Written and Recorded by Bob Dylan
​
Bob Dylan has blessed us with a tremendous catalog of music, but the majority of these songs do not follow a traditional pop song format, and hence, no bridges! But, there are a few Dylan classics that do feature wonderful bridges. So, if you’d like to read more, please, stay lady stay…
 
“Lay Lady Lay” tells the story of a man who can’t quite convince his gal that he’s the one. Our narrator is head-over-heels for this woman, but she’s a bit more ambivalent about her feelings for him, or if she even wants to settle in with one lover at all.
 
Dylan was deep into his country music period in the late 60s and Nashville Skyline provided us with plenty of on-brand references, lyrics and music beyond the album title. The country themes often harken back to the cowboy days of the Old West, so if you’re going to have a bed, it should be big and brass. But, our protagonist is offering his object of desire more than just a romp in the hay:
 
Whatever colors you have in your mind
I'll show them to you and you'll see them shine
 
And he promises her that he’s worth the time – he’s not just another cowboy looking to love ‘em and leave ‘em.
 
His clothes are dirty, but his hands are clean
And you're the best thing that he's ever seen
 
But perhaps his sales pitch is not being well-received and she’s still not convinced. So it’s time to get into her head to keep her in bed. And this is when we get to the bridge.
 
Why wait any longer for the world to begin?
You can have your cake and eat it too
Why wait any longer for the one you love
When he's standing in front of you?
 
These are excellent questions, and I hope our protagonist can get some answers, because he seriously longs for her. These questions seem straightforward and simple, but does the music tell a different story?
 
The rest of the song is arranged with a simple rhythmic approach. Congas, an on-brand cowbell, limited drums and a sparse bass part focused on root notes. But in the bridge, we find further syncopation and a more active bassline. Is this a product of the studio sessions and a coincidence, or indicative of the complications of relationships?
 
Either way, it’s a lovely bridge, and a relatively rare one within Dylan’s body of work. There are a few more, and perhaps I’ll get them in the future. But for now, I’m tired – time for a nap on that big brass bed!

​-MJK

Written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan
Recorded by Aretha Franklin and George Michael
 
There are many amazing Aretha Franklin songs with outstanding bridges, and I hope to get back to those – but why start with this one? I honestly have no good reason other than I recently heard the song and said, “hey, that’s a nifty bridge!”
 
The Queen of Soul and The Careless Whisperer himself, pop icon George Michael are both gone – but this shiny pop duet lives on. The song tells the tale of a couple who each spent years battling through bad relationships and romantic letdowns, but were motivated to endure, knowing that someday, they would meet their true love: each other.
 
After taking the lead on alternating verses, Aretha and George join voices in the chorus and songwriters Climie and Morgan pay tribute to one of the greatest pop duets of all time, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
 
When the river was deep, I didn't falter
When the mountain was high, I still believed
When the valley was low, it didn't stop me,
I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me.
 
After some more verses and another chorus, we get to the bridge. Lyrically, the bridge doesn’t offer us too much new information. It’s more of a summary or exclamation point to what they’ve been through individually and where they are now:
 
So we were drawn together through destiny
I know this love we share was meant to be…
 
But there’s something musical that I love about this bridge, and something that adds to the story more than the words themselves. The bridge begins with a subtle rhythmic change, thanks to some triplets. This allows things to get a little funky, but still, so smooth. Despite a musical departure from the chorus, the song moves into the bridge easier than walking through a doorway, and then, wham!, we’re seamlessly right back into a chorus and into the good time celebration of this song. 
 
Franklin and Michael are two of the greats of the Twentieth Century, and while this duet doesn’t surpass their individual efforts, it’s a great song with a wonderful bridge. Some readers might dismiss this song, but for those of you who appreciate it, I knew you were waiting, I knew you were waiting for me.
 
-MJK

Written by Andy Partridge
Recorded by XTC

XTC’s album English Settlement is jam-packed with post-punk, post-Beatles sparkly pop gems. I count seven of those songs to feature stand-out bridges, and while Senses Working Overtime is the best-known of these songs, I’ve always most enjoyed the wintery tale of a stooge-in-love, Snowman.
 
While many XTC songs lyrically steer a bit British for my Yankee interpretations, Snowman is clear and direct. Despite the warm weather, our narrator is very cold, a result of his icy romantic relationship.   
 
It isn't even winter, but I'm freezing, freezing
This sort of feeling isn't pleasing, and what I wanna know, man
Why, oh, why does she treat me like a snowman?
 
The song doesn’t have a traditional chorus and I will instead call the “treat me like a snowman” line as a refrain. After two refrains, our narrator expands on how bad things are for him, ending the section with:
 
She treats me far too frosty
This hanging on has cost me dear
 
Then, we’re back to the verses, suffering along with our narrator, as he continues to get the cold shoulder and a face full of frozen tears. But before getting to the bridge, I want to mention how much I adore Andy Partridge’s use of broken rhymes in this song. Partridge is one of my favorite lyricists and he’s never been afraid to find new ways to rhyme. We have “snowman" and "know, man,” and “frosty" and "cost me.” I love it! Ok, back to the song.
 
The bridge begins with the “She treats me far too frosty” section but before jumping in, the song musically ascends via a perfect 4th, and emotionally it feels like the narrator has cleared his throat to announce:
 
It seems you would say I was too soft-hearted
If you made a dunce cap, I'd don it
People will always be tempted to wipe their feet
On anything with "welcome" written on it
 
In the bridge, our protagonist directly addresses her, and this is probably something he rarely does. Usually, he stands around shivering, asking his mates why she treats him like a snowman. But today, during this bridge, he expresses himself to her. He feels that rather than take responsibility for the way she treats him, she blames him - he’s too soft, he’s a pushover, and it’s not her fault that everyone treats him like a doormat.
 
Maybe she’s right because he admits he’s only too happy to play the fool and wear the dunce cap. At least she’s making the dunce cap – she’s putting in the effort to keep this unbalanced, abusive relationship healthy!
 
And even after he makes his point, he’s soon back to freezing and he still doesn’t know why she treats him like a snowman. While our narrator advises that “this sort of feeling isn't pleasing” to him, it’s quite pleasurable to me. No, I’m not a masochist, just a lover of this song and it’s icy-sweet bridge.   

-MJK

Written by Jerome Garcia and Robert Hunter
Recorded by the Grateful Dead
 
The Grateful Dead's outstanding songwriting is often lost within the popular focus on their improvisational approach to music and cultural influence. But behind all the smoke, jamming, and dancing is a large library of incredible songs and Americana. Black Peter perfectly exemplifies this - and it features one of my favorite bridges!
 
The song's protagonist narrates his last few days from his deathbed. He’s not looking for a grand send-off, just a few friends to share his last hours on earth, because “tomorrow, maybe go beneath the ground.”
 
And this is generally our protagonist’s take on his situation throughout the verses of the song. He wants to die peacefully. The laidback 7th-chord bluesy groove throughout captures the sweet sendoff of a dying man – but then comes our bridge, introduced by way of change in key. 
 
See here how everything lead up to this day
And it's just like any other day that's ever been
Sun going up and then the sun, it going down
Shine through my window and my friends, they come around
 
While his own life and impending death mean everything to this man, the earth will continue to spin as it does every day. But if we can accept that we’re mere specks of dust within the history of the universe, we can also appreciate the beauty of everything around us and our role as part of an endless thread of living and dying matter. This might be the last time he sees the sunrise and he wants to feel the warm glow in his room and spend these precious last moments with friends. Beyond his friends, he's just a poor dying man worthy of spectacle but not pity. And he joyfully accepts this. The beauty of this sentiment and the imagery of Hunter’s lyrics are, as always, matched perfectly with Garcia’s songwriting.
 
If you're playing along at home, one might wonder, which version of Black Peter should I listen to? With the Dead, that’s always a good question, as their music was built upon a guiding principle that the best version of a song is the one you’re currently creating. Additionally, they’re known as a live band and their studio versions of songs are often premature for a song’s development, overproduced, or simply uninspired. But with Black Peter, I’m confident in recommending the studio recording from Workingman’s Dead. The band is relaxed and perfectly within their element, Jerry’s vocals are sweet and heartbreaking, and the bridge gently flows back into the final verse guided by Pigpen’s mellifluous harmonica. Sadly, Pigpen’s health quickly declined in the few years following this release, and by his own choice and isolation during his final days, he was not surrounded by friends.
 
You won’t find harmonica on any live versions, but if you have the time, in addition to the studio version, you can also enjoy twenty-five years of outstanding concert performances, each one a little different than the other. So go ahead and roll on up, roll back down, and enjoy!

-MJK

Written by Paul Simon
Recorded by Simon and Garfunkel
 
The story of “America” follows a young couple on their journey from Saginaw, MI to somewhere on the New Jersey Turnpike, perhaps Philly or Trenton. It’s unclear where they wind up but I’ve always assumed it was New York, and hopefully not Atlantic City. The action takes place on a bus that our protagonist and his girlfriend Kathy board in Pittsburgh. But this is no ordinary road trip and Simon’s Greyhound transports our couple from the innocence of youth to the responsibilities of being a grownup.
 
The couple buy snacks and cigarettes, and the first leg of their trip eastbound across Pennsylvania seems to be going well. The two are not yet weighed down by the crushing realities of adulthood and they enjoy what is left of their fleeting innocence as we move into the bridge:
 
Laughing on the bus
Playing games with the faces

She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said "Be careful, his bowtie is really a camera"
 
Musically, the bridge introduces a shift in key and a soprano saxophone that joyfully chases after the bass line like two children in a playground. But this couple are no longer children. The bridge drifts back into the verse like the transition from a sweet dream into the harsh awareness of the waking life. The soprano sax is gone – and so are their cigarettes – oh no!
 
Without the coping mechanism of a good smoke, our protagonist struggles with his first existential crisis. He’s lost and no one can hear him. But the good news is he’s not alone – everyone is lost, but no one has given up hope: they’ve all come to look for America.  

-MJK  

Written by Barry Gibb
Performed by Frankie Valli

The film Grease was part of my childhood. It continued to screen throughout the 80s and I saw it in the theater twice, as well as endless times on TV and VHS. While most of my favorite music steered towards rock, new wave and early hip hop in those days, I never could deny a good musical.
 
Grease (is the Word) starts and closes the film. We're treated to the thumpy goodness of this song while the opening credits accompany an animated vision of what awaits us in the film. This song was written specifically for the movie and did not join theatrical productions until after the film’s success.
 
This song was written by Barry Gibb and performed by Frankie Valli. It's gotta be great, right? Well, it's fun, it's full of hooks and Frankie, as always, sounds great - but what the "F" is this song about? Really. It's weird. It's not about the movie and in fact, it feels like it was written without any knowledge of the movie at all. Like, it's just a confusing vague song about something vaguely understood as "Grease."
 
So why am I including it on my Best Bridges Blog? Because I like weird shit too - especially when I lived my whole life not realizing how weird it is. Let's jump into the bridge! And remember, this is supposed to be a fun song to get us ready for a fun film. 
 
This is a life of illusion, wrapped up in trouble
Laced with confusion, what're we doin' here?
 
That sounds awful. It doesn't sound like the movie, so why is it there? I don't know! I have nothing left to say. I hope to get back into some other Barry Gibb songs. The guy could write a good song. This one is just weird, but still, I love it. 

-MJK

Written and Recorded by Elliott Smith
 
The beautiful poetry of this song can probably be interpreted in different ways. I don’t read about the songs’ lyrics before writing these pieces, so this is my take and there’s a lot I’m still not sure about. What I do know is that it’s the song’s bridge that cuts through everything else.
 
Let’s start with the title. Musically, the ¾ time signature qualifies as a waltz and lyrically, the song’s narrative begins with someone who has perhaps “waltzed” in and out of the protagonist’s life. They’re at an open mic night, or perhaps karaoke, and a man and a woman battle out it through performances of The Everly Brothers’ “Cathy’s Clown” and “You’re No Good,” recorded most successfully by Linda Rondstadt. The guy is her husband, but he’s less consequential. She, on the other hand, has a hold on our protagonist:
 
I'm never gonna know you now
But I'm gonna love you anyhow
 
Is this woman, who “stares into space like a dead china doll,” the protagonist’s former lover? A friend? The mom who signs her letters “XO?” I’m not sure. But I do know that the narrator is struggling with her - and with himself. Because when we get to the bridge, his heart, pain and exhaustion are all laid out for us to see:
 
I'm here today
and expected to stay
On and on and on
I'm tired
I'm tired
 
I have no place assuming anything about the tragic end to Smith’s life​. ​A song’s protagonist and composer are not one and the same. But in the case of this song’s bridge, it’s tough not to listen to it now without knowing what we ultimately learned about Elliott Smith. Each writer has their own unique relationship with the distance between themselves and their characters. This song feels like there’s hardly any distance at all. It’s raw and it’s sad. And it’s beautiful. "XO​" to anyone out there suffering. Even if you don’t know me, I’m always available to talk. 

-MJK

Written and Recorded by Bill Withers
 
Ain’t No Sunshine is a classic heartbreak song. His lady has left him once again and each time she’s gone, he never knows if she’s coming back. Sunshine is this song’s metaphor and there ain’t none of it without her, leaving our protagonist cold and alone in the dark.
 
This song is wonderful even without the bridge, but with the bridge, it’s monumental! It’s a “breakdown” bridge where the bass, piano and sugary-sad strings drop out to clear the way for some hard truth represented exclusively by the drums and Bill’s vocals.
 
He knows she’s bad news and that he “ought to leave young thing alone.” In fact, he’s so positive he announces, “I know” twenty-six times! This is how much he knows this relationship is wrong! Yet, he admits that this self-awareness will be thrown right out the window because all that matters is that she’s gone, there ain’t no sunshine, and the only thing that he wants is her back home.
 
The full band returns as he sings “she’s gone,” swaying him back into the familiar heartbreak. We all know she’ll be back and we all know she’ll keep breaking his heart. But from the worst of heartbreak comes the best of songs. 

-MJK