In Simon & Garfunkel's “The Sound of Silence,” the lyric is “Hello darkness, my old friend.” The phrase opens the song and immediately establishes its reflective, unsettling mood.
Written by Paul Simon, the song was first recorded acoustically in 1964 for the duo's debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. That release initially attracted little attention. Producer Tom Wilson later added electric instrumentation, and the revised version became a major hit in 1965 and 1966.
The lyric is often remembered as a simple greeting, but the song develops into a meditation on isolation, failed communication, and people living alongside one another without truly listening. Its recurring image of silence gives the song a darker meaning than a typical folk-pop ballad.
Another common mix-up concerns the title. The original album track was called “The Sounds of Silence,” while the hit single and later releases generally used “The Sound of Silence.” The song was written and performed by Simon & Garfunkel, although Paul Simon was its sole songwriter. Its opening line remains one of popular music's most recognizable lyric entrances.