What do you think The Sound of Silence means?

Simon & Garfunkel: The Sound of Silence Meaning

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Album cover for The Sound of Silence album cover

Song Released: 1965


Covered By: Bananarama (2009), Disturbed (2015)


The Sound of Silence Lyrics

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...

  1. anonymous
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    May 29th 2017 !⃝

    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.

  2. anonymous
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    Mar 15th 2017 !⃝

    I think it's about silence.

  3. anonymous
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    Feb 20th 2017 !⃝

    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!

  4. anonymous
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    Dec 24th 2016 !⃝

    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.

  5. anonymous
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    Dec 23rd 2016 !⃝

    I think it about tripping on acid and trying to write a good song.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  6. anonymous
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    Sep 13th 2016 !⃝

    He is talk about the sound of silince and how it can help you think about your life

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  7. anonymous
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    May 24th 2016 !⃝

    The song could be about communism in China or North Korea.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  8. anonymous
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    Apr 2nd 2016 !⃝

    Sound of silence to me represents silent sound spread spectrum which is a low RF frequency sent via modulated pulses and frequency modulation to send speech to brain mmessages. It is a patented tech being used commercially for self help or affirmation tapes but can be used in a much more sinister wat as a form of electronic harassment. It's users are remote,anonymous and covert. The line "people hearing without listening" illustrates the no conscious defense possible against it

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  9. anonymous
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    Mar 11th 2016 !⃝

    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.

  10. anonymous
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    Feb 28th 2016 !⃝

    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

  11. anonymous
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    Dec 27th 2015 !⃝

    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.

  12. anonymous
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    Jan 9th 2015 !⃝

    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.

  13. anonymous
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    Dec 10th 2014 !⃝

    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

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 10th 2014 !⃝

    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

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 2nd 2014 !⃝

    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.




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