First time hearing Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence Official Music Video Reaction

[@RealDanielMcCoy]

It was a masterpiece when Simon and Garfunkel sang it, Disturbed brought it back to life in the most respectful way.

[@mtbelley]

This is also the ONLY cover Paul Simon has ever actually told his fans to listen to.

[@katcasley7567]

@@mtbelley I saw an interaction between Paul Simon and David Draman on social media, where Paul thanked David for this cover.

[@danielpeters2282]

Yes

[@williamallen7984]

Agree 💯 it’s almost as if Simon and Garfunkel sang it with a sadness, and Disturbed transformed it into almost an anger. It’s amazing to me that some people don’t realize it’s a cover, though lol

[@laurenmichelle6346]

Read all these replies & they've all said exactly what I was going to say ✌

[@PaulaLPope]

The fact that he was so easily able to apply the message to today's society, when, unbeknownst to him, it was written decades ago, just shows how powerful of a songwriter Paul Simon was.

[@CndnHippo]

This right here

[@robertshort9487]

Truth

[@deborahwhite6249]

yes

[@keithmenges79]

It also seems to show that the more things change the more they stay the same. Paul Simon was talking about his time in the '60's. Things haven't gotten any better, that's for sure.

[@michaelbean2478]

@@keithmenges79 I was born in the 50's and grew up in the 60's, and as bad as some things were back then, it's much worse today. The wealthy and powerful have been having their way with this Nation for far too long...I barely recognize America anymore.

[@Malakie]

Watching you interpret a song literally from the 60's, (Simon and Garfunkel) was very interesting... Here is a quote someone else posted on another channel that fits what you are trying to discover.. "When David sent it to Paul Simon, he was very nervous. Paul said my version was a warning, your version is the rage because the warning was ignored, it's your song now. Now that's the highest of compliments"

[@guylagalindo2430]

oh wow. it's so true, too.

[@PurityKontrol]

excellent!!!!!

[@steveg7820]

Wow. That's incredible.

[@leannmiller7153]

The quote is not true. Paul sent David an email “Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I’d seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks.”

[@Malakie]

​@@leannmiller7153 How would you know? You have access to his emails? Maybe both of you are full of it and the person I quoted above is wrong and so are you.. OR maybe you are both right... i.e. the one I quoted was about the first time he ever saw it performed on video on release and the quote you attribute was the first time he saw it performed LIVE... Which leaves things where they were before.. for people to decide for themselves which it is, not take the word of two people on the internet that actually have no idea one way or the other. I quoted someone else talking about an actual interview that was done where that quote was from... You replied as if you are "in the know", which if you were, you would probably have introduced yourself as such to clarify things. Instead we now have two quotes that none of us know if either is now true.

[@TheBigCat13]

Disturbed did a great job of carrying the song through time. This is a type of song that should never be forgotten. It’s like a Mona Lisa

[@nessienessie8798]

Well said 🙏

[@rizzcs6018]

The fact that when people react to this version of the song without knowing its a cover and can so easily relate it to modern life just proves that this song is truly timeless.

[@daphnepride1534]

So true.

[@dhaisley]

I grew up on S&G. I love them. They are GODS of music. Disturbed’s version is actually better.

[@johnlong7438]

@@dhaisley there are a very limited number of songs that are covers that are better than the original and this is definently one. It reminds me of the interview with Trent Reznor about hearing johnny cash's version of hurt and he said "I didnt expect much, it was just another cover. But listening to it I realized that that song was no longer mine"

[@dhaisley]

@@johnlong7438 true. Paul had great things to say about this cover too.

[@billyyoung7764]

Absolutely

[@samwisegamgie8163]

When this version of the song was released the best comment I seen was “ The Simon and Garfunkel version was a warning of what was to come. And This version was the rage caused by not heading the warning”.

[@paavobergmann4920]

wow, yeah. nails it. ...so...someone should re-write "Brave New World"....soon...

[@DoulaGarcia]

YES!!! Perfect!

[@clairemurphy4316]

Yes...

[@Soullesshero]

*heeding, not heading. And I 1000% agree.

[@goblin380]

@@paavobergmann4920 Check out Noise by Nightwish, in theme it matches, more of a spiritual successor

[@Teresa7087]

Written in 1964 by Simon and Garfunkel. This is a cover. It talks of our inability to communicate with each other because we've allowed technology to take over. In 1964 it was TV, now its smart phones, laptops, computers. The vid gets this point across using music as the metaphor. You have musicians on one side and people with written music on the other side. They have to come together in order to make music. At the end, the musicians cross the river to join those with the music. Communication via making music is achieved!

[@jamesharder6632]

The problem is, smartphones, laptops, and computers are what allow a lot of people to communicate more effectively. Me, for instance, I'm super awkward in real life, and have trouble making friends, but the friends I met online I've known for years, and years. Those relationships are more real to me than the ones I have in real life with people near me. I have a real social life I wouldn't have without those devices.

[@samdeaconart3772]

@@jamesharder6632 im not so sure it is a social life, we might just be in the matrix brother

[@jamesharder6632]

@@samdeaconart3772 just because it's not physical doesn't mean it's less real

[@castiels_trenchcoat974]

@@jamesharder6632 it's also about that in a way. The technology has created a way of communicating without seeing each other, and we've grown so used to it that we talk through the screen instead of actually spending tine together physically. Something that is good but has also made it harder for us to spend time together because in real life, we don't get that time to plan every word anymore and so we get anxious about it. We've disconnected to real life in a way.

[@lordandmaster1925]

Vietnam war, generation gap, NY Times Square corporate commercialism...major hit by highly popular group covered by many over the years, author Paul Simon is highly complimentary of this versio

[@juliem6696]

This is a dystopian "anthem" from the 60's. Disturbed re-interpreted this for today and it's even more powerful. To me this is the perfect version of a perfect song.

[@vinnie666]

Believe it was Garfunkel that completely agrees with you. They gave this song to David, it's his now

[@rosiec1974]

Everyone who knows this version... waits for the goosebumps to hit him.... Simon and Garfunkle wrote and sung this in the 60s. THIS is the ONLY version Paul Simon has ever endorsed. David Dramine is a trained Cantor, and comes from a long line of cantors. The song is about the world.... AND NO it hasnt changed since the 60s!

[@lucysyrowski387]

Yes..love your analysis...I wasn't expecting it..just a critique of the singer. ;)

[@chrisgates7738]

I feel the World is far more evil than it was in the 60s, even though I wasn't born until 1970

[@sunshynff]

@Chris Gates ...Depends on your perspective, I was born at the end of 1969, when you and I were born it was still illegal for a black and white person to get married. Not that you're completely wrong with your statement, it's just that evil takes many forms, and rears it's ugly head in different ways, to different people. ✌🏻❤️

[@chrisgates7738]

My comment wasn't race related at all, just referring to how hateful people are towards each other these days

[@sunshynff]

@@chrisgates7738, I never said your comment was race related, and also stated there was truth to your comment, there is a lot of hateful people today. I only used the interracial example simply because the law ended in the months following yours and my birth, and I thought that would make it a relevant example of perspective when it comes to evil in our society, in a "then and now" scenario. I in no way was trying to imply that anything you said was racially motivated, I apologize if it came off that way.

[@DracoOoOoOo]

It is a Simon and Garfunkel song that was covered masterfully

[@ifarghaly]

It is a better rendition in my opinion.

[@jahpaipa]

@@ifarghaly Yup even Simon or Garfunkel might have been both I'm not sure but definitely one of them said this version is better than theirs.

[@sammyp4216]

@@jahpaipa Paul Simon said he liked it he didn't say it was better but portrayed it better during this time.

[@sammyp4216]

aka they made it more real for the current generations than the one they wrote in the 60s.

[@jahpaipa]

@@sammyp4216 yeah fair enough he didn't actually say it was better but for him to share and promote it on his social media says a lot. I guess I was making assumptions lol

[@DavidLimaGoncalves]

Someone: "Cover songs are never as good as the originals" Disturbed: "Hold my beer!"

[@terrynitschke5776]

Metallica's song "Sad But True" covered by The HU, a Mongolian band that is taking the world by storm, just like Chinggis Khan did 620 years ago. Not only the first Mongolian band to chart on American billboard charts, but reached No.1

[@mikecramman498]

It is very rare that you come across a cover version that tells the story, meaning and the has the feeling of the song that outshines the original but here is a prime example

[@ASmithee67]

Johnny Cash: "Hurt"

[@tmkellison4016]

YES!!

[@ForgedInGlory]

They did a great job with all their covers. Sound of Silence, Shout 2000, and Land of Confusion. The ones I love the most.

[@rebeccamccann8710]

The mention of social commentary is as powerful today as it was when Paul Simon wrote these lyrics in 1963. This song has been covered many times by a myriad of artists over the last 50 years or so, but in my opinion Disturbed’s version resonates more than any other, even the original, which I will always love. By slowing the tempo and using strings and piano in the arrangement the emphasis shifts to the power of the lyrics and the emotion of the vocals. Poetry then, poetry still, Distubed has brought this iconic classic to an entirely new level, not to mention an audience that otherwise may never have experienced the absolute genius of this song.

[@heathercottrill3505]

There are some songs that transcend generations. This is a perfect example! The other that pops in my mind is “People Are People” Depeche Mode.

[@trentbobo4171]

So, I've been told the neon god that Paul Simon wrote about was the invention of the television because once tvs showed up in American living rooms they quit communicating with one another. By the time Disturbed covered it, the neon god has become our phones. Also, when Paul would write songs, he'd often sit in his bathroom with the lights off because of the acoustics and he couldn't concentrate on writing if he was visually stimulated. So, "hello darkness my old friend, I've come to talk to you" is literally him sitting down in the darkness to write this song. You nailed it. The Sound of Silence is just an observation of how we've lost the ability to communicate with one another on an intimate level. We talk and hear but we don't speak and listen.

[@vicegripp]

Beautiful explanation; never heard the context presented for the lyrics before. Thank you.

[@brandonatchison4769]

It's kinda ironic isn't it? Phones, the internet etc all this tech designed to help us communicate better and in many cases it's made communication worse.

[@trentbobo4171]

@@brandonatchison4769 our phones have done exactly what Paul warned us about. We're connected. We talk. We hear. But the entire conversation is usually argumentative at it's worst and shallow at its best. You're right. We have the ability to contact anybody in the world at the speed of sound but we've never been more disconnected.

[@robhay57]

@Radical Centrist God Very well said. Your "hive mind" phrase makes me think of the Borg. So many have been assimilated.

[@Guinnessrules]

You nailed it!

[@tishbowman2990]

Simon & Garfunkel wrote and sang this decades ago! It was deep then and even more so now. Disturbed made it more tragic & darker. Fitting to the times.

[@annapeter392]

💯 Accurate

[@lofitiatia6537]

He should of listen to the original song….

[@mr-internet-twiw]

Would be useful to know when songs are covers before reviewing as the singer is not involved in the writing. Means the new interpretation is 100%. In the singing, and the arrangement and NOT the writing. Bookends a great album and good reflection of the times

[@rogerhancock8732]

Simon and Garfunkel did not have the benefits of todays modern musicians such as videos and better equipment. That aside disturbed arrangement though very well done does not really outshine the original all that much, its the cinematography that makes the real difference. Also Check out Todd Hoffman of Gold Rush Alaska's version of this song. There is even a version that a youtuber took the time to blend Disturbed and Hoffman that is truly awesome. I would love to see what Home Free or Pentatonix could do with this song.

[@nevannarence6542]

i saw someone state that this in many ways like the cover bad wolves did of the cranberries song “zombie” that the original song was a warning and the covers shout about how people havent responded strongly enough. its speaking about the anger that people are ignoring tge warning

[@HighlandBound]

It's actually been proven that it is sacrilegious to interrupt David when he's in full effect

[@christinalively8292]

I am a believer in that!

[@mythdefied9070]

amen

[@jayb3829]

right! that was painful.

[@margaretervin8895]

I totaly agree Jay B

[@kylerasmusson9109]

Totally agree

[@jennief7114]

I was young when this came out, was in a very abusive home. Back then nobody did anything about it, so back then that phrase "sound of silence" meant to me that everyone kept quiet about what was happening to me. They only cared about what it would mean if the truth came out.

[@TheSpeakEasyLounge]

Thank you for sharing. I never looked at it from that perspective before, but now that you've said it, it's very understandable...

[@katlookingup3625]

So sorry it was a rough time for you, me too, God was my only friend I told what was happening to me…. 50 some years later Jesus fills my soul, hope he fills yours as well sweetheart💕

[@aero3589]

❤️🙏❤️🌎🌏🌍🎶

[@itsmekari]

I connect to it in exactly the same way. ((Hugs)) These words 👇 are so powerful & speaks to the long term damage caused from being silenced, ignored, &/or not believed. “People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never shared 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”

[@violentpursuit]

This is art. True art. When Paul Simon can pen these words and melody decades ago, and he and Disturbed and MrLboyd and me and you can all interpret this through our own lens and find deep meaning and solace.......it's absolutely beautiful

[@waynejohnson1304]

MrLboyd, "Neon Gods they made" are the lights of the big cities. The "sounds of silence" refers to the public's indifference to the problems of modern society. The "words of the prophets are written on the subway walls" refers to the graffiti that gives away the feelings of those less fortunate as did the original prophets in the Bible.

[@P4inM4jor]

you hit it

[@KC-fl1ek]

You got it so right!!!!! I love your interpretation of the song!

[@sissinoklahoma2057]

Homerun synopsis

[@Skulllywag]

I don't know. I always thought "The neon gods" were television sets. The song is about loss of communication, and people literally zone out when watching TV, and don't talk to each other...the also idolize those on TV.

[@waynejohnson1304]

@@Skulllywag They are from New York City. There are millions of neon lights there. People are disconnected from each other in big cities. The crime rate makes getting to know a stranger that much more dangerous so, people tend not to talk so much.They become silent.

[@stevecollins9650]

He was so focused on trying to understand the song, that I feel like he wasn't as open to the power delivered by Dave Draimen in this version. The slow simmer of the beginning, and the rising temperature. Then the explosion of the chorus when he lets loose. The power to bring down buildings, on the razors edge of control. The song is arranged beautifully, he's absolutely correct. But the real feel of the song is the vocal journey, the soft, then the rise, climaxing at the explosion of the chorus, feeling that power, the danger, then him bringing us back safely with the last lines. It's haunting, beautiful, scary and uplifting all at once. I can't think of a better auditory experience.

[@dvjfredmerc529]

I agree…you worded it perfectly sir!

[@Marc-wv1pr]

spot on

[@kampfokapi5393]

I agree in general, but I think that is exactly what should happen, when the meaning is unknown. I appreciate him for listening and trying to understand the song instead of just hearing it. The appreciation for the journey grows every time this diamond is listened to.

[@jamielandis4606]

I agree. He’s not deep enough to comment on songs from the 60s/70s.

[@yogibare01]

I totally agree.

[@DracoOoOoOo]

This version hit me a lot harder then the original ever did!

[@evabartlett4599]

The original was a warning...this one is angry because we didn't listen.

[@joshuaboyer9075]

I found the Simon and Garfunkle version more haunting and beautiful

[@paulcooper2897]

The original version was Mom telling you to be carfeul. This is Dad cuffing you upside the head because your being a little shithead.

[@greghunter426]

I remember the song as awesome when I was a kid in the 70s. But i have listened to it by Disturbed hundreds of times and every time it gives me goosebumps

[@mrbrianc]

The first time I heard it on the radio I had to pull over off the side of a highway in Virginia just to take it in. I immediately downloaded it and listened to it the rest of the way home. One of the most powerful covers, on par with Johnny Cash's 'Hurt", that I have ever heard.

[@chrissanchez719]

78 year old female here...I graduated high school when this song originally came out (1964). It was a "cute ditty" that really did not resonate with any of my age group...yeah, S & G got a new hit, yeah, it's cool, just sing along...snore. When I heard Disturbed's version a couple of years ago, I just sat in shock...the words actually spoke to me. I had been a bartender, cocktail waitress, musician all in New Orleans, finally joined the Air Force in 1973, spent more than 20 years in, did a lot of other "stuff" but it took this version of the song to Gibbs slap me and make me realize what S & G had actually written.

[@paulinesoares3594]

David was classically trained as a cantor in the synagogue. That’s why he can hold notes for so long and sing so deep. He is amazing.

[@kristamcgukin6246]

He has CRAZY vocal control. This explains why!

[@vannessawhite1136]

That's awesome I never knew that and I've loved him since the beginning

[@robinlynnfox2807]

The same Synagogue as his father in fact! And David could sing me to sleep any time!!!!

[@robinlynnfox2807]

1960’s war protest song and I think Simon and Garfunkel were stoned when they wrote it!! But it does pertain to today too!!

[@sebrinaphelps6341]

Wow!! Didn't know that! Wish I could hold notes that long.

[@jamesarchibald923]

I've always taken the phrase "The Sound of Silence" to be a version of the adage "When good men do nothing...".

[@richardwoodfin3519]

Very well put.

[@katthomas4001]

"when good men do nothing". Fantastic . I will add that my mind registers "the silence was deafening". Poetic and metaphorical. Lack of an action is profound and sometimes, silence can tell you everything you need to know.

[@richware1]

Interesting to hear your commentary since you didn't know this was a cover of a 50+ year old song. One of the deeper more spiritual S&G songs. Keep up the good work.

[@derrickconnolly9164]

The song was written by S&G back in 63. It was shortly after JFK was killed. And the war. Plus unrest at home. I grew up in this era. I love the new version by disturbed. Maybe now we'll listen to the sound.

[@mohdaidil110]

Interestingly intriguing

[@Lifeletnothingholdudown]

@@derrickconnolly9164 yes our generation sure didn't listen.

[@elizabethlatorre5360]

Lol

[@wvob6752]

@@derrickconnolly9164 I remember it well too. It was released in 1966. I was 13 at the time. Civil Rights issues going on, Kennedy assassinated and the Viet Nam war going on. If people knew any '60's history then they would know what these lyrics stand for. Sad that history is not taught as it was in my day and if any of it is, it's twisted by the school personnel by their personal beliefs.

[@grabble7605]

"Maybe they're talking about smartphones, the internet" This song was written in 1963...And the songwriters _were_ the musicians. "The sound of silence" _was_ peace, solitude, internal contemplation, meditation...But as he says, it grows like a cancer and turned into what it is now: Isolation. Nobody communicating, or taking anything in when they talk at each other. Eventually everyone is so consumed in that silence that the "truth" is only found in whispers...Or, with the people not yet taken by the "neon god": The homeless and the derelict, sheltering in subways and tenement halls (slum housing, assisted-housing apartments, etcetera).

[@westzed23]

Well said!

[@DefeatLust]

Thank you 🙂 I can never understand songs like this, only hear the beauty

[@C0ldIron]

I had that same revelation a few years back. How easily it can be seen in modern life makes you really understand how things like the world wars happen even when we think they should have seen it coming.

[@danhalstead705]

The neon gods in the 60's could have just as easily referred to TV Sets, nightclubs, movie theaters, bowling alleys, etc.... anything that means you don't have to talk to the people who love you, and can absorb numb messaging instead. Now the same problem has gotten much worse with cell phones and internet. But the root problem is the same and he think he got it.

[@FridgeNinja]

It shows how little has changed in 60 years.

[@leifwilhelmsson9113]

It´s so interesting to see the "age difference" between you and your followers. I`m 72 and know this song from my youth, but this version is much much better. I actually never listened to the lyrics when it first came out, but now I do!

[@ruthrunyon5515]

I’m 72as well and feel the same way

[@douchenozzlemcgee6111]

Hahaha hiya there y'all. Nice to see y'all online. Im only 20 as of rn. Doing my best to take care of what's ours.

[@ryanbaker1475]

I am 21, but my dad showed me a lot of music from the 60s and 70s, and was a big fan of “The Boxer,” which happens to be covered by one of my favorite modern rock artists. This arrangement is just stunning

[@daviddempsey8721]

Paul Simon advertised this version on his homepage... never did that for other covers.

[@stacywoodruff4165]

I’m only 37, but I’ve been able to sing every last word of this song from memory since I was a young child. I grew up flipping this Simon & Garfunkel album over for my parents as soon as I could reach the turntable. I do think this version is even better though.

[@ginawhisnant9966]

"The neon god they made" is commercialism. The sound of silence is people talking at each other rather than to each other. In 1964 there were no cell phones, the internet was not even a thought. " Garfunkel once summed up the song's meaning as "the inability of people to communicate with each other, not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so what you see around you are people unable to love each other."

[@melissaheckman5771]

this is exactly what I was going to say. but his modern context in his reaction does work

[@MariposaEdits]

He saw what was to come and now it is here.

[@YTsupportsZionaziGenocide]

actually one correction... not only was the internet thought of before 1964 [1926] but Tesla accurately predicted we'd be able to fit the wireless device that enables it in a "vest pocket", he actually came up this the idea by combining the historical library of alexandria with his idea of wireless power and communication... but yes... the average person had not even the clue that the internet was possible also this song and its album were originally a massive flop... but they had a good producer that saw a hidden gem just waiting to be extracted, polished and put on display... now its famous.

[@ZootC]

It's television, not commercialism. How television has become the god people have created losing the ability and willingness to communicate as they once did. The message is just as valid today and you can substitute the TV, with phones, internet, social media etc. It's open to interpretation.

[@thehammer3193]

I think it's a true testament to the brilliance of this song that it's message becomes more and more relevant over time.

[@gohoshane]

Garfunkel once summed up the song's meaning as "the inability of people to communicate with each other, not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so what you see around you are people unable to love each other."

[@whirledpeaz5758]

It is as true now as it was when written and released in the 60's

[@michaelleary8923]

This song relates to everyone in a different way. It is timeless and this is a perfect interpretation for the times we are currently living in. His voice is majestic to say the least. Incredible

[@nyydynasty]

this is one of the few songs that gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear it. One of my all time favorites and that's coming from a hip hop head. This rendition is on another level. Even Paul Simon has given his blessing on this version of his song.

[@lorilynch-senter945]

David Draiman's voice touches the soul in this song.

[@guylagalindo2430]

He's an amazing vocalist.

[@phoenixmoon5580]

I recommend you watch some of his earlier songs! It explains why he can understand the underlying feelings and emotions in this song.

[@benbred79]

Never knew he had been trained as opera singer till he did this song. The mans incredible

[@lenafay9189]

I got to see Disturbed perform this live in concert a few years ago. The entire amphitheater went silent for this song and there were soooo many lighters in the air. Pretty sure my soul left my body that night 🖤

[@court5231]

So rare for a band to sound better live! I could just imagine your experience!! ❤❤

[@johnhoward7298]

Hope Your soul came back to You !!!!

[@johnhoward7298]

Hope Your soul came back to You !!!!

[@ChicoGypsy]

😱

[@thepinkBra1]

I think I would go to a Disturbed concert just for this song.

[@Flipomat1]

This is, by far, the most amazing interpretation of this song I've heard so far. Absolutely phenomenal!

[@nevannarence6542]

this song was written long ago. about how good people staying quiet to the evils of this world. Simon and Garfunkel actually commented on this cover as actually being better then their own version. one comment i saw on the official version comments that the original was the warning. disturbed gave us the anger and urgency about how people are not responding strongly enough. another great one of there is in another time. its on the same album. another cover similar is zombie. it was originally sung by the cranberries and she wrote it about the troubles, the ira and the domestic terrorism in Ireland, she told one side of the story but bad wolves gave the song a darkness and rage that the problem was ignored and left to expand and extend into todays times.

[@sunshynff]

Actually the song was written in the dark (hello darkness my old friend) and the lyrics were to sound deep and meaningful in order for a 20yr old kid to impress the ladies, without much else thought put into it. At least that's according to the person who wrote the song, Paul Simon.

[@Mamat5kdz]

And Bad Wolves do an amazing version of Zombie...check it out because there is a short commentary at beginning of the song. As to Disturbed/ David Draimens...his sound is all his own and thus song one might think it out of his wheel house...but he turned the tables on a classic. You should check out more of Disturbed songs to do a reaction too!

[@judythompson8227]

I was in my early 20s when this came out, and only now do I get this. That and goosebumps...

[@nevannarence6542]

@@judythompson8227 yeah its really hard to not feel the utter strength and emotion that draimen imparts into the song.

[@julianna.bennett188]

When I first heard this song YEARS ago by Simon and Garfunkel, I did not understand what they meant. When Disturbed covered this song, I finally understood what it meant. A truly beautiful rendition of a timeless classic.

[@tanyastewart7019]

That is my same experience with this song! I have known it and loved it for so long that I have no memory of when it entered my life but never really had a clue what it was actually trying to say even though I knew every lyric. The first time I heard this cover I had an unsettling, visceral understanding of the meaning and it imprinted on my soul! I still get covered with chills every time I hear this rendition! ❤️

[@tezza3733]

Unlike you, i did understand the lyrics when the song first came out, i was 13 when i first heard it, and it spoke to me exactly what i was feeling at the time. i am 68 in a few days, and the commercialism and the hardship brought about by people buying stuff they didn't NEED to be one of the "in" crowd(poor people lived in tenements and rode the subway)that is STILL so rampant today. For me to like a song it has to speak to me both musically and lyrically and yes, Disturbed did a FANTASTIC job of the cover.

[@tanyastewart7019]

@@tezza3733 You were fortunate to have a few years on me when it was first released. I'm from the '64 vintage. ☺️ I was far too young and blind to any concept of the world and it's issues at the time. Unfortunately, despite loving the melody and the sound it took me gaining wisdom and a second opportunity to be introduced to the lyrics to recognize and embrace the wisdom of this iconic song.

[@HansFelsh]

I cannot fathom how anyone has never heard the original "Sound of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel. It only goes to show you good the song is, in that he thought it was social commentary based on today, even though it was written in 1965.

[@Kinta8888]

I also thought he was meming to be honest.

[@heatherscompletelackofchil6127]

I mean to be honest I've never heard the simon and garfunkel version, just this one

[@TheNeilBlack]

I mean, what it really goes to show you is how little we've improved on social issues since 1965.

[@thedarcbird]

@@heatherscompletelackofchil6127 you should. The first time I heard it was in the film "the Graduate" m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGrNlnWmhN5niLc

[@couchking4223]

Everyone also forgets the 5 finger death punch version to

[@jrtmanmd]

The neon gods they made: Cities, the crowded cities, with all the hustle and bustle, people going about their day to day lives , not paying attention to one another, ignoring each others turmoil!

[@cynthiadugan858]

I enjoyed watching your interpretation. It was interesting to see your conclusions and know that you weren’t aware that the song was written in the 60s. We really haven’t changed much in all these years. We still have vast gaps in our ability to truly communicate between generations, beliefs, ideologies etc... Simon and Garfunkel’s version was presented more like a gentle reminder that communication is important. With the same lyrics, Disturbed presents a powerful apocalyptic warning. There is magic and great power in good music!

[@Jstoney127]

Amen!

[@waitaminute2015]

Amen! Boomer here.

[@theresabarrick6133]

Well said!

[@guylagalindo2430]

Wasn't the comparison of then and now amazing?

[@JasonMiller1979]

I love it when someone's introduction to Disturbed is the Sound of Silence, then they hear Down with the a Sickness.

[@spagsketti]

right Muhahaha

[@PadreMortalis]

Ooh ah ah ah ah!

[@janicetrivette6262]

Someone actually said that down with the sickness was Thier favorite country song. Lol

[@bubbleburst1338]

I like both ;) first found The Sound of Silence and then had to listen to DWTS to find out why everyone was talking about it. The opening noises of DWTS are very catchy. My nieces loved it when I imitated those sounds while playing and being silly with them 😅

[@TheSpeakEasyLounge]

I just recently reacted to this for the first time and it BLEW ME AWAY! I am not a big Metal fan, so I haven't heard anything else by them yet...I'm kind of afraid! lol!

[@jurgeng3821]

Just for the younger people here this song was written and published 57 years ago by a guy named Paul Simon from Simon and Garfunkel and still today after so much years people love to listen to it and that shows what a peace of art this is. The version of disturbed is a masterpeace! imho

[@elizabethlatorre5360]

Agree

[@TheMaddymar]

You are not there to interpret the lyrics but on the brilliance of the song interpretation, which in all honesty gave me goosebumps. Get out of the box and give your feeling of the song and arrangements and what you felt hearing it, maybe for the first time. I thought that was the idea bro. I am 74 years old, have a limited knowledge of today’s music, living in the 60s, but am addicted to this as it touched my heart.

[@michaelgnit8476]

I'm retired but not as old as you and the world has changed.

[@cornishcalves9216]

We played this at full volume in the crematorium at my 73 year old dads funeral at his request. He wanted this and another song from Lord of the Rings called Into The West sung by Annie Lennox. He passed away 3 years ago on Christmas eve suddenly. This song means more than anyone knows to me ❤

[@kaylanicK]

Sorry for your loss I lost my mom on Christmas eve 2020💔 She loved this song❤❤❤

[@LongandWeirdName]

David Draiman trained to become a cantor(the singing preacher in a synagogue, for those that don't know). And the world will be eternally glad that he went into the music industry instead. His training shows in this one more than almost anywhere else.

[@guylagalindo2430]

He is amazing. Stunning.

[@bobd2659]

A lot of Cantors don't stay in 'that role'. It's great vocal training! It's all music industry in the end!

[@foxymacadoo]

I have to say that it is nice to see a comment that doesn't try and say David is classically trained, which he isn't. And that explains what a Cantor is. Thank-you!!!

[@koreysimon]

This cover always gets me, I love it so much! Pretty much no one should ever cover it again as he absolutely slayed this beyond belief.

[@UltimateGamerCC]

just like Johnny Cash made "Hurt" his own, cannot agree more.

[@jameswood2730]

This is very possibly the best cover I've heard. Most covers are trash and do the original justice. I completely agree with you.

[@snewhouse13]

Agree completely!!

[@Seedlette]

I couldn't agree more!

[@billhuff6972]

My personal fav cover ever. Absolutely one of the greatest covers ever. Definitely in the class of WH's I will always Love You and JC's Hurt.

[@westzed23]

The power of David's voice cuts to the bone. This cover tells of people not listening or hearing or heeding what the world has become. The original song explored the emotion of the times of the 60s when so much was changing. The youth of the time were trying to show that everyone needed to listen to each other. I don't think this version is better than Simon and Garfunkels. It is bringing these lyrics into a new and explosive way for today's world. Both are equally great. They are two forms of the song.

[@VAHelix]

Love both the original and Disturb versions. I couldn't help but say, "Just listen and feel it. Let it speak." No internet or cell phones 60 years ago. So deep.

[@christinanavarre8389]

Doesnt mean it wasnt a pre eminence of what was to come. I'm 64. There is so much of that in past history that is subversively being removed as if it never occurred. But those of us that were there to feel it...hear it..view it...live it...taste it smell it...Know better.

[@chrisworster2859]

I wasn’t a huge Disturbed fan until I heard their version of this song. I changed my outlook

[@dialishious93]

Same. Love the calmer music.

[@chriswhinery925]

I'm not a big fan of the genre they usually work in, not a fan of Nu Metal, but even I have to admit there first album was pretty off the wall crazy good.

[@JamesBrown-lf4dl]

Me to.

[@Templarofsteel88]

I was a fan of their way before they made this cover and I'm still a fan.

[@janmoline]

I must say, at 60 something, I was an unexpected fan of Disturbed, I'll never forget the face of a young man in a drive thru, about to make a smart Alec comment based on assumptions about who would be listening! A white haired, little ol' lady was NOT what he expected. I didn't expect to LOVE a cover of Sound of Silence, as I absolutely loved the Simon and Garfunkel original. My turn to be astounded. Absolutely love this version. Timeless and absurdly timely message.

[@nicoleparker2998]

The original was a masterpiece, and so is this remake. So different and still so amazing

[@denaturner8871]

This is a call to arms, the sound of silence represents complacency. Remeber the phrase "silence is the loudest sound I've ever experienced "

[@Mozartandme]

That's perfect! You put It so well !

[@kathym8223]

This is such a timeless song. Written when there was as much turmoil as today. The civil rights movement, the Cuban missile crisis, the Cold War with Russia. 50 years and here we still are, stuck in our little groups, not stopping to listen what anyone else has to say.

[@Soulja4ChristWeAreAtWar]

In case this hasn't been reposted: Simon & Garfunkel original : - it was a prophetic warning to society Disturbed cover version : - angry response that the warning was not heeded.

[@michaelgilbert197]

Correct!!! Same thing with Bad Wolves 2018 cover/Tribute(to Delores O'Riordan) of "Zombie" and the Cranberries 1993 version. He should react to those as well!!

[@cassidyspost]

So right you are in today's upheaval of our country example: People talking without speaking.

[@gastonvolpe4811]

like land of confusion

[@odinspromise]

And this version is rapidly becoming the death dirge of humanity...

[@brendagross6695]

Great analogy!!!!

[@egonpax]

In another interview, Paul [Simon] explained: "We have people unable to touch other people, unable to love other people. "The Sound of Silence" is about the inability to communicate."

[@RowYourBoatGently]

I enjoy "first time hearing/reaction" videos, but yours are by far the most insightful. Until now, I've only heard the original (Simon and Garfunkel), but this is a chilling remake and I'm grateful to have heard it. To me, the sound of silence is masses of people who refuse to see what is taking place. Either they are too afraid to speak out or they are in denial because the truth is too hard to handle. This applies to all the times in history when humans have been decimated. There is always a gradual approach, but people refuse to acknowledge the signs. We worship idols-be they material objects, technology, celebrities, politicians, fame, fortune-rather than G-d, life, freedom, and truth. We are so blind. . . .

[@bigooboczky5382]

I hear it differently. Set in the 60's/70's hippies, Vietnam, race riots. People are talking but people are hearing but not listening. The sound of Silence are hearling words but not listening...the silence.

[@robinjohnsen440]

The first time I heard this version I wept and got tears. So beautiful and haunting. Just incredibld

[@RNemy509]

It give me chills still to this day...its so powerful!

[@frederickbays405]

i donr know how many times I have heard this version and i still tear up

[@wagnerj01]

My 1st time, it was paired with a 911 tribute - I cried my eyes out at my ENT office.

[@alijones743]

How fantastic is it that a song written so long ago is still so relevant that an innocent listener has no idea that it isn't contemporary. Lovely reaction. Thank you!

[@michaelgilbert197]

AND..... How SAD that it is still relevant today!!!!!! Disturbed's version is an angry cry that the S&G version's warning has not been heeded. Peace....

[@harmonygibbs7904]

yes. very much so.

[@5TRICT9]

@@michaelgilbert197 this song make good meme

[@puffin7285]

No so fantastic to be honest since the meanings behind the song you would have hoped we could have overcome by now. That the song is still so relevant is actually rather sad

[@megalictis9002]

You're so young! (Okay, I'm a boomer). This was probably Simon and Garfunkel's magnum opus, and it stood for over four decades. Right up until Disturbed came along - and owned it forever! You have to listen to them, both back to back to appreciate this! What moves me about it even more than those classic lyrics is the way it keeps on building tension. You hear what sounds like a crescendo and then you hear another crescendo, culminating in Disturbed's version with the words "the neon "god" THEY MADE!" Simon and Garfunkel don't place the same emphasis on these words and it's all the more powerful here because of it.

[@russellpensonjr.7136]

Nice breakdown. All of the words are interconnected. Listen several times.

[@jenniferandrew3373]

Gen X -- I grew up on this song. David voices the desperate rage that was always present, but Simon and Garfunkel didn't transmit.

[@Alizorba1]

How can you have NOT heard the original??!! This version is absolutely brilliant

[@debvanparys3318]

That's all I could think lol, I was in shock when I realized he thought they wrote the song lol... Or maybe it just came across that way 🤞

[@snapefantasy]

This version of this song gives it the RAGE that in needs. The first time I heard this version I cried my eyes out.

[@Qui-Dad-Jinn]

Same here.

[@Rallarberg]

To me, "the sound of silence" is the cacophony of the urban world - a world we ourselves created (and to some extent worship) - "the neon god". All noises, auditory, visual, and relationship wise cancel eachother out, and even with tens of thousands of people immediately around you, many feel completely alone.

[@URSGEO]

That's profound. I like your interpretation.

[@dallasedwards1045]

But remember your not alone many more feel the same so there for we are together but far apart until by chance some will meet it is up to us to share with one another

[@MzFinnchik]

ABSOLUTELY AGREE...YES!

[@dangerous5953]

If you break a very old TV, you will find a neon tube inside.(the neon God we made)

[@loganhaynes5650]

I was surprised that they did not show people looking at their cell phones standing next to each other in the video.

[@wesdean9128]

Personally, I see the tone of Simon and Garfunkel's original song as a relaxed caution sign of where we're headed as a society, and this remake as an urgent warning that we're at the point of no return.

[@jodimccoy1636]

YES! Absolutely true! I've never thought of it that way but this makes sense. Great way to see both versions.

[@ScaredShiftless91]

Well said!

[@isenchrall9782]

I think of the original like someone cautiously saying "Hey, be careful over there." And this cover like someone yelling "Watch out! WATCH OUT!!"

[@3percentmick705]

David Draiman has a crazy wide range of vocals. Amazing!

[@Bucknik]

I've seen a lot of reviews of this performance, but never from someone that was apparently not familiar with the original. It was a very interesting perspective. Thanks.

[@EsmereldaPea]

I find it hard to believe that he has NEVER heard the original. It's blowing my mind that he's taking this cover as the original.

[@foxymacadoo]

i have watched several KZbin videos where they "say" they have never heard of the song or Disturb's cover. Usually you can tell who has really never heard it and those who are pretending they haven't heard it by thier reactions to this version. Serveral have heard Simon and Garfunkle's origional version but those who have not heard Disturb's cover are often emotionally moved by it. Plus he ws so focused on the lyrics that he did not really listen to this version. I have seen that happen before as well. This is one of the few songs that people responded to back in the 60's, Now and 50 years from now and it will have different meanings each time. A timeless song if you will :)

[@nevannarence6542]

@@foxymacadoo not necessarily given that it also depends on age. the song is rarely played on any but oldie but goodie stations. you said it this song was most popular in the 60s and 70s.

[@foxymacadoo]

@@nevannarence6542 True that the original is from the early 60's but the Disturbed cover was released in 2015. Their official video was released in 2016. I ,myself, don't listen to the radio and haven't for years but first heard the cover from my son. Since then it has been used in serveral shows, movies and Videos including a excellent video about the Covid 19 lockdown. The official Disturbed Video has over 700 million views making it one of the top watched videos in history. While I know there are some who have not watched the video or heard the cover for different reasons it has been proven that there are some "first time reaction" videos that are fake. Usually a viewer can tell by the way the person(s) reacts. The Disured cover is powerful and affects most people emotionaly in some way. Hard to take real emotions. Also I never said it was most popular in the 60's and 70's. Not sure where you got that from lol

[@elizabethstudebaker4483]

Only a song this powerful could distract from the fact that Draiman’s voice is so otherworldly and amazing. Sadly the lyrics are more relevant today than they were back in the 60’s.

[@carolynboone9166]

More relevant today indeed. I thought the same exactly! Amazing song and remake.

[@grabble7605]

It didn't distract, obviously, since you brought it up...

[@TonyAtma]

Well David decided on this cover to remind people that things are getting worse. The words are even more true today in the exact same way that they were when Paul Simon wrote them.

[@Scandalnb0825]

Does anyone else appreciate and just love the fact that this particular reactor breaks down everything and tries to get to the nitty gritty of the songs lyrics and meanings.

[@jasperg35]

I know I do. Stumbled across this just in passing, and I'm glad I found this person. He just has a pleasant presence and articulates things I wouldn't focus on. Just a good experience overall.

[@volodyanarchist]

The first 'reactor' i have subscribed to.

[@C16i100]

I do girl, I do.

[@anayadawn]

Very much so.

[@kbehrens8221]

I was going to say I wish he didn't talk as much. I do like some breakdown, but think I would enjoy it more if he listened through then broke it down some

[@marionholder3905]

Hard to describe my feelings. First time I heard it , I thought. "wHAT have I just heard ? ". I cried like a baby. Mr Draiman's beautiful, warm tones, and the way he seems to look straight into your soul. Then as it builds, his voice , still beautiful, sends out a warning, until the end, when you hear the rage. An absolute masterpiece, and it calls me back time after time. Bless you for the music, Mr Draiman.💕 💕

[@_bmade2718]

"he can definitely sing dudes" You have no idea the range of David Draiman the lead singer of Disturbed. Dude is super talented.

[@ameslouise7316]

I saw them perform this at a festival in the UK, and I’m pretty sure I cried from start to finish, you can’t comprehend how powerful his voice is singing this live. Something I will remember for a long old time

[@debibrewster9080]

Saw them live, they did this song.... I agree with you 100%. He has such power and emotion on his voice. I know he wasn't born when the song was written, and I believe they wrote thev song for him. Amazing show. Chills on this song.

[@M3ntalXMadn3ss]

100% ive been a fan of them since the start and seen them in concert many times. david's voice in person touches you to the core

[@Melvinator311]

Saw them live too, great performance! This was in 02 or 03 though, so that song was a no go. Crazy ass concert, I just don't remember much...

[@hisbean]

This is most definitely NOT disturbs typical sound. Also, YES, it was a meme for a long time.

[@illiji915]

While I like Distubed, this guy's vocals for covering this song has got to be one of the best covers of all time. He has some of the best low range vocals I've ever heard while still being able to do those crazy high/screaming parts, and do them amazingly. I get goosebumps every time I listen to this and I've listened to it dozens of times.

[@johanvanderpants9363]

@@illiji915 Goosebumps was when I saw them live at an outdoor venue. Thunderstorm hit and stopped the show for about 30 minutes. The venue crammed everyone into a pavilion that usually holds about 1/4 of the crowd. They came back on and played this. One of the greatest things I’ve seen.

[@karinavirgo5145]

Have seen him live in concert twice. His voice is powerful ❤️

[@redangel169]

The line that gets me the most in both versions isn't often mentioned in reviews. "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls"...beautiful...

[@samfrye1245]

about when moses wenr up on tje moitain and rhe people he freed drom the lqnd of egypt didnt wait on god so je had the earth open up and swallow ober 10,000 people for worshiping a neon calf t hey made in his place

[@albertrobbins6482]

Yes. There's a meme, of the wall of a Subway restaurant, with "The words of the prophets" scrawled upon the bricks. Touched me deeply, and yet amused me at the same time. Wish I could post it, but I can't post pictures here.

[@jiyuueno]

No matter how many times I listen to this performance, I get actual chills every time.

[@nathanbuice9145]

9:06 the only time I’ve ever experienced the “sound of silence”, i was hiking along a mountain trail, the trees were bare and the ground was covered in snow. It was all perfectly still. It was so silent I could hear my own heart beat. In that instance, the “sound” of silence was the rhythm of my own heart.

[@eerfan7017]

I love the fact that you thought this was a modern song and you reacted to it as such. It rings true as much now as it did when Simon and Garfunkel first recorded it.

[@drakk930]

Listened to this song a thousand times. Still get goosebumps. One of the best covers of a song EVER !! Great reaction . Keep it up 👊👊

[@ibillwilson]

In a human sense, silence isn't really an absence of sound... it's an absence of meaning or understanding. That kind of silence can be actually quite loud, physically... like the sound of two people talking right past each other. (Edit: you did a good job of interpreting the meaning. Your interpretation has a slightly modern spin on it, but it's not far in spirit from what Paul Simon meant when he wrote the lyrics in the 60s. Personally, I think he saw what was coming.)

[@yourlocalheathen8419]

I always interpreted it as a song about fear and depression. The darkness is it being trapped inside your head and The sound of silence is not talking about it.

[@georgegregory6083]

Interesting perspective 🤔

[@proclipz8226]

Absolutely this. I'd not even contemplated another interpretation, to be honest. Interesting hearing other ideas.

[@Cinerouquine]

You really did a fantastic job at really UNDERSTANDING the whole point of this song & why this cover is so relevant. Well done!

[@williamware909]

I loved watching you discover this song, the fact that Disturbed’s rearrangement of a Simon and Garfunkel classic still carry’s such relevance after all these years shows how timeless the message from this song is.

[@stevenwaldrop7853]

"...people are not talking TO each other, they are talking AT each other..." You nailed it, my friend. And things have not gotten any better in the nearly 60 years since the song was written.

[@maryrosekent8223]

The original version of this was a big hit when I was in junior high-I’m now 65 years old.

[@nicolediamond93]

64 here - the whole album was fabulous

[@maryrosekent8223]

@@nicolediamond93 I loved the canticle portion very much!

[@joannegaughan6132]

63 here and I loved Simon and Gafunkels' version, but Disturbeds' version made me FEEL the song, not just enjoy the melody, and Davids' awesome voice told the story so well I couldn't help but shiver.

[@Clipstats]

As in 1965, when this song was written, social consciousness was awakening in America. Voiced through lyricists like Simon & Garfunkel, they created mantras for peaceful activism that you heard everyday on the radio & you knew every word down to the bone. We paid attention to the injustices around us & we sought solutions. We are a dying breed literally-we are in our 60’s, 70’s & 80’s. We have seen so many changes through the decades but not enough. This generation must take up the mantle, as each generation must, to right what is wrong beginning with their own actions of social consciousness.

[@juliad5895]

Childhood music, SNG. This gave me chills 50 yrs later. Weird how memory and music are entwined. Oddly, my son plays cello and learned this 5 yrs ago offhand, and there he was, playing sounds of silence, on the porch of fam farmhouse at a Sunday dinner. Everyone stopped mid bite, and started singing. He at that moment learned the power of music.

[@patriciab8876]

Your description is so vivid, I felt I was there. The "playing on the porch of fam farmhouse" must've been so beautiful, especially by cello. This would be a cherished memory. Thank you for sharing.

[@christinadowdican3268]

Oh to have been there to see/hear it. Sounds like it was amazing 😊

[@cherihess896]

Ditto on the other two comments about this! Would have loved to have been there!

[@daviddempsey8721]

Music has the power to unlock our inner dancer, our buried emotions, and connect a group singing together. Powerful! Thanks for the image - a beautiful vignette of family.

[@yobogoya4367]

What I love about the video is that they are rescuing these instruments from abandonment, then you hear those instruments join in.

[@CameronCajun]

Dude, thank you, thank you, thank you!! I never noticed that (and wouldn't have) without you illuminating it to me. You gifted me with a new VERY profound element to appreciate regarding the song and video! Again, I humbly thank you.

[@JanicelVindy]

Whenever i hear this song, the tears start flowing, and i don't know why. i love this song and all songs that make me feel

[@ChurchNietzsche]

I don't even like Disturbed. ... But "Sound of Silence" always makes me tear up.

[@susanoakley7322]

This one makes you cry? Try “Hold On To Memories” by Disturbed.

[@ozzyjaye160]

This song, this version, has always given me chills... almost brings me to tears is such a beautifully done song. IMO, better than the original.

[@MetalMonkey]

This is by far the best cover I've ever heard (from songs that I heard the original first). Paul Simon loved it. They're definitely not talking about smart phones or the internet, it was released in 1965

[@christinalively8292]

What's sad is that he doesn't know the 60's songs about injustice and political chaos. He does get it though. Sad he doesn't HEAR the genius of this cover musically

[@HKLNSNKR]

It may not have been about smart phones then, but the big cities, Hollywood and the fame and fortunes chased. Technology today has replaced, or at least enhanced the worship of such " neons. " to the point where we can't communicate intimately, thefore, echo chambers. His interpretation is spot on to today's societal challenges. There is hope and it is within the sound of silence. THOUGHTS! Let's think things thru. The answers are within us.

[@JustTanya.]

Yeah, but that's why this song was transformative. It can apply to all eras. Disturbed's cover brought it to current times so for this era of interpretation it can be about smart phones and the internet, especially social media.

[@adamskeans2515]

It's my 2nd favorite. The only other one that's better for me is Johny Cash's Hurt.

[@josephgamble4561]

LOVE this version one of the few remakes that doesnt actually butcher the song!!!!! those are few and far between!!

[@wsjackass]

Nailed it ! Great cover!

[@maxcloemett4346]

Ruins a great song for me. Each to their own i suppose

[@gingercultleader5500]

If you hear the original and what Simon and Garfunkel say, vs this rendition, Disturbed really is continuing the message Simon and Garfunkel were saying. Edit: Both are great.

[@annabeavers9590]

@@maxcloemett4346 Paul Simon said that when he wrote it, he wanted to perform it the way David Draiman performed. It's on Paul Simon has it on his playlist. You're the first person in all of these reaction videos who doesn't like this cover.

[@maxcloemett4346]

@@annabeavers9590 I know i am one of the minority on this. Believe me I have tried to like it as I love the song but it does not do it for me. Whenever i here the intro I get excited, then i hear the singing and it all goes out the window lol.

[@mattblythe5907]

Beautiful cover, I've been lucky enough to see it done live

[@rainbowwarrior6452]

I have as well, by S&G together. It was ... amazing, in a way the recordings can never be.

[@nelenesmithSA]

This is what Paul said about the song: "The key to "The Sound of Silence" is the simplicity of the melody and the words, which are [based on] youthful alienation. It's a young lyric, but not bad for a 21-year-old. It's not a sophisticated thought, but a thought that I gathered from some college reading material. It wasn't something that I was experiencing at some deep, profound level - nobody's listening to me, nobody's listening to anyone - it was a post-adolescent angst, but it had some level of truth to it, and it resonated with millions of people. Largely because it had a simple and singable melody, - Paul Simon. Paul Simon got inspiration for the opening line "Hello darkness, my old friend" from his childhood, when he sang in the bathroom with the lights out, enjoying the acoustics with a doo-wop reverb sound." But yet it is relevant to technology today because we talk via phone messages and emails and other apps but the human interaction, the face to face conversations have disappeared..we talk to each other through technology without actually speaking.. bowing down to the neon god that we as people made..look at how people are consumed with their phones..especially the younger generation.. it is sad..and this song has taken on a whole different meaning.. It's very deep and powerful.. Abother awesome reaction.. you seem to have reached another level in life..like you are enlightened to the point where you are completely calm in the midst of a storm.. you sound highly educated both theoretically as well as spiritually..you actually calm me down whenever I listen to you.. I have so much respect for you. Wish we could meet..I think we would have very interesting conversations..

[@laurilouise8280]

This cover makes me cry and get goosebumps EVERY single time I hear it! It’s nice to listen to an intelligent, pleasant person reacting for a change! Thank you!!

[@charolettewebb621]

"People are not talking in a way that's conducive to humanity!" I love that phrase, thank you, and I don't think I've heard a better summary of the message I have always taken away from this song. Personally I love this version. I find the depth of soul in David Draimans voice enchanting.

[@Corbald]

I've always interpreted it as the Silence when you fail to speak out against injustice. Since this song was written in the 60s (Simon and Garfunkel, as many people have pointed out) this rings true in the era of Vietnam. Some of my favorite music harkens from that era. You're missing out on some deep, before-it's-time stuff if you haven't run the gambit of 'Nam Songs.' Put "All Along the Watchtowers" into Pandora, filter for similar, and just vibe!

[@TheBloodycow]

There is a reason why Paul Simon only gave THIS version his permission as an official cover..... But yea, Disturbed is by far a Metal band with the widest range (no disrespect to any other metal bands)

[@AK_J.Reed24]

I’m sooo glad you did this one!!! I love him singing this song & no one else compares to Disturbed’s version

[@jessechaskey7205]

AGREED

[@robertschetlick8946]

"People bowed and prayed to the neon gods they made." A truly powerful turn of phrase when you consider it was written in the 60's. Made even more potent by the times we find ourselves in now, 60 years later.

[@SherPettit]

Hauntingly Beautiful. David has one of the most powerful voices ever.

[@timbock2]

I've heard this song hundreds of times over the last 40 years, but your interpretation, reaction, and explanation gave me goosebumps. Thank you.

[@joshbryant4629]

I love watching reactors try to figure out this song not realizing that the original one was recorded over 40 years ago and that David stepped in and made it so much better just by how he sings it.

[@cherihess896]

58 years ago.

[@Razgriz85]

The original was a warning with a hopeful tone, while this version is the disappointment that no one listened.

[@pauliszakrzevskis1069]

It's not better man,it's different interpretation of masterpiece. Be nice jungian.

[@pauliszakrzevskis1069]

Jang man.

[@kakashiXAino]

@@Razgriz85 I still hear hope in this one but less of it compared to the original. Like hope is fading

[@statusaeswave2979]

When simon and Garfunkle wrote this it was like a meditation. David Draiman has taken this song and given it life. It means whatever it needs to mean to each individual's soul need. There is no right or wrong.

[@alanr1608]

What amazes me about this song and how relevant it is today considering it was written and performed in the mid-60s

[@deloreanwaters3455]

This song is the PERFECT example of how music transcends all of time.