The Sound
Tom Lyrics

Hello darkness, my old friend,
The singer is addressing their own inner darkness as if it were an old acquaintance.

I've come to talk with you again,
The singer is seeking solace in their own darkness again.

Because a vision softly creeping,
The singer had a vision in their dreams that has left a lasting impression.

Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
The vision planted an idea in the artist's mind.

And the vision that was planted in my brain
The idea from the vision is still present in the artist's mind.

Still remains
The idea from the vision still persists.

Within the sound of silence.
The idea is present in moments of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone
The artist is wandering in their thoughts.

Narrow streets of cobblestone,
The thoughts the artist is wandering down are difficult and problematic.

'Neath the halo of a street lamp,
The street lamp casts a subdued yet pervasive light.

I turned my collar to the cold and damp
The singer was trying to shield themselves from the discomfort of the night.

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
The brightness of the neon light is distinctive and overwhelming.

That split the night
The neon light contrasted so strongly with the darkness that it seemed to divide the night into two separate entities.

And touched the sound of silence.
The neon light seemed to interrupt the peace of silence.

And in the naked light I saw
In the bright light of day, the singer could see clearly.

Ten thousand people, maybe more.
The artist perceives that there are many people around them.

People talking without speaking,
The artist perceives that the people seem to be communicating without any actual conversation occurring.

People hearing without listening,
The people around the singer seems to be indifferent to what the singer is saying.

People writing songs that voices never share
The people around the singer seem to be creative but their creations are never shared with others.

And no one dare
No one has the audacity or courage to

Disturb the sound of silence.
Disturb or disrupt the silence that's present.

"Fools" said I, "You do not know
The artist is dismissing the people around them as foolish because they don't understand.

Silence like a cancer grows.
The singer feels that silence spreads and consumes like a disease.

Hear my words that I might teach you,
The artist is trying to impart wisdom to those around them.

Take my arms that I might reach you."
The singer is trying to offer physical and emotional support to those around them.

But my words like silent raindrops fell,
The singer's words had no impact on those around them.

And echoed
The singer's words bounced back.

In the wells of silence
In the emptiness and quietness that surrounds the people.

And the people bowed and prayed
The people around the artist feel powerless and resort to prayer.

To the neon god they made.
The people around the singer have created their own deity.

And the sign flashed out its warning,
The neon sign is trying to warn the people of something.

In the words that it was forming.
The sign is conveying a message to the people.

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets
The sign is relaying a message attributed to the prophets.

Are written on the subway walls
The message that the prophets bring is found in unexpected places like the walls of the subway.

And tenement halls.
And in the shared living spaces of small apartments.

And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
And it's only heard in times of absolute silence.