THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

96-Simon & Garfunkel-The Sound of Silence.

1965-It has never charted in the UK.

Best Bit At. 2.21. In 2015 the American Heavy Metal band ‘Disturbed’ released their version of ‘The Sound of Silence.’ On hearing it Paul Simon verbally endorsed the cover, and also in an e-mail to David Draiman the bands lead singer he wrote,’Really powerful performance on Conan (television show) the other day. First time I’d seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks.’ Draiman responded,’Mr. Simon, I am honoured beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honour to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/us and we are eternally grateful.’

Paul Frederick Simon was born on October 13th, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey, United States, he first began performing as part of a vocal duo with Art Garfunkel who was a school friend in 1956. For the discography of ‘Simon & Garfunkel’ see best songs 71, and for the solo discography of Art Garfunkel see best songs 529. The solo discography of Paul Simon includes 14 studio Albums released between 1965-2018, and 61 singles issued between 1958-2016, with some of those singles issued under different names. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart 13 of his songs have made the top 40, with his 1975 single ’50 Ways to Leave Your Lover’ reaching Number 1. While in the UK he has charted on nine occasions with ‘You Can Call Me Al’ attaining the highest chart placing when making Number 4 in 1986.

‘The Sound of Silence’ was written over several months during 1963 and 1964 by the then unknown Paul Simon. He has said that he would go to write and play his guitar in the bathroom alone, (hence the line ‘Hello darkness my old friend,’) because it gave an echo chamber effect. When ‘The Sound of Silence’ was first released it met with public indifference, as had it’s parent Album ‘Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.’ which had been released in October 1964. Following the lack of commercial interest in the Album ‘Simon & Garfunkel’ (see also best songs 529-200 and 71) both decided to go their separate ways, with Simon returning to England, and Garfunkel going back to Columbia University to continue his studies.

In 1965 ‘The Sound of Silence’ finally began to attract airplay at radio stations in Boston, and throughout Florida, which helped encourage the songs producer Tom Wilson (1931-1978) (see also best songs 358-165-103 and 7) to remix the track, adding electric instruments and drums. The remixed version was released in September 1965, without Simon & Garfunkel’s knowledge or consent, and climbed all the way to Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in America. At first Paul Simon was horrified on hearing what Wilson had done to his song, but the success probably helped him change his mind. Simon & Garfunkel reformed and would go on to release a further four Studio Albums up until they split in 1970.

With the adding of electric instrumentation ‘The Sound of Silence’ can be considered a forerunner to the musical genre of music that would become known as ‘Folk/Rock,’ which would be heavily popularised by bands such as ‘The Byrds’ (see also best songs 621.) As for the songs meaning, Art Garfunkel has given his interpretation,’It is about a world not willing to love each other, they no longer even know how, and the lack of communication on an emotional level.Yes we speak, but we say nothing of value, nothing worth sharing. He wrote it when he was 21, so it is also a song of youthful angst, and want for meaning and communication between all.’

‘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.’