The Sound of Silence
Bob Dylan & Paul Simon Lyrics

Hello darkness, my old friend
The singer is acknowledging a long-standing relationship with darkness and is comfortably starting a conversation with it

I've come to talk with you again
The singer is seeking solace in this conversation with darkness and is perhaps looking to rekindle the sense of familiarity they share

Because a vision softly creeping
The singer is experiencing a vision that is slowly making its way into their consciousness

Left its seeds while I was sleeping
This vision has planted something deep in the artist's mind during their sleep

And the vision that was planted in my brain
The vision has left a lasting impression on the artist's mind

Still remains
The vision's impact has remained unchanged and continues to affect the singer

Within the sound of silence
The vision's message is closely tied to the concept of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
The artist is experiencing unsettling dreams and is figuratively walking through them alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone
The dreamscape is portrayed as a cramped and rough space, adding to the sense of discomfort

'Neath the halo of a street lamp
The light from the street lamp is creating a sense of ambience

I turned my collar to the cold and damp
The singer is trying to protect themselves from the cold and damp environment

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
The sudden appearance of bright light is jarring and painful

That split the night
The bright light is powerful enough to pierce through the darkness of night

And touched the sound of silence
The light and sound from the neon are interrupting the previously established silence

And in the naked light I saw
The source of light has allowed the singer to see beyond the darkness of the previous environment

Ten thousand people, maybe more
The artist is surrounded by a large crowd of people

People talking without speaking
The people are speaking, but their words are empty and meaningless

People hearing without listening
The same people are not really listening to each other despite being in close proximity, perpetuating the meaningless communication

People writing songs that voices never share
The people create art, but it is not being shared or understood by a wider audience

And no one dare
The lack of connection between people makes it impossible for anyone to start a meaningful conversation

Disturb the sound of silence
The emptiness of the communication has become a comfortable status quo that cannot be disrupted

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
The artist is frustrated and judgmental of the people around them, calling them fools for not being able to see beyond their meaningless communication

Silence like a cancer grows
The over-reliance on silence is becoming a negative force that is eating away at the singer's mind and emotions

Hear my words that I might teach you
The artist is offering their words as a means of teaching and conveying meaning to the people around them

Take my arms that I might reach you
The singer is physically reaching out to the people as a gesture of connection

But my words like silent raindrops fell
The singer's words are not being heard or understood by the people around them

And echoed
The silence of the people is reflected in the singer's failure to reach them

In the wells of silence
The emptiness and meaninglessness of the communication is reflected in the spaces left by the silence

And the people bowed and prayed
The people resort to religious practices as a means of finding meaning and connection

To the neon God they made
The people have created an artificial source of light and meaning, elevating it to the status of God

And the sign flashed its warning
The artificial source of meaning is warning the people of something

In the words that it was forming
The warning is being delivered through words, but it is unclear what they mean or how to interpret them

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
The words being delivered carry a sense of prophetic importance

Are written on the subway walls
The message is delivered in a mundane and utilitarian space

And tenement halls"
The message is spreading to the lowest and most cramped areas of society

And whispered in the sounds of silence
The message is spreading through the emptiness and meaninglessness of the communication