Water Under the Bridge (song)
"Water Under the Bridge" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele for her third studio album, "25" (2015). Written by Adele and its producer Greg Kurstin, it was released as the fourth and final single from the album on November 4, 2016. Lyrically, the track is about a critical point in a relationship and trying to figure out if your partner is in or out. Musically, the song is a departure from the album's more R&B-soulful sound, and is a mid-tempo pop song, featuring an electro-drum beat and a  tropical, trip hop riff. "Water Under the Bridge" received positive reviews from the music critics who praised its upbeat production, and Adele's vocal performance. Commercially, the song was a moderate success, reaching number one in Israel and the top 10 in Belgium, Germany, and Iceland. Adele has performed the song during "Adele Live in New York City" and on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". In 2016, the song was included on the soundtrack of the Brazilian telenovela "A Lei do Amor" ("Wounded Past"). This was the last song by Adele for nearly five years until the release of  Easy on Me (2021). Composition. "Water Under the Bridge" is a mid-tempo pop song, featuring an electro-drum beat and a tropical, trip hop riff, with Adele proclaiming to her lover "If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently". While reviewing "25", Jon Dolan of "Rolling Stone" noted gospel influence in the song. More specifically, Chris Gerard of "PopMatters" cited a gospel choir in the background of the song. The song is written in the key of E major with a tempo of 95 beats per minute. The song follows three chord progressions of Progression  #1: A(IV)–Fm7(ii7)–Cm(vi)–B(V)–Gm(iii),Progression #2: A(IV)–Fm7(ii7)–Cm(vi)–B(V), Progression #3: E(I)-Fm(ii)-Cm(vi)-A(IV) in the verses, and Adele's vocals span from B to C. Critical reception. MTV's Christina Garibaldi wrote that "The song is all about a critical point in a relationship and trying to figure out if your partner is in or out". Katy Forrester of "Daily Mirror" stated that "The lyrics to this song make us swallow hard and sit thinking about everything in life" and called it "one of the best on the album". "The National"'s Rob Garratt called the song "A pop sing-along which sacrifices none of Adele 's trademarked intimacy" and called it "a smart choice for the album's second single", though it turned out to be the fourth. Lewis Corner of "Digital Spy" wrote that "they [Kurstin and Adele] strike upon a shimmering mid-tempo pop parade". Chart performance. In the U.S. and the UK, the song was Adele's lowest-charting single from "25", peaking at number 26 and number 39, respectively. However, on 14 December 2015, "Billboard" reported that "Water Under the Bridge" was the third best-selling song from "25", having sold 104,000 copies. Live performances. Adele performed the song on "Adele  Live in New York City", which was held at Radio City Music Hall on 17 November 2015 and broadcast on NBC on 14 December 2015. She also performed the song on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on 23 November 2015.