On this day in music history: January 1, 1966 - The Sounds Of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks (non-consecutive). Written by Paul Simon, it is the first chart topping single for the Queens, NY folk/rock duo. Simon will write the song in early 1964, and is originally released on Simon & Garfunkels debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 AM. The acoustic based ballad along with the album will attract little attention on its initial release. Sometime later, a Boston area DJ will begin playing The Sound Of Silence off the album and receives a positive reaction. Word of this will get back to executives at Columbia Records who think the song will be a hit if the song had more instrumentation on it. While in the studio recording Bob Dylans classic Like A Rolling Stone (on June 15, 1965), producer Tom Wilson will ask some of Dylans musicians to stay behind and record one more track. Wilson will overdub electric guitar, bass and drums on to Simon & Garfunkels original multi-track of Silence. Released as a single in September of 1965, Silence will begin making in roads on US radio. Entering the Hot 100 at #80 on November 20, 1965, it will quickly climb to the top of the chart six weeks later. After one week at number one, it will be pushed back to number two for two weeks by The Beatles We Can Work It Out, then regaining the top spot for one more week on January 22, 1966. The song will also be prominently featured in Mike Nichols film The Graduate in 1967, along with several other Simon & Garfunkel songs. The Sounds Of Silence is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.The original Wed Morning version is.Sounds the more popular overdubbed version is Sound.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 01:12:10 +0000
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