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 silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
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 silence

And 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
And 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 silence

And 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 sound of silence


Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher, edited by TofuBug2

The Sound Of Silence Lyrics as written by Paul Simon

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel cover) song meanings
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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    Simon&Garfunkel’s prophetic vision of a modern fragmented society of isolated people, alluding to Psalm 135:

    The song’s narrator has received prophesy, in an essentially passive process: “Because a vision softly creeping / Left its seeds while I was sleeping / And the vision that was planted in my brain.” The narrator is like a prophet, a recipient of knowledge that he does not claim to have created.

    In fact, the song expressly mentions prophets: “And the sign said, ‘The words of the prophets / Are written on the subway walls / And tenement halls.’ / And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.” In this modern society (of “neon lights” and “the neon god”), the words of prophets are overlooked and relegated to below-ground graffiti (“subway walls”) and destitute (“tenement halls”) – just as prophets were overlooked in past societies.

    The prophecy is similar/allusive to Psalm 135:

    Song: "People talking without speaking, / People hearing without listening". Compare to Psalm 135: “They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear”. Not exactly the same words, but certainly similar ideas.

    Song: “And the people bowed and prayed / To the neon god they made.” Compare to Psalm 135: “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. . . . Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.”

    Yet the narrator is a prophet who can’t reach his audience: “’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 silence.”

    And so the song itself is a plea to break through the silence and finally reach is audience. Unable to otherwise reach them, he has crafted this melodic plea.… Does it work? That depends on us, the audience…. Is it possible that we hear and appreciate the words and melody, while missing the larger ideas? Or, in some cases, does this song help to actually break through the silence and resonate to convey its message? Either way, it’s a brilliant song….

    free333on May 12, 2016   Link

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