The Sound of Silence
Disturbed Lyrics

Hello darkness, my old friend
Addressing a state of mind, referring to being enveloped in darkness, mentally and physically, that one is familiar with.

I've come to talk with you again
To confront and embrace the darkness inside, dealing with unsettling thoughts and emotions.

Because a vision softly creeping
Describing a disturbing dream which slowly infiltrating and drawing one in.

Left its seeds while I was sleeping
The dream left behind lingering thoughts and emotions, which affect one's waking life.

And the vision that was planted in my brain
The dream's impact on one's psyche, which lingers even after waking up.

Still remains
The dream's impact never really goes away until discussed with someone or somehow resolved.

Within the sound of silence
The darkness inside, that one confronts, is quiet and unseen and haunts one even more.

In restless dreams I walked alone
The restless mind walking through the twisted thoughts, making one feel isolated.

Narrow streets of cobblestone
Describing the mind's twisted alleys and pathways.

'Neath the halo of a street lamp
The dim light inside the mind trying to understand the thoughts and emotions which seemed confusing and directionless.

I turned my collar to the cold and damp
A physical response to the mental exhaustion and desolation the darkness brings.

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
A sudden moment of realization and inspiration amidst the darkness and confusion.

That split the night
The inspiration brought with it a hope, that one could work through the darkness and into the light of a new dawn.

And touched the sound of silence
The light of inspiration and hope made the darkness inside that much more prominent and unsettling.

And in the naked light I saw
The moment of clarity after breaking through the wall of darkness.

Ten thousand people, maybe more
Being surrounded by people, yet realizing that in reality, one is alone in their journey inside their mind.

People talking without speaking
People exchanging words, yet not actually connecting or communicating meaningfully.

People hearing without listening
Others merely hearing words on the surface level, but not truly understanding or caring to understand the deeper meaning.

People writing songs that voices never share
People expressing themselves through music, but not really sharing their experiences or engaging in a meaningful dialogue with others.

And no one dared
Nobody brave enough to confront and deal with their darkness and to engage in true communication with each other.

Disturb the sound of silence
To break through the superficial exchange of words and be truly vulnerable and connect with each other.

Fools, said I, you do not know
Acknowledging the ignorance and isolation of others stuck in their superficial way of communication.

Silence like a cancer grows
Comparing the spread and impact of superficial silence to that of cancer, life-threatening and dangerous.

Hear my words that I might teach you
Wishing to share one's insights and experiences in order to help others understand and grow from them.

Take my arms that I might reach you
An invitation to connect on a deeper level and helping others navigate through their darkness.

But my words, like silent raindrops fell
Despite the effort to reach out, others seem to not hear or acknowledge one's insights and experiences.

And echoed in the wells of silence
One's words and efforts of connection fall to the wayside, echoing in the same silence it was trying to break.

And the people bowed and prayed
People entangled in the superficial exchange of words, realizing that they need a way to break through their cycle of isolation.

To the neon god they made
Turning to shallow distractions, like materialism, that they created as a way to fill the void in their lives.

And the sign flashed out its warning
The superficial life that people constructed for themselves comes with its own warning signs and dangers.

In the words that it was forming
Warning itself may create more confusion and add to the meaningless exchange of words.

And the sign said
A reminder of the superficiality of the communication people engage in.

The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
Even though the prophets' insights and experiences may not be acknowledged or heeded, their presence and influence is still there, etched into the walls.

And tenement halls
The expressions of experience within people's homes, the buildings they live and grow up in, contribute to who they are and who they will become.

And whispered in the sound of silence
Despite the seemingly empty and meaningless conversation, true feelings are still felt and emotions are still shared, heard in the silence that surrounds everyone.