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Paul Simon Performs ‘The Sound of Silence’ at 9/11 Memorial
- Posted on September 11, 2011 at 6:48pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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At the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony Sunday morning folk singer Paul Simon gave a gripping performance of his song, “The Sound of Silence”:
Simon had reportedly intended on performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” It is unclear why Simon decided to change songs, but his choice was well received nonetheless.
Simon was the first musical guest on Saturday Night Live following the September 11, 2001 attacks. In 2001, Simon performed “The Boxer” on stage with Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and members of the NYPD and FDNY looking on.
Simon is a native of Queens.
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Comments (118)
whatthecrazy
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:51pmYour a blast rose-ellen its fun blogging with creapy people…….You are a people right?
Report Post »Jefferson
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 11:30pmIt’s spelled “you’re“ not ”your”.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuC_4mGTs98&feature=channel_video_title#t=11
AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 12:31amIt’s a good song, but I didn‘t recognize him at first because he hasn’t aged well.
Nevertheless, Art Garfunkel did the vocal for “Bridge”, and I don’t think Paul has the voice for it, which I think is the reason for his decision.
Report Post »LadyLiberty
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 7:45amAm I the only one who wondered what in the HELL James Taylor and Paul Simon were doing there? No Clergy, No First responders but lets drag in washed up Folk singers to commercialize the thing. Just like Tuscon with it’s t-shirts, I found this in poor taste on a day of mourning.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 8:53amThere was nothing stopping anyone from praying on their own-I wasen‘t happy about who was and wasen’t there, but for the time used to read the names, etc, it was better than I expected. Still refused to listen to obama and the mayor.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 8:58am@LadyLiberty
I was actually wondering what communists like them were doing there, when they wouldn’t let clergy in. They were both anti-war, but at least Paul Simon looked like it affected him. He looked reverant and almost in tears.
Report Post »Jamestownrd
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 10:24amROSE ellen..“darkness”.
Report Post ».is truly your old friend…
Sleazy Hippo
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 10:41amI watched the 5 1/2 hour New York remembrance on C-SPAN. It was not the Godless pagan fest I expected from reading comments here last week.
The opening half hour featured police bagpipers. the reading of names was overseen by very visible policeman from all affected boroughs, the moments of silence were chimed by firefighters and military, there were police, fire and military honor guards and escorts in every corner and square of the ground zero memorial.
Our American Flag was in almost every scene.
Survivors and survivor families were the predominant theme, and we watched them making name rubbings and leaving personal photos, flowers, signs and gifts behind.
The politicians only read passages from the bible or quoted from historical speeches. No overtly Political and No Campaign-style speeches were given.
The two “hippie entertainers” (both NYC residents on 9-11-01) had short, grey hair and wore somber blue suits with dark neckties. Simon wore a 9-11 memorial ball cap. They used acoustic guitars without accompaniment.
The children’s choir was breathtakingly sweet as they sang their patriotic and funereal renderings.
It was not a fail at all. It was quite moving.
God was there, too. Faith in God was apparent in the comments and reverential demeanor of the survivors who read the victims’ names. It was a day for honest, internal and enduring FAITH, not “organized” religion.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 12:16pm@Sleazy Hippo
Darn, I missed the bagpipers? I love Amazing Grace played on the bagpipes. I think Paul Simon is an old time Democrat. they have differences of opinions on how government should be, but still Love America. I don’t mind those Democrats, I hate the new ones that are really progressives and hijacked the Democrats and actually hate America. Yes, they banned clergy, but they can‘t take God out of people’s hearts, and there were a lot of sentiments that proved that.
Report Post »Sleazy Hippo
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 1:19pmLoriAnne12
They did not play Amazing Grace, it was an Irish march that is familiar (but I do not know the title). Later in the afternoon, a woman played Amazing Grace on a flute.
C-SPAN recorder the entire 5.5 hours WITHOUT Commentary — available free on their website. I noticed later that Fox and CNN used many C-SPAN segments in their commented news coverage, so i guess it was a pooled effort.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 2:25pm“YOUR or YOU’RE” who cares, it’s kind of like using INTERNENT shorthand.. we still understand the meesage, right?
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:50pmThere was nothing political about this performance so shut up all of you who are trying to make this political. Look at the faces of the people who are crying. This is important to those people.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:26pmDISS?
I wasn‘t there so I’m sure Simon sung very well.
Alot of folks would have received COMFORT from a religious leader.
THINK OUTSIDE the BOX!!!!!
Report Post »dissentnow
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 6:31amI‘m sure that some would but i’m also sure that some could care less about the words of a religious leader. What is your point? Also, what does that have to do with thinking outside of the box?
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 8:14amThis was nothing but,political hences the removing of all clergy and first responders. It‘s a damn shame they let government ditate what can a can’t be at a memorial service. It a sign that if GOVERNMENT ISN‘T STOPPED THEY’LL CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF THE CITIZENS LIVES.
Report Post »Jamestownrd
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 10:27amPaul Simon…certainly invited by bloomberg
Report Post »Jamestownrd
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 10:29amIt was totally political you no mind dweeb
Report Post »Attention2Detail
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 8:18pmThe song itself is a political statement. At an early performance of the song (originally tittled “The Sounds of Silence”) Art Garfunkel said that the song was about people’s inability to communicate “especially internationally”. By singing this song Simon is saying that the attacks were a result of our inability or unwillingness to communicate with the Muslim world (whatever that is). By inviting him to sing it, the organizers showed at best poor judgement, but more likely a belief that the U.S. was responsible for the attack.
Report Post »TerryJ70
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:45pmThis was awesome. FoxNews did a great job. CBS should be ashamed of themselves for their 60 minutes program on waterboarding on this day of remembrance. How pitiful.
Report Post »DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:34pmYou wasted time watching CBS on a day like today?? Sorry…anyway? Oh never mind.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 10:37pmI am at my up north cottage .. only get CBS and Fox local (besides my xmradio) .. I saw that 60 minutes piece .. it was a political trash piece to be certain.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:43pmThat’s a recording to save….
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:33pmSometimes profound things hit us at odd moments, oddly for me it was the a simple sentence from a song when I was very young, and learning to grow up. “Still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest”, helped me grow up, and change. I cried for the truth in Simon’s song-when you loose people you love, everything around you stops, and there is nothing but the sound of silence. We all hear what we want to hear, often the messinger is not who you think it will be.
Report Post »DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:40pmFunny how those words meant something totally different to me all those years ago. I hear them today & I think of all the changes in the world we knew back then. They now have a new meaning. & I am sorry that my children & grandchildren will grow up with the changes that I do not believe are in the right direction.
Report Post »Anne G
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 4:28amI’m so pleasantly surprised that someone else shares my exact sentiment. I have been a HUGE fan of Paul Simon for approximately 44 years. I have quoted that line from The Boxer at least 1000 times, and when not speaking those words, I am thinking them. I always felt Paul was my very own special teacher. Take care
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:32pmPaul Simon is fine I suppose. Celebrities are always more popular than men and women of God.
I personally would have rather from one of the Godly Pastors from NYC.
The ‘sound of silence’ is all that was allowed from clergy at the 9/11 memorial.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:43pmAfter I posted I remembered that earlier today and yesterday I was thinking about Allen Jackson’s song, “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning”.
Report Post »I believe that is the greatest song he ever wrote…….And thats saying something!
I think that would have been better than Paul Simon. But at least part of the reason for that is due to my musical taste.
At least Jackson’s song is specifically about the event…………
TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:45pmThey DID belong there and everyone knows it. Explanations were weak.
Report Post »brian8793
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:04pmYeah right, who wants to hear some wacky Pastor? Sure as hell not me…
Report Post »Child of God
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:43pmHe is a man of God. More so than many clergy. If you know the vision that he speaks of in the song then of you would understand. God Bless
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 10:08pm@Child of God
I’m Christian……….Not ‘New Age’………..
Report Post »Carl McPherson
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 10:15pmShshshsh…. don’t let them hear you.
Step #1: Remove God from our Schools.
Step #2: Remove God from our Streets.
Step #3: Put up Government as the new god.
I’m hardly surprised. They finished step #1 a LONG time ago.. #2 has been nearly completed. #3 is already starting.
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:28pmConjures up some pretty powerful images….
Jane Fonda…
The sounds of breaking glass, bullhorns, helicopters, and horses
The whiff of…tear gas…
Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrne
The smell of acrid smoke…..and the sideways glances…
I remember…
Today: Jane Fonda Anti-war Anti-American Bloomberg’s 911 Event
Report Post »Zcat
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:24pmAbsolutely! No clergy, firefighters, police, but hey you get two anti war hippie musicians from the 60′s!
Report Post »Sleazy Hippo
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 10:52amThis characterization is totally false. God was in every second, even without the help of Billy Graham, Jerry Fallwell and Jesse Jackson.
Christians do not need Focus On The Family to focus on the family!
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:26pmMartin Guitar. Same woods Gibson uses (without the raid). He really makes it sing though. A passionate song and performance. Did anyone else sense a lump in his throat? Even for a professional, the day, the place, the lyrics…….
I had hoped that President Bush would say a few words, but the day really speaks for itself.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 10:11pmI have to admit that the first thing I thought of was the Martin too.
Report Post »Stinking shame things are the way they are that we would take notice of that!
RockinChuck
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:24pmhe should have sung America the Beautiful.
Report Post »DebbieFisher
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:22pmI felt “The Sound of Silence” to be appropriate for the occasion, and especially considering the Distinguished Guest whose “recoomendations ” had tried to obliterate a large part of the meaning of this day of remembrance. I don’t know if Paul Simon did it on purpose or not. He has always been his own thinker, and I respect him for that, both when I agree and when I disagree with what he is saying.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:02pmBeautifully done.
Report Post »mingfurecon
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:44pmvery moving and beautfully played.
Report Post »Pigpen
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:59pmSo its official then? The hippie ethic has now officially replaced Christianity here in our happy, hippy “Porposition Nation” once called America? Well OK, but for the record, here are MY LYRICS to this stinkin‘ hippy’s song (Sing the following to the hippy anthem ‘Sound of Silence’):
Report Post »“Hello Hippie my old friend… Come to make me puke again… For my father’s death you did pray… While he was in Vietnam in ‘68… Your g-e-n-e-r-a-t-i-o-o-o-o-o-o-n has made a big ol’ mess… And now we’re distressed… While YOU AND YOUR ROYALTIES are never depressed… No never, depressed, …da da da da da da da …”
YepImaConservative
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:21pmVery Good PEN! You know how the Liberals like to take the anti-war entertainers and stick them into situations like this and sell them as mainstream America who will help us move on to better times with their brand of musica. James Taylor loved him some John Kerry and some Obama too.
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:57pm@Pigpen
Lots of us are angry for our own particular reasons, sounds like you have yours too. But the music is a part of our culture that many of us can relate to growing up. Give us a break. Simon and Garfunkle were never as bad as some of the radicals. They were uniquely American talents. That‘s something to appreciate because if it wasn’t for people like your father, Paul Simon wouldn’t have had the freedom to write music as he did.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:20pmPIGPEN get off you high horse …… No one stop you from going to church today and pray to God for a IQ over 70
Report Post »spirited
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:20pmPaul Simon was an excellent selection; as was his song and it’s execution.
>Why did President Obama read Psalm 46?
Report Post »godhead
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:35pmPSALM 46? Because he’s evil. And he hates Christians. Google “Obama is the anti Christ” and you‘ll see ALL THE PROOF YOU NEED to prove he’s the anti Christ. The real one, not the movie one. You think I‘m kidding but I’m totally not. It‘s just that you ’ll never hear about it from the “Lame Stream Media.” (Hey, I like that. I should copyright that.) So. yeah, it’s because Obama HUSSEIN Obama is trying to kill Christians and destroy the American way of life.
Report Post »kalli
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:05pm@Spririted
Report Post »Wish I could have heard Simon. Was the whole Psalm 46 read, or just verse 10? “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:49pmMr BO read what he was told to read by his handlers & his Teleprompter. Don’t give him credit for an actual thought. He just wants to watch someone walk the dog BO.
Report Post »Look4DBigPicture
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:15pmVery appropriate song … the silent expressions on the faces of family members said it all.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:15pmThis is the 2nd tribute I heard today the first was the begining of the Browns game I am truly convinced are elected officials don’t get “IT” WE WILL NEVER FORGET….WE PROMISED The Muslim terrorists want to Kill US But they never will … They Can”t
Report Post »godhead
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:12pmYeah, very emotional. I feel the same way whenever I heat Toby Keith sing “We’ll put a boot in your ass. It’s the American way.”
Report Post »hudent
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:09pmI don’t know is party affiliation,but Mr. Simon is a patriot nevertheless.
Report Post »TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:22pmI‘m pretty sure he didn’t vote for McCain. I give him credit for singing those words without losing his composure though.
Report Post »Lori
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:08pmVery powerful as the combined memories of two different times come together. According to Wikipedia, “It was written in February 1964 by Paul Simon in the aftermath of the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy.”
Report Post »ecurbyy
Posted on September 12, 2011 at 12:40amAnd just in case you didn’t know J.F.K. was the only president with enough courage to attempt shutting down the Federal reserve. He felt it was paramount to the survival of America. But we all know how that turned out for him. good performance by Paul and a very fine song.
Report Post »Anneke9
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:08pmA beautiful song and touchingly done. But why the switch? Sounds of Silence was an anti-wars song, written about the commercial vacuousness of US society and culture. Bridge over Troubled Water, on the other hand, was much more positive song about hope and support with it’s soaring harmonies. Maybe Paul Simon was trying to get Art Garfunkel to do a duet and Garfunkel declined?
Report Post »DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 9:56pmIt’s that partisan divide. It’s just now getting started…oh wait…never mind.
Report Post »johnj1952
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:02pmEither would have been good to hear. They are lovly songs and Mr. Simon a talent for years made a good choice.
Report Post »kourage
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 7:01pmMay a nation never forget…
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 6:59pmBest rendition ever done.Sublime! Transcendent!
Report Post »piper60
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 6:59pmReally excellent choice. Much better than Bridge Over Troubled Waters.
Report Post »LIBSALWAYSLIE
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 6:58pmvery moving performance.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 6:58pmBest rendition ever done.Sublime!
Report Post »llotus
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 8:28pmrose-ellen…….that was a very moving presentaion. The best was with Garfunkel in Monterey in 67. I dont like hippies at all but some can sing. I still dont like hippies. Lotus.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on September 11, 2011 at 11:07pmRose-Ellen. I‘m glad to see you’ve doubled up on your meds.
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