If you grew up in the 1960s and 70s, like I did, you are familiar with the songs of Simon and Garfunkel.
Simon and Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s, producing hits such as "Bridge Troubled Water," Scarborough Fair/Canticle," and "The Sound of Silence."
Paul Simon wrote "The Sound of Silence" in 1964. The meaning of the song remains unclear, but Simon, who at one time was a Literature major, has said “The song seems to me like something that came out of my literature classes. It feels like there’s Camus in there,” ...“I didn’t sit down to write about alienation in America. I’m not saying the song isn’t about that, but it wasn’t my intention, ..."
Simon & Garfunkel - Sound Of Silence live (1965)
THE SOUND OF SILENCE
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"
*****
Many artist have done covers of the song, but one of the most amazing covers of it was done in 2015 by the Metal band Disturbed whose lead singer, David Draiman, with his powerful voice emphasises the anger implied by the lyrics.
My favorite version of the song is, of course, is by Simon and Garfunkel, but the version by Disturbed is a very close second.
Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence" live on CONAN