Video hit Art Garfunkel & Claudio Baglioni

Art Garfunkel & Claudio Baglioni - The sound of silence (live, 1999)

The Sound of Silence is a song by singer-songwriter duo Simon & Garfunkel.

Written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy, the song propelled the group to mainstream popularity. An initial version preferred by the band was remixed and sweetened, and has become known as "the quintessential folk rock release".

In the U.S., it was the duo's second most popular hit after "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

The song features Simon on acoustic guitar and both singing.

It was originally recorded as an acoustic piece for their first album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. in 1964 but on the initiative of the record company's producer, Tom Wilson, it was later overdubbed with drums, electric bass and electric guitar, all without the knowledge or participation of Simon & Garfunkel and rereleased as a single in September 1965.

The single reached number one on New Year's Day 1966 and was included in the 1966 album Sounds of Silence.

"The Sound of Silence" was originally called "The Sounds of Silence" and is titled that way on the early albums in which it appeared and on the first single release; only on later compilations was it retitled "The Sound of Silence". Both the singular and the plural appear in the lyrics. In his book Lyrics 1964–2008 Simon has the title in the singular.

Claudio Baglioni (born 16 May 1951) is an Italian musician. He is considered one of the greatest songwriters/singers ("cantautori") in Italy and one of the greatest figures in Italian pop music; his success spanned through several decades. His melodic and highly dramatic love ballads, especially from the 1970s era (such as "Questo piccolo grande amore", "E tu...", "Amore bello", "Sabato pomeriggio", "E tu come stai") are part of Italy's musical and national culture.

His various works include the official Anthem for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin. He has also written for previous sporting events.

The lyrics:

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

In restless dreams I walked alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone

'Neath the halo of a street lamp

I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light

That split the night

And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking

People hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never share

And no one dared

Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know

Silence like a cancer grows

Hear my words that I might teach you

Take my arms that I might reach you"

But my words, like silent raindrops fell

And echoed

In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon god they made

And the sign flashed out its warning

In the words that it was forming

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls

And tenement halls"

And whispered in the sounds of silence