I couldn’t wait until Saturday for this one!
I am guessing that many of you, when in your mid/late teens/early 20’s … heard a song which totally absorbed you to the point that you blasted it to everybody within hearing distance. It probably didn’t cross your mind that different people have different tastes in music! For me, this is one of those recordings!
In 1965, Paul Simon released an album “The Paul Simon Songbook” which included “The Sound of Silence”. It was a very plaintive and simple acoustic presentation, which suited the subject matter perfectly.
The following year, he and Art Garfunkel, released a more up-tempo version complete with band backing. That more commercial and quite different presentation; the heavier sound, together with Art Garfunkel’s harmonies is the version that most people remember.
Fast forward to this week! A few days ago, I was listening to some music on YouTube when I saw a link to a “Sound of Silence” cover. I am normally not too interested in cover versions., but this one was different. It had logged 668M views! So what got 668 million people interested? I now know and, what has really surprised me is that as much as I love both earlier versions, surely this one has the most powerful relationship with the lyrics. Did it get you at all?
A New Direction Perhaps? 
Isn’t this great. My wife and I were in the car some four years ago when this came on. We just looked at each other and knew we had to hear it again, but we didn’t know who sang it. After some research, I found it and added it to my playlist. Now I hear it a couple of times a week. Great production. Liked it when Simon and Garfunkle did it, but Disturbed blows me away.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Totally understand. Every now and then, a song comes along which is really addictive. This is (to me) one of them!
LikeLike
Yup
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
“Hello darkness my old friend”…sadly the video link was not available to me. Surely that is silence indeed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Unfortunate indeed.
LikeLike
Hi Collin I featured this one a way back too, brilliant and so relevant today!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Absolutely. Thx Willow.
LikeLike
💜💜💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Colin,
I featured this one way back in August when Hubby made me aware of it. It hit me square between the eyes, such raw emotion and the best version of any song I have ever heard to date.
Great choice.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hey …. how did I miss that on your Blog?????? Regardless, yes the raw emotion does make an undeniable impact doesn’t it.
LikeLike
Brilliant in my book Colin. This guy’s range and interpretation of the song is fantastic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Totally agree with you Di. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a very dramatic cover of the song. Not very silent at all.
I might have a different interpretation of the lyrics than most people. I see the song as a reflection of the difficulty humans have with communicating with each other. For all our articulate language and words available at our disposal, the intent and soul behind those words is often lost, so that we fail to understand. Thus, the “sound” of silence.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think that you have a very plausible interpretation of the song. The only part where I need you help to fit into that interpretation is “And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made. ” I would suggest that the “neon god” is the worship of materialism/ self-indulgence/self-image. i.e. A totally self-focused and shallow society. Whereas I do not think that religious beliefs have to be a part of understanding the song, I do belief that their teachings are a factor. Compassion, understanding, self-less giving etc. etc. are supported by all (my understanding) major religions and if worshipping a deity will promote those concepts, then this song makes perfect sense to me as a “social conscience” presentation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe the neon god would be materialism that can distract us, so that in our mad quest for money and stuff, we lose our empathy for each other. I think empathy is necessary for effective communication.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Again …. a very plausible interpretation. I can go along with that one. I do take “communication” here in its broadest possible sense, and my solution to it all is to treat people the way that I would like to be treated. i.e. Role model my dream for society, and if I can influence some people …. I am happy! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like the Golden Rule. A tried and true rule, in my view.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We think alike. Scary eh! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah. Let the world beware.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Indeed! “We” do not come along very often, so when two of us are in a similar time frame ……………!!!!!!!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Just think of how messed up the world would be, if we weren’t in it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooh so much I could add as I read these last few comments but I think I will just be silent. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Because you know it’s true.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is one of my favorite sons. He has a lot of emotion in the singing.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you enjoyed it Kate and, yes, he certainly does throw himself into the song 110% doesn’t he. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
When this cover version was released about 4 years ago, I was totally amazed by it. I am not a fan of cover versions either but this one turned out to even be my favorite one. Still, the original has its own magic and atmosphere but all over the Disturbed version speaks stronger to me.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I had a suspicion that you would react like that, but of course I could have been wrong! As I have noted in an earlier comment, I am amazed that I had just found this version, and equally amazed at how often I have played it these past few days. It does put a really strong “edge” to the song without changing Paul Simon’s message. I cannot remember the last time a song got my attention like this one! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You knew it, Colin 😄 Indeed, it even supports the message!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I love thus Disturbed version! Heard it for the first time in 2019 and adored it! 😊❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t heard of it earlier. Better late than never eh! 🙂
LikeLike
Ah one of my favourite songs ever & this version gives it a much heavier darker twist. Very powerful none the less, & that dude, wouldn’t want to meet him in a dark alley!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes he does have a rather ruthless look about him doesn’t he. I really do love what he did to the song though. 🙂
LikeLike
You just couldn’t wait until Saturday. I thought I was the one that didn’t have patience. LOL! 🙂 I was just logging off the computer when your post popped up, now I of course have to listen to it again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂 I’ve lost count of how many times I have played that these past few days! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha! 🙂
Now I will probably wake up with it going through my head.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the original. Perhaps my concept of silence is more gentle and peaceful like it. I found this version angry, almost violent…scary.
LikeLiked by 2 people
HI Rae! I think it was “angry” and that, together with his build up to “And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made” (with emphasis on “they”) was what appealed to me. To me, he was screaming out the hypocrisy which is so prevalent in our society. The original is still really good in my music world! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people