"Bridge over Troubled Water '' was composed by Paul Simon very quickly, so much so that he asked himself, "Where did that come from? It does n't seem like me. '' The chorus lyrics were partly inspired by Claude Jeter 's line "I 'll be your bridge over deep water if you trust in me, '' which Jeter sang with his group, the Swan Silvertones, in the 1958 song "Mary Do n't You Weep. '' According to gospel producer and historian Anthony Heilbut, Simon later acknowledged his musical debt to Jeter in person, and additionally handed Jeter a check as compensation. Simon wrote the song initially on guitar but decided to transpose it to the piano, to both better reflect the gospel influence and to suit Garfunkel 's voice.
who wrote the song like a bridge over troubled waters
Paul Simon