The Sound Of Silence

In their song The Sound of Silence, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel sing the words, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and the tenement halls and whispered in the sounds of silence." But their friendship has come to replicate the sound of silence.

Paul Simon gave his final concert on September 22, 2018 in his native town of Queens, New York. Many of Simon and Garfunkel fans where hoping that Paul Simon would set aside his grudges against his former singing partner and ask Garfunkel to join him for some of their wonderful hits.

However, that did not happen. On the concert, one fan, Christian Hoard tweeted, "Adventurous setlist, nicely chatty, not at all sappy, well-preserved voice, hot band, and - neither here nor there, unless you give points for knowing how to hold a grudge, I guess - no mention whatsoever of Garfunkel."

Arts writer for the Dallas Morning News, Michael Granberry interviewed Art Garfunkel in October of 2017 and asked him about his partnership with Paul Simon. Garfunkel stated, "Simon and Garfunkel had some really great years where we got along beautifully and laughed .... And then we got tired of each other. How interesting is that? And we need a rest. How interesting is that? And then we take a rest. And sometimes, it's years."

Garfunkel went on to tell Granberry, "Right now, is one of the coolest - no, I would say coldest - periods in this long friendship. There's a real sense of, I may not hear from him again. And I don't know if I care."

Granberry states, "I hate the thought of two 'old friends' dying without forgiving each other.

Michael Granberry, "Paul Simon Plays His 'Final' Concert Tonight, But Not with Art Garfunkel - And That's a Real Shame," The Dallas Morning News, September 22, 2018. https://www.dallasnews.com/arts/books/2018/09/22/paul-simon-plays-final-concert-tonight-not-art-garfunkel-real-shame