The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

[darksai]

One of my teachers in high school would spend the first 30 minutes or so of the day singing songs with the class everyday. He had flip-files full of song lyrics and we'd go around the class choosing one that he would play on his guitar and we'd all (or most really) sing along with. It was really cool, even if only to do be doing less work :P There were a lot Beatles, Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens songs and others from that era, and though it wasn't quite the music I liked (I'm still not a fan of the Beatles), this was one of those stuck out. I came across it on my Facebook feed this morning, and reading the lyrics again after many years, I see know of course that there's WAY more implications in the words than what I felt/thought 10 years ago! At the same, thinking back I can see now how it was one of those early "calls to awaken", as soft a call as it was (almost silent, one might say ;D ). Intentionally or not, the lyrics almost perfectly describe what it's like to wake to the stark reality of the world we live in, at least in my opinion :)

_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4

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"
[/quite]

 

[williamsj]

I doubt there are many that remember the song being released, it caused quite a stir in the UK at the time, maybe a little outspoken.

Here is one interpretation of the song, which, in my opinion, captures Paul's sentiments quite well.

_http://a-musical-composition.blogspot.ch/2011/04/analysis-of-sound-of-silence.html

Through this song, Simon and Garfunkel are trying to awaken people from their slumber and try to instill in the minds of everyone that we should not conform. We should be proud of our opinions and not quiet them in order to please others.

I somehow think though that it will take more than just one brilliant song to teach the people listen, much less wake them.

 

[timmyman]

one of those songs i could listen on repeat for hours and sing along :)

ironically it's a great lullaby for my 3 year old :)

 

[Arwenn]

I've always liked this song - both the melody and the lyrics are so haunting.

 

[goyacobol]

I doubt there are many that remember the song being released, it caused quite a stir in the UK at the time, maybe a little outspoken.

Here is one interpretation of the song, which, in my opinion, captures Paul's sentiments quite well.

_http://a-musical-composition.blogspot.ch/2011/04/analysis-of-sound-of-silence.html

Through this song, Simon and Garfunkel are trying to awaken people from their slumber and try to instill in the minds of everyone that we should not conform. We should be proud of our opinions and not quiet them in order to please others.

I somehow think though that it will take more than just one brilliant song to teach the people listen, much less wake them.

John Ainhirn-Williams,

I just ran across this post. I know it's a little late but I thought I would let you know that this is a song I used to sing a lot and it is one of those with much to think about. We are certainly in a "time" when the thoughts expressed in Paul's song seem to apply.

Thanks for sharing,

goyacobol :)

 

[Seaniebawn]

I doubt there are many that remember the song being released, it caused quite a stir in the UK at the time, maybe a little outspoken.

Here is one interpretation of the song, which, in my opinion, captures Paul's sentiments quite well.

_http://a-musical-composition.blogspot.ch/2011/04/analysis-of-sound-of-silence.html

Through this song, Simon and Garfunkel are trying to awaken people from their slumber and try to instill in the minds of everyone that we should not conform. We should be proud of our opinions and not quiet them in order to please others.

I somehow think though that it will take more than just one brilliant song to teach the people listen, much less wake them.

Yeah it was before my time :D, but it is a lovely song, my parents listened while I was a child so I'm familiar with the music of the time period, but didn't quite take to it as much as my brother. I suppose it was a song for the times.

 

[Xico]

yes, I remember this song very well, I was still a young one back then in my home town... I used to buy these magazines that had printed the song lyrics, and I used to sing along.. good times.

 

[goyacobol]

One of my teachers in high school would spend the first 30 minutes or so of the day singing songs with the class everyday. He had flip-files full of song lyrics and we'd go around the class choosing one that he would play on his guitar and we'd all (or most really) sing along with. It was really cool, even if only to do be doing less work :P There were a lot Beatles, Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens songs and others from that era, and though it wasn't quite the music I liked (I'm still not a fan of the Beatles), this was one of those stuck out. I came across it on my Facebook feed this morning, and reading the lyrics again after many years, I see know of course that there's WAY more implications in the words than what I felt/thought 10 years ago! At the same, thinking back I can see now how it was one of those early "calls to awaken", as soft a call as it was (almost silent, one might say ;D ). Intentionally or not, the lyrics almost perfectly describe what it's like to wake to the stark reality of the world we live in, at least in my opinion :)

_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4

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"
[/quite]

Saieden,

Sorry, I missed getting your name in the post and thanking you for reminding me of this song. For some reason when this song was popular I thought many people did start to become at least aware that "The times, they are a' changing" as Bob Dylan would probably say. Maybe I was just "hippy" minded and naive to think that. Today it would be New-Agey so I don't need that either knowing what I have learned since then.

But like John Ainhirn-Williams has said:

I somehow think though that it will take more than just one brilliant song to teach the people listen, much less wake them.

And sorry John, I was so nostalgic that I missed your point that it will take more than "one brilliant song to teach the people listen, much less wake them.". I think I have found after reading some of Gurdjieff's examples, we can't really expect everyone to listen or wake up. I do still hope and watch for any that may listen or wake as the events continue to unfold.

But I do think "Music is good" for the most part. :)

 

[Drea]

Even though it was before my time the music from that era always felt more meaningful to me and I appreciate that my mother had good taste in music. Simon & Garfunkle, Pink Floyd etc..
There is a song that she introduced me to from a lesser known band called Crack the Sky. The song is called Nuclear Apathy and they couldn't have done a better job calling out the madness of these times.
I'm sorry if this doesn't really fit the topic but I wanted to post some of the lyrics. It's definitely a great listen so if you have the time check it out.

Something's wrong from the moon, my friends
Something's wrong from the moon
As I look down at you my friends
Something's wrong from the moon
Poor little man
You been run down
Poor little man
You're all run down
I can see right through your eyes
I can see right through your weary eyes
I can hear right through your cries
I can hear right through your drunken cries
When they spit, do you wash their floors
And pray that they don't spit no more
Or, rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on

In the dark you cannot see
In the dark the victory is fear
Like a fool you follow fools
Like a fool you follow what you hear
Will they blow us all apart
Or kill us all with virus darts
Or, rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on

On the moon they're laughing hard
On the moon they're falling off their seats
From the moon we're comedy
From the moon we're really quite a treat [food for the moon?]
Shall we have another beer
And slobber through another year
Or rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on
Rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up

 

[naorma]

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
[.....]
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"

Thank you for posting the text. I always liked the song and still do, but never paid so much attention to the text . . . Really remarkable!

:D

 

[goyacobol]

Even though it was before my time the music from that era always felt more meaningful to me and I appreciate that my mother had good taste in music. Simon & Garfunkle, Pink Floyd etc..
There is a song that she introduced me to from a lesser known band called Crack the Sky. The song is called Nuclear Apathy and they couldn't have done a better job calling out the madness of these times.
I'm sorry if this doesn't really fit the topic but I wanted to post some of the lyrics. It's definitely a great listen so if you have the time check it out.

Something's wrong from the moon, my friends
Something's wrong from the moon
As I look down at you my friends
Something's wrong from the moon
Poor little man
You been run down
Poor little man
You're all run down
I can see right through your eyes
I can see right through your weary eyes
I can hear right through your cries
I can hear right through your drunken cries
When they spit, do you wash their floors
And pray that they don't spit no more
Or, rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on

In the dark you cannot see
In the dark the victory is fear
Like a fool you follow fools
Like a fool you follow what you hear
Will they blow us all apart
Or kill us all with virus darts
Or, rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on

On the moon they're laughing hard
On the moon they're falling off their seats
From the moon we're comedy
From the moon we're really quite a treat [food for the moon?]
Shall we have another beer
And slobber through another year
Or rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on
Rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up

Thank you Drea.

Wow, I don't remember that group Crack the Sky but what a cool song and lyrics.

It makes you think when they say where you commented "From the moon we're really quite a treat [food for the moon?]"

and

And slobber through another year
Or rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up children, life goes on and on
Rise up children, life goes on and on
Wise up

Maybe we need to "Wise up" ?

Here is a link to a YouTube version: Crack The Sky -- Nuclear Apathy

I think that song makes me feel like many of us feel looking at what may be ahead when they say:

Poor little man
You been run down
Poor little man
You're all run down

Let's look forward to the balancing that I feel mankind and the earth deserve without fear and in the understanding that "knowledge protects"! :)

Also, from our recent session the Cs are saying:

Q: (L) So, any last wrap-up stuff?

A: Love to group! We are becoming tuned to them.

Q: (L) What do you mean that you're being tuned to the group?

A: They are rising in frequency.

Upward and onward,

goyacobol :)

 

[puckster]

I've never heard Crack the sky before, ty, a great band I "grew up" in that era. :)

 

[happyliza]

The Sound of Silence is a beautiful song. It touched me very deeply when I first heard it and the lyrics were so important to me that I wrote them on the first page of my five year diary! It was my first ever diary when I bought for my 14th birthday! The harmony is lovey - what ever happened to HARMONY? :)

 

[MusicMan]

The Sound of Silence is a beautiful song. It touched me very deeply when I first heard it and the lyrics were so important to me that I wrote them on the first page of my five year diary! It was my first ever diary when I bought for my 14th birthday! The harmony is lovey - what ever happened to HARMONY? :)

I hear you, happyliza, I have Simon and Garfunkel on CD, "The definitive Simon and Garfunkel".
They really knew how to harmonize.
My particular favourite of theirs is the Canticle of "Scarborough Fair".
And who could forget "Bridge over Troubled Water"?
Nice!