The Bridge (Elton John song)
Encyclopedia
"The Bridge" is the first single from Elton John
's 2006 album The Captain & the Kid
. The single is a simple, stripped-down production focused on John and his piano, with sparse further accompaniment. This is the first song since the title track of Breaking Hearts with this arrangement. The song peaked at #19 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.
on October 7, 2006, John introduced it as a song that can "apply to anyone" at any time in their lives and having to move on instead of living in the past. They either cross the bridge, die trying, or fade away.
There is also a part of the song which breaks from the usual pattern of both the verse of chorus. In a song, this is typically called a bridge
or interlude.
The instrumental features John and his piano, accompanied by some haunting harmonies, performed by the rest of the band members. John wanted the sound to be child-like and so the original recording of the harmonies has been adjusted.
John has admitted that it was, in fact, Bernie's idea to have the song solely piano and voice. This was the first song since Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be) to use Elton's Piano only.
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's 2006 album The Captain & the Kid
The Captain & the Kid
The Captain & the Kid is the twenty-ninth studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 2006. It is his second autobiographical album with lyricist Bernie Taupin, picking up where 1975's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy left off...
. The single is a simple, stripped-down production focused on John and his piano, with sparse further accompaniment. This is the first song since the title track of Breaking Hearts with this arrangement. The song peaked at #19 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks.
Synopsis
Before playing the song at a concert in Atlantic City, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on October 7, 2006, John introduced it as a song that can "apply to anyone" at any time in their lives and having to move on instead of living in the past. They either cross the bridge, die trying, or fade away.
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 19 |
Musical development
The song, "The Bridge", is in the key of Db and in 4/4 timeThere is also a part of the song which breaks from the usual pattern of both the verse of chorus. In a song, this is typically called a bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
or interlude.
The instrumental features John and his piano, accompanied by some haunting harmonies, performed by the rest of the band members. John wanted the sound to be child-like and so the original recording of the harmonies has been adjusted.
John has admitted that it was, in fact, Bernie's idea to have the song solely piano and voice. This was the first song since Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used to Be) to use Elton's Piano only.