled Water was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks. It lasted on the chart for 87 weeks.

“Let It Be” was a hit for The Beatles, but it wasn’t as popular as “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The tune topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, lasting on the chart for 14 weeks. The track appeared on the album Let It Be. The album was No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for four weeks, spending 79 weeks on the chart.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Let It Be” are famous songs — and Simon seemed to think any similarities were coincidental.

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