The Sound of Silence
Shaw Blades 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.
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 Sound of Silence by Shaw Blades is a song that captures the disconnect between the individual and society at large. The song is a commentary on the futility of communication in a world that is too busy talking to listen. The singer addresses the darkness within himself, his old friend and confidante, and how it has come back to haunt him. The opening line, "Hello darkness, my old friend," sets the mood for the entire song. The singer is seeking solace in the darkness because he feels disconnected from the world around him. He then proceeds to describe a vision that he had while he was sleeping, which had left him deeply moved. The vision is symbolic of the deep-seated feelings of isolation and alienation that the singer harbours.
The second verse describes the singer's attempt to find connection in the world around him. He walks along the streets, in the midst of a crowd of people, yet still feels alone. The neon light that flashes in front of him is symbolic of the false connections that we make with each other. We talk, but we don't communicate. We hear, but we don't listen. The third verse is a plea by the singer, trying to make himself heard in a world that refuses to listen. He warns of the dangers of silence, which is like a cancer that slowly eats away at us. But his words fall on deaf ears, much like raindrops that fall into a bottomless pit.
The final verse is a stark commentary on the state of society. The people have made a false god out of the neon lights and the signs that surround them. They worship the very things that are causing them to disconnect from each other. The prophets' words are written on the subway walls and tenement halls, but no one is listening. The final line whispered in the sounds of silence is a haunting reminder of the disconnect that we all feel from time to time.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello darkness, my old friend,
I am embracing my state of sadness and searching for comfort in it.
I've come to talk with you again,
I have found myself in this state of sadness before and I am returning to it.
Because a vision softly creeping,
A subtle thought or idea has been growing in my mind.
Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
This thought or idea started to take root in my mind while I was unaware of it.
And the vision that was planted in my brain
The thought or idea that has taken root in my mind.
Still remains
It is still there, lingering and affecting me.
Within the sound of silence.
It exists within the silence and stillness of my mind.
In restless dreams I walked alone
I am alone in my thoughts and struggles, even in my dreams.
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
My journey through these thoughts is difficult and uncomfortable.
'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
I am surrounded by artificial light and struggling to find clarity and truth.
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
I am trying to protect myself from the harshness of these thoughts and emotions.
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
When I was least expecting it, I was reminded of the stark reality of my situation.
That split the night
It shattered the calm and peacefulness of the darkness.
And touched the sound of silence.
It disrupted the stillness and brought my thoughts to the forefront.
And in the naked light I saw
When everything was exposed and stripped away, I could see clearly.
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
There are countless individuals who are also struggling with similar issues and emotions.
People talking without speaking,
People are communicating, but not really connecting or understanding each other.
People hearing without listening,
People are physically present, but not truly engaged or empathetic.
People writing songs that voices never share
Artists are putting their deepest thoughts and emotions into their music, but they are not truly being heard or understood by others.
And no one dare
No one is willing or able to challenge the status quo.
Disturb the sound of silence.
No one wants to disrupt the cold and artificial peace that exists around us.
"Fools" said I, "You do not know
I am frustrated by the lack of understanding and empathy I see around me.
Silence like a cancer grows.
The silence and apathy around us is like a disease, spreading and infecting everything around it.
Hear my words that I might teach you,
I am trying to reach out and connect with others, to help them understand.
Take my arms that I might reach you.
I am trying to offer support and comfort to those who are struggling.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
My attempts to communicate and connect were met with indifference or ignorance.
And echoed
My words bounced back to me, unheard and unacknowledged.
In the wells of silence
My attempts to break through the silence were swallowed up and lost within it.
And the people bowed and prayed
The masses continued to cling to their apathy and indifference.
To the neon god they made.
The artificial and superficial things that people worship instead of engaging with each other.
And the sign flashed out its warning,
There were warnings and signs all around us, but we ignored them.
In the words that it was forming.
In the messages that were being communicated, but not truly understood or acted upon.
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
The messages that were being ignored and brushed aside were actually the words of the wise and prophetic.
Are written on the subway walls
These messages can be found in the most unexpected places, even in the mundane and ordinary.
And tenement halls."
In the places where people live and struggle every day.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
These messages and ideas are still present within the silence and stillness of our thoughts and emotions.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind