About The Song
Paul Simon wrote “The Sound of Silence” in 1963 or 1964, and Simon & Garfunkel first performed it live as Kane & Garr in February 1964. The song was originally recorded in an acoustic folk style for their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. (1964), but it failed to chart.
In June 1965, Columbia Records producer Tom Wilson remixed the song with electric instruments and drums, without Simon & Garfunkel’s knowledge or consent. Wilson’s remix was released as a single in September 1965, and it became a surprise hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1966.
Simon & Garfunkel were initially unhappy with Wilson’s remix, but they eventually came to appreciate its success. The song became their signature song and one of the most iconic folk songs of all time.
Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” is a haunting folk ballad about alienation and social isolation. The song’s lyrics describe a world where people are so engrossed in their own thoughts and devices that they are unable to communicate with each other.
“The Sound of Silence” was released in 1965, but its message of alienation and social isolation remains relevant today. The song has been interpreted as a commentary on a variety of social issues, including the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the rise of technology.
“The Sound of Silence” is a powerful and moving song that has resonated with listeners for generations. It is a timeless classic that continues to be relevant today.
Video
Lyric
Hello, darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silenceIn restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
‘Neath the halo of a streetlamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silenceAnd in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
No one dared
Disturb the sound of silence”Fools,” said I, “You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you.”
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silenceAnd the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, “The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence.”