SOUNDS OF SILENCE – Song by Artist: Simon & Garfunkel
Album: Sounds Of Silence (Paul. Simon 1964}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZGWQauQOAQ&feature=related

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 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 sounds of silence

Comment:

In the late 1960’s, when I entered university in Toronto Canada, Simon and Garfunkel were one of the popular music groups I admired for their “conscious music”. This was the time of hippies, social change; the Vietnam War protests and upheavals in the society and campuses of the USA. This era of “paradigm change” was reflected in the music of that time. Three of the Simon and Garfunkel songs that I liked the most were “Sounds of Silence”, “Bridge over Troubled Waters”, and the less popular “Richard Cory” which would be posted later. I have posted one of the earliest renditions of “Sounds of Silence”.

In this tune “Sounds of Silence”, they note the failure to truly communicate as one of the major issues today. We have to communicate emotionally. .. People are in “crowds” – yet alone – unable to truly love and communicate their “universal Love” to each other.

Like the “Tower of Babel” we speak different languages. We have different customs and beliefs as well as prejudices. Today’s integrated world communications systems bring us closer together, while at the same time could create greater conflicts. Some purposely divide so as to rule using doublespeak, spin, and misinformation and fear so “control systems” do what they are supposed to do – control.

The writings on the subway walls and the tenement walls reflect the true reality – a reality that is the people living a life of drudgery but creating poets that are closer to “reality” in this plane of consciousness – their poetry a true reflection of society. It is said that poets, like artists, reflect present reality, while most of us see the world that is already past. As Marshall McLuhan said “We look at the world through the real view mirror of life”.

“Emotional Intelligence” is paramount in understanding oneself as well as understanding the world around us.

–Cyril Bryan – cybryan@gmail.com