The meaning of the Sound of Silence
One of Simon and Garfunkle's most beloved pieces is the haunting song called "The Sound of Silence".
But what does it mean? Let's look at it:
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.
It seems pretty clear here that the singer was settling down for sleep and the vision which follows was seen in a dream. And upon waking from the dream, the singer reflected upon those images and what they meant.
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.
At this point, we still do not know what the sound of silence is, but the singer is highlighting how light and brilliant displays get our attention. This is most likely a precursor to a revelation which is coming in the next verses.
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 deared
Disturb the sound of silence.
The singer now shows us an image of masses of people who are talking without speaking and hearing without listening. Most likely this refers to people who blindly repeat what they have been told and accept what they hear without actually paying attention. They accept the truth of things without verification. They conform and do what they are told without giving thought to the morality of their actions.
The line referring to people writing songs that voices never share may be an acknowledgement that those who see the problem with this society and try to speak out are ignored and silenced by the masses and those who are in power.
We start to see that the sound of silence is the sound of the voices of those who speak out against establishment. No one want's to risk alienation from society so they go along, even if they perceive that it is wrong.
"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
This stanza reinforces the theme that those few who speak out and try to bring the problems in the apathy that the is society is embracing are ignored. People do not speak out. They conform. they accept and they tolerate that which is wrong. They are unwilling to draw the unwanted attention that comes to those who rock the boat.
Those few who do speak out, are ignored or dismissed as intolerant or prejudiced.
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 signs said, The words of the prophets
are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
By now we see that the society has conformed. They obey without question and think themselves as advanced and enlightened. Those who spoke out have been driven out of the main stream of society and go underground. But they will not be silent and begin using graffiti and writing to resist the oppression. This amounts to the whisper within the conformist society.
So what is the message of the song? In part it is a prophesy (one that seems to be coming true) of the direction society it taking. It is also a warning and advice to us. Think for yourself and do what you know to be right.
But what does it mean? Let's look at it:
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.
It seems pretty clear here that the singer was settling down for sleep and the vision which follows was seen in a dream. And upon waking from the dream, the singer reflected upon those images and what they meant.
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.
At this point, we still do not know what the sound of silence is, but the singer is highlighting how light and brilliant displays get our attention. This is most likely a precursor to a revelation which is coming in the next verses.
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 deared
Disturb the sound of silence.
The singer now shows us an image of masses of people who are talking without speaking and hearing without listening. Most likely this refers to people who blindly repeat what they have been told and accept what they hear without actually paying attention. They accept the truth of things without verification. They conform and do what they are told without giving thought to the morality of their actions.
The line referring to people writing songs that voices never share may be an acknowledgement that those who see the problem with this society and try to speak out are ignored and silenced by the masses and those who are in power.
We start to see that the sound of silence is the sound of the voices of those who speak out against establishment. No one want's to risk alienation from society so they go along, even if they perceive that it is wrong.
"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
This stanza reinforces the theme that those few who speak out and try to bring the problems in the apathy that the is society is embracing are ignored. People do not speak out. They conform. they accept and they tolerate that which is wrong. They are unwilling to draw the unwanted attention that comes to those who rock the boat.
Those few who do speak out, are ignored or dismissed as intolerant or prejudiced.
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 signs said, The words of the prophets
are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls.
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.
By now we see that the society has conformed. They obey without question and think themselves as advanced and enlightened. Those who spoke out have been driven out of the main stream of society and go underground. But they will not be silent and begin using graffiti and writing to resist the oppression. This amounts to the whisper within the conformist society.
So what is the message of the song? In part it is a prophesy (one that seems to be coming true) of the direction society it taking. It is also a warning and advice to us. Think for yourself and do what you know to be right.
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