I don't feel any pressure from fans. But I'm always in some kind of state of emotional turmoil. I would not describe myself as happy-go-lucky. That's not to say that I'm not happy.
The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that profound wisdom is found in everyday, often overlooked places and experiences.
In this quote by Paul Simon, the 'words of the prophets' symbolize deep truths and insights that are often expressed in ordinary, neglected spaces such as subway walls and tenement halls. The phrase 'whispered in the sounds of silence' implies that these truths are not always loud or obvious; instead, they require quiet reflection and awareness to be heard and understood, encouraging us to find meaning in the mundane and to listen to the unspoken messages around us.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on finding inspiration in everyday life, this quote could illustrate that wisdom can come from unexpected places.
More from Paul Simon
All quotes βI sort of recognize it, as opposed to shaping it. Oh, that's a good idea, that's a good line. I wonder where I can use that. And when you get into a rhyme group like 'not,' you got a lot of rhymes, you got a lot of choices. The more you do it, the luckier you get.
I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told, and I have squandered my resistance, for a pocket full of mumbles, such are promises. All lies in jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest...la-la-la-la-la-la-la-lala-la-la-la-la...
Who's gonna love you when your looks are gone?
I don't believe what the papers are saying They're just out to capture my dime, Exaggerating this, exaggerating that.
Improvisation is too good to leave to chance.
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Public opinion, in its raw state, gushes out in the immemorial form of the mob's fear. It is piped into central factories, and there it is flavoured and colored and put into cans.
A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.
The wisest among my race understand that agitations of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all privileges that will come to us must be the result of severe and constant struggle rather than of artificial forcing.
Everyone has values; even criminal gangs have values. Values govern people's behavior but principles govern the consequences of those behaviors.
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
When a man tells you that he knows the exact truth about anything you are safe in inferring that he is an inexact man.