The Dangling Conversation
Simon & Granfunkel Lyrics
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Of a now-late afternoon
As the sun shines through the curtain lace
And shadows wash the room
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference, like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
The borders of our lives
And you read your Emily Dickinson
And I my Robert Frost
And we note our place with book markers
That measure what we've lost
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm
Couplets out of rhyme
In syncopated time (in syncopated time)
And the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
Are the borders of our lives
Yes, we speak of things that matter
With words that must be said
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
In the borders of our lives
The Dangling Conversation by Simon & Garfunkel speaks to the theme of disconnect in relationships. The lyrics describe a couple sitting in a room, sipping coffee, and reading their respective books, but there is a sense of emptiness and disconnection between them, as if they are just going through the motions of being together. The song describes the superficial, meaningless conversation they have and how it is a reflection of their lives. The couple no longer seems to understand each other, as they recite lines from their favorite poets without real connection.
The lyric "Like a poem poorly written, we are verses out of rhythm, couplets out of rhyme, in syncopated time" highlights the theme of mismatched communication. The couple's words and thoughts do not flow together in harmony, but rather seem out of sync.
The song's title "The Dangling Conversation" is a metaphor for the relationship between the couple. They have been left hanging by their own lack of communication and inability to connect with one another. This leaves them feeling lost, disconnected, and estranged from each other.
Overall, The Dangling Conversation by Simon & Garfunkel speaks to the challenges of communication and connection in relationships, and how superficial conversation can lead to feelings of emptiness and disconnection.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a still life watercolor
The scene is a static one, like a painting.
Of a now-late afternoon
The time of day is late afternoon or early evening.
As the sun shines through the curtain lace
Sunlight is filtered through the curtains.
And shadows wash the room
Shadows create a contrasting effect in the room.
And we sit and drink our coffee
The people are just sitting and drinking coffee.
Couched in our indifference, like shells upon the shore
The people are indifferent, like shells on a beach.
You can hear the ocean roar
The sound of the ocean can be heard nearby.
In the dangling conversation
The conversation is casual and unstructured.
And the superficial sighs
The sighs are insincere and lack genuine emotion.
The borders of our lives
Our lives are separated by our individual perspectives and experiences.
And you read your Emily Dickinson
One person is reading the poetry of Emily Dickinson.
And I my Robert Frost
The other person is reading the poetry of Robert Frost.
And we note our place with book markers
We use bookmarks to keep track of where we are in our books.
That measure what we've lost
The bookmarks serve as a reminder of what we've read and what we may have forgotten.
Like a poem poorly written
Our conversation is like a bad poem, lacking structure and coherence.
We are verses out of rhythm
Our conversation is disjointed and lacking fluidity.
Couplets out of rhyme
Our conversation is unharmonious and inconsistent.
In syncopated time (in syncopated time)
Our conversation is not in sync, like music with irregular beats.
And the dangling conversation
Our trivial conversation continues without substance.
And the superficial sighs
Our fake sighs continue to fill the air.
Are the borders of our lives
Our individual experiences and perspectives continue to define us.
Yes, we speak of things that matter
Occasionally, we bring up important topics.
With words that must be said
We express opinions and share our thoughts.
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
We question the value of analysis.
"Is the theater really dead?"
We discuss the relevance of theater in modern society.
And how the room is softly faded
We notice the fading of the environment around us.
And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand
One person is distant and unresponsive to the other.
You're a stranger now unto me
The distance between us makes us feel like strangers.
Lost in the dangling conversation
Our trivial conversation continues, devoid of real connection.
And the superficial sighs
Our fake sighs continue to fill the air.
In the borders of our lives
Our individual experiences and perspectives continue to define us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
redwingblues
It's a still life watercolor
Of a now-late afternoon
As the sun shines through the curtained lace
And shadows wash the room
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference, like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
The borders of our lives
And you read your Emily Dickinson
And I my Robert Frost
And we note our place with book markers
That measure what we've lost
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm
Couplets out of rhyme
In syncopated time
And the dangled conversation
And the superficial sighs
Are the borders of our lives
Yes, we speak of things that matter
With words that must be said
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
In the borders of our lives
Genevieve Gates
It's a still life watercolor
Of a now-late afternoon
As the sun shines through the curtained lace
And shadows wash the room
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference, like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
The borders of our lives
And you read your Emily Dickinson
And I my Robert Frost
And we note our place with book markers
That measure what we've lost
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm
Couplets out of rhyme
In syncopated time
And the dangled conversation
And the superficial sighs
Are the borders of our lives
Yes, we speak of things that matter
With words that must be said
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
In the borders of our lives
Anthony Pranckevicus
I'm 72 years old and bought this song when it first came out on a 45 I still play it along with sounds of silence I think it's one of the greatest songs they ever made
redwingblues
It's a still life watercolor
Of a now-late afternoon
As the sun shines through the curtained lace
And shadows wash the room
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference, like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
The borders of our lives
And you read your Emily Dickinson
And I my Robert Frost
And we note our place with book markers
That measure what we've lost
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm
Couplets out of rhyme
In syncopated time
And the dangled conversation
And the superficial sighs
Are the borders of our lives
Yes, we speak of things that matter
With words that must be said
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs
In the borders of our lives
Everything Fangirl
Every time I hear a new song of theirs, I think it's the best one. And then I find another one to surpass it. These guys are geniuses, from their lyrics to their music. 💜
Lindy Williams
Genius doesn't begin to express just how unbelievable Paul Simon's poetry is. It is timeless and Art Garfunkel's voice, along with Paul's is the conduit that carries it to our minds. What a gift given to my generation.
Laughing Lark
He reminds me of Robert Frost. Paul Simon puts poetry to music.
Holly
And a gift given to every generation thereafter. My folks loved these songs growing up -- Beatles, S&G, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, etc...
I'm lucky to have parents like mine who are willing to share the joys of their childhoods with me; it's taught me so much over the years, and I believe I understand other people a little better the further back I look into music's past.
I've more recently learned to appreciate Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen, and Don McLean more. Once I start listening to other artists from back before I was born, I mean /really/ listening, then I hear past the annoying voices and understand the talent and work that went with it, to be able to get that one take that sticks.
Music is life, man. Music is life. :)
Aaron Meyer
One of the most poetic songs ever written.
funguy4utube
"... and we note our place with bookmakers that measure what we've lost" such powerful imagery and poetry .. just as strong today as in 1966 ( in '66 I played this album endlessly ... I almost wore it out )
AceHilm
this album went so hard but like…. so softly
Julie Watt Faqir
their songs beautifully tell stories.