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….
I've already posted on lyrics (see above)... but the Disturbed version is also notable, in that it builds dramatically: Draiman's tone is softer and more mellow, until it becomes more forceful with "Fools..." -- and then again becomes even more forceful, almost rage, with "And the people bowed and prayed..." This brilliantly mirrors the lyrics of the frustrated prophet, whose words are unheard ("But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence") -- so that, by the end, he is yelling in order to try to break through and have his message heard and...
I've already posted on lyrics (see above)... but the Disturbed version is also notable, in that it builds dramatically: Draiman's tone is softer and more mellow, until it becomes more forceful with "Fools..." -- and then again becomes even more forceful, almost rage, with "And the people bowed and prayed..." This brilliantly mirrors the lyrics of the frustrated prophet, whose words are unheard ("But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence") -- so that, by the end, he is yelling in order to try to break through and have his message heard and heeded...
It's also a song about a homeless war veteran with PTSD who fought in Normandy. He has a recurring dream where he sees an explosion (it's something that happens sometimes in soldiers who've had such an event happen, and they often need therapy, or meds of some kind for it). It's also about as you said, those people that are just zombies who work for the "collective". The kind of people who don't question anything, don't want to learn anything from someone, or exchange ideas. Just blindly follow people they feel are worthy of respect based on their title, or...
It's also a song about a homeless war veteran with PTSD who fought in Normandy. He has a recurring dream where he sees an explosion (it's something that happens sometimes in soldiers who've had such an event happen, and they often need therapy, or meds of some kind for it). It's also about as you said, those people that are just zombies who work for the "collective". The kind of people who don't question anything, don't want to learn anything from someone, or exchange ideas. Just blindly follow people they feel are worthy of respect based on their title, or power. Kind of people who are narcissists always like "uuhuhu look how great I am!" and actually suck lol. Those followers, they'll follow their leader to the edge of hades ofofo.. They lack something inside, and search for "something more" in all the wrong places. Break the sound of silence.
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….
I've already posted on lyrics (see above)... but the Disturbed version is also notable, in that it builds dramatically: Draiman's tone is softer and more mellow, until it becomes more forceful with "Fools..." -- and then again becomes even more forceful, almost rage, with "And the people bowed and prayed..." This brilliantly mirrors the lyrics of the frustrated prophet, whose words are unheard ("But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence") -- so that, by the end, he is yelling in order to try to break through and have his message heard and...
I've already posted on lyrics (see above)... but the Disturbed version is also notable, in that it builds dramatically: Draiman's tone is softer and more mellow, until it becomes more forceful with "Fools..." -- and then again becomes even more forceful, almost rage, with "And the people bowed and prayed..." This brilliantly mirrors the lyrics of the frustrated prophet, whose words are unheard ("But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence") -- so that, by the end, he is yelling in order to try to break through and have his message heard and heeded...
It's also a song about a homeless war veteran with PTSD who fought in Normandy. He has a recurring dream where he sees an explosion (it's something that happens sometimes in soldiers who've had such an event happen, and they often need therapy, or meds of some kind for it). It's also about as you said, those people that are just zombies who work for the "collective". The kind of people who don't question anything, don't want to learn anything from someone, or exchange ideas. Just blindly follow people they feel are worthy of respect based on their title, or...
It's also a song about a homeless war veteran with PTSD who fought in Normandy. He has a recurring dream where he sees an explosion (it's something that happens sometimes in soldiers who've had such an event happen, and they often need therapy, or meds of some kind for it). It's also about as you said, those people that are just zombies who work for the "collective". The kind of people who don't question anything, don't want to learn anything from someone, or exchange ideas. Just blindly follow people they feel are worthy of respect based on their title, or power. Kind of people who are narcissists always like "uuhuhu look how great I am!" and actually suck lol. Those followers, they'll follow their leader to the edge of hades ofofo.. They lack something inside, and search for "something more" in all the wrong places. Break the sound of silence.