Paul Simon wrote this about providing comfort to a person in need. It started as a modest gospel hymn but became more dramatic as he put it together. Speaking in the documentary The Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon said, "I have no idea where it came from. It came all of the sudden. It was one of the most shocking moments in my songwriting career. I remember thinking, 'This is considerably better than I usually write."
Art Garfunkel sang this alone, although he thought Simon should have sung it. Said Simon, "Many times I'm sorry I didn't do it." Simon often sang it at his solo shows; at the last concert of his 2018 farewell tour, he introduced it by saying, "I'm going to reclaim my lost child."
At first, Simon thought the opening lyrics were too simple: "When you're weary, feeling small. When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all." He later realized that it was this simplicity that helped give the song a universal appeal.
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