"The Bridge" was a #1 chart hit in 1981 for New Zealand singer Deane Waretini, and his backing group The Rising Stars.
According to Alan Perrotts article, "You must remember this" in the March 30, 2009 edition of The New Zealand Herald, the group that backed Waretini, referred to there as The Rising Suns, was formerly called The Radars.
The trumpet player on the song who happened to be married to the niece of George Tait was Kevin Furey formerly of the Quincy Conserve.
Another tactic was recruiting a news paper boy to sell copies to passing people for 50 cents a piece.
On the third of April 1981, the song went to no 1, pushing John Lennon's "Woman" from the top spot it previously held.
[1] There is an Unreleased Alternative Version by Waretini that appears on the Waiata Maori Showbands, Balladeers & Pop Stars, various artists compilation that was released by His Master's Voice and EMI in 2011.
[10][11] In 1981, the song became victim to a parody by Kevin Blackatini and the Frigids, and a record was released on the RTC label.