The song “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel is one of the most iconic and beloved songs of all time. Its opening line, “Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again,” is instantly recognizable and deeply resonant. This timeless classic topped charts, achieved platinum status, and earned a place among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It even became the soundtrack to the iconic 1967 film The Graduate. But for one man, the song carries a far more personal and profound meaning than just popular music.
Sanford “Sandy” Greenberg, Art Garfunkel’s closest friend, reveals in his memoir, aptly named after the famous lyric, that “The Sound of Silence” is a moving tribute to their enduring friendship and the extraordinary lengths Garfunkel went to support Greenberg when he suddenly lost his sight. According to Greenberg, now 79, Garfunkel’s unwavering devotion during this dark period was nothing short of life-saving.
Their bond began during their first week at Columbia University. Sandy vividly remembers Arthur Garfunkel, as he was then known, introducing himself: “A young man wearing an Argyle sweater and corduroy pants and blond hair with a crew cut came over and said, ‘Hi, I’m Arthur Garfunkel’.” They quickly became roommates and discovered a shared passion for literature, poetry, and, above all, music. “Every night Arthur and I would sing. He would play his guitar and I would be the DJ. The air was always filled with music,” Sandy fondly recalls.
As teenagers, they forged a pact to always be there for each other, no matter what. “If one was in extremis, the other would come to his rescue,” explains Sandy. Little did they know how soon this promise would be tested. Just months into their college life, Sandy’s world was turned upside down. “I was at a baseball game and suddenly my eyes became cloudy and my vision became unhinged. Shortly after that darkness descended,” he recounts.
Initially misdiagnosed with conjunctivitis, Sandy soon learned the devastating truth: glaucoma had irreversibly damaged his optic nerves, leaving him blind. Coming from a humble background as the son of Jewish immigrants in Buffalo, New York, Sandy felt lost and hopeless. He dropped out of college, abandoning his aspirations of becoming a lawyer, and succumbed to deep depression. “I wouldn’t see anyone, I just refused to talk to anybody,” Sandy says.
It was then that Arthur Garfunkel stepped in, fulfilling their pact in the most profound way. “And then unexpectedly Arthur flew in, saying he had to talk to me. He said, ‘You’re gonna come back, aren’t you?'” Sandy remembers. Despite Sandy’s despair and refusal, Garfunkel insisted, “Look, I don’t think you get it. I need you back there. That’s the pact we made together: we would be there for the other in times of crises. I will help you’.”
True to his word, Garfunkel helped Sandy return to Columbia. Becoming Sandy’s constant companion and guide, Art would walk him to classes, tend to his injuries when he stumbled, and even assist with graduate school applications. In a powerful act of solidarity, Garfunkel even referred to himself as “Darkness,” embracing Sandy’s new reality. “I was saying, ‘I want to be together where you are, in the black’,” Garfunkel explained. Sandy recalls, “He would come in and say, ‘Darkness is going to read to you now.'”
This period of Garfunkel’s life, dedicated to supporting his friend, profoundly influenced the creation of “The Sound of Silence.” While Paul Simon penned the lyrics, the song’s emotional depth is undeniably rooted in Garfunkel’s empathy and compassion as “Darkness,” Sandy’s “old friend” in his time of need.
One pivotal incident further solidified Sandy’s path to independence, orchestrated with Garfunkel’s characteristic insight. At Grand Central Station, amidst the bustling rush hour, Garfunkel announced he had to leave Sandy alone. Terrified and disoriented, Sandy stumbled and fell in the crowded station. “I cut my forehead,” Sandy recounts. “I cut my shins. My socks were bloodied. I had my hands out and bumped into a woman’s breasts. It was a horrendous feeling of shame and humiliation.” He managed to find his way to the train to Columbia, shaken and humiliated.
Back on campus, he bumped into someone who apologized. “I knew that it was Arthur’s voice,” Sandy realized. Initially enraged, Sandy quickly understood the depth of Garfunkel’s plan. Garfunkel had secretly followed him through the entire ordeal, watching over him without interfering.
Simon & Garfunkel performing in Central Park
“Arthur knew it was only when I could prove to myself I could do it that I would have real independence,” Sandy explains. “And it worked, because after that I felt that I could do anything.” This challenging experience became a turning point. “That moment was the spark that caused me to live a completely different life, without fear, without doubt. For that I am tremendously grateful to my friend.”
Sandy not only graduated from Columbia but also earned master’s degrees from Harvard and Oxford. Later, while in England, he received a call from Garfunkel, who needed $400 to kickstart his music career with Paul Simon. Without hesitation, Sandy, who had only $404 in his account, sent the money. It was his chance to reciprocate the life-altering support Garfunkel had given him.
Their 1964 album, Wednesday Morning, 3 AM, initially failed commercially, but “The Sound of Silence,” one of its tracks, was re-released as a single in 1965 and became a global phenomenon. “The Sound Of Silence meant a lot, because it started out with the words ‘Hello darkness’ and this was Darkness singing, the guy who read to me after I returned to Columbia blind,” Sandy reflects on the song’s personal significance.
Simon & Garfunkel went on to achieve legendary status with numerous hits. Sandy, in turn, achieved remarkable success as an inventor, entrepreneur, presidential advisor, and philanthropist, launching a $3 million prize for blindness research. He chose to navigate life without a white cane or guide dog, determined to be seen as “Sandy Greenberg, the human being,” not just “the blind guy.”
Six decades later, their friendship remains strong. Garfunkel acknowledges Sandy’s transformative impact on his life. “With Sandy, ‘my real life emerged’,” Garfunkel says. “‘I became a better guy in my own eyes, and began to see who I was – somebody who gives to a friend… My friend is the gold standard of decency.'” Sandy reciprocates the sentiment, stating, “I am the luckiest man in the world.”
This inspiring story behind “Hello darkness, my old friend song lyrics” reveals the profound depth of friendship and the enduring power of music. “The Sound of Silence” is not just a song; it is a testament to a bond that transcended darkness and gave birth to a timeless masterpiece.
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