“Sound of Silence” Observations

I don’t know if you have seen the new video “Sound of Silence” by Disturbed, but it’s been floating around the internet and gaining great reviews. It is a remake of Simon & Garfunkel’s original song, which I really like.

The first time I heard this version, it struck an internal resonance within me. A song has not affected me quite so strongly in many years. It made me feel sad and confused. The song is haunting. The video is dark. I am drawn to it.

My effort to be of the light and share that with other people is in direct opposition to how I thought this video/song should make me feel – I should not be attracted to it. And yet, I am.

These feelings sent me on a quest to find out about this man who sings in such a haunting manner, David Draiman. I was surprised to find out how pre-judgmental I had been about this heavy metal band with the strange name – but if you want to know about them, you’ll  have to do the research too.

I have been told by my loved ones that I am tone deaf. In a social environment where strong conflict often arises from being “outside the box,” and yet sought after, I am glad that people can break free from stereotypes and the norm – not using shock factors – but with genuine talents. I want to embrace a culture that values artistic souls – a culture that values those such as the autistic child with immense math genius, the painter on the verge of insanity producing impossible works, the people with special gifts not of the earthly realm, and the musician who can resonate with people on different frequencies. I want to be awed and amazed.

People mostly live in this world using their sense of sight, but if I were a scientist, I would be studying the sense of sound. This song sparked a conversation with my husband, an engineer, who tried to explain to me that everything has a resonant frequency. We brought it to dinner with friends and though they tried, my mind could not comprehend what they were talking about, because I do not think the same way as engineers.

But I do FEEL it. I can feel vibrations and resonance. That is what I would study. How people are affected by feeling and sounds – but I guess that’s two senses…

Anyway, this song has been on my mind so much lately that I even asked my writing buddy to do an exercise with it. My observations during the writing exercise pertained to the song and the video and this is what I wrote:

“This video confused me as I felt the power of the music and tone immediately, but the scenes did not connect for me. I couldn’t understand some of the lyrics, but still felt the power in it. The feelings that are drawn out of me are sadness and calm, but also a silently screaming rebellion – like someone trapped within themselves who cannot speak, such as a mute person, someone with a mental disorder, or even a normal person who will not look inside themselves. Instead they allow the darkness of negativity, denial, and resentment to build until they feel miserable and want to scream – but are unable to let it out.”

The second time I watched the video with people in a writing workshop who had many takes on the meaning of the video images that were different from mine.

I think after several times watching it now, I see the main connection of music/silence much in the same way as the song, Day the Music Died, portrayed the end of music. Pure sadness.

As I continue to keep that impression, I want to poke holes in the sadness and let light in through the darkness for those who cannot find it. I want to #BeALight. I want to push boundaries and be aware. I want to share happiness.

#BeALight in the darkness where you are.

Peace.