Sounds of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
BLAST from the PAST
Sounds of Silence
Faizul Khan Tanim reveals the impact of the legendary band’s iconic album
Ardent fans still try to decode the sounds of silence, though the magical duo singer-songwriters Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel released their last record Bridge Over Troubled Water more than four decades back.
Simon and Garfunkel’s first studio album, released in 1964 was titled ‘Wednesday Morning, 3 AM’ but they did not receive recognition until their second compilation ‘Sounds of Silence’, which was released in January 1966.
Many believe when the original acoustic version of 'The sound of silence' from the first album was re-produced and given a rock sheen, folk-rock debuted and the vocal harmony-enthralled Simon and Garfunkel were catapulted to something far different from that era’s contemporary folkies.
The album begins with ‘The Sound of Silence’ and ends with ‘Roving Gambler’. In between are the tracks ‘Blessed’, the romantic melodrama of ‘Kathy's Song’, the strangely suicidal ‘Richard Cory’ and ‘A Most Peculiar Man’, and the anthem of loneliness, ‘I Am A Rock’.
The organic rhymes reciprocated and resonated with the angst and psyche of American youth at the time. ‘The Sound of Silence’ is probably one of the most beautiful and haunting songs. With a two-part harmony and crafty melody, it is simple yet complex.
Simon and Garfunkel were influenced by artists such as Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, and the Everly Brothers, whose folk rock style created the path that Simon and Garfunkel expanded on with their own style.
Their influence is also reminiscent of Gospel songs. Over the years, the band has been active through their music and influenced many aspects of American society with their lyrics and melodies, emotionally and spiritually inspiring with their songs.
If you look deeper, their lyrics have deeper meanings, for example, ‘The Sound of Silence’ illustrates the faults of the human race, ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ is about the union of people.
This album peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard charts, at number thirty on the UK album charts and received 3 Multi-Platinum records from the RIAA. The duo was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
http://www.theindependentdigital.com/index.php?opt=view&page=29&date=2011-03-06
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