The Sound of Silence and How It Applies to Today

 

Greetings, friends! 

I generally try to avoid posting about the world around me. I like to keep this platform as one for escaping the world into creativity and hopefully uplifting those who read my words simply by having a good attitude and good words, especially now.
But today, I wanted to talk about something directly to do with this world. 

The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel has been a song that I loved since I first heard it, and I could never quite explain why, except for the fact that it is what I believe to be a prime example of an artist portraying what is in their head perfectly.
But now, in this hectic year, I've found the song proving itself even more relevant, as well as sad.  

So here I am to pull apart this song, and show you the meaning that I've found in it, verse by verse. 

Verse One

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

This first verse gives the setting.
Humanity seems to be attracted to darkness, or maybe darkness is attracted to humanity (maybe even both). And this year so far has been very dark. 

And that vision is the vision of what we couldn't see, and of what we can see. While these months of solitude were dragging by, months of loneliness, months of fear, months of listening to the government and to the CDC without consideration, while we were sleeping, others began to speak. 
Those people are the doctors and scientists and even every day citizens who are speaking truth, but who are hidden away, being silenced. 

And so, the "sounds of silence" is the absence of truth.

Verse Two

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

We were all alone in the quarantine, trying to find our own way through it amidst debates, hate, contradictions, logic, a lack of resources, confusion, frustration, fear, and so on. 
And when we 'turn our collars' to this, when we're done and ready to just give in, there's that flash of light, that quick reveal, the glimmer of hope, that leak that let the truth slip out. 
And that light broke the sound of silence, that light of hope and truth, but not enough for everyone to see. Just enough for those who were looking. But then, it was taken down again, removed because it "violated" some community standard, or because it offended someone.
So no, it didn't break the sound of silence, it just brushed its surface, it just touched it. 

Verse Three

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 shared
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

That flash of light opened some eyes, and to those who listened to the truth and hope that just barely got out enough to assure them and to quiet fears, they began to see things as they were. 
They saw people, thousands of people, who talked without speaking, conveying their thoughts in a double-sided post, in a passive aggressive statement, not speaking outright directly. 
And they heard each other without listening, they let their words come out, maybe even uninterrupted, but they didn't listen to what they had to say, they just let it play until it was their turn. 

People writing songs, people writing posts, people saying truth, people challenging the norm, but their songs were never shared. No one would repeat them, no one would echo them, no one would spread them, because they didn't dear disturb the sound of silence. They didn't dare disturb the absence of truth. 
Because really, truth is a scary thing.

Verse Four

"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

Within the sound of silence

Those who listened, those who saw that hope and truth before it was gone, grew angry. They called those who wouldn't listen 'fools' and 'sheeple', their frustration escaping as they reminded the others of how the absence of truth grows tyranny, control, compliance, lies, and fear. 
Then they shift into nearly pleading with them, begging that they would hear, no listen, to their words that they may explain their stance, that they may give their evidence, and assure them of the truth that is so hopeful, that they would work together to continue to uncover truth. 
But their words fell on deaf ears, just more words in the well of hidden truth. 

Just more words hidden in the sound of silence.

Verse Five

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 subways walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sounds of silence.

People have begun praising select faces, claiming only their words are the truth and the only truth despite given evidence. They've made them and their stances into an idol, nearly.
And warnings are all around, so many red flags have been raised regarding those select individuals as well as others and the arguments they raised, so much has been proven wrong. 
And the words of truth and of what is to come and of what is here now, they're all said not by great individuals, but by the people who are being kept silent, the nobodies. 
But their words are no more than a whisper now, for if they were any louder, they may very well be silenced permanently.
So their words are whispered in the sound of silence. 

-------------

I'm not sure of what I hope you take away from my posts this time around. I suppose just these two things: 1.) The Sound of Silence is a brilliant song, and 2.) Listen, don't just hear.
I do hope you enjoyed this post and my take on this wonderful song. 

Until we meet again, I remain,

                             ~ 𝓔𝓭𝓷𝓪 𝓟𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓷 

P.S. Check out the song The Sound of Silence and tell me what your take on it is, I'd love to hear it.

Christian Music

Hello there,

This may seem off topic, but considering it is on the subject of song writing I'll count it towards the subject of writing.

Christian music nowadays is known for being un-creative, repetitive, theologically incorrect, and generally shallow.
And I was wondering, why is that?
And why is it that so many deeply talented musicians follow the frame that Christian culture has made?
And why is it that when I sit down, wanting to write a out of the box worship song or general Christian music, I can't?
Well, I've been thinking, and I've come up with a few thoughts.
So I wrote them down, and here they are if you care to read them.


1. Christians took away creativity so we don't "show off"

It's true that worship is not a concert. It simply isn't. It is a time between man and God, and it's important that Christians don't get that confused or let selfish desires get in the way of worship
But, things like musical talent are gifts from God, and we are to use our gifts and talents to praise Him.

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given us, let us use them..."
- Romans 12:6

If practically anyone can pick up a instrument, be taught four chords, and then be able to play practically every worship song... talent, or effort, are lacking greatly.
And that isn't good.

And I'm not saying that every Christian song should be near impossible to play, or that it being so easy to play is bad. The problem is why it's so simple, not the fact that it is.

So please, do not think me to be of the devil when I say this;
Things like guitar, bass, drum, and piano solos, complex rifs, complex vocals, "extra" instruments, and deeply thought out lyrics, or even no lyrics, are perfectly acceptable in a Christian song.
And if you are a Christian musician and you are more concerned with the people listening to the music you are making as opposed to God, the problem is where your heart is, not your instrument or song.

And I do not say this while claiming to be guiltless. I play in a praise team, and often lose the reason that I am playing and focus instead on hitting the next note, or thinking of the congregation instead of God, or even just letting my mind wander, while I am supposed to be praising and helping my fellow believers praise by playing music.

And on the note of writing uncreative music, as I said I do the same with worship music. It all comes out like every other Christian song.
Repetitive chords and lyrics, passionless words, and general uncreative things litter my songs when I try to write a worship or general testimonial/encouraging song.

Which leads me to my next point...

2. Christians are forcing music out of themselves 

For many Christian artists, making Christian music is their job. It's how they put bread on the table, so if they want to get payed, they need to produce music.
And as is the case with any career artist (or general artists, really), forcing art out of yourself drains you and produces passionless and meaningless art. The words grow hollow.
That isn't normally a big deal, moral-wise, but for a Christian career artist, it is. Because hollow, inaccurate, meaningless words, when spoken to God, are best left unsaid.

"But I say to you that for every idle word men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." 
- Matthew 12:36 NKJV


3. Christians need to be careful of their intent

If you are writing a worship or Christian song just to do it (like I mentioned I did), or just to make money, or for your image, or for attention and popularity... you shouldn't write the song.
Or, you shouldn't play the song.

And that's a hard and scary concept for career Christian artists, because, as I said, words lose meaning when they're a source of income.
But, Christian, God will be with you and provide for you.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?"
 - Matthew 6:25-30 NKJV

I'm not saying you need to do this. I don't know you or your circumstances. Maybe you truly mean every word you speak in your songs.
But if you need to step back for a bit, especially to reconnect with God, don't let fear for you or your family stop you.

3 (1/2). Other stuff

Other things I don't really have enough to talk about, are...

- Christians mimicking secular music in attempt to make their music better
- Christians not knowing or noticing the theologically incorrect and/or complacency in our modern music
- The fact that hymns, which often directly quote the Bible, are amazing and we should have more revamped versions of them



I didn't write this post to guilt or insult anyone. Goodness knows, I'm plenty guilty of the above, so I do not hold myself higher than anyone else for having these thoughts.

I made this post because the fact that Christian music has grown so shallow, complacent, and uncreative is not good, and is undeniable.
It's especially disturbing when you think of the fact that secular, and even satanic, music is often more creative than Christian music, when we are the ones who have something truly amazing to be passionate about

It is my hope that this post makes us Christians to stop and think for a bit, and maybe spark a passion that causes some Christian out there to write a genuine, thought out, and creative song for God. Goodness knows He deserves it.

I hope you found the above thought provoking and insightful.
If not, I'm thankful that you read it anyways (assuming you didn't just skim through, as I am often guilty of) and hope that you at least liked it.

Until I write to you again, I remain most humbly

 ~ Edna Pellen


P.S. Here's a wonderful cover of a wonderful Christian song, you should check it out: Heart Of Worship, cover by Tommee Profit