“The Sound of Silence” (originally “The Sounds of Silence”) is a song by Simon & Garfunkel, written by Paul Simon. They recorded it in 1964, and it was part of their first album, “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.”
The song “The Sound of Silence” conveys the message that genuine communication is often absent in a world where people talk without truly connecting or listening to each other.
In this article, we will analyze the meaning behind the lyrics of “The Sound of Silence.”
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Inspiration Behind “The Sound of Silence”
The song’s origin is a bit unclear, but some believe it might have been inspired by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, even though Simon & Garfunkel had performed it live before that happened.
Paul Simon, who wrote the song when he was 21, explained that he came up with it in his bathroom, where he turned off the lights to focus better. He said:
“The main thing about playing the guitar, though, was that I was able to sit by myself and play and dream. And I was always happy doing that. I used to go off in the bathroom, because the bathroom had tiles, so it was a slight echo chamber. I’d turn on the faucet so that water would run (I like that sound, it’s very soothing to me) and I’d play. In the dark. ‘Hello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again.'”
“The Sound of Silence” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
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 verse 1, the lyrics describe a person addressing darkness as if it were a friend. This person mentions coming to have a conversation with this darkness.
It suggests that this darkness represents a deep and quiet feeling or thought that has been with the person for a while, possibly from a dream.
The person acknowledges that this thought still lingers in his mind, like a sound of silence.
The use of the word “sound” to describe silence might represent the cultural alienation of the 1960s.
Overall, the first stanza portrays the singer finding solace in darkness within the silence.
[Verse 2]
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
In verse 2, the lyrics depict the person walking alone in his dreams along narrow, cobblestone streets. He mentions the light of a streetlamp casting a glow.
To shield himself from the cold and damp weather, he turns up the collar of his coat.
Suddenly, his attention is caught by the bright flash of a neon light that splits the darkness of the night.
The neon light breaks the silence, leaving the singer touched by the ongoing ambiguity of silence.
[Verse 3]
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
And no one dared disturb the sound of silence
In verse 3, the lyrics describe the person seeing a large crowd of about ten thousand people in the bright light.
However, despite the many people, they are “talking without speaking” and “hearing without listening.” In other words, there is a lack of genuine communication and connection among the people.
It also mentions that they are writing songs that they never share with others, suggesting a sense of isolation and detachment from one another.
The verse ends with the idea that no one dares to disrupt this atmosphere of silence.
[Verse 4]
“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
In verse 4, the lyrics express the person’s frustration. He says, “Fools,” showing his disappointment in the lack of understanding around them.
The person wishes to teach and reach out to others, offering his words and arms as a way to connect.
However, his words fall silent and are compared to “silent raindrops” that echo in the wells of silence, emphasizing the futility of his attempts to communicate and make a difference.
[Verse 5]
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”
In verse 5, the lyrics describe how the people in the scene begin to bow and pray to a “neon god” they have created. This suggests that people are turning to artificial or superficial things for guidance and meaning in their lives.
A warning sign appears, but the words it forms are not heeded.
Instead, the lyrics emphasize that the true wisdom and messages of the prophets are found in unexpected places, such as “subway walls and tenement halls.”
These messages are whispered in the sound of silence, underlining the idea that genuine insight often goes unnoticed amidst the distractions of the world.
Deeper Meaning Behind “The Sound of Silence”
“The Sound of Silence” conveys a powerful message about the importance of genuine communication, the consequences of silence in the face of indifference, and the yearning for meaningful human connection in a noisy and disconnected world.
According to Art Garfunkel, the song is about “the inability of people to communicate with each other, and not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so that what you see around you is people who are unable to love each other.”
Sandy Greenberg, Garfunkel’s college roommate, mentioned in his memoir that the song also symbolized the strong friendship between Simon and Garfunkel, who had taken on the nickname “Darkness” to show support for Greenberg, who had suddenly lost his sight.
The song opens with the singer addressing “darkness” as a friend, representing a sense of solitude and inner contemplation. This darkness, a metaphor for deep thoughts and emotions, is a recurring theme throughout the song.
In subsequent verses, the lyrics paint a bleak picture of society where people talk without truly communicating or listening to one another.
The “sound of silence” symbolizes the superficiality and lack of genuine connection in our daily interactions. It represents the silence that can exist beneath the surface of everyday conversations, where genuine emotions and thoughts are left unspoken.
Silence is typically associated with the absence of sound, but here it is used to describe a specific kind of soundlessness – one characterized by the inability to communicate effectively.
The climactic line, “silence like a cancer grows,” highlights the destructive impact of silence and the need for meaningful dialogue and connection.
The reference to a “neon god” and a warning sign underscores how society can become obsessed with shallow distractions and fail to heed essential truths.
Ultimately, the song reflects the social and cultural turbulence of the 1960s, a time of change and unrest. It can be seen as a commentary on the struggle to find authentic communication and understanding in a world marked by detachment and indifference.
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He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.