Brad's Paul Simon Guitar Tablature Page (www.bradpriddy.com/paul_simon)
.......................... The Sound of Silence ...........................
Copyright © 1964 Paul Simon
From Rome, Italy, July 5, 2002.
Thanks to Nicolas Trokiner for the making this tab possible.
Although this tab is specifically from the concert in Rome, it should match
many of the 2001 and 2002 shows fairly closely since Paul played this song
similarly during these concert tours.
Transcribed by John McGann.
% indicates a repeat of the previous measure.
[12] indicates a natural harmonic played at the 12th fret.
Capo 2nd fret (see tuning info on main page)
Intro:
Asus2
e:|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|-2-------2-------|--------%--------|--------%--------|--------%--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Am G
e:|--------------0--|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------1-----|-----------------|-----0-------0---|-----------------|
G:|--------2--------|-----------------|---0-------0-----|-----------------|
D:|-----2-----------|-----------2-2---|-0-------------0-|--------0-----0--|
A:|--0--------------|-0-0-0h3-3-------|-----------------|-----0h2--0h2----|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-------3-3-------|-3-3-------------|
Am F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|---------------0-|-----------------|
B:|-------1-----1---|----------------1|-----------------|--1-------1------|
G:|-----2-----2---2-|--------------0--|-2----0-----2----|----0---0--------|
D:|---2-----2-------|--------0h2-2----|-3----0-----0----|------2----------|
A:|-0---------------|0-0h3-3----------|---------3-------|------------3----|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------0-----|-----------------|
B:|--------------1--|-------------0---|---------1----1--|------------1----|
G:|------------0----|--2----------0---|-2-0---0-0----0--|----------0------|
D:|------0h2-2------|--3--------------|-3-0-2-2---------|----0h2-2--------|
A:|--3-3------------|-----------------|-----3-----------|--3--------------|
E:|-----------------|------1----------|-----------------|-----------------|
F G C Am
e:|-----------------|-----------------|---0---------3---|-----------------|
B:|--------------0--|-0h1-1-1-1-0-----|-1---1-----1-----|-------1-----1---|
G:|-2---------2--0--|-0h2-2-2-2-0-2-0-|---0---0---------|-----2-----2-----|
D:|-3---------3-----|-------------3-0-|-----------------|---2-------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-----2-|-0-------0-----2-|
E:|----1-1-1--------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
C G Asus2 Am
e:|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|
B:|-------1-0-----0-|-----------------|-----0-------0---|-------1---------|
G:|-----0-------0---|---[12]----------|-2-------2-------|-----2---2--2-0--|
D:|---2-------0-----|---[12]----------|-----------------|---2-------------|
A:|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0---------------|
E:|---------3-------|-----------3-----|-----------------|-----------------|
"Hello darkness my old ..."
G Asus2
e:|-----------------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|---0-----------0-|
B:|-------0-----0---|-------0---------|-----0-------0---|-----0-------1---|
G:|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-2-------2-------|-2---------0-----|
D:|---0-----0-----0-|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-------|
E:|-3---------------|-3------------3--|-----------------|-----------------|
friend I've come .. again because .. softly
F C F
e:|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|-----------------|
B:|------1----------|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----0---0-|------1----------|
G:|----2------------|---0---------0---|---0-----2-------|----2------------|
D:|--3------0-------|---------2-----2-|-------------3---|--3------3-------|
A:|-----------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
creeping ... its seeds .. sleeping
C F
e:|-------0---------|-------0---------|---------1-------|-----------------|
B:|-----1-----1-----|-----1---1-------|-------1-----1-0-|-1-1-----0-------|
G:|---0---------0---|---0-------0---0-|-----2-------2-0-|-2-2---2-0-2---0-|
D:|---------2-----2-|-------------2---|-3-3-------3-----|-----3-----3-3---|
A:|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
And . vision . . planted in my
C Am C G
e:|-------0---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----1-----------|-----1---------1-|----------1------|-------0-0---0---|
G:|---0-----0-------|---0---------2---|--------0--------|-----0-----0-----|
D:|-------------3-0-|-----------2-----|------2----------|---0-------------|
A:|-3---------3-----|-3-----2-0-------|--0h3------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-----3-|
brain . remains within the sound of
Asus2 (Am) G
e:|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-0-0-0-1-0-0--0-1|0-00-0-1-0-0--0-0|
G:|-2-------2-------|-----------------|-0---0-0-0--0-0-0|0-00-0-0-0--0-0-0|
D:|-----------------|-2---------------|-0---0-2-0----0-2|0-00-0-2-0----0-0|
A:|-----------------|-0---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-3---3-3-3----3-3|3-33-3-3-3----3-3|
silence In restless .. alone Narrow . cobble
Am C F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|------1--------1-|------1----------|----1-------1---1|
G:|--2--------------|------2------0---|----2------------|----0---0---0---0|
D:|--------0-2-2p0--|---2-------2-----|--3------3-------|--2-------2------|
A:|0---0h3---------3|-0-------3-------|-----------------|3-------------3--|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
stone 'neath the halo .. street lamp
C F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|---------0-------|
B:|-----1-------1---|---------1-------|-----1-----1-----|-------1---------|
G:|-----0-------0---|-----0h2---------|---0---------0---|-----0-----0---0-|
D:|---2---2---2---2-|--3--------------|---------2-----2-|---2---------2---|
A:|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
I turned .. cold and the damp When my
F C Am
e:|---------1-------|-----------------|--0--------------|-----------------|
B:|-------1---1---0-|-1---1-1-0-------|----1------------|-----1-------1---|
G:|-----2-------2-0-|-2---2-2-0-2---2-|------0---0------|---0---------2---|
D:|-3-----------3---|-----------3-3---|------------2h3-0|-----------2-----|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|3-------3--------|-3-----2-0-----2-|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
eyes .. by . flash . neon light . split . night
C Asus2
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----0-----------|
B:|-----------------|-------0-----0---|-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0---0-------0---|
G:|--------0--------|-----0-----0-----|-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2---2---2---2---|
D:|-----2-----------|---0-------------|-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-------------2-|
A:|--3--------------|-----------------|-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0---0---0-----|
E:|-----------------|-3-------3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
And ... sound of silence .. in the naked . I
G Asus2 Am C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|-------0---------|
B:|-----0-1-0---1-0-|-------0-----0---|-----0-------0---|-----1--------1--|
G:|-----0-0-0---2-0-|-----0-----0-----|---2-------2---2-|---2-------0-----|
D:|---0-0-2-0-------|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------0-------|-0-------3-------|
E:|-3---------3-----|-3-------3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
saw . thousand .. more People .. with-
F C F
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|------1----------|-----1-------1---|-----1-----------|------1----------|
G:|----2------------|-----0-----0---0-|---0---0---------|----2------------|
D:|--3------3-------|---2---2---------|---------2-------|---------3-------|
A:|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3---------3---3-|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--1--------------|
-out speaking People . without listen-
C F
e:|-------0-------0-|-------0---------|-----1-----------|-1-------1-0-----|
B:|-----1-------1---|-----1-------1---|-----1-1-1-----0-|-------1-----3-0-|
G:|---0-------0-----|---0-------0-----|---2---0-2-----0-|-----2---2-0-----|
D:|-----------------|---------------2-|-------------3---|---3---------3-0-|
A:|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-1---------1-----|-1---------------|
-ing People .. songs . voices never
C Am C G
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----1-----------|-------------1---|-----------------|-------0-----0---|
G:|---0-----0-------|-------------2---|-------0---------|-----0-----0---0-|
D:|-------2-----3-0-|---2-------2---2-|----2------------|---0-------------|
A:|-3---3-----3-----|-3---3-2-0-------|--3--------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|
shared noone dared disturb the sound of
Am6 G
e:|---------0-3-2---|---0-------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-------0-------3-|--s5-------------|-----0-1-0---0-1-|-0---0-1--0--0---|
G:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:|-----4-----------|-----------------|---0-0-2-0---0-2-|-0---0-2--0--0---|
A:|-0-3-------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------3-----|---3-------------|
silence Fools said .. know silence ...
Am F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----------------|-----1-------1---|-------1---------|-----1-----1-----|
G:|-----------------|-----2-------0---|-------2---------|-----0-0---0-----|
D:|-------0--2-2p0--|---2---2---2---2-|----3------------|---2-----------2-|
A:|-0-0h3----------3|-0-------3-------|-----------------|-3-------3---3---|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|--1--------------|-----------------|
grows Hear .. might teach you
C F C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-1--------1----1-|-----------------|-----1-----1---1-|-----1-----------|
G:|-0-----0-------0-|------2----------|-----0-0---0---0-|-----0-0---0---0-|
D:|-----2-------2---|----3----3-------|---2---------2---|---2---------2---|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-3-------3-------|-3-------3-------|
E:|-----------------|--1--------------|-----------------|-----------------|
Take my .. might reach .. you But my
F C Am
e:|-----------------|---1-1-0---------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----1-------1---|-----------3-1-0-|----1-----1------|-----1---------1-|
G:|-----2-0-----2---|-2-2-2-0---------|----0-0-----0h2-0|---0---------2---|
D:|---3-------3---3-|-3---------3-2-0-|--2-------2-0h3-0|-----------2-----|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|3-------3--------|-3-----2-0-------|
E:|-1-------1-------|-1---------------|-----------------|-----------------|
words like silent .. fell
C G Asus2
e:|----------0------|-----------------|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|
B:|-------1-----3--1|-0-----0---------|-----0-------0---|-----------------|
G:|-----0----0--0--0|-0---0-----------|-2-------2-------|-----------------|
D:|---2-------------|---0---------0---|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-3--------3--2--0|-----------------|-----------------|--0--------------|
E:|-----------------|-3-------3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
and echoed in the .. silence And the people
G Am C
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0-1-0-----1-|-------0---------|--1p0------------|-------1-------1-|
G:|---0-------------|-----0-------0---|------2p0--------|-----2-------0---|
D:|-------2-0---0-2-|-0---------------|----------2-2p0--|---2-------2-----|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|0---------------3|-0-------3-------|
E:|-3---------3-----|---3-----3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
.. prayed .. neon .. made .. flashed out
F C F
e:|-----------------|-----------------|-------0---------|----1------------|
B:|------1----------|-----1-----1-----|-----1--------1--|---------1-------|
G:|----2------------|---0-----0-----0-|---0-------0-----|------2----------|
D:|--3------3-------|-------2---------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-3-----------3---|-3-------3-------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|--1--------------|
its warning .. words that it was form -
C F
e:|-----------------|-----------------|--------1--------|-----------------|
B:|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----1---0-|------1-------0--|-1-1--1--0-------|
G:|-----0---0-----0-|-----0-0---0---0-|----2-------2-0--|-2-2--2--0-2-----|
D:|---2---2-----2---|---2---------2---|------------3----|-----------3-0-2-|
A:|-3---------------|-3-------3-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|--1-------1------|-----------------|
-ing ... words . prophets written . subway
C Am C G
e:|-------0---------|-----------------|---------0-------|-----------3-----|
B:|-----1-----------|-----1---------1-|-------1---------|-------0---------|
G:|---0-----0---2-0-|---0---------2---|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----------|
D:|-------------3-0-|-----------2-----|---2-----------2-|---0-------------|
A:|-3---------3-----|-3-----2-0-------|-3-----------3---|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|
walls .. tene . halls and whispered .. sound of
Asus2
e:|---0---0---0---0-|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:|-----0-------0---|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:|-2-------2-------|--------%--------|--------%--------|--------%--------|
D:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
silence
Am6 Asus2
e:|---------0-3-2---|----------0------|
B:|-------0-------3-|--------0--------|
G:|-----------------|------2----------|
D:|-----4-----------|----2------------|
A:|-0-3-------------|--0--------------|
E:|-----------------|-----------------|
Lyrics:
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.
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 the damp,
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light,
That split the night,
And touched the sound of silence.
And in the naked land I saw,
Ten thousand people, maybe more,
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs, that voices never shared.
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 out to you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed, in the wells of silence.
And the people bowed and prayed,
To the neon god they'd made.
And the sign flashed its warning,
In the words that it was forming.
Said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls,
And the tenement halls.
And whispered in the sound of silence.