An adaption of the original, by Simon and Garfunkel

The Sounds of Silence

Darkness blows across the land
It comes to visit once again
Because a terror that was stealing
Struck our own while we were sleeping
And the visions that were planted in our brains, still remain
And leave the sounds of silence

In restless dreams we're not alone, down streets of steel, grit and stone
'neath the halo of a thousand lamps, we turned our collars to the cold and damp
All are eyes were sad but our spirits stayed tall and bright
Through endless nights, but still we heard the silence

And in the naked light we saw, five thousand people, maybe more
People lying without speaking, voices silenced without warning
People writing songs that others will never hear, they're so dear,
Among the sounds of silence

"Fools," we've said, "you do not know, violence like a cancer grows"
Hear our words, we might teach you, unfold your arms, we might reach you
But our words, like silent raindrops fell, and echoed in the wells of silence

So the people bowed and prayed, after evil struck that day
And they held their signs for all to see, 'cross the states from sea to sea
And the signs said the spirit of the people will stand across this mighty land, it's so grand,
Remember, the sounds of silence

• Wow...,IceCat, 07:28 AM, 09-17-01
• RE: The Sounds of Silence,dangerkitty, 10:23 AM, 09-17-01
• RE: The Sounds of Silence,dabo, 10:44 AM, 09-17-01
• RE: The Sounds of Silence,aymelek, 12:14 PM, 09-17-01
• RE: The Sounds of Silence,SherpaDave, 12:24 PM, 09-17-01
  • Chilling Indeed...,IceCat, 09:00 PM, 09-17-01
    • RE: Wasn't that a "Vietnam" song? ,Dakota, 00:42 AM, 09-18-01
      • RE: Wasn't that a "Vietnam" song? ,Outfrontgirl, 04:17 AM, 09-18-01
        • RE: Wasn't that a "Vietnam" song? ,Dakota, 01:07 AM, 09-19-01
• RE: The Sounds of Silence,VampKira, 01:21 AM, 09-19-01

Just Wow...

If you don't email that Mr. Garfunkel and to Mr. Simon then I will!

It would be perfect for that memorial coming up in central park.

Also, I don't think anyone would mind one little bit if you cross-posted this over in the Gallery thread.

boomer, this is magnificent and haunting. You have outdone yourself this time. Thank you, my friend.

dangerkitty

Wow. This is perfect, boomer.

"If the race of man should be left naked upon a desert island, we should become extinct in six weeks. A few individuals might linger, but in a year would become worse than monkeys." (Samuel Butler, "Erewhon")

Boomer,
That was simply amazing and took my breath away. WHat a wonderful song by which to remember all of the victims. Well done, sweetie!
-Ayms

See? I toldja Boomer was the expert at this stuff. Really wonderful, Boomer. As I read, I was also remembering the original lyrics. A powerful one-two punch. I was also reminded of S&G's version of "Silent Night," sung over a backdrop of current events reported on the news. Chilling.

Imagine...

Just the music from Silent Night and the images of the planes, the fire, the pain...

Chilling to the core of your soul chilling...

LAST EDITED ON 09-18-01 AT 00:45 AM (EST)

Boomer Rules! Beautiful, meaningful and perfectly suited to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11/01. As I recall (I'm dating myself here), that song was written and released during the Vietnam war ("Hello darkness, my old friend..."). Anyone know for sure?

Boomer, this is beautiful! One of my favorites made relevant. Your ending is much more optimistic than the original more cynical vision of "Silence" and I hope you are right.

Dakota, I have already hopelessly dated myself so I can confess that I bought this album basically as soon as it was released, which I rechecked on the web as Jan, 1966, with the song itself released in late 1965. (I was only 13 but I was crazy about folk and folk-rock). I bought "Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme" the week it was released too, fall of '66 (that contains the Seven O'Clock news).

Was "Sounds" about the war? It was apparently copyrighted in 1964, so, if so, it was in the vanguard of protest about our involvement. They had been in England trying to make it and there was about a year between their first album "Wednesday Morning 3 am" and "Sounds," which was their first American hit. "Sounds of Silence" may have been written in England, mentions cobblestone streets. I always took the song to be a condemnation of the lack of speaking up and communicating about important issues, and also worship of materialism, both hallmarks of the 1950's to mid-60's culture.

Their first album had a number of anti-war songs on it, so they were definitely in the "protest-singer" camp.

"Parsley, Sage," on the other hand was most definitely anti-war and specifically pointed at Vietnam. Their first album has an anti-Nukes song on it--"The Sun Is Burning in the Sky,"--not written by Simon, but another song that could easily be adapted to reflect our current event. You will note that the song ended darkly! Singers were trying to wake Americans up to how dismal war is, and not concerned with finding a positive scenario...
Sad songs warning of dire possibilities...

Here's the song:
(Folk singer Kate Wolf also covered it in the 80's, on "Gold in California")

The Sun Is Burning
I. Campbell, 1964

The sun is burning in the sky
Strands of clouds go slowly drifting by
In the park the lazy bees
Are joining in the flowers, among the trees
And the sun burns in the sky

Now the sun is in the west
Little kids go home to take their rest
And the couples in the park
Are holdin' hands and waitin' for the dark
And the sun is in the west

Now the sun is sinking low
Children playin' know it's time to go
High above a spot appears
A little blossom blooms and then draws near
And the sun is sinking low

Now the sun has come to Earth
Shrouded in a mushroom cloud of death
Death comes in a blinding flash
Of hellish heat and leaves a smear of ash
And the sun has come to Earth

Now the sun has disappeared
All is darkness, anger, pain, and fear
Twisted, sightless wrecks of men
Go groping on the knees and cry in pain
And the sun has disappeared

Sun is Burning is a great song. As a child of the 70's, there are all too many recollections, but we have to remember and move on. I was thinking about John Lennon's "Imagine". One of the networks used Sarah McGlaughlin's "Angel" which is one of my favorites. Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven". At my church last week we sang "A Mighty Fortress is our God" followed by God Bless America.

You ROCK, Boomer! *hug*

"We'll know for the first time,
If we're evil or divine...
We're the last in line." - Ronnie James Dio

Du ar min hjälte, Supermänniska