The duo remains known due to the continued popularity of the disco staple "Shake Your Groove Thing", which has featured prominently in many motion pictures like An Extremely Goofy Movie, Monster, and Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, as well as in an advertisement campaign by Intel from the late 1990s.
Sound of Silence
Peaches & Herb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
'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
And no one dare
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 whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
The lyrics to Peaches & Herb's song "Sound of Silence" explore the concept of isolation and the breakdown of communication in modern society. The singer finds solace in the darkness, seeing it as a friend rather than an enemy, and admits that visions have been invading their thoughts while they sleep. The haunting repetitiveness of the line "Within the sound of silence" suggests that the singer is struggling to confront their feelings and is locked in a spiral of negative thoughts. The imagery of walking alone through deserted streets creates a sense of detachment, emphasizing the theme of being separate from others.
The second verse offers a startling contrast. The singer sees an enormous crowd, but instead of connection, they see disconnection. People are "talking without speaking," "hearing without listening," and "writing songs that voices never share." Tellingly, "no one dare disturb the sound of silence." Despite the density of humanity, the singer feels as though they are in a vacuum of their own, unable to connect with those around them. The final verse offers a warning. The singer tells those around them that "silence like a cancer grows," seeking to bring them to the light of understanding. They call on others to listen to their words and accept their help, but they are ignored. The final two lines suggest that messages can be found in unexpected places, such as graffiti on subway walls, and that communication can be found in the sounds of silence.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I find comfort in embracing my own sorrows
I've come to talk with you again,
I'm here to explore my innermost thoughts and feelings
Because a vision softly creeping,
A thought or idea has insidiously taken hold of me
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
It has established itself in my mind while I was unaware
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.
This idea is still present within my thoughts, even when it is quiet and peaceful
In restless dreams I walked alone
During sleep, my subconscious mind wanders without rest, solitary
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
My thoughts take me down narrow, confining pathways
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I'm under a streetlight, but it provides only a dim light
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
My body recoils from the physical discomfort of the environment
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
Suddenly, my perception is assaulted by the harshness of artificial light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence.
The light reveals the hollowness of what I thought was peace and quiet
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
In this moment of sudden awareness, I see the world with utter clarity
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People are not communicating effectively or with intention
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dare
Disturb the sound of silence.
People create art that expresses their innermost emotions, but they fear the judgment of others
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows.
I understand the destructiveness of ignoring problems for too long
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Take my arms that I might reach you."
I offer myself as a guide and a friend to help others in need
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed
In the wells of silence
My offers of help fall on deaf ears, like raindrops disappear in a deep well
And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made.
The people have given in to the emptiness of consumerism and materialism
And the sign flashed out its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
These things are not sustainable, and the world is giving us warning signs
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls."
The truth and wisdom of those who came before us can be found in unexpected places
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
Listen closely in moments of relative silence, as this is where truth can be found
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bunnyoneful
My song from summer 1971