Written by Barbara Baer, Elliot Greenberg, Doug Morris and Robert Schwartz
Recorded by The Chiffons
 
In a hurry? Do you like short bridges? This might be the shortest! Let’s get right to it!
 
We start with our protagonist warning her fellow ladies that this Sweet Talking Guy is nothing but a lying, cheating player, and if you fall for his sweet lies, all you’ll get is hurt. Sure, he’ll romance you, but keep in mind that “he'll send you flowers and paint the town with another girl.”
 
This all seems like good advice – such good advice that you’d assume she knows enough to stay away, but by the end of the second chorus, she declares that “he's my kind of guy.” Hmm. Is she ignoring her own good advice? Or is the talk just too sweet to resist? Let’s see what she has to say in the bridge:
 
Why do I love him like I do?
 
I knew it, the talk is just too sweet to resist! She can’t help herself. At least she’s honest about it. I respect that. And I love this succinct, confessional, breakdown-style bridge. Once again, the bridge has illuminated a side to our protagonist unavailable elsewhere in the song.
 
While “Sweet Talking Guy” remains in rotation on the Oldies stations, The Bronx’s The Chiffons scored even bigger hits with “He’s So Fine” and “One Fine Day.” And both of these fine songs have fantastic bridges. Perhaps we’ll cover those soon – until then, talk sweet to me! 

-MJK

Written by Richard Leigh
Recorded by Crystal Gayle
 
Crossover Country Pop singer Crystal Gayle is well-known for three things: being the sister of Loretta Lynn, her iconic floor-length hair, and her huge hit “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” It’s a song of love-gone-bad, nothing new here at Best Bridges Blog, but there are a few things that make this song special. Starting with the title – a colorfly poetic and perfect metaphor. And while the bridge may seem standard in composition and sentiment, there is something a little more fun happening with this song.
 
We learn that our protagonist’s lover has left her for another and all she’s been doing is crying. We’ve all been there and we’ve all written songs about it.
 
Don't know when I've been so blue
Don't know what's come over you
You've found someone new
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
 
Clocking in at a little over 2:30 minutes, the song quickly gets to the bridge.
 
Tell me no secrets, tell me some lies
Give me no reasons, give me alibies
Tell me you love me and don't let me cry
Say anything but don't say goodbye
 
Ok, she’s asking to be lied to. The truth is too painful and she’d rather be oblivious than be alone. The bridge is her safe place for denial. Decent bridge, right?
 
But when we get to the third verse, our protagonist is no longer in denial, and comes to reveal some hard truths about herself. She accepts the blame for her actions. She treated her lover poorly and took them for granted.  By the end of the song, her brown eyes are no longer turning blue because she’s been hurt, but because she’s regretful of how awful she treated someone she loves and she knows she's responsible for the end of their relationship.
 
The third verse of a pop song doesn’t often reveal new information. Frequently, the third verse is just a repeat of an earlier verse. But in this case, we not only get a nifty turn with the bridge, we enjoy a twist ending. Not a crazy twist, but not what I was expecting. What do you think? Leave a reply and don’t you leave my bridges blog blue!
 

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Recorded by The Beatles
 
No Reply is a classic song about unfaithfulness, suspicion, jealousy and heartbreak. While more Lennon than McCartney, the song is a beautiful example of The Beatles' blossoming songwriting as they entered the mid-1960s.
 
Our protagonist is trying to track down his girl, but the gatekeepers that share her home (parents, roommates, landlady?) tell him that she’s not there. He’s called, he’s knocked on the door, but the answer is always “get lost.” But he knows she’s there. Not only can he see her through a window, he just watched arrive home – escorted, “hand in hand with another man!” My heart drops just thinking about it. She might as well have just walked across his face like the doormat she thinks he is. But is he? Does he somehow possess the strength to tell her exactly how he feels? Let’s go to the bridge!
 
If I were you, I'd realize that I
Love you more than any other guy
And I'll forgive the lies that I
Heard before, when you gave me no reply
 
We enter the bridge with a shift in instrumentation and arrangement, and there are a few things happening. The rhythm moves from a swingy bossa nova groove to a straight-up rock n’ roll beat, aided by hand claps on every beat and a driving piano part, courtesy of producer George Martin. McCartney’s intense and beautiful harmonies add to this clear and definite message: “Stop this deceit and listen to me! Can’t you see a good thing when it’s right in front of you?”
 
The pain is tangible, his message is commanding, but while the music remains this way throughout the bridge, does his message stray? Halfway through the bridge, he’s already promising her forgiveness? You can feel his confidence wane. And when we get to the word “before,” it’s all crystal clear: that pain has not gone away, and despite his pleas, he knows she will hurt him again. There is something about McCartney’s harmony on the word’s second syllable, “fore.” It’s so sad. I feel so bad for this guy.
 
And as soon as the bridge moves into the final verse, he’s back on the phone, he knows she’s there, but he’s once again informed that she isn’t home. Lies!
 
While “No Reply” has my favorite bridge from my favorite band, it doesn’t mean that it’s the best of the Best Bridges Blog, but it’s close. We have many more bridges to cross but for now, if you leave a comment, I promise, I will reply.  

-MJK

Written by Robert Pollard
Recorded by Guided By Voices
 
Bridges come in all shapes and sizes. Some of my favorites have numerous lines of lyrics and last for a few minutes – others are just one line, to the point, and emotionally massive. Let’s discuss the latter, and who better to provide a shining example than the masters of the get-in-and-get-out approach to music, Guided By Voices.
 
Calling GBV’s Robert Pollard prolific is an understatement. The man is a machine, but among his catalog, one of my favorites is Alien Lane’s “As We Go Up, We Go Down.” Witty wordplay often coats the harsh pill in Uncle Bob’s lyrics, and this song is a great example.
 
I can't terrorize, I see terror in your eyes
As we go up, we go down
I can't socialize, I'll be institutionalized
As we go up, we go down
 
The protagonist struggles with how to fit into a world that has no place for him. He seeks connection, but all he finds is deceit and manipulation. As per the chorus:
 
…the truth is just a lie
 
Clocking in at 1:37, the song gets to the bridge quickly, and this is where we get to the heart of our protagonist’s angst, and his resolution:
 
I speak in monotone, "Leave my fucking life alone!"

What more can one say after that other than “as we go up, we go down?” Guided By Voices may not be a household name and not nearly as popular as most other artists covered in this blog, but behind the lo-fi indie guitar rock is some of the best songwriting of the last four decades, and usually in two minutes or less.  

​-MJK

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