“The Sound of Silence” by Disturbed.
As my friend, Troy Weeks, recently told me – “This may be the single most impactful re-boot/2.0 of any song recorded within the last decade”
The Sound of Silence was covered by the heavy metal group, Disturbed. It undid me the first time I heard it. I was filling up a rental car in New Zealand, 2019. The song came on the speaker at the gas station…and I was mesmerized, it completely stopped me in my tracks.
I wasn’t alone.
Paul Simon, after watching Disturbed perform it for the first time ever (on Conan), contacted the lead singer by email to tell him “You NOW own the song, I was so blown away with your version.” Here's how lead singer David Draiman’s responded.
It was Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel’s penned masterpiece; it became Disturbed’s produced masterpiece. I will return to this song in minute.
Rebooting
Many people use the term "2.0" for shorthand language in new versions of computer programs, musical songs, movies, etc. (I’ll return to the original version(s) of this song in just a bit. Hang on.) Over the last decade, the term 2.0 has become a normal part of speech. The definition of 2.0 is simple: “To denote a superior or more advanced version of an original concept, productor service.”
If the original concept worked, then let’s make it even better. If the concept failed, let’s slash it and start over! It’s a second chance in a positive direction.
A Korean translator in NYC helped his clients by winking and explaining in English, “Americans will often use this in a joking way. Like if you try to make a recipe for the first time… and it fails, you can smile and say something like ‘Okay, let’s start on the 2.0 version!’”
Allow me to dig a little deeper with you about your own 2.0 life opportunities.
Three questions and three songs apply
- Where are you stuck in your life?
- What 2.0 version of your life do you want to pursue?
- If you DID achieve your 2.0 version of your life, what would be the costs?
Let’s look at the music world for some clear examples.
Three songs for your consideration.
“Something” by George Harrison and The Beatles
When the Beatles recorded the love song, “Something”, written by George Harrison it became a hit! The success was especially strange, given the humble origins of its birth at the Abbey Road studios (See below).
Even Frank Sinatra called it the world’s best love song of all time. Sinatra made the decision to record a 2.0 version of the song. George Harrison said this about Sinatra’s 2.0 version:
“At the time, I wasn’t particularly thrilled that Frank Sinatra did ‘Something’, I’m more thrilled now than I was then. I wasn’t really into Frank – he was the generation before me."
The former Beatle then said he was much more interested “when Smokey Robinson did it and when James Brown did it. “But I’m very pleased now, whoever’s done it. I realize that the sign of a good song is when it has lots of cover versions." Check out the top ten 2.0 covers of The Beatles’ song, Something.
They are, indeed, “a more advanced version of an original concept”.
Beatles:
Frank Sinatra:
“Hurt” by Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails
One song. Two artists – Trent Reznor and Johnny Cash.
Eight years apart.
Take a listen to both songs.
Then YOU determine if the singer/songwriter, Trent Reznor was correct when he said “Johnny Cash, now owns my song.” It was his 2.0.
Reznor said, "I'd known where I was when I wrote it. I know what I was thinking about. I know how I felt. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive.” It was the moving video, though, that made it all fall into place for the Nine Inch Nails star: “It really, really made sense and I thought what a powerful piece of art. I never got to meet Johnny but I'm happy I contributed the way I did. It felt like a warm hug. I have goosebumps right now thinking about it. Having Johnny Cash, one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, want to cover (my) song, that's something that matters to me. It's not so much what other people think but the fact that this guy felt that it was worthy of interpreting.”’
NOTE: On a personal note this song’s singing lyrics is why I titled my most recent book, “Empires of Dirt”
What did Johnny Cash’s visuals within the 2.0 song make you think about for your own “empire of dirt”?
What can you do today to begin throwing away your old “trophies”?
Where are you stuck in your life?
What 2.0 version to your life do you want to pursue?
If, in fact, you DO achieve your 2.0 version of your life, what would the costs be?
The Sound(s) of Silence
“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 sounds of silence”
NOW it’s time for us to circle back to the “Sound of Silence” sung by Simon and Garfunkel to illustrate the point of this newsletter.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel wrote their song, The Sound(s) of Silence and the recording company produced the first version, which failed miserably. During that time, others recorded it, as well.
Yet, as a new producer looked at the original 1.0 version that the two artists had recorded, something odd happened… the singular/plural name of the song and the singular/plural lyric within that song changed over the next two years, as producers experimented with it. No kidding.
Here’s the background:
1963-64.
Simon and Garfunkel recorded it once in 1963-64 where it languished amid the purchases of only a few thousand LPs. There was a niche market response in NYC – but apparently it was too simple a ballad. Possibly too passive. Nothing caught on.
1966 (2.0)
Then, in 1966, the same song was remixed with a rock tempo and other instruments and re-released with their voices on it but without their approval. Paul Simon was “horrified”. However the song began to grow on listeners.
December 1967 (2.0)
Almost two years later, the song was included in Mike Nichols’ film, The Graduate and it was used in the score of the film three separate times! The sales of the 2.0 version of the song went sky-high. It became a type of sexual liberation anthem for the rebellious youth of the late 1960’s.
The 2.0 version was much stronger than its original version – and regardless of the TITLE’S SINGULAR OR PLURAL NATURE of the song, the 2.0 version became the one everyone remembered.
Until Disturbed arrived on the scene and a whole new definition of the 2.0 version happened. And it was BIGGER than ever!
What were the costs, in doing so? Nothing.
News blogger Erica Banos wrote this:
“Disturbed has made music history by having their cover of The Sound of Silence reach its 400th week on Billboard’s Alternative Digital Song Sales chart – something no other song has managed to do.”
400 weeks. 7.7 years.
2.0 of all 2.0s.
So, my few questions to you from the examples of these three songs are these:
Where are you stuck in your life? What have you been pretending not to see about your present conditions? It is vital that you take a fierce inventory of the things that have latched onto your life and are slowing you down – and take a risk. Change your perspective, consider something new – something SO outlandish that your closest friends might ask you, “What in the world are you doing?” And then…do it. Your 2.0 version cannot take effect if you are being strangled by your 1.0 version. Break up your “sounds of silence” by adding some drums and lead guitar!
What 2.0 version to your life do you want to pursue? I mean it. What have you always seen yourself WANTING to do but you’ve never actually pulled the trigger on doing?
For me, I’ve always wanted to go on an “Oldies Rock ’n Roll Cruise” – you know, where the bands from an era (in my case the 60s) are stuck on an ocean liner with a bazzillion fans headed to Alaska – “And the hits just keep on coming”! Ha! No kidding. So, in September we’re headed on one of those cruises. Get ready, ‘cause here we come!
What out-of-the-box things can you tackle? Plan it and then execute it. Just Do It. And if you DO achieve your 2.0 version of your life, through new lyrics, what would it cost you? Money? Oh, come on, sell stuff, get the dough together. Look at your “financial security blanket” and cash some of it in. What? Are you intent on being a cheapskate and missing out on things that could pay personal dividends for you and those you love? My clarion call to you is to examine the “song of your life” and start a new refrain.
The vision that was planted in your brain doesn’t have to still remain. Change it.
Your empire of dirt is just that: dirt. Rearrange it.
You know you believe it and how! Don’t shortchange it.
More later,
Den
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