The Sound of Silence

First I have to admit that I'm not the most avid Simon and Garfunkel fan. I enjoy their music as I feel it has a very haunting quality couple with some evocative imagery. However I own none of their albums, nor do I purport to knowing any of their songs other than those that have penetrated the lexicon of popular music. I also have to admit that though I love the original version of The Sound of Silence, my interest was sparked by a cover version by of all bands Disturbed, who are renowned for such memorable songs as Down With the Sickness, probably as far away musically from Simon and Garfunkel you could probably get.

Whilst listening to the Disturbed rendition of the song, which appears on their new album Immortalize, I was struck by just how prophetic this song is and how relevant it is to society today. The original version was released back in 1964 on the duos début album Wednesday Morning 3A.M, The song is essentially about lack of communication and people becoming apathetic towards each other. At the time the USA was going through a lot of social and political turmoil, JFK had been assassinated in November of the previous year and there was a great deal of public opposition towards the Vietnam war. These events are not what the song focuses on, but they are a symptom of man's inability to communicate with his fellow man on all but a superficial level.

So why do I feel a song written in the 60's is prophetic, when it was making a comment on society half a century ago? Why do I feel it is relevant now? Frankly because I think nowadays we are actually worse at communication, despite this being the age of social media, the internet and smart phones. I honestly think we have become an even more superficial and self isolationist species.

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 above excerpt from the song I think sums up my point. People talking without speaking, we have all been there, shuffling about, with our heads bowed over whatsapp or FB Messenger. Replying to a number of conversations without absorbing a single one. The saddest verse here is people writing songs that voices never share. I feel that so much potential and creativity goes to waste nowadays, lost on a tide of negative opinions and internet trolling. Often our voices are silenced by the ill informed and ignorant beliefs of others.

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

This is the most prophetic part of the song, "And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made". Media and advertising has become our new god, we are no longer being sold products. We are being sold life styles, look at how happy the people on Coke adverts are, that could be you and if you bring any apple product into your home, clearly you are on the path to heavenly bliss. "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls". So as we shamble blindly through the day to day, replying to 100 messages from a 100 acquaintances who we never see in person, the only things that penetrate and affect us are those big signs that are selling us an ideal life. No longer do we dream of family or the white picket fence. We dream of filling our houses with the superficial trappings of the modern day. Surrounded by the 'happiness' these things bring. Whilst we text, email and hash tag. Further isolating ourselves, but being completely ignorant of it, but what the hell that meme you posted up on FB got 100 likes so whatever. 

I don't know what point I'm trying to make here other than this song is relevant today, but just stand back and think for a second. Maybe the next message you send should be "lets meet up", maybe the next billboard you look at you could say "I can do without". Maybe the next thing you hear you could actually listen to, after all what is more lonely than the sound of silence.