The Sound of Silence
Quechua y su flauta de los Andes Lyrics
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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.
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
And 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 a warning,
In the words that it was forming.
And the signs said the words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence
The Sound of Silence by Quechua y su Flauta de los Andes is a cover of the iconic 1964 folk rock classic by Simon and Garfunkel. The song speaks of the concept of silence, of people communicating without saying anything, and of the need to confront it. The opening line, “Hello, darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again” is an address to silence, as though it were a friend of the singer. The lyric suggests that the singer has a close relationship with silence and that they are perhaps investigating the silence in their own mind.
The song describes a vision that crept up on the singer while they were sleeping, planting a vision in their mind that remains long after they wake up. The vision alludes to society's overwhelming desire to communicate without actually saying anything of significance. The second verse shows the singer walking alone in the city streets, under the halos of neon lights, describing how the image of the people they see embodies the collective silence of society. The third verse highlights the incongruity of the situation, where people write songs that they never share, and how no one dares to disturb the sound of silence.
The fourth verse suggests that silence can bring about harmful effects, and that this silence is growing like a cancer. The singer's frustration grows as they realize that they cannot communicate their ideas effectively, and they see the people's inability to understand the gravity of the situation. The final verse shows the people praying to the "neon god" they have made, and how the "prophets" write on the "subway walls" and "tenement halls." In this verse, the singer suggests that the people have become blinded by their collective silence and are unable to see the warning signs that their society may be headed for destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, darkness my old friend
I acknowledge the presence of my deep thoughts and emotions.
I've come to talk with you again
I need a moment of introspection and contemplation.
Because a vision softly creeping
I had a thought or idea that came to me subtly.
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
The idea stayed with me and grew stronger during my sleep.
And the vision that was planted in my brain
The idea took root in my mind.
Still remains
It's still present and relevant in my life.
Within the sound of silence.
It exists in the moments of peace and calmness.
In restless dreams i walked alone
I feel anxious and uncertain, even in my dreams.
Narrow streets of cobblestone, 'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I'm feeling lost and aimless in a dark, unfamiliar place.
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
I tried to protect myself from the harshness of the environment.
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
A jarring, unexpected event interrupted my thoughts.
That split the night
It created a powerful contrast of light and dark.
And touched the sound of silence.
It disrupted my peaceful state of mind.
And in the naked light I saw
In the harsh, unforgiving reality, I saw clearly.
Ten thousand people, maybe more
There were many people around me, but they were not connected.
People talking without speaking
People are communicating, but not expressing their true selves.
People hearing without listening
People are hearing, but not truly absorbing or understanding.
People writing songs that voices never share
People are expressing themselves, but not sharing their true selves with others.
And no one dared
No one had the courage or desire to change the status quo.
Disturb the sound of silence.
Nobody wanted to break the sense of emptiness and isolation.
"Fools," said I, "You do not know
I empathize with those who are stuck in this state of mind.
Silence like a cancer grows.
The silence can be harmful and destructive.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
Let me share some words of wisdom with you.
Take my arms that I might reach you."
Let me offer you some guidance and support.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
My words were ignored or dismissed.
And echoed
They were repeated and reflected back.
In the wells of silence
They were absorbed by the emptiness and isolation.
And the people bowed and prayed
The people turned to a higher power for guidance and support.
To the neon god they made
They worshiped the things that can distract them from their true selves.
And the sign flashed out a warning,
The neon sign served as a warning or reminder of their isolation.
In the words that it was forming.
The sign had a message that was trying to be conveyed.
And the signs said the words of the prophets
Even though the signs were artificial, they could still convey a truth.
Are written on the subway walls
Their truth can be found even in the most mundane places.
And tenement halls.
Even in the poorest and most run-down spaces.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence
The truth, even if barely audible, can still be heard amidst the emptiness and isolation.
Writer(s): PAUL SIMON, CHRIS TRUEMAN, GEOFF LAWSON
Contributed by Alex Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.