This past week-end, American Idol removed the YouTube of Clay Aiken singing on this season of American Idol. Clay was asked by the producers to sing Bridge Over Troubled Water and his performance was spectacular that night.
Fortunately, on Monday, the performance was put back on YouTube. The video is of much higher quality so that is good…Unfortunately, all the play numbers are gone and all the positive comments are gone too. So…I hope that each of you will:
- Watch the video at least once today
- Click a “thumbs up” on the YouTube site
- Leave a comment at YouTube
When you’re weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
~
I’m on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
- Paul Simon wrote this beautiful song about providing comfort to a person in need. It started as a modest Gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it together.
- BOTW was one of the few songs to top the US and UK charts at the same time. It was #1 in the US for 6 weeks, #1 in the UK for 3.
- In 1971, this won 5 Grammys: Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Best Contemporary Song, Best Engineered Record, and Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists. The album also won Album Of The Year.
- Bridge Over Troubled Water was the last album Simon & Garfunkel released before they split up. It is the biggest selling ever for Columbia Records.
Then there was American Idol and Clay Aiken
- Clay Aiken released This Is The Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water as a CD single on June 10, 2003.
- According to USA Today, US sales of the single sold 1,012,000 units –as of June, 2009.
- The single was RIAA certified Gold and Platinum on July 13, 2003.
- The single was at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles for 11 non-consecutive weeks. It left the chart after 45 weeks.
- This Is The Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water had the biggest first-week sales of any single since Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind (1997). It was also easily the best-selling single of 2003.
Just leave it to Clay – he definitely knows how to put a song on the charts and keep it there. Clay is
truly "Spectacular" – a very special – "one of a kind"!!!! <3
musicfan – You are right – Clay’s newer You Tube BOTW is much better – i.e. in the overall color quality. Could be some lighting was too harsh and they had to color correct it. Clay’s facial makeup appears to have a better blend, and no longer looks so unnaturally blotchy. No matter though – Clay always sounds fantastic. The video is quite addictive. Watched it many times. Love it!
Also enjoyed reading the background of the song’s original recording, and Clay’s subsequent initial success in recording his version. Love that he too garnered many best sales and positive responses for it. His latest version is also just as spectacular.
As CLAY did with @NeilSedaka SOLITAIRE , So did he do with Simon & Garfunkle's BOTW he made it his own. Just as Neil Sedaka said Solitaire will now forever be known as a Clay Ailen song , so will Bridge Over Troubled Water. The passion & conviction in which he sang that song is how he approaches life, and why he will Always & Forever be around and in our hearts. Thankyou Clay!!!
I am shocked! Why would they remove it and then put it back up without all the likes and comments??? Why???? One more thing to try and dis our guy! Grrrr! He was brilliant wasn't he??? So slim, so gorgeous! LOVE him!!!!
Hey musicfan! Was there a link to the youtube?
I added the link to the YouTube….usually you can get it through the YouTube I post. Don't know why it didn't happen this time.
Thank you for putting that video up. Now, I will have to start watching it all over again. I still have the original one they put up…along with all the hits it got and the comments. Don't know why they took it down in the first place. Clay blew that ending out of the universe. So proud of him.
Found one on You Tube so I commented and liked Clay
is awesome!!!!
Clay just killed it that night. Goosebumps!
Loved Clay's performance; and, I'm so glad Idol has it back on You Tube. Just a real shame that they couldn't carry over the comments and 'thumbs up' from the first clip they uploaded of Clay's Totally Awesome performance.
Thank you for the article, Musicfan and for alerting everyone about the new upload; it's greatly appreciated.
loved clay aiken bridge over troubled water it was amazing and spectacular im thrilled that idol deided to put it back on you tube
I'm heading over to YouTube right now. 🙂