GREAT COVERS | Disturbed, The Sound of Silence (Episode 7)
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- Опубликовано: 18 май 2024
- #virginrock #disturbed #thesoundofsilence
Was it a good idea for Disturbed to disturb The Sound Of Silence? I think they did justice to it!
Here’s the link to the original song by Simon & Garfunkel:
• Disturbed - The Sound...
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Amy Shafer, LRSM, FRSM, RYC, is a classical harpist, pianist, and music teacher, Director of Piano Studies and Assistant Director of Harp Studies for The Harp School, Inc., holds multiple degrees in harp and piano performance and teaching, and is active as a solo and collaborative performer. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she teaches privately, presents masterclasses and coaching sessions, and has performed and taught in Europe and USA.
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Credits: Music written and performed by Simon & Garfunkel
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Great reaction. Glad you did both the video and the live Conan performance. The video is key in portraying their artistic vision, and the live performance is great. You pulled out all the things I was hoping you would from both the music and the video. Good background info, particularly the email exchange between Simon and Draiman, with Simon giving his approval and Draiman paying homage to the legend. Loved the opening imagery of the harp, piano, guitar. A good way to visually convey the idea of the loss of music, with three instruments on your set, and with the drum also showing up. You had some great observations on his voice. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. I love both the original and the cover, for differing reasons.
Hi Lee, since I know you are an avid listener and have been so for decades, I find it surprising if you don't notice the very obvious use of pitch correction in both the studio and the live version. But maybe you do and just find it fits the song, I'm not there, but it for sure is a valid point.
@@annatraustadottir4387 Hi Anna, good to hear from you. It has been a long time since we chatted. There are a lot of different aspects of the performances I didn't comment on. My comments tend to be too long as it is, so I focus on the things I want to communicate and relate to Amy about her reaction. I happen to really like this cover, so I was happy to see how much Amy enjoyed and related to it. There are plenty of other comments focused on the auto-tune (used on the live Conan) and pitch correction (used on the studio/music video), usually as evidence that this isn't a valid cover or that David Draiman really isn't a good singer. Many get this from the Wings of Pegasus analysis, but never seem to mention that Fil thinks David Draiman is a great singer, with great range, timbre, vibrato, and interval accuracy. But that like much of modern recordings, it tends to rely on this technology rather than doing multiple takes to get the starting pitch accurate, since as he says David has great interval accuracy. People also don't seem to mention that Fil also did a video on a 2009 live Simon & Garfunkel performance that is also auto-tuned. I don't like the use of auto-tune and pitch correction in general, but didn't find it worth dismissing these performances. I particularly don't like when it is used to make those that don't really have any natural talent sound good, but in the case of David Draiman I know he happens to be a great singer with genuine talent.
so many of the bands i love, they SUCK live, like they don't take their craft seriously and just slob through it.
@@LeeKennison I understand what your are saying but at the same time not. I don't always dislike heavy pitch correction because it can fit the song and even if I don't find it fitting to the song, the artist can of course have different opinion and using it as a deliberate artistic choice, and really wanting the mechanical effect. But it is difficult being positive about it nowadays, because it is used so widely and without thought, just because it's available.
And now it comes to the part I don't understand in your comment. Many say the same as you do, that you don't like it when it is used to make people that can't sing in tune, sing in tune, but if the singer can sing it's acceptable to help the performance or to reduce the time spent in studio. I in fact, don't care so much, if it is used to help singers that have difficulty singing in tune, at least it makes sense using it then. And it can never make a great singer out of a bad one. I hate when it is used when you have a good singer and that is what is done today. And it has very little to do with a singer singing a note or two out of tune. For sure, you can save time, fixing a note or two in Melodyne, in a tasteful natural way, instead of splicing different takes together or doing many takes. But usually the producer does a lot more. They are "correcting" singing that no one hears as out of pitch, nailing the voice to a line in a computer program, not allowing the natural movement of a human voice around a note and between notes. Taking away some elements of the singer's expression and some of the character of that singer's voice. And that is what I hear, and in THIS song, you can hear the mechanical sound, the robotic elements, through out the song. And why should you want to hear that, instead of the real human expression of a really good singer. You are not helping the singer to sound BETTER but making him sound WORSE, taking away some of his talent. In the studio version of this song it is used through the song, probably by using Melodyne or something similar program, and of course David is not singing half of the song out of pitch, it is used as an kind of an effect, an effect that is used in most pop music today and increasingly in other genres as well. And it's boring at best and disabling at worst. For sure it could fit the feeling and mood of certain songs and make sense to be even commonly used in certain genres, but it is used everywhere without much thought, just because. And in this song I find it disturbing, this strangled robotic long notes (the tempo is slow). I realize that people seem to be able to hear this to a different degree and I for sure do not always hear this. But in this song it is so, so, obvious. So I was curious, do you hear how the pitch correction program is used in this Disturbed song, and if you do, do you just find it to fit the song and mood, which could be a valid point.
Finally, I would like you to listen to a performance, that many hail as great and many fans think is just natural singing and go to great lengths describing how great the singing is. The singing sounds awful and is extremely unnatural, although I'm sure that all the singers in this group are really good singers. The song is pitch corrected after the fact, by Melodyne, or something like that, not autotuned. So a person went through the song, editing the voices in order to let the singing sound like that. I could hardly listen to it after a friend sent it to me as an example of a great Christmas song and performance. I physically suffered through the song. It was then I realized for the first time, that many, many people do not hear the difference from real human voice and even extremely computerized voice. And it made me sad. ruclips.net/video/ReJAU2mXm8w/видео.html
The typical pop/rock producer today, would pitch correct to hell the greatest classical singers, singing a beautiful Puccini aria, believing they were improving the singing, but really killing it, and maybe in few years we will all clap along.
@@annatraustadottir4387 Thanks for the detailed explanation on why you feel so strongly about this. I went back and listened to it again with all you said in mind, and I still enjoy the performance, including vocally and without being bothered or distracted by any artificial digital manipulation, whether from using Melodyne or any other pitch correction. It does not sound robotic or mechanical to me at all, even though I know it is pitch corrected. In reality any recorded or amplified vocals is manipulated to some degree. You are never hearing the pure human voice that you hear in an unamplified live performance, such as you might experience with opera. If you have ever used any recording software, then I'm sure you are aware of how differently your own voice sounds through just simple EQ adjustment, without even applying other effects such as reverb. Or even how differently your voice will sound by just using a different microphone. So I am never expecting a completely pure and unaltered vocal.
Although I do understand that the negative qualities that you say you are experiencing (robotic and mechanical sounding) is on a different level than EQ and microphone choices, just pointing out that nothing we hear through recording is pure. This is even more the case today, since just about everything we listen to since the 90s is digitally recorded or stored at some point in the process. Even if we ultimately listen to it on an analog vinyl recording. It is this digitally recorded image that allows something like pitch correction to adjust the pitch, while retaining the other qualities of the voice, so theoretically keeping it more natural sounding, without sounding artificial or robotic.
Even Fil at the Wings of Pegasus wasn't critical on the quality of the resulting vocals, just the fact that it had been pitch corrected. He even made the point that he could have achieved the same result if they had done additional takes. He didn't mention it sounding robotic or mechanical. He is generally less critical of pitch-correction that is applied afterwards in the studio, than he is with auto-tune which is applied automatically, more often in live performances. He has shown how auto-tune really does make the vocals sound more artificial and manipulated, removing the human characteristics. Whereas carefully applied pitch correction can retain many of the other vocal characteristics.
Bottom line, I really enjoy this performance, primarily as an artistic statement, but I also enjoy the vocal and musical performance. I am not going to stop enjoying it, even if people tell me I shouldn't for a variety of reasons. Disturbed is certainly living up to their name, by disturbing a lot of people. Perhaps I am not as discerning as people thing I should be, but I go with what I like, not what others say I should like. Granted, as I have gotten older my hearing has deteriorated and I have been spoiled by the convenience of digital music, and rarely listen to my better quality vinyl records. I used to be a hardcore audiophile, both in terms of equipment and recordings. One thing I learned through that process is that much of what we hear is psychological. We hear what we want to hear, which is why you should always do blind comparisons when evaluating two things. Since you feel so strongly about this, you will probably never be able to not hear the mechanical and robotic quality. Whereas I don't even notice it, which again may be due to my lack of discernment. I'm just glad that I can enjoy this for what it means to me.
I always felt that the S&G original is a warning to everyone and the Disturbed version is anger that the warning wasn’t heeded.
Wonderful thought. The Disturbed version is truly beautiful and powerful but perhaps it makes such an impact because of the S&G version from so many years before. They keep it just close enough to the original to almost constantly remind you of it throughout. Where S&G were almost melancholy, suddenly Disturbed is more angry and forceful.
Oh do fuck off. You just so happened to 'always' think the exact same thing that a thousand other people have ripped off from a comment on the original Disturbed YT video??? Word for word?
And the PTX version that their is still hope.
No
The original was a friendly plea to listen. This is an outraged demand. We haven't learned, we didn't listen to the warning. So there is anger. And it's beautiful.
This comment has been regurgitated in various forms since the performance first aired. If you've read it once, you've read it a hundred times.
@@sillysausage4549 aye, good for you pal.
Greta Thunberg arranged it!
@@sillysausage4549pretty reflected of what is happening. Basically a tantrum.
Quite nicely addressed!
I love both versions. I was against it, in theory, because SnG's song is such a perfect song. Why try to cover perfection? But then I heard it. It becomes a different song and an equally good one.
I like to add: it did where the Metallica cover of Dire Straits failed miserably for me.
Good cover from disturbed. Another cover you canister to is Amazing grace by Dan Vasc.
Which is perfect, the real original or the remix most people believe to be the original? 😊
@@HardcoreIPA Do you really care?
@@stanleymyrick4068 yeah in a way. I was asking myself if the perfect version was actually Simon and Garfunkel's original, or the one that their producer re-recorded without even telling them, projecting the song, and the duo, into fame.
I’m sure you’ll have many comments like this, but… To me the original is a contemplative warning (which I love), and Disturbed’s is the anger and frustration at the needless damage we do to ourselves and others, and at our ignoring of the warnings given (which I also love.)
Nah
Please investigate David Draiman (lead singer of Disturbed). It's not generally my type of music, but his voice is amazing (he has a LOT of training, starting with choir as a young boy). His interview with The Charismatic Voice (Elizabeth Zharoff) is very enlightening (YT channel). He is very articulate and well-educated. A joy to listen to.
David is definitely highly educated , well spoken and articulate. He also takes very good care of himself; meaning he doesn’t fit the stereotype of metal guys constantly partying. He’s also very respectful to his religion and family. Although he didn’t become a Cantor as his father and grandfather, David does not have any tattoos and when he visits his family he removes his piercings. He’s a really caring person.
it's like the jazz singer
My criteria for a great cover is that the cover artist finds something that was in the song all along that was not brought out in the original. This is one of the absolute best ever. There is rage in those original lyrics, but S&G were not that kind of band. Disturbed is, and they absolutely nailed it.
maestro shit here!
According to the background info Amy read, Paul Simon liked the Disturbed version. So for those who think this should never have been touched, apparently Paul himself was just fine with their interpretation.
Although I fully agree with your point, even if Paul Simon didn't like the cover: as long as the covering artist gets the Ok from the owner of the publishing rights (ideally that should always be the writers of the song) it's perfectly fine to cover great songs and add your own artistic skills. If covers would be a 'no no' we wouldn't have great songs like Johnny Cash's version of Hurt or Jimmy Hendrix "all along the watchtower" and so many other great covers.
Of course there are covers that are terrible and kind of "rapes" the original: but as long as you don't steal a song (and forget to pay the royalties and acknowledging the original) covers are important as well
@@jantonkens9820 if I'm not mistaken, you can always cover a song. You just end up having to pay a fee. Can you imagine if you needed someone's permission just to sign a song? I just looked it up and it's called a "Compulsory Mechanical License" (you can make your own recording of the song but you have to pay a fee) but there are conditions such as the original artist must have released a recording, and you can't change the words. And there's a different license if you release a video. If you perform a cover live, then the venue would typically have a license for that already. A parodies are covered by fair use. There's a lot more to it, but basically you don't need permission directly from the original artist to make a cover.
Hey Lee!
I have to comment on this because I see that many people are annoyed by this cover and I simply don't understand why. As I've written to Amy, this is one of the best covers ever made, to me, and in my opinion it did more than a justice to the original.
@@jovana_r Hey Jovana! Great to see you. I was hoping you would see this one. I also love this cover and don't understand the hostility to it either. Not only did Paul Simon appreciate it, but Amy herself really liked and appreciated it, including liking David Draiman's voice and the intensity of the rage he expresses. She pointed out a lot of the qualities that make his voice great. I certainly love and appreciate both the original and this cover. It doesn't have to be one or the other with me. I can like them both for different reasons. In a sense, David Draiman achieved his goal (as reflected in the band's name) of disturbing people. Sometimes people need to be disturbed in order to wake them up.
@@LeeKennison Completely agree. Unfortunately, being disturbed is the best way to wake up.
My favorite comment about this cover is that Simon and Garfunkel’s version made you think, while Disturbed’s version makes you feel. The original had the serious and somewhat disturbing (no pun intended lol) lyrics, the folk style was soothing and pretty…so the juxtaposition was interesting, but maybe allowed listeners to not pay attention to the subject. But you can’t ignore the anger and disappointment conveyed by the Disturbed version. This is a serious problem, you need to listen. I’m in my 50’s and have heard thousands of songs in my life, and I still think “Hello darkness my old friend” is the best opening lyric ever written.
Great post!
Nah
I don't know what it is, but this version gives me the chills, every time i hear it. Youncan say the song flew out of the nest, it has beennaround and seen some shit,,it reurned, and now it's angry!
This is a brilliant cover. More of an angry aftermath than a warning. Same lyrics, different energy. Beautiful
It's pretty similar
David Draiman was trained as a Jewish Cantor. So he has an amazing voice, both harsh and smooth.
Thank you for reacting to this!
David trained as a Cantor.
What I love about this video is the (approx) 12 seconds of no sound at the beginning: the actual sound of silence. It trips a lot of people up and they think their volume has failed. Like you, I find the end scene satisfying: those with the instruments meet those with the music and it sends messages on a number of levels, about communication, collaboration, finding what's missing, working for a greater good, that we all want the same thing - I could go on.
The live version showed that the audience respected the performance so much that they waited until the last note faded before applauding.
NOTE: that David Draiman was really sick and had a fever for the Conan live performance and I heard he was not pleased with his performance, being the perfectionist that he is I can understand why he felt that way. However, the production as a whole performance was amazing and he voice was EXCEPTIONAL! I loved it. So POWERFUL and EMOTIONAL! - Disturbed "The Sound Of Silence" 03/28/16 | CONAN on TBS Team Coco
Diane ❤
@@junco1312not only sick and insisted to perform anyway, he refused to allow them to use autotune to help
@txheadshots There is autotune, while minor, which is why he was upset with the performance.
Nah
Very few covers equal the original. This one does and perhaps, even surpasses.
Nah
@@hinoartsNah indeed.
David inherits the tradition and training of a Hebrew cantor from his father and grandfather. While he serves a broader congregation, I think he upholds the tradition
I'm glad you listened to both the recorded and the live versions!
There is a considerable overlap with those who enjoy Heavy Metal and Symphony music. At least, that seemed to be the case with the people I knew at university anyway.
It's true. And it's magnificent in the rare times that they converge! Metallica's first S&M album is my absolute favorite of theirs; them in their prime, performing with the outstanding Michael Kamen led San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The whole album is perfection, they complement each other beautifully.
This is where this man proved to the world he can truly sing.......
This isn't even his best singing performance, it's just well known coz the cover
David Draiman was raised as an Orthodox Jew and his amazing voice is due to the fact that not only was he born with it, but he is also a trained Cantor.
Diane ❤😊
Long before Disturbed did this cover. They did Land of Confusion from Phil Collins. And they did a great job on it as well. Both covers they brought feelings into the song. While the originals are very good songs to start with. Disturbed adds just enough of a kick to it to add feeling to it.
'Land of Confusion' is a Genesis song.
After reading the views of people who didn't like the cover of 'Brothers In Arms' and now the cover of 'The Sound Of Silence' I can't help but wonder whether some people don't approve of songs being covered at all. I think that's a shame, if nothing else a cover is a wonderful way to introduce a song to a new generation. Take the Bob Dylan song 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' for example. When Guns N' Roses covered it millions of people who probably wouldn't have come across the song suddenly heard it, and a percentage would've searched out the original. Covers shouldn't be seen as something that detracts from the original, quite the opposite, they extend the life of the original by introducing the song to a new audience.
It's also the highest compliment that can be made to the song writer, musicians, band etc.
The lyrics are the same, but Simon and Garfunkel, with their light harmonies give a sense of hope(?) where Disturbed's version is darker and more like the lyrics convey. Both great
Its unintended, but the song makes a serviceable critique of smart phone culture, metaphorically. Everyone talking, but nobody listening, everyone praying to the neon god they made (as they stare at the phone).
It was kind of intended but for T, it's just that technology has advanced.
Meh
Love your reaction. Love Simon and Garfunkel. Absolutely love this song. Disturbed absolutely does this wonderful cover justice. It’s just beautiful. I was shocked the first time hearing this hearing this cover. I know this band and David Draimond . Disturbed Down with the sickness, always sticks in my head. I hope you listen to this song so you can understand why all of us Disturbed fans were shocked when we heard this for the first time.❤️✌️🌼
David Draiman... one of the best male vocalists on the planet imho...gorgeous baritone and clear beautiful tenor headvoice ....can even put vibrato on vocal fry!! Amazing!
I really love your explanations. You are so gifted in wording. You paint pictures with your words, especially in this review.
Agreed! Rare in reaction videos. Delightful
I love the original, I adore the Disturbed cover. The entire piece is one gigantic musical climax, building building building then breaking like an electrical storm (cue kettle drums for thunder). Draiman's voice is magnificent, the rattling growl still sends shivers through me. I can only wonder in sadness at what Queen and Freddie Mercury would have produced by way of a cover of the original song, something entirely unique I'm sure.
It’s really a wonderful display of his vocal capability as he shows off his range both clean and with rasp.
Well, since both studio and the Conan version are obviously very pitch corrected, it does not show his talent clearly, but he is a very good singer.
@@annatraustadottir4387 Thanks for calling that out. It's so overdone as to be pathetic. IMHO. Doesn't even sound human.
David has such a unique timbre.
David Draiman is a classically trained vocalist. It just doesn’t allow itself to be shown frequently in heavy-metal, aggressive music. This cover was the perfect vehicle to show his vocal prowess. Amazing, haunting and emotional piece of work. Simon’s work often makes a person come to terms with his or her feelings.
Really love David's voice. His emphasis on the lyrics bring the meaning far more to the fore, than in the original. YES! These failures or refusals to listen to each other, to communicate effectively, are things to be 'Disturbed' about!
If you think so
Another interesting song is "Love Hurts". Originally performed by the Everly Brothers in 1960, and Nazareth performed a cover with their version in the mid 70's.
Another cover which was more popular than the original release is "Hurt", originally written and performed by Nine Nails and the cover was one of Johnny Cash's final album.
Applause for this. One of those comments I couldn't realize in my own head until I saw written down. 😊😊
As you were struggling a bit to describe the vocal style common to heavy metal and some hard rock, so I wanted to tell you that many vocal coaches I’ve seen often refer to this as distortion (distortion can have various levels, from a slight raspiness up to a complete vocal frye). It’s a vocal technique that distorts the normal sound made by the vocal chords. Also, I think you’d also enjoy hearing The HU “Wolf Totem”..they are a modern band who incorporate Mongolian throat singing into their style.
THANK YOU for that video. And thanks for some background info on it. I really didn't know about the email exchange between Simon and Draiman.
So, that was step two on your exploration of the four step journey of this song:
1) Simon & Garfunkel - a warning about the future in the style of a typical sixties protest
2) Disturbed - anger and outrage that the former warning went unheard
3) Pentatonix - a little celebration of a hope that might be there after all
4) Geoff Castellucci - the wake and funeral of the thought that there may have been that silly hope
Four times the same lyrics and the same basic melody, but completely different moods and messages. This goes to show what kind of masterpiece Simon created in the first place and how other extremely talented musicians and artists can even elevate a masterpiece to new hights when they put their hearts in it.
I know it might be a sacrilege to do so, but I want to point you to another channel: David Draiman did a long interview with Elisabeth Zharoff on "The Charismatic Voice" in which he talks, amongst many other topics, about this song and his reluctance and fear to do it at all. Very recommendable!
The anger in this version is because nothing has changed in the last 50-odd years. Simon's warning went unheeded and we're right back where we started.
Well the song does say the message was ignored
Lol
Wow your musical insight into this song is wonderful! Thank you!
The image that disturbed version gave me was this is some Orwellian bleak future where music and word had been outlawed. Love both versions
Also, whether or not you believe in spirit guides, I recently discovered that I am blessed to have some and decided to start listening to them. They actually led me to Disturbed and David Draiman on RUclips and their cover B&W 4K video rendition of Simon and Garfunkels The Sound of Silence. My spirit guides are screaming at me to tell all of you that if we lose our Democracy we will lose our freedom to listen to the music of our choice like Disturbed! If THEY can ban our books, THEY can ban/outlaw our music 🎶! Love you all, Diane ❤
Just found your channel the other day. Your passion and joy and love of music are contagious! You are teaching us a new way to appreciate the music we've listened to for years. Thank you for sharing your gifts.
What I love about the Disturbed version is it's like a crescendo. It builds and builds and builds, and then he finally releases the tension with the last two words.
I really appreciate these discussions. They definitely increase my appreciation for the music itself.
David was quite ill during the live show but insisted on going on anyway, with a significant fever and typical flu symptoms. He was trained as a cantor, his grandfather was a famous cantor in Israel. He's such a talented singer, you really need to check out more of Disturbed songs, they're not afraid to try new things. I'm a 70 y o granny and I love all of their songs, they have deep meanings and emotions.
I fell in love with Heavy Metal when I was a 13 year old kid in Germany and I heard Motorhead for the first time. It got me hooked fast and a lot of that was the passion of the music, "how expressive it is" as Amy stated. I've felt that way since that day 40+ years ago and I still feel that's the case now.
I always loved the end of the video uniting the instruments with the music to end the silence.
I never heard this version before. I always believed that this song was strong because of the vocal harmonies. But here with just one voice, this song remains so powerful. Amazing and pure beauty.
A reminder that great poetry (and all art for that matter) continues to speak to us all, even as time passes.
Great reaction! I love this version. A true masterpiece, IMHO. I think you may really like Geoff Castellucci's version as well. Geoff is the bass for the Acapella group VoicePlay and has the lowest, richest bass voice out there. But he also has a 5 octave range and layers himself singing all the parts. I promise you won't be prepared for Geoff's voice.
17:28 I like on the video version that you commented on the musicians crossing the river to connect to the people on the other side as it often goes uncommented on. I have commented that to me it shows the ability of music to voice the feelings of the masses, the ability of musicians to express the words to the those that will listen of the people that often go unheard.
I also fully agree with the comments that the S & G original version was a warning to people are disconnecting & not speaking to each other where Disturbed's version expresses the anger that that warning had been ignored with people sitting in the break rooms of work or on the bus buried in their cell phones instead of talking to the person sitting beside them.
This version is shocking at first!! I was SO surprised!!! Dave is a trained singer, but you probably already knew that!!!! The members are playing the other instruments. This is still a great song. I am old enough to recall when Art & Paul released this masterpiece. This is mighty fine cover!!!! Bravo!.... Thanks lady......................
You should also check out Geoff Castellucci's version of this too. Well worth it.
It has been said that the original S&G version is the warning. Disturbed's version is the anger the warning was ignored. GC's version is sorrow that the warning was ignored.
Geoff Castellucci is a bass singer in acapella group VoicePlay and has a solo channel too.
This cover is somewhat the opposite side of Disturbed. If you want their heavy side try 'Down with the Sickness' (long version). You will understand why they call themselves 'disturbed'. The subject is difficult, but they convey the outrage and heavy message very well. It is an amazingly strong song.
I am so glad you viewed the Disturbed excellent video. Perhaps because their cover is so dramatic, few reviewers address the visuals. Their opening, as you mention, is brilliant and that desolate theme is carried through the entire presentation. When the instruments are returned to the people, it is almost a religious experience. The arc image ties into your 'pagan', mythical concept which is so appropriate for both the band and the message. Noah and the arch come to mind and adds to the epic feel.
Someone long ago commented that S&G's song was a plea, while Disturbed is outraged that the plea went unanswered. Outrage that we are still worshipping that same neon god we made.
A somewhat "different" telling of a story doesn't necessarily diminish the original author's work. I think...
I also think You have shared one of the best takes on this case. Your respectful, thoughtful, and relevant analysis is impressive and commendable. Period. Full stop!
Thank you for this, and best of wishes for your continued explorations!
Cheers
rl
🤘👹🤘
I TEAR UP EVERYTIME I HEAR EITHER SONG I LOVE BOTH GROUPS!!!!
The billion watches are well earned
The instruments surviving on the Arc of Noah is a powerful message. Love the video (also love the cover itself, but the video supporting it)
Clairity and pain portrayed with a masterful control of vocal fry, and actual vocal training (I am assuming here. But when you have vocal training, you hear it when others do too).
Thank you for live version, Awesome 🤩
David's voice gives me chills from start to finish, and I've been a Disturbed fan from their very first album. A lot of Disturbs songs have a more melodic tone than a lot of the metal music I've heard (more so in their later works). For me that's what sets them apart and makes them stand out among metal bands.
'great to see you listen to both versions (the live is my fav')
He was trained in the tradional opra style, that's why you hear such a dynamic cadence in his voice. Amazing.
Disturbed have done two perfect covers, this and Genesis's Land of Confusion. I'm sure you'd enjoy that equally.
I hate to admit i had no idea land of confusion was a cover. 😅
Ooh, I'll have to look that one up. In trade, have you heard Katzenjammer 's cover of LoC? It's delightfully... different. =:o}
@@RaXXha I personally prefer the Genesis version of LoC.
Missed a 3rd. They also covered Sting's If I Ever Lose My Faith in You.
I can't have an honest opinion of their 'Land of Confusion' cover at this point - it was PLAYED SO DAMN MUCH on the radio that it's almost hard for me to listen to at this point(even after all these damn years LOL). Even though I really like the cover.
I have to give a shout out to the producers and the production crew and everyone involved in putting this exceptional video together! Diane ❤❤❤
Regarding Draimon's use of vibrato in conjunction with a harsh vocal style :
First, it demonstrates that there is no unwanted tension in his vocal tract. His vocal production is healthy.
Second, the distortion is all created supra-glotally, so there are two distinct and separate processes happening at the same time. One process is the vocal folds producing the pitch and vibrato. The other is the addition of distortion using components higher up in the vocal tract. It does take a lot of hard work to refine one's control to this degree.
Well said! This really helps folks understand what’s happening while he sings. At least those of us not trained in vocals. I grew up a musician so I understand music theory and composition but nothing about vocals. I do know that David still uses a vocal coach who helps people with using distortion in a healthy way. Plus being trained as a Cantor when he was young certainly helped too. Anyhoo, thanks for the explanation!! 😊
My favourite cover....ever
Omg tell me more!
I loved to see this with you. Nice to meet you. 😆
There's so much happening that even after 1000x we discover something new. I saw you got really invested in that final scene. Something I love about it is that the songwriters are writing songs in a border but they don't have the instruments (to portrait that they don't have voices to share their songs) and at the other border, they have the instruments but don't have the songs (they can talk but doesn't have what to say, showing the "talking without speaking"). Then, at the end they find a way to cross the distance and finally disturb the sound of silence.
I've paused the video, while you are still giving stats in the beginning, only to say that I had always LOVED the Simon & Garfunkel version (I'm 54). Disturbed's version feels closer to the emotional tone of the song and is my favorite version. ... Back to your video...
The people wrote the music and wait on the shore holding their sheets of music for the boat to come with the instruments and musicians so the two sides are no longer divided. Thank you really enjoyed your review.
Love your reactions. I have listened to this cover hundreds of times and never get tired of it. The video really brings home their interpretion of it. Glad that you reacted to both versions. Thank you!
I think it has to be acknowledged here, at the very least, that David's vocal has been pitch corrected. Lots of different opinions out there on whether that is good, bad or indifferent - but it is there. Altered by a computer.
You have to be literally deaf to not hear that I dunno how it isn't obvious 😂
You're the first person I've watched that even mentioned the vibrato that David can put on the "distortion/vocal fry"!! It's unbelievable!... and extremely difficult to do! I personally have never heard anyone else do it. He has amazing control!! 👍👍
December 7, 2015, I was driving to work in my Nissan Versa from Hemet, CA, to Fallbrook, CA. Just over a week after, on the Heidi and Frank radio show, they featured this song in a live interview with David Draiman. Featured the title song from their album Immortalized. I will never forget this cover that was infinitely better than Simon and Garfunkel's original. Hands down: one of the most impactful songs of my life.
Disturbed has an amazing catalogue of their original songs and they are very lyrically heavy. There is a great deal of depth in their lyrics.
I love your expressions of this song and your thoughts behind the expressions. ❤👍
Great reaction, dear Amy! I am extremely happy that you liked it and saw the power of it.
As I've said, this is, to me, one of the best covers ever made and I adore it. David is an amazing and very unique singer. Btw, in this live performance he was ill, barely able to speak and he thought he would not be able to sing, but in the end he did it and even though I can hear the instability in his voice, I am amazed how he managed to sing it.
I'd like to see your reaction to some of Disturbed's older songs. My favorite is definitely "Inside the fire" but it might be too intense for you. Well, actually most of their songs might be too intense. They are very intense, loud and heavy band. But worth of checking out. They are very popular, especially in US.
Thank you, Amy! 🖤
During the live performance, he was actually ill....but the show must go on!
Great Covers suggestion: You've Got a Friend, by Carol King, and James Taylor's cover (even though I think he recorded his version first). I think you'll really enjoy both of these artists.
Надзвичайно гарна мелодія і гармонія. Голос передає емоції. Аутстендінг
You actually got it. Thank you.
My favourite cover of any song, immense performance by Draiman.
Some of theirs that I recommend are The Light, Reason to Fight (the live video is emotional), and Hold on to Memories
Wonderful analysis - thank you!
There are maybe only a few covers that have ever been done better than the original - especially when the original was already a masterpiece. Jeff Buckley with Hallelujah springs to mind. THIS cover falls in that category.
There's tons of them. Led zeppelin has about 20 of em just by themselves 😂
Draimon and Simon & Garfunkel both actually hold on the "n" in slience as well, not the preceding vowel sound. I think the nasal "n" is an important part of the overall impact of the lyrics.
I do think you would find it interesting to listen to the Pentatonix cover as well.
The song is so strong that it can withstand this version, this sound. I did not know it, but I love both. Maybe the sound of silence is rough ?
I like to say this is a gateway drug to classical music…you’ve just heard an operatic voice, backed by a full orchestra, in a classic low entrance, building to a crashing crescendo. Standard symphony fare. People who’ve never experienced classical but find this so powerful, can’t pin down why. Classical music is all about power, emotion, stacking and building, crashing around you at the end. I like to say to young kids who watch this and like it, I didn’t know you liked classical music…blank stare. Then I show them some good symphony pieces. David’s voice is the bomb, but I love that guitar arpeggio opposite his screaming rage. That’s the butter for me. Love your breakdown. 😎😎😎
It doesn't make me want to listen to classical at all.
Never heard this rendition. I love it!
One of the great frustrations I find with a larger time span cover like this is that the original is such a part of the overall anthem-like zeitgeist of the 60s ... This idea that we must come together in love and understanding ... that it is utterly ingrained in the psyche of us 'older' people that we know every note and every lyric by rote. We can sing the songs thoughtfully or even mindlessly without missing a word. And yet, have saw fit to ignore the message wholesale. To carry on hating one another anyway. Even finding new ways to hate one another while reaffirming the old ways. So, this cover is nearly half a century later and it is also so iconic and masterful that the younger generations know every word in their souls much like us. And just like us seem determined to also ignore the message.
A revolt song against establishment, injustice, and passiveness of people.
It is a warning and a call for change, a call for revolt.
Here is a breakdown of the song the way I see it:
“Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again”
Depression. He feels alone with nobody to communicate his thoughts. Nobody who sees what he sees.
“Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping”
Not clear what kind of a vision is he talking about, but from the rest of the song we can conclude it is about oppression, injustice, manipulation, and brainwashing.
Seeing different types of oppression, and injustice over the time, while not understanding or not even trying to understand what is behind (while I was sleeping), he does nothing about it. Slowly, from all those disconnected pixels of a world around him, he starts forming a bigger picture, a vision, when connected altogether.
“And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence”
Yet, although, he finally starts seeing the problem, and the cause, he still is not doing anything.
“In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp”
The metaphor use in this part is very heavy, so I will try first to explain some of it.
Narrow - restricted
Cobblestone - paving stone tightly put together, and firmly depressed into ground - oppressed people with restricted rights.
Halo - a ring of light around or above the head of a holy person - god, power, police, establishment.
He feels like if he is the only one who sees that mass of oppressed people, and injustice toward them created by the system, yet he still ignores it (I turned my collar to the cold and damp). [Think of homeless people you pass by. How many times do we turn our head the other way? How many times we ask ourselves why? If we know why, what did we do to change it?]
“When my eyes were stabbed by
The flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence”
The moment he completes the picture, the parts are connected and he has a clear vision, the blinds on his eyes are finally off(“When my eyes were stabbed by The flash of a neon light That split the night). He would like to scream and do something (And touched the sound of silence), but still not there yet.
“And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence”
He realizes, he is not alone who sees all that injustice, many more (Ten thousand people, maybe more) sees that, yet they never mention, or understand that, nor they act upon that. Although, they think about the problems, oppression, and injustice around them (People writing songs that voices never share) they are not ready to stand up and change the situation.
At the other hand, mainstream media and politicians are pushing narrative that is basically meant to passivize people, and distract, push their anger towards invented enemy, minority groups, and religions. (People talking without speaking People hearing without listening).
They have no courage to revolt against the system (And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence).
Even though not completely content with the system, and their lives, they would rather comply, and let other people rule them, than to try to change the system afraid to lose what they have.
“"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows"
He warns people about passiveness ("Fools", said I, "You do not know Silence like a cancer grows). If nothing gets changed, and people keep complying, slowly they will get attuned to that and it will become even worse.
"Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
He is calling people to revolt.
"But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence”
But nobody answers the call.
"And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made"
People still blinded with false idols, money, and false promises, and empty dreams served by the mass media controlled by establishment and used to brainwash and control people.
"And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said:
"The words of the prophets are
Written on the subway walls
And tenement halls
And whispered in the sound of silence.""
At the time the song was written, besides the mass media (TV, radio, and newspapers), the only way people could express their through was through graffiti ("The words of the prophets are Written on the subway walls And tenement halls), but they do not have impact on larger mass of people (And whispered in the sound of silence.")
It's a voice that bypasses your ears and goes straight to your soul. Both power and softness, clarity & emotion. Covering such a well known song often does not end well, this one exceeds all expectations.
It doesn't bypass my ears
Wow! Loved your reaction, and insight. You brought a different perspective I haven't heard. Thank you!
An interesting tidbit that i read about the live version was that David Draiman had a tough time because he had a cold and a bit of a sore throat for this performance. Neat that he cold still pull off a great performance...
I was ready not to like this: Brilliant cover with a fantastic vocal. Now I will have to explore the band properly.
You would really love the Post Modern JukeBox version of the song Creep.
Simon and Garfunkel were the warning. Disturbed was the anger that we didn't listen. The fact David brings clarity with the gritty tone in his voice is absolutely attributed to his formal training. And his range never ceases to amaze.
I usually recommend the studio version of songs but in this case the live Conan version is far superior.
If I remember correctly, Draiman was sick right before he sang on Conan. I don’t remember if that one was also pitch corrected. I know I listened to both several times and I too prefer the performance on Conan.
Which version did Paul Simon hear that prompted him to call David with strong praise, ending with saying, you own this now (I may be paraphrasing …)?
I love Paul Simon; I love Simon & Garfunkel. I’m a great lover of most genres, and I was an impressionable young teen who heard so much great folk rock and classic rock upon release. And I never stopped …punk, post punk, new wave, grunge . . . and classical since a child. I’ll be 70 end of month and have gone to hundreds of concerts, mostly in small- to medium-sized venues. A fortunate New York City girl. By the way, David Draiman’s musical training and life experience is fascinating; and he has been lead singer of the band Disturbed for 30 years.
David Draiman what a voice
Thank You for watching/listening this with us.
Reminder to everyone: two things can be true at the same time 😂 The original and the cover, both enjoyable.
Indeed, you don’t have to pick a side, too much of that nowadays
The final scene with all the musical instruments on the boat is also reminiscent of Noah's ark. As if they had been salvaged and brought into a new beginning after the former has been washed away.
Il testo di questa canzone mi è sempre piaciuto molto. Nella versione originale è più "intimistico", sembra che l'incomunicabilità tra sé e gli altri sia soffocata, rassegnata; nella cover il crescendo delle parole si accompagna alla musica in maniera più rabbiosa, un grido contro il cielo, contro chi non sa comunicare e non sa nemmeno "usare" il silenzio.
E per la prima volta preferisco la cover all'originale.