Paul Simon praises ‘extraordinary’ rendition of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by health workers

Paul Simon has praised “brave” health care workers who recorded an emotional rendition of the hit Simon & Garfunkel single “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

The singer and songwriter reposted a video of the “extraordinary” performance, which features UK National Health Service (NHS) workers performing a choral cover of the song in English and Welsh, to his Facebook page on Wednesday.

The video pays tribute to staff at Llandudno’s Venue Cymru in north Wales, which has been converted from a theater into a field hospital to treat coronavirus patients in the area.

The field hospital, created to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, has been renamed “Ysbyty Enfys,” which is Welsh for “Rainbow Hospital.”

Musician, pianist and television presenter Jools Holland opens the performance on his piano, paying tribute to “all of the extraordinary people in the NHS and the brilliant people working to support them in north Wales.”

Welsh actors Matthew Rhys and Rhys Ifans also star in the video to thank health care workers.

The video, which features NHS staff, construction workers and the Conwy Council staff choir singing in English and Welsh, shows images of the construction of the field hospital.

It has been watched more than 250,000 times since being posted by Simon.

“Here is an extraordinary performance of ‘Bridge Over Trouble Water’ by the brave men and women from NHS in honor of the Llandudno’s Venue Cymru, which has been turned into a temporary coronavirus hospital,” Simon wrote on Facebook.

“During this process, the facility has been renamed to Ysbyty Enfys, which is Welsh for Rainbow Hospital, as a symbol for hope,” he added.