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“Water Under the Bridge”
Water Under the Bridge
Single by Adele
from the album 25
Released November 4, 2016
Recorded Metropolis Studios, London
Genre Disco-pop
Length 4:00
Label XL Recordings
Writer(s) Adele Adkins, Greg Kurstin
Producer(s) Greg Kurstin
Adele singles chronology
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“Water Under the Bridge” is a song recorded by Adele, taken from her third studio album, 25. The song was written by Adele with Greg Kurstin. It appears as the sixth track on the album. It was released as the fourth and final single[1] from 25 on November 4, 2016[2], and was sent to radio on November 14.[3][4]

Background[]

“Water Under the Bridge” was the first song Adele wrote with Greg Kurstin for the album. Written in Los Angeles, Adele revealed that it was conceived almost as quickly as “Someone Like You,” which she claimed was the fastest song she’d ever written.[5]

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Adele confirmed that “Water Under the Bridge” was written about her relationship with Simon Konecki: “It was sort of about a relationship suddenly getting really, really serious, and then getting a bit frightened by it, and then realizing that ‘I think this must be right. This is the relationship that I want to be in for as long as I can possibly be in it.’”[6]

When speaking to NPR’s Ari Shapiro, she again spoke about the song, noting the difference between her relationship with Konecki and previous relationships:

‘Water Under the Bridge’ is just about being strong enough in a relationship to overcome every obstacle that’s thrown in your way. In my past relationships, anything that's gone wrong kind of puts a bullet into the relationship, and that’s of the end of it. Whereas this time, the relationship that I’m in is so strong and we have great foundations. Overcoming everything is actually what makes us so great and so powerful, and makes our love so deep. At first, I think some people thought it was like a breakup song, but it’s the complete opposite. It’s like, ‘If you're not the one for me, then how come? It doesn't make sense.’ And I feel super powerful: My relationship makes me strong in every aspect of my life. I appreciate it more than anything.[7]

She expanded on the song more in an interview with SiriusXM's Jenny Eliscu, stating, “That sentiment was [about] fear of [how] things are going to go wrong, so maybe I should sort of just... you know, just end it now. Don't pretend you don't want me, and stuff like that.” She added that it was also about “overcoming obstacles, which I think is when you really know you're in a relationship, is when you get past all of those things.”[5] She further compared it to the 2004 film The Notebook.

In a track-by-track review of the album with The New York Times, Adele again spoke about the track:

It’s about making a relationship work, about wanting to make a relationship work. All relationships are up and down, and that’s part of a relationship — the tapestry of it and the muddiness of it. That’s part of it, and that’s as thrilling for me as the kicks I used to get out of a relationship falling apart. Overcoming those things — I think they make me feel powerful. They make me feel loved by him and make me love him more when we overcome stuff. I would much rather do that than just sit in the dark.[8]

A snippet from an early version of the song was leaked on Twitter in August 2021 — nearly six years after the song’s initial release — revealing that it was originally conceived as a dark piano ballad with different lyrics in the pre-chorus: “It’s so cold out here / In the wilderness / I don’t want to live undercover / And I don’t want to live a secret.”[9] A since-deleted tweet from the same user suggested the original title for “Water Under the Bridge” may have been “All My Life,” though this was never officially confirmed.

Promotion and live performances[]

Prior to the release of 25, Adele partnered with Target to promote the album. Seven short music videos were filmed for different songs on the album in order to promote the Target deluxe edition, one of which was for “Water Under the Bridge.”[10] The video features Adele leaning against a wall in an empty house, singing the first line of the first verse and the chorus.

“Water Under the Bridge” is the only single from 25 to not receive an official music video—although the initial music video for “When We Were Young” was scrapped and replaced with a previously released live video.

Adele performed “Water Under the Bridge” for the first time during her Adele Live in New York City show on November 17, 2015. The performance aired on December 14 on NBC, although “Water Under the Bridge” was initially cut from the special. The special was re-broadcast on May 6 and included all of the cut songs, including “Water Under the Bridge.” On November 23, Adele performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[11] The song was further included in the setlist of the Adele Live 2016 tour.

Covers[]

American singer Kelly Clarkson covered “Water Under the Bridge” during a “Kellyoke” segment on the March 22, 2021 episode of her variety talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.[12]

Credits[]

Personnel[13]

  • Adele – songwriting, lead vocals, backing vocals
  • Greg Kurstin – songwriting, producer, engineer, bass, drums, guitar, piano, keyboards
  • Serban Ghenea – mixer
  • Alex Pasco – engineer
  • Julian Burg – engineer
  • Liam Nolan – engineer
  • John Hanes – engineer

Lyrics[]

If you're not the one for me
Then how come I can bring you to your knees
If you're not the one for me
Why do I hate the idea of being free?
And if I'm not the one for you
You've gotta stop holding me the way you do
Oh honey if I'm not the one for you
Why have we been through what we have been through

It's so cold out here in your wilderness
I want you to be my keeper
But not if you are so reckless

If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge

What are you waiting for?
You never seem to make it through the door
And who are you hiding from?
It ain't no life to live like you're on the run
Have I ever asked for much?
The only thing that I want is your love

If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge

It's so cold in your wilderness
I want you to be my keeper
But not if you are so reckless

If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge
If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently
Don't pretend that you don't want me
Our love ain't water under the bridge

Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say it ain't so, say it ain't so
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge
Say that our love ain't water under the bridge

References[]

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