Simon & Garfunkel - Sounds of Silence
- FaceOff - עימות חזיתי
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 17.01.1966
Dr. Michael Mosley, considered a health and science guru in Britain, recommends singing out loud for at least five minutes a day. Singing stimulates the nervous system responsible for the strength of a wide range of bodily functions, from our mood and appetite to the way we cope with pain.
Previous studies have shown that nearly 50% of young people in Israel aged 18–24 sing in the shower. That was exactly how a young Paul Simon worked on improving his vocal technique. To the echo created by the bathroom tiles, Simon added a gentle trickle of water, turned off the light, and connected with his singing in the most complete and intimate way. That was when the words began to flow out of him: "Hello darkness, my old friend".
Simon began the writing process of a song in the shower that was destined to be a beginning that felt like an ending, only to start all over again. A song that opens the second album by the duo Simon & Garfunkel, "Sounds of Silence", released on January 17, 1966.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up together in the Queens neighborhood of the United States, with Simon being three weeks older than Garfunkel. They attended the same schools and bonded early on through their shared love of music, already during elementary school. By junior high they were performing together, and at the age of fifteen they signed a recording contract with the small label "Big Records" under the name "Tom & Jerry".
After several years working as a songwriter and producer in the Brill Building scene, at the age of twenty one Paul Simon approached Art Garfunkel with what he felt was the best completed song he had written up to that point, and suggested they sing it together.
The duo began singing together again, and they immediately felt that their connection through "The Sound of Silence" was stronger than ever. Convinced they were on the verge of a major breakthrough, they signed with Columbia Records on the way to recording a debut album, and along the way changed their name from Tom & Jerry to Simon & Garfunkel, fitting musicians who now saw themselves as serious artists.
The duo’s debut album "Wednesday Morning 3 AM", which included "The Sound of Silence", was released in September 1964, but reality hit hard. The album failed commercially, selling only about 3,000 copies. Simon and Garfunkel decided to dissolve their partnership, each going his own way. Was this the end?
Meanwhile, jazz musician and producer Tom Wilson, who had produced the album and was one of the key figures behind Bob Dylan’s transition from folk to rock, saw unrealized potential in Simon’s song. Wilson decided to inject new life into "The Sound of Silence" by bringing in session musicians to record electric guitar, drums, and keyboards over the existing track through overdubbing. He released the new rock oriented version to radio without Simon and Garfunkel’s knowledge.
The song became a massive success and climbed to number one. A surprised Simon and Garfunkel reunited to work on a second album, already carrying with them several songs they had written together before their split, such as "We've Got a Groovy Thing Goin'" and "Somewhere They Can't Find Me". Added to these was a blues based instrumental titled "Anji", originally written by guitarist Davy Graham.
From this point on, Simon fully revealed the unique melodies and lyrics that the world would come to recognize as his signature. He also succeeded in delivering an impressive adaptation of works that were not his own, as in the case of "Richard Cory", a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson that tells the story of a young man who seems to have everything, yet ultimately takes his own life. In the 1970s, teachers even used this song as a motivational tool for students.
The closing track on the album, "I Am a Rock", despite its relatively energetic and driving feel, deals with the desire for isolation and emotional withdrawal, born from the understanding that love inevitably brings pain as well.
The album cover shows Simon & Garfunkel looking back toward the camera at Franklin Canyon Park in Los Angeles. They are wearing scarves that originally belonged to members of the Brentwood family, with whom Paul Simon stayed during his time in Britain.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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