Sounds of Silence

Listening to the radio this morning in my half-dazed-daze: through the bloody Mary blur; a tribute, interest, hour of 60’s music. An era which produced some of the most well-crafted lyrics around—yup, some real boners too. But to a great degree, some truly in-depth material.

Ok—so, somewhere in here, this is gonna have a relevant point. Bear with me.

1963-1964: Paul Simon over a few month period writes Sounds of Silence; he and Art Garfunkle record—in their collegiate suit and tie days—record the, acoustic only, piece for a two-side 7” vinyl, Wednesday Morning 3:00 a.m. Most of you have no idea what this type of recording is, but trust me, that’s the way thing were done before bytes and the loss of soul. Discouraged, S&G break up and go their separate ways…

Meanwhile, the slow, methodical, song is sputtering along, but gaining some air play. Not enuff to cause many ripples in the recording industry—but some.

Enter: (re-enter) the song’s original producer Tom Wilson at Columbia, who, without the guys’ knowledge, re-cuts the record: over-dubbing the original, speeding it up and adding the recording band from Dylan’s, Like a Rolling Stone. Bang! Sounds of Silence becomes a Billboard #1 hit and reconstructs the careers of Simon & Garfunkle.

My question: how do they speed up a recording without it sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks?

But it can be done—and that’s how a hit is made.

The take aways:

a.)  …over a few month period… notice it doesn’t say, after a full night of chatting it up with his peeps in some smoky bodega sucking on a hooka and discussing poetry, Simon quick-jotted up a ditty, called it good and went out to perform it for the masses…If this is what you think constitutes finished, laudable “poetry,” and how it comes about, no wonder your material sits in a dusty sock drawer—as well it should.

b.)  …sputtering along…doesn’t say: instant hit.

Because, even after the song was recorded, produced and being offered around for air-play, it was in the building stages. It was still recognized as, needing work.

c.)  …re-cut the record…someone, who knew more than S&G about making a successful record, saw the potential, saw the opportunity to turn a so-so piece into an audience acceptable piece— into a hit.

d.)  …without their knowledge…on a personal level, this really galls me. I cannot relinquish full autonomous control over to someone else (in my case an editor) to re-arrange my work without consultation. Unfortunately, in the (poetry) writing game, there are too few real “editors” around to even be able to offer those suggestions; most being, simply, a person who collects your unfocused, poorly presented, slovenly grammatical works and mindlessly sticks them in, to be printed in a publication—without offering, or requiring suggestions that will make your piece shine—and the publication benefit from those changes. It’s usually, only, an accepted-rejected scenario with some goof listed under the title, “editor.”

Tom Wilson, S&G’s producer, obviously knows his potatoes, and there must have been a contractual agreement somewhere that allowed for this. But it will seldom, if ever, happen in the merry ol' land of poetry.

e.)  …reconstructs the careers…hate to burst your balloon, Iggy. But for “poets” there ain’t no such as a “career,” let alone having anything to “reconstruct”. “Poets” being a generally thin-skinned, egotistically over-burdened lot, under talented and thinking everything that falls from their vacuous little minds is a full-formed, polished gem, have effectively crippled themselves from any sort of, satisfactory achievement (read success). “Poets” willingly, nay—eagerly, search out, ways and places to be published for zero compensation—drooling to see their works, quickly, printed anywhere, in any sub-scum company—have screwed themselves. And now, there are almost no publications that will (or can afford) to pay for verse. Poets’ union? ain’t no such. Programs teaching and improving your writing in a down-to-earth, honestly critiqued manner…Whaa?! Programs that, from an actual success basis, are able to direct your “career” path to the right people, sure. Ha! Real-deal promoters and agents. Nope.

Why? Artists, illustrators, sign painters, “real” writers, trash collectors are all represented in some way that improves their life and work…

“Poets” for some reason, accept, and have relegated themselves to a life of monastic poverty and ridicule. How many fellow “poetry” writers do you know, actually have a written plan, a chart with expectations and results for their—constantly circulating—submittals. How many “poets” are actually open to changing particular works to fit the policies of a particular publication or request of and editor in order for that piece to fit in? How many writers have properly accumulated and prepared manuscripts of works for presentation to proper, paying, publishers—through the expected agent process? and are actually following through?  I’ll bet, not too many. Probably none at all—except the select few “successful” ones. (“Success” being relevant.)

See, there is a point to the Simon & Garfunkle, Sounds of Silence, success story. Are you paying attention…?

Max tdc