The lyric from Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” finishes with “share.” The line describes communication that exists in form but fails to create genuine understanding.
Paul Simon wrote the song, and Simon & Garfunkel first released an acoustic version in 1964 on Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. Producer Tom Wilson later added electric instruments and drums without the duo’s initial involvement. That remixed version became a hit in 1965 and established the arrangement most listeners know.
The song’s imagery contrasts ordinary communication with emotional isolation. Its narrator observes people speaking, listening, and producing messages while remaining disconnected. The lyrics’ formal, poetic language helped distinguish the song from lighter pop material of the period.
The line is often misremembered as ending with “sing” because the surrounding phrase mentions songs and voices. The actual verb is “share,” emphasizing that the problem is not the existence of voices but the failure to exchange meaning. The song became Simon & Garfunkel’s first major hit and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.