The Sound of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel(사이먼 앤 가펑클) Lyrics


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The Sounds Of Silence

Performer:Simon & Garfunkel
Composer :Paul Simon
Lyricist :Paul Simon

Hello darkness my old friend
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
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 may be more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never shared
No one dared disturb the sound of silence

Fools said i "you do not know
Silence is 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 whispered in the sounds of silence"

Overall Meaning

The Sound of Silence is a song with striking lyrics and a haunting melody, performed by Simon & Garfunkel. The song is essentially a commentary on the lack of communication and the superficiality of society. The opening line, "Hello darkness, my old friend" signifies the comfort and familiarity that the singer feels with the idea of silence. The vision that crept into the singer's mind while he was sleeping (which could symbolize the repressed thoughts and feelings in his subconscious) has left him disturbed and he seeks solace in darkness.


In the second stanza, the singer describes walking alone through the streets. The neon lights and the bustle of people only serve to exacerbate his loneliness. He realizes that everyone is talking, but no one is really communicating. People write songs, but the messages are lost in translation as no one is willing to listen to them. The lyrics "And no one dared disturb the sound of silence" suggest that there is an unspoken rule in society that people must not speak out against the status quo.


In the final stanza, the singer tries to break the silence by speaking out, but his words fall on deaf ears. The people are too consumed by the neon gods they have created - a metaphor for modern technology and commercialism. The final lines suggest that the words of the prophets (those who speak out against the system) are only heard in obscure places where no one is listening. Overall, The Sound of Silence is a profound commentary on the emptiness of modern society and the importance of communication.


Line by Line Meaning

Hello darkness, my old friend
Addressing the feeling of emptiness and sadness within oneself


I've come to talk with you again
Desire to interact with it


Because a vision softly creeping
A mental picture that slowly emerges


Left its seeds while I was sleeping
Got implanted in the subconscious mind while asleep


And the vision that was planted in my brain
The imaginary scene that took root in the mind


Still remains
It still lingers in the mind


Within the sound of silence
This vision is part of the quiet around me


In restless dreams I walked alone
In continuous nightmares, I walked by myself


Narrow streets of cobblestone
Streets made of small rocks


'Neath the halo of a street lamp
Under the circle of light from the lamp


I turned my collar to the cold and damp
I wrapped my wearable around my neck due to cold, wet weather


When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
A quick, bright electric light caused pain in my eyes


That split the night
It even managed to slash the darkness


And touched the sound of silence
It cut through the stillness of surroundings


And in the naked light I saw
Under the harsh light, I witnessed


Ten thousand people, maybe more
A vast crowd of about ten thousand, possibly even more


People talking without speaking
Individuals sharing words but not communicating


People hearing without listening
People occupying the space but ignoring the emotional context


People writing songs that voices never share
People composing music that never convey their true emotions


And no one dare
Afraid to break away from this foolish and insensitive mode of living


Disturb the sound of silence
They don't want any noise to disturb them, even if it's for the sake of emotional attachment.


"Fools" said I, "You do not know
Addressing the people as fools who don't understand


Silence like a cancer grows
The idea that uneasiness inside is actually growing like cancer


Hear my words that I might teach you
Listen to him so he can teach them


Take my arms that I might reach you"
Allow him to hold them tight so that he can help them


But my words like silent raindrops fell
His words were like silent raindrops that penetrated all around


And echoed
And returned in the form of an echo


In the wells of silence
Sinking into the depths of hush around one


And the people bowed and prayed
The crowd's religious behavior


To the neon God they made
The neon lights represent their only faith


And the sign flashed its warning
The flashing billboard conveying a message


In the words that it was forming
In the sentences that the board displayed


And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
The board declared- these lines resemble how prophets preach


Are written on the subway walls
On the walls of public transport areas, these sentences are engraved


And tenement halls"
Including the worse of places like slums


And whispered in the sounds of silence
These warnings get cautiously faded amidst the walls of silence




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@suneiku4303

LYRICS:

Hello darkness, my old friend
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
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
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 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 whispered in the sounds of silence



@avbikerdad

Hello darkness, my old friend
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
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
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 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 whispered in the sounds of silence"



@Danielmy22

The rest of the story......
HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND, a Simon and Garfunkel song inspired by a College roommate who went blind - this reveals untold story. Enjoy and then listen to the song itself. Enough said. IT is one of the best-loved songs of all time. Simon & Garfunkel's hit,

"The Sound Of Silence" topped the US charts and went platinum in the UK. It was named among the 20 most performed songs of the 20th century, included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and provided the unforgettable soundtrack to 1967 film classic "The Graduate". But to one man The Sound Of Silence means much more than just a No 1 song on the radio with its poignant opening lines: "Hello Darkness my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. "Sanford "Sandy" Greenberg is Art Garfunkel's best friend, and reveals in a moving new memoir, named after that lyric, that the song was a touching tribute to their undying bond, and the singer's sacrifice that saved Sandy's life when he unexpectedly lost his sight. "He lifted me out of the grave," says Sandy, aged 79, who recounts his plunge into sudden blindness, and how Art Garfunkel's selfless devotion gave him reason to live again. Sandy and Arthur, as Art was then known, met during their first week as students at the prestigious Columbia University in New York. "A young man wearing an Argyle sweater and corduroy pants and blond hair with a crew cut came over and said, 'Hi, I'm Arthur Garfunkel', "Sandy recalls. They became roommates, bonding over a shared taste in books, poetry and music. "Every night Arthur and I would sing. He would play his guitar and I would be the DJ. The air was always filled with music." "Still teenagers, they made a pact to always be there for each other in times of trouble. "If one was in extremis, the other would come to his rescue," says Sandy. They had no idea their promise would be tested so soon.



Just months later, Sandy recalls: "I was at a baseball game and suddenly my eyes became cloudy and my vision became unhinged. Shortly after that darkness descended. "Doctors diagnosed conjunctivitis, assuring it would pass. But days later Sandy went blind, and doctors realized that glaucoma had destroyed his optic nerves.



Sandy was the son of a rag-and-bone man. His family, Jewish immigrants in Buffalo, New York, had no money to help him, so he dropped out of college, gave up his dream of becoming a lawyer, and plunged into depression. "I wouldn't see anyone, I just refused to talk to anybody," says Sandy. "And then unexpectedly Arthur flew in, saying he had to talk to me. He said, 'You're gonna come back, aren't you?' "I said,: 'No. There's no conceivable way.' "He was pretty insistent, and finally said, 'Look, I don't think you get it. I need you back there. That's the pact we made together: we would be there for the other in times of crises. I will help you'."



Together they returned to Columbia University, where Sandy became dependent on Garfunkel's support. Art would walk Sandy to class, bandage his wounds when he fell, and even filled out his graduate school applications.

Garfunkel called himself "Darkness" in a show of empathy. The singer explained: "I was saying, 'I want to be together where you are, in the black'. "Sandy recalls: "He would come in and say, 'Darkness is going to read to you now.' “Then he would take me to class and back. He would take me around the city. He altered his entire life so that it would accommodate me."

Garfunkel would talk about Sandy with his high-school friend Paul Simon, from Queens, New York, as the folk rock duo struggled to launch their musical careers, performing at local parties and clubs. Though Simon wrote the song, the lyrics to The Sound of Silence are infused with Garfunkel's compassion as Darkness, Sandy's old friend.



Guiding Sandy through New York one day, as they stood in the vast forecourt of bustling Grand Central Station, Garfunkel said that he had to leave for an assignment, abandoning his blind friend alone in the rush-hour crowd, terrified, stumbling and falling. "I cut my forehead" says Sandy. "I cut my shins. My socks were bloodied. I had my hands out and bumped into a woman's breasts. It was a horrendous feeling of shame and humiliation. "I started running forward, knocking over coffee cups and briefcases, and finally I got to the local train to Columbia University. It was the worst couple of hours in my life." Back on campus, he bumped into a man, who apologized. "I knew that it was Arthur's voice," says Sandy. "For a moment I was enraged, and then I understood what happened: that his colossally insightful, brilliant yet wildly risky strategy had worked." Garfunkel had not abandoned Sandy at the station, but had followed him the entire way home, watching over him. "Arthur knew it was only when I could prove to myself I could do it that I would have real independence," says Sandy. "And it worked, because after that I felt that I could do anything.



"That moment was the spark that caused me to live a completely different life, without fear, without doubt. For that I am tremendously grateful to my friend." Sandy not only graduated, but went on to study for a master's degree at Harvard and Oxford.



While in Britain he received a phone call from his friend - and with it the chance to keep his side of their pact. Garfunkel wanted to drop out of architecture school and record his first album with Paul Simon, but explained: "I need $400 to get started." Sandy, by then married to his high school sweetheart, says: "We had $404 in our current account. I said, 'Arthur, you will have your cheque.' "It was an instant reaction, because he had helped me restart my life, and his request was the first time that I had been able to live up to my half of our solemn covenant."



The 1964 album, Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, was a critical and commercial flop, but one of the tracks was The Sound Of Silence, which was released as a single the following year and went to No 1 across the world. "The Sound Of Silence meant a lot, because it started out with the words 'Hello darkness' and this was Darkness singing, the guy who read to me after I returned to Columbia blind," says Sandy.



Simon & Garfunkel went on to have four smash albums, with hits including Mrs Robinson, The Boxer, and Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Amazingly, Sandy went on to extraordinary success as an inventor, entrepreneur, investor, presidential adviser and philanthropist. The father of three, who launched a $3million prize to find a cure for blindness, has always refused to use a white cane or guide dog. "I don't want to be 'the blind guy'," he says. "I wanted to be Sandy Greenberg, the human being."



Six decades later the two men remain best friends, and Garfunkel credits Sandy with transforming his life. With Sandy, "my real life emerged," says the singer. "I became a better guy in my own eyes, and began to see who I was - somebody who gives to a friend. "I blush to find myself within his dimension. My friend is the gold standard of decency." Says Sandy: "I am the luckiest man in the world"



@zazzymazzy

"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 whispered in the sound of silence"

Fucking amazing lyrics.



@lucassantoscosta7695

Lyrics:

Hello, darkness, my old friend
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
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 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 whispered in the sound of silence



All comments from YouTube:

@victorvance2573

Hello Simon & Garfunkel my old friends. I´ve come to listen to you again...

@yasirkusay1195

Nice to see you are still alive Vic!

@victorvance2573

@@yasirkusay1195 Thanks! Well 1986 was a really rough year for me...

@yasirkusay1195

Victor Vance How did you survive the ambush? Or was that Pete that was killed?

@victorvance2573

@@yasirkusay1195 I respawned at an nearby hospital.

@yasirkusay1195

Victor Vance Ah I forgot, you have protagonist powers still

1 More Replies...

@kazt1865

“People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening” Love it !

@reneg.1620

Its true. Everyone think: First Me! And second? I don´t give a f...!!

@indyindu22

Same...this is my favourite part of the song

@sokag1670

@@indyindu22 me too💕💕

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