Simon & Garfunkel: The Sound of Silence Meaning
Song Released: 1965
Covered By: Bananarama (2009), Disturbed (2015)
The Sound of Silence Lyrics
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...
-
Although I have enjoyed reading many of these interpretations of Sound of Silence it is obvious that many of you are over analysing the lyrics, trying to think too deeply, extremely young & far from a product of the times. Both Simon & Garfunkel have many interviews on the subject of this song & not one of you are even close. Keep trying though, it's entertaining to see the youth of today second guess those of us who lived it.
-
I think it's about silence.
-
I think the song is about a man who's living in a society where the government's not allowing freedom of speech and is willing to change that!
-
I think the great thing about this song is that it means different things to each person who hears it. It's almost like poetry in a sense. Personally it means that my words fall on deaf ears and no matter what I say nobody listens even though I'm trying to help others. It frustrating but all we can do is try. Simon and garfunkel wrote a great song but if you never heard disturbed sing it your really missing out. I got goose bumps the first time I heard their version. I hope y'all have a GREAT life and always try your best and things will be just fine.
-
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
-
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
-
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
-
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
-
I have meditated on this for a long time. It was the flash of the neon light one day that I got it... Silence is a deep feeling we all have at some time. Some of us allow ourselves to go into a deep depression where we dwell on the past and place blame on others, the cold and damp... for out lot in life. WE are in this carbon form trying to find the meaning of life. The words of the subway walls, the society trying to tell us WHAT to think instead of HOW to think. To follow blindly.. If we talk to the darkness within ourselves, meditate and stop searching, Allow the light to shine. In the naked light, within myself we become enlightened. The masses of humanity all like myself, searching and not finding... hearing but not listening. Humanity being led by the controlling faction. Not listening to their own soul and thinking for themselves. thinking is hard work, following is easy. And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains, the power of the universe given to me, to shed light on my own soul. Think for my self, stop being led blindly by the controlling faction. Feed my soul with compassion and caring. Whisper the sounds of silence. I have the ability to make my own choice, to be happy and live in the light or continue in the darkness and depression of thinking and feeling as I am "SUPPOSED" to as a sheep dictated by a shepherd society.
-
If you are Ilinformed about what is really going on around you then you are in the "Darkness" an old friend. Most people would rather not know the truth and except what is spoken, words without substance spoken by those in charge. If you are interested in the truth listen and see what is happening in the tenement halls and on subway walls. Sound of Silence is the outcome of remaining in the dark,ignorance that is the loss of our rights and freedom
-
The darkness is him going to sleep everything in the song is his dream that's why all the words are silent, they are in his head.
-
Everyone can interpret work of art in their own way. And this is why art helps us to see ourselves in it. The interpretations are endless and I believe that was one of the intentions of the author, in a soothing tone of course, to give us endless song. Of course, the interpretations are valid unless they flat out contradict themselves.
Personally, I fear to share my own interpretation, because it may not be politically and religiously correct and I think this is why people are talking without speaking and hearing without listening. To remain calm they must turn to the Silence for comfort which is in the first line "Hello darkness, my old friend". He is obviously not happy to meet "his old friend", but does it anyway.
The song speaks to the public but comes from I (the author). This is evident in "Fools" said I, "You do not know.
The next line is a little problematic "Silence like a cancer grows". This is not to be confused with the comfort they receive when they remain silent but he (the author) is angry to have to hear the Silence again. -
My interpretation of this song was that of a person recalling a nuclear event.
The first verse
"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."
He was left blind, never seeing the person he talks to, only hearing a voice but seeing darkness. The event was surreal and traumatic, he cant forget it. Sound is the first thing that leaves a memory, but the visual stay for a long time
Second verse
"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."
He describes the night the event happened, how his surrounding looked like and how it felt. When the Nuclear weapon exploded, the light of the mushroom cloud resembling that of a neon light was so bright it hurt his eyes. While he cant remember the sound of his surrounding, he can remember the sound of the nuke exploding
The third verse
"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 dared
Disturb the sound of silence."
The light of the nuke brightened the night, allowing him to see everyone in the street(presumably a city, Hiroshima or Nagasaki maybe) He is describing the event as he recalls it, there is no sound in his memory, so no one is talking, therefore no on is listening, and the lives of many(songs, i.e song of my life) were going to end soon. Again the last line describes that he remembers no sound in his memory.
The fourth verse
""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 his memory he witnessed the nuclear event far enough to not die from the initial explosion. He is warning everyone to run for their life. People in shock stood still and did not take his warning as he fled. He only remembers what he said, the only voice in his memory is his, echoing in the silence.
The fifth and last verse
"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 his memory people fell to the floor in shock and disbelief of what was happening. The sign being the mushroom cloud, and the warning it was spelling is him remembering in his memory. So in his flashback he can recall, remembering that he had heard talk of not to trust the government. He had heard rumors and seen graffiti that the government should not be trusted.
-Cyborg2587410 -
My interpretation of this song was that of a person recalling a nuclear event.
The first verse
"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."
He was left blind, never seeing the person he talks to, only hearing a voice but seeing darkness. The event was surreal and traumatic, he cant forget it. Sound is the first thing that leaves a memory, but the visual stay for a long time
Second verse
"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."
He describes the night the event happened, how his surrounding looked like and how it felt. When the Nuclear weapon exploded, the light of the mushroom cloud resembling that of a neon light was so bright it hurt his eyes. While he cant remember the sound of his surrounding, he can remember the sound of the nuke exploding
The third verse
"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 dared
Disturb the sound of silence."
The light of the nuke brightened the night, allowing him to see everyone in the street(presumably a city, Hiroshima or Nagasaki maybe) He is describing the event as he recalls it, there is no sound in his memory, so no one is talking, therefore no on is listening, and the lives of many(songs, i.e song of my life) were going to end soon. Again the last line describes that he remembers no sound in his memory.
The fourth verse
""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 his memory he witnessed the nuclear event far enough to not die from the initial explosion. He is warning everyone to run for their life. People in shock stood still and did not take his warning as he fled. He only remembers what he said, the only voice in his memory is his, echoing in the silence.
The fifth and last verse
"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 his memory people fell to the floor in shock and disbelief of what was happening. The sign being the mushroom cloud, and the warning it was spelling is him remembering in his memory. So in his flashback he can recall, remembering that he had heard talk of not to trust the government. He had heard rumors and seen graffiti that the government should not be trusted.
-Cyborg2587410 -
I believe they're talking about Dr. Oliver Lowery's patent US 5159703 Silent Sound Spread Spectrum, or Squad. I believe the song talks about subliminar mind programation throug UHF transmission and chemtrails. Especially about an especific event programed to happen at the end of not concluded processes(neon god). As its all about social engineering, thats why they sing about people not daring to disturb, and about the song trying to teach without effect. And thats why some artists had success and others died. Its all about competence and obedience.
More Simon & Garfunkel songs »
Latest Articles
-
A new era for Millennial favorite, Linkin Park -
Anime to watch for the soundtracks… and other reasons you’re undateable -
.jpg)
Dolly, we need you -
The Stranger Things Effect: How new media is drawing Gen Z and Alpha's attention to aging media -
The most underrated soundtrack of the early 2000s -
Buy the Soundtrack, Skip the Movie: Brainscan (1994)
Trending:
Blog posts mentioning Simon & Garfunkel
How The Smothers Brothers Were Too Daring For 1969 TV 
There's A Song For Every Phobia 
Merry Meet At Scarborough Fair 
Eight Reasons Why The Monterey International Pop Festival Was Better Than Woo... 
Cover Me Bad - Eight hit songs that nobody knows are cover versions Just Posted
| Live Forever | anonymous |
| Space Oddity | anonymous |
| Remind You | anonymous |
| You've Got A Friend | anonymous |
| Austin | anonymous |
| Bel Air | anonymous |
| Firefly | anonymous |
| My Medicine | anonymous |
| Orphans | anonymous |
| Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) | anonymous |
| A Whole New World (End Title) | anonymous |
| Eyes Closed | anonymous |
| The Phrase That Pays | anonymous |
| Montreal | anonymous |
| Moonlight | anonymous |
