Silence
Various Artists Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello darkness, my old friend,
Ive 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 deared
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 signs said, the words of the prophets
Are written on the subway walls




And tenement halls.
And whisperd in the sounds of silence.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Sound of Silence" evoke a deep sense of loneliness and alienation, and each artist who has covered the song has brought their own interpretation to the forefront. Simon and Garfunkel's original recording of the song emphasized the theme of societal disconnect, with the lines: "People talking without speaking, / People hearing without listening." The idea of people hiding behind false facades and ignoring what's happening around them is powerful and resonant, especially when it's underscored by the opening lines: "Hello darkness, my old friend, / I've come to talk with you again." The "darkness" here could be interpreted in many ways, but it's clear that it's a place where the singer feels safe to talk about what's on their mind.


In Disturbed's version of the song, the message is interpreted a bit differently, with more of a focus on the idea of emotional numbness and the difficulty of breaking through to others. By using a heavier rock sound and a more powerful vocal delivery, David Draiman brings a sense of urgency to the song that wasn't present in the original. This version of the song emphasizes the feeling of being trapped in your own mind and unable to connect with others: "And the people bowed and prayed / To the neon God they made." The repetition of this line drives home the point that people are turning to false idols instead of communicating with one another.


In both versions and countless other covers, the message of "The Sound of Silence" remains powerful and timeless. It's a reminder that despite the many ways we've invented to communicate, it can still be difficult to really connect with others, especially when we're struggling with our own emotions and fears. It's a song that speaks to the human condition and the need for empathy and understanding.


Line by Line Meaning

Hello darkness, my old friend,
I am back in a state of sadness and emptiness that I am familiar with


Ive come to talk with you again,
I am seeking solace in my own thoughts and feelings


Because a vision softly creeping,
I had a dream or an idea that has left a lingering impact on me


Left its seeds while I was sleeping,
This idea has taken hold of me, even though I wasn't aware of it at the time it was formed


And the vision that was planted in my brain
This idea or dream has become an integral part of me


Still remains
It has not gone away


Within the sound of silence.
It is something that I can only hear and feel when I am in a state of introspection and quietness


In restless dreams I walked alone
I feel a sense of isolation and loneliness even in my dreams


Narrow streets of cobblestone,
I feel like I am navigating through a difficult and treacherous path


neath the halo of a street lamp,
I am feeling a sense of sadness and despair that is often associated with darkness


I turned my collar to the cold and damp
I am trying to brace myself for the challenges ahead


When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of
Suddenly, I was hit with a sudden and bright light


A neon light
A symbol of the modern world and its emptiness and loneliness


That split the night
A symbol of disruption and change


And touched the sound of silence.
It had an impact on me and reminded me of the emptiness of modern city life


And in the naked light I saw
In the harsh light of reality


Ten thousand people, maybe more.
An overwhelming number of people


People talking without speaking,
In reality, people are often disconnected from each other despite being in close proximity


People hearing without listening,
People do not often pay attention to what others are saying


People writing songs that voices never share
Creativity often goes unrecognized or unappreciated


And no one deared
No one was willing or brave enough


Disturb the sound of silence.
To break free from the patterns of modern life and truly connect with others


Fools said i,you do not know
Others dismiss my ideas or beliefs


Silence like a cancer grows.
The emptiness of modern life is spreading like a disease


Hear my words that I might teach you,
I am trying to share my beliefs and ideals


Take my arms that I might reach you.
I am trying to connect with others and help them see the world as I do


But my words like silent raindrops fell,
My attempts at connection are often ignored or dismissed


And echoed
My voice was unheard and alone


In the wells of silence
My words were drowned out by the emptiness of modern life


And the people bowed and prayed
People are often stuck in old patterns and ways of thinking


To the neon God they made.
People often worship modern idols and trends


And the sign flashed out its warning,
The signs of modern life often warn us of the dangers of disconnection


In the words that it was forming.
The signs are telling us to wake up and reconnect with one another


And the signs said, the words of the prophets
Those who see beyond the empty patterns of modern life offer important insights


Are written on the subway walls
Their insights and beliefs are often hidden away and overlooked


And tenement halls.
In places where people are often overlooked and ignored


And whisperd in the sounds of silence.
Their voices are quiet, but their message is important




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@alexandriariches1327

They're having an entire conversation with just their eyes. This will always be one of my favorite things ever. They're still so in love after all this time

@alexandriariches1327

@VeggyZ you clearly need to get better sources lol. Sure she's an artist but satanic ritual is a bit much

@janetDT1904

I thought the same. I think I saw forgiveness there

@MTG-zennn

Love is b...ch sometimes. So painfull see these two fall apart when they love each other so much ;(

@missmygamergirl445

You know she is a satanic high priest of the rothschild new world order that eats babies right?

@MTG-zennn

@James no f... way really ?!?

20 More Replies...

@randomwatcher123

That moment when she slowly pulls away her hands and he keeps them there, like he doesn't want to let her go again
So powerful

@adalvldadalvld

And then he sued her

@guaiyaxs8570

@Adam is the coolest I'm trying to feel something here, I'm laterally crying and laughing because of your comment wtf 😭 😂

@noklarok

@Adam is the coolest lol

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