The Sound of Silence
Art Garfunkel
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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 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 whisper'd in the sounds of silence
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Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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9 facts about this song
Origination and Initial Release"The Sound of Silence" was originally composed by the American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, comprising Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
- It was initially titled "The Sounds of Silence" and was included in their debut album "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M." which was released in 1964.
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Behind the LyricsPaul Simon wrote the song when he was only 21 years old. Simon has stated in interviews that he wrote the song in his bathroom, where he turned off the lights to better focus on the song.
- The song was inspired by the John F. Kennedy assassination and the overall tumultuous era of the '60s.
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Poor Initial ReceptionThe song did not receive any significant recognition upon its first release. In fact, the album including the song sold less than 2000 copies at first.
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Reworking and Re-releaseProducer Tom Wilson decided to rework the song by overdubbing electric instruments and drums. This was done without Simon & Garfunkel's initial knowledge or input.
- The reworked version was re-released as a single in 1965 and went on to become a huge hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Legacy and Influence"The Sound of Silence" is considered one of Simon & Garfunkel's signature songs. It's been covered by numerous artists, most notably by heavy metal band Disturbed in 2015, whose version earned a Grammy nomination.
- The song was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" in 2012.
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Cinematic AppearancesThe song gained additional fame when it was included in the soundtrack of the iconic movie "The Graduate" in 1967.
- It also made several appearances in other TV shows and movies, such as "Watchmen" and "Trolls".
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Award Recognition"The Sound of Silence" received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2004, further cementing its significance in the music history.
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International SuccessThe song also found international success, not just in the U.S., but also in countries such as Australia and the Netherlands, where it topped the charts.
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Impact on Simon & Garfunkel’s CareerThe popularity of "The Sound of Silence" led to Simon & Garfunkel reuniting after initial disbanding and going on to release more successful albums, including "Sounds of Silence" and "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme".
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