"The Sound of Silence" as written by Paul Simon...
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
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 sounds of silence
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
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 sounds of silence
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by annacronism, Mahasquid, ashakitten4, DAIRYDAWG, sjaydeb, NonDiluted
"The Sound of Silence" as written by Paul Simon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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Its theme is man's inability to communicate with man. The author sees the extent of communication as it is on only its most superficial and "commercial" level (of which the "neon sign" is representative). There is no serious understanding because there is no serious communication - "people talking without speaking - hearing without listening". No one dares take the risk of reaching out ("take my arms that I might reach you") to disturb the sound of silence. The poet's (character in the song) attempts are equally futile (" . . . but my words like silent raindrops fell within the wells of silence"). The ending is an enigma. The words tell us that when meaningful communication fails, the only sound is silence.
thanks
I also find myself disagreeing vehemently with aspects of the first reply to your assessment, especially as I grew up listening to Simon & Garfunkel (my parents were both big fans, and I was born mid-70s), – I'm familiar not only with the music, but also the artists responsible for its creation.
Regardless of the meaning, or perhaps because of it, I won't expand on my thoughts as I believe the personal relationship of music and individuals to be both important and somewhat "sacred." Even if an interpretation is "incorrect" by way of the artist's intent, the meaning gleaned from anyone else may be quite meaningful, and therefore "correct", to the person positing said theory.
Moving on, and where this song is concerned: if it's one you love and haven't already heard it, do yourself the favor of listening to the version Paul Simon did on his own during his "Concert In The Park" in Central Park. It's widely available, and (pardon the caps) REALLY GREAT. I was at the show, and though it was when I was in junior high school and have seen many concerts both before and since by some of the greatest musical artists of our times (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, Madonna, Fiona Apple, Dave Matthews, Kenny Loggins, Etc...), that one in particular stands out as one of the "Top 5" very easily. His performance of several of the standards – in a few cases reimagined / reworked for that particular show – still raises the hair on my neck and takes my breath away sometimes when I listen again. The Boxer, S.o.S., Kodachrome, America, and Bridge Over Troubled Water stand out in that regard!)
The poet is certainly commenting on a trend in music, media, television, advertising where deeper meaning/art is lacking, and he calls it the sound of silence. Talking without speaking, hearing without listening, songs unsung. He himself is unable to reach/communicate with the 10,000 people in his vision, who are worshiping the neon god. This is absolutely a theme of man being unable to communicate on a deep level with man, and of indivduals/ideas repressed by the status quo. Said god decrees that the words of the prophets are written on the ads/flyers plastering subway walls and buildings and whispered in sounds of silence.
Yet another wannabe ivy league zero adding their own 65 cents to a 2 cent narrative .
This song, as complex as it may appear concerns several serious song writers and their grasp with mortality and the influences they have through life, with people and each other...be it positive or negative
the end ---
The end Of the song is not an enigma to me.
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
(The fake god they made themselves where to go look)
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
(by their children)
And tenement halls"
(and the students)
And whispered in the sounds of silence
(and those that do not dare to speak up)
(And still no one listens)
I feel it is an allusion to Plato's "Allegory of the Cave." While the ideas of commercialism (the people bow and pray to a neon god they made, the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, etc) run throughout the poem, it also has to do with a frustration the narrator feels with humans in general. They are content to "hear without listening," not willing or interested in focusing on anyone or anything too intently. They are not willing to go beyond the superficial, but merely to accept the world around them, as no one "dares disturb the sounds of silence."
The allusion comes into play in the beginning, as the narrator has a revelation, a vision, that awakes him from this superficial, merely shadowed world. He rises, walks alone as the man in Plato's story did, and he sees the light. He tries to tempt others out of the cave of ignorance and look beyond teh surface of things, but his "words like silent raindrops" fall. His attempts are futile.
That's what I got out of the song, my two cents ^_^ An amazing song no matter how you interpret it!
I completely agree with this interpretation. I however believe strongly that it is not commercialism they worship per se. It is the country/government they have built, thinking it is free, yet they are deceived by its brainwashing messages of patriotism. Like uncle Sam's "I want you" posts for instance. I say so because I heard/read somewhere that the song was written during the time of Vietnam War.
I also think it could differ a bit more. The vision's source is spiritual, which still remains within the "dream" i.e world they live in. In comparison to the materialistic people who although still aware of or familiar with spirituality existance, insist on bowing to the made god, and refuse to join the speaker away from the deception.
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
-----
~
Hello Enlightened people,
To me, this song also represents the improper communication with our mind.
Our mind is The sound of silence.
It is ON when you close ur eyes.
It has to be listened, respected to believe and followed.
As the writer did, and we get this ultimate song.
-----
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
Beneath 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
-----
~
Now we open our eyes.
We look everywhere around us.
We switch on our TV.
We get majority of our thoughts from Screens(TV/Movies) i.e. Neon god.
We fill ourself with thoughts of People, Lifestyle, War, Fashion, Money, Cars,etc.
This makes our mind ponder to a thought.
-----
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 deared
Disturb the sound of silence
-----
~
When we watch TV, we find that we try to follow it in our life to completeness.
We follow it even though its fake and manipulated
to fulfill some person's financial needs.
In screens, Actors just speak lines.
In screens, Actors just hear lines.
In screens, Actors dont express their actual thoughts.
Everyone is afraid to touch what one's mind feels like speaking.
They are mere spectators, powerless and hollow from inside.
As they dont touch their own mind(sound of silence).
So we follow them too by being spectators and powerless in our life too.
We dont touch our what our mind(sound of silence) say.
------
"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
-----
~
The writer here ask us to act(Hear my words,take my arms).
Because if we keep only following screens
and dont listen to our own mind(sound of silence)
Then we will run after things dictated by screens our whole life.
We have no idea why we are doing that way and complain till end.
Because we have no idea what we really want and where our happiness lies.
Thats why everyday, we feel so hollow inside.
This hollowness(cancer) grows bigger and bigger.
But still nobody wants to touch that sound of silence(mind)
We look out for solution even though every solution is inside us.
We dont listen, we just hear it.
and its accumulated in the sound of silence(mind) which we never listen.
-----
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 signs said the words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence
-----
~
But still we go on with our screens(Neon god).
Neon god laughs here and says to the writer
"Throughtout ages, all the prophets of all the religions have been saying the same things. Earlier it was kings then society, now its screens.
Their have found their place in outside world only (on walls and books)
not inside (the mind).
If they werent successful, where do you stand?
You will also find yourself at the same place i.e. outside the mind"
Thats why millions may have listened to the songs.
Thousands have sung.
Hundreds have interpreted it.
But very few will follow it even then.
We will still follow our neon gods,
And not listen to our sound of silence.
Thus this song will hold significance till mankind remains,
and we will just laugh at this paradox.
I love the last lines you said. The ones about the paradox, it's sad but true. I just wrote a interpretation of this song and ours are nothing alike but they're both true in there own way. Or maybe just Personal Opinion.
they no longer even know how, and the lack of communication on a emotional level.
Yes, we speak, but we say nothing of value, nothing worth sharing.
He wrote it when he was merely 21, so it is also a song of youthful angst and want
for meaning and communication between all.
Wishful thinking perhaps; a dream of light breaking the current shadow of darkness.
Communication is more than words, it is feeling, and these people that worship media
and money are superficial- they see not that they have missed the point.
Light being good, but neon lights are man made and might seem like the real thing,
but cannot ever compare- yet we worship it.
Reverts within himself, into his darkness of thought- people breathe without caring for it’s worth, not knowing that silence is where we are when we realise we’re not living the truth.
He has a wisdom that translates into the hearts of those that see as he saw all those years ago.
Man, I meant to narrow it down into a single line, there went that theory.
I don't know how that could become a single line, your Interpretation says more in 3 paragraphs then i could do with a whole page. I salute you Sir/Ma'am. (Give's salute gesture.)