Sound of Silence
Various Artists Lyrics


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Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping, left it's 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 sounds of silence

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sound of Silence are a reflection of the alienation and disconnection that often engulfs modern society. The opening lines, "Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again," express a yearning for a connection with a deeper part of oneself that is often lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The reference to a "vision softly creeping" suggests that this connection is something that is not easily accessible, and may require a certain level of introspection to attain.


The second verse paints a picture of a lonely and isolated individual wandering the streets at night. The phrase "People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening," seems to be a commentary on the communication breakdown that often exists in society, where people are physically present but emotionally distant. The line "People writing songs that voices never share and no one dare disturb the sound of silence," suggests that creative expression is often stifled by societal norms and pressures.


The third verse sees the singer trying to break this cycle of disconnection and isolation by speaking out and attempting to reach others, but his words fall on deaf ears. The final verse shows the people bowing down to a "neon god they made," indicating the idolization of material wealth and status. The final lines, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls," suggest that the true message of connection and meaning is often obscured or ignored by modern society.


Line by Line Meaning

Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again
I am feeling alone and want to reconnect with the feeling of isolation that I used to know so well


Because a vision softly creeping, left it's seeds while I was sleeping
A thought entered my mind while I was asleep and it's been growing ever since


And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains, within the sound of silence
I can't shake this idea that's been haunting me, and it feels like it's rooted in the emptiness and silence of my mind


In restless dreams I walked alone, narrow streets of cobblestone
I've been plagued by restless thoughts and have been wandering aimlessly through my inner turmoil


'Neath the halo of a street lamp, I turned my collar to the cold and damp
I tried to shield myself from the harsh realities of the world by wrapping myself up against the chill


When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light that split the night, and touched the sound of silence
Suddenly, my insular world was interrupted by the jarring intrusion of modernity - a neon light symbolizing the harshness of life


And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people, maybe more
When I looked out, I saw many people around me, but they were all disconnected and not truly present


People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening
I noticed that despite being in close proximity, these people were not actually communicating or engaging with each other


People writing songs that voices never share and no one dare disturb the sound of silence
I observed that many people are creating art that is never shared and that they're afraid to break the silence and reveal themselves


'Fools' said I, 'You do not know, silence like a cancer grows
I wanted to tell these people that the absence of communication, creativity and self-expression can be dangerous and consuming


Hear my words that I might teach you, take my arms that I might reach you
I hoped that my message might get through, and that I might be able to help these people connect with one another


But my words like silent raindrops fell, and echoed in the wells of silence
Despite my efforts, my message didn't seem to register with anyone, and my words fell into the emptiness and silence without making much of an impact


And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made
Despite this observation, people still seem to be more focused on their material possessions and worshipping empty symbols than on true communication and community


And the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming
Even the neon signs themselves seem to be warning us of the dangers of isolation and disconnection


And the sign said, 'The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls'
The signs suggest that the true words of wisdom and prophecy are not found in the material world, but are etched into the very fabric of the lives we lead


And whispered in the sounds of silence
The message of this song is ultimately found in the silence, in the absence of the noise and distractions of modern life




Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@unconsciousnoman224

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 shared
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 sound of silence"


Since we had no lyrics here, for those who needed them :)



All comments from YouTube:

@melaniedevine4451

My dad used to play the original when i was little.He's 82 now and when i go back home he's playing Disturbed cover on full blast! He loves it.

@Sqaceship

I think it may be full blast because his hearing is lacking

@melaniedevine4451

Nothing wrong with his faculties! Just loves it. My mum says "The sound of silence is deafening" what a quote ha ha.

@bryanm2734

Gold you sound like the old man. if it's too loud you are too old.

@melaniedevine4451

Love it Bryan !

@fudzzz

Your dad is awesome and this song is awesome!

46 More Replies...

@philgreenfeld2970

my mom loved this version. She had to hear it everyday. she was battling Parkinsons and Dementia. She had gotten very weak and bed ridden, but we still played this for her at least once a day until the day she passed . It was playing during her final breath. I miss you mom!!

@peca3259

@barbraprosper9065

😢❤

@zydrakeshogun

♥️

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