Sound of Silence Trivia Questions

Director Mike Nichols loved the song and used it in the film, but it was released two years earlier. Its inclusion helped revive the duo's career and cemented the song's legacy.

Simon wrote the song in late 1963 at age 22 (born 1941), inspired by the assassination of JFK and his own struggles with writer's block. He often locked himself in a bathroom to write.

Paul Simon sang the lead vocal; Garfunkel provided harmony. This is a common myth because Garfunkel's distinctive tenor dominates the later electric version's mix.

The acoustic version on their debut album 'Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.' sold poorly. It only became a hit after producer Tom Wilson overdubbed electric instruments without the duo's knowledge in 1965.

They had three number ones: 'The Sounds of Silence' (1966), 'Mrs. Robinson' (1968), and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' (1970). This myth persists because of their small catalog.

It has always been 'The Sounds of Silence' on official releases. The confusion stems from the opening line 'Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again.'

Simon reportedly saw the phrase 'The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls' as graffiti in a NYC subway station, which he adapted directly into the song.

The official title is 'The Sounds of Silence' (plural 'Sounds'), though it's commonly misstated as 'The Sound of Silence' due to the famous opening line.