submissions

Paul Simon – The Sound of Silence Lyrics

14 years ago

I think it is an anthropomorphized neon sign warning the silent people that “the words of the prophets”, or ideas that used to be incredibly meaningful, are “written on the subway walls and tenement halls” — are now written in crappy public places alongside posters, dirt, and graffiti. The meaning has been lost. The words and ideas they conveyed are now no more important than any other carelessly scribbled message. And yet, and yet. These important words are also “whispered in the sounds of silence”. I personally like to think this means that, though much of what we blather on about today in school, in the media, with our friends, ect... is not very meaningful, we DO still reach out to one another; people ARE still capable of sharing great ideas (as is required of great philosophers and inventors and builders) even if only in whispers. And perhaps one day, when someone has an idea which is very important to them, they will not feel too intimidated to open up and share that idea or have that idea challenged by someone else’s idea.

submissions

Paul Simon – The Sound of Silence Lyrics

14 years ago

I think that this song is about a struggle to share and exchange MEANINGFUL ideas. The people “talking without speaking” and “hearing without listening” are too afraid to share their deep and personal ideas or consider the ideas of others. A person’s refusal to share or receive meaningful ideas dissuades others from sharing meaningful ideas, which leaves people isolated in their personal bubble of silence. When people are too afraid to open up and disturb their comfortable bubble of silence, all that is left for everyone to see is the neon light — the glaringly obvious and superficial. As for the ending, I think it is an anthropomorphized neon sign warning the silent people that “the words of the prophets”, or ideas that used to be incredibly meaningful, are “written on the subway walls and tenement halls” — are now written in crappy public places alongside posters, dirt, and graffiti. The meaning has been lost. The words and ideas they conveyed are now no more important than any other carelessly scribbled message. And yet, and yet. These important words are also “whispered in the sounds of silence”. I personally like to think this means that, though much of what we blather on about today in school, in the media, with our friends, ect... is not very meaningful, we DO still reach out to one another; people ARE still capable of sharing great ideas (as is required of great philosophers and inventors and builders) even if only in whispers. And perhaps one day, when someone has an idea which is very important to them, they will not feel too intimidated to open up and share that idea or have that idea challenged by someone else’s idea.

submissions

Radiohead – Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box Lyrics

14 years ago

I agree that the speaker is upset, but I don't think it's because of a let down. “After years of waiting nothing came. As your life flashed before your eyes you realize I'm a reasonable man.” I think this is about a normal, reasonable man being judged by someone who is insane and, thus, unreasonable. The insane person waited for years for the reasonable man to become “reasonable” in their eyes, yet “nothing came”, nothing could change the reasonable man’s behavior. (And why should it? No reasonable man would sway to the whims of the insane.) Finally, the insane person realized they were “looking in the wrong place”; they realize that the man was truly reasonable all along and they were the one who needed to change. They needed to get off the reasonable man’s case and start fixing THEMSELVES. After this, the insane person finally becomes a reasonable man as well. I think this song is the cry of a normal, logical person frustrated by the constant hounding of someone who does not see them as such; a man with a normal view of the world being treated like a crazy person by a person who is actually crazy, frustrated that the judgmental, crazy person is ignorant not only of their own insanity, but also of the sanity of the reasonable man.

submissions

Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence Lyrics

14 years ago

I think that this song is about a struggle to share and exchange MEANINGFUL ideas. The people “talking without speaking” and “hearing without listening” are too afraid to share their deep and personal ideas or consider the ideas of others. A person’s refusal to share or receive meaningful ideas dissuades others from sharing meaningful ideas, which leaves people isolated in their personal bubble of silence. When people are too afraid to open up and disturb their comfortable bubble of silence, all that is left for everyone to see is the neon light — the glaringly obvious and superficial. As for the ending, I think it is an anthropomorphized neon sign warning the silent people that “the words of the prophets”, or ideas that used to be incredibly meaningful, are “written on the subway walls and tenement halls” — are now written in crappy public places alongside posters, dirt, and graffiti. The meaning has been lost. The words and ideas they conveyed are now no more important than any other carelessly scribbled message. And yet, and yet. These important words are also “whispered in the sounds of silence”. I personally like to think this means that, though much of what we blather on about today in school, in the media, with our friends, ect... is not very meaningful, we DO still reach out to one another; people ARE still capable of sharing great ideas (as is required of great philosophers and inventors and builders) even if only in whispers. And perhaps one day, when someone has an idea which is very important to them, they will not feel too intimidated to open up and share that idea or have that idea challenged by someone else’s idea.

submissions

Radiohead – Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box Lyrics

14 years ago

“After years of waiting nothing came. As your life flashed before your eyes you realize I'm a reasonable man.” I think this is about a normal, reasonable man being judged by someone who is insane and, thus, unreasonable. The insane person waited for years for the reasonable man to become “reasonable” in their eyes, yet “nothing came”, nothing could change the reasonable man’s behavior. (And why should it? No reasonable man would sway to the whims of the insane.) Finally, the insane person realized they were “looking in the wrong place”; they realize that the man was truly reasonable all along and they were the one who needed to change. They needed to get off the reasonable man’s case and start fixing THEMSELVES. After this, the insane person finally becomes a reasonable man as well. I think this song is the cry of a normal, logical person frustrated by the constant hounding of someone who does not see them as such; a man with a normal view of the world being treated like a crazy person by a person who is actually crazy, frustrated that the judgmental, crazy person is ignorant not only of their own insanity, but also of the sanity of the reasonable man.

submissions

Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence Lyrics

14 years ago

I think that this song is about a struggle to share and exchange MEANINGFUL ideas. The people “talking without speaking” and “hearing without listening” are too afraid to share their deep and personal ideas or consider the ideas of others. A person’s refusal to share or receive meaningful ideas dissuades others from sharing meaningful ideas, which leaves people isolated in a personal bubble of silence. When people are too afraid to open up and disturb their comfortable bubble of silence, all that is left for everyone to see is the neon light — the glaringly obvious and superficial. As for the ending, I think it is an anthropomorphized neon sign warning the silent people that “the words of the prophets”, or ideas that used to be incredibly meaningful, are “written on the subway walls and tenement halls” — are now written in crappy public places alongside posters, dirt, and graffiti. The meaning has been lost. The words and ideas they conveyed are now no more important than any other carelessly scribbled message. And yet, and yet. These important words are also “whispered in the sounds of silence”. I personally like to think this means that, though much of what we blather on about today in school, in the media, with our friends, ect... is not very meaningful, we DO still reach out to one another; people ARE still capable of sharing great ideas (as is required of great philosophers and inventors and builders) even if only in whispers. And perhaps one day, when someone has an idea which is very important to them, they will not feel too intimidated to open up and share that idea or have that idea challenged by someone else’s idea.

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