The Sound of Silence

This is the Source of that Meme?

The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel

Recommended by Michelle

"This was is a favorite of my Dad's and all my sisters, too. We were all together and listened to Disturbed perform. His is intense and does it justice but Simon and Garfunkel our favorite. Of course, it was made iconic in The Graduate movie."

I feel like I should probably watch The Graduate at some point. For, like, pop culture awareness. But at least I'm plugged into the collective mind enough that I'm familiar with the first line of this song. Even if I didn't know where it was from until now.

I agree that Simon & Garfunkel's version is the best. How do you beat that duo? Their voices carry those harmonies throughout the entire song, and it's perfect.

"Intense" may be an understatement for the Disturbed version. 

I think it works since the lyrics are equally intense, but it also feels overdone when you listen to it side by side with Simon & Garfunkel's...even if you don't watch the video, which only adds to the drama. The original is elegant and simple. The Disturbed version sounds, at best, extremely angry and, at worst, like it's trying too hard.

The one thing that's really cool about Disturbed, though, is the way they end the song. 

Yes, Simon & Garfunkel slow it down and soften their voices, but they don't provide half the amount of contrast that you hear in the Disturbed in version. Their voices hang out in the piano - mezzo piano range throughout the entire song, and they sound lovely the entire time.

On the other hand, Disturbed builds up to a gritty, vibrato-filled fortissimo right before dropping to the softest pianissimo for the final of silence. I got chills.

So it's not that either version is bad. It's just that you can listen to the Simon & Garfunkel song anytime, but you can't listen to the Disturbed cover unless you prepare yourself psychologically. You can listen to Simon & Garfunkel on a road trip with your friends, but you've gotta listen to Disturbed in, like, a cemetery.

Overview:

Genre:
Folk Rock / Soft Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
Hello, darkness, my old friend

Verdict:
Simon & Garfunkel got a groovey thing goin'
Disturbed is okay but ain't nobody got time for that much drama.