When I walked across the Roncalliplatz in Cologne today on my way to meet my mom, there was this South American flutist group (we call them 'Anden Mafia' by the way, but that's just a side note) playing 'Sound of Silence'.
Now I'm probably one of the biggest Paul Simon worshippers of my generation. At least I spent more than 120 Euro altogether to see him play live (twice, though, I spent 60 Euro for each concert). But I never really liked 'Sound of Silence', the same way I never really liked 'The Boxer'. Mostly because they somehow are constantly abused by people when it comes to singing around a bonfire. Like 'Hey, can you play 'The Boxer'?' and everyone chimes in during the lie-la-lie-refrain, because no-one really knows the lyrics.
Still, walking by these flutists I realized that I indeed like 'Sound of Silence'. I only don't like the way everyone handles this song, because honestly... that is not a campfire-we-are-all-happy-and-love-each-other-song.
Have you ever read the lyrics?
That is a mighty scary song.
'When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light'
Creepy.
'And in the naked light I saw ten thousand people, maybe more.'
Creepy.
'"Fools," said I, "you do not know, silence like a cancer grows.'
Ew. Creepy.
The whole song, dear blog readers, is amazingly creepy and scary. And incredibly good.
You just don't play it with panflutes accompanied by corny drumloops. So, do me favor, guys, do whatever you like, but take your hands off that song.
