THE SOUND OF SILENCE (THE GRADUATE, 1967)

"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me." - Benjamin

One of the most popular movie theme ever is from the 1967 Mike Nichols film, The Graduate. A very young Dustin Hoffman plays Benjamin, a recent college graduate who fell in love (or lust) with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), his father's business partner's wife. Simon & Garfunkel sung the iconic theme in the opening scene that has become a classic on its own.

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

sung by: Simon & Garfunkel

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 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 light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more

People talking without speaking

People hearing without listening

People writing songs that voices never share

And no one dare

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 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 made

And the sign flashed out its warning

In the words that it was forming

And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written

On the subway walls and tenement halls."

And whisper'd in the sounds of silence