In awe and surprise I give you all a rare version of a classic sixties folk rock gem, featuring Paul Simon and Bob Dylan. It was said in the title that Joan Baez was supposed to be in there but sadly, she wasn’t included. The gem to speak of is “The Sound of Silence.” Right away, the key is a fifth lower than the original, perhaps to accompany both Simon’s and Dylan’s baritone voices. The track is complete with acoustic and electric guitars played by Simon and Dylan respectfully and a harmonica solo in the brief solo passage that the two decide to take. The minute the harmonica comes on the scene, courtesy of Bob Dylan, the audience erupts!
As far as to ask when the performance took place, so far, I am not sure. The Youtube video that I reference was uploaded in Fall of 2013. It was a fabulous performance with a full band alongside the guitars. The version is certainly different from the originals or the Disturbed cover version. The vocals are scratchy and kind of gruff, but all the more interesting a find for a music lover, especially of music of this particular time period. Reliving the music of the past is so great and interesting to pull off. Dylan actually did lower harmonies than Simon in this particular clip. There are some pretty good harmonious moments where both are joining quite nicely. If there was any complaint, maybe the electric guitar was too big in this particular recording. The fine acoustic guitar was overshadowed. That may just be the mix however. I do remember that Paul Simon and Bob Dylan doing a concert or a tour called the Paul-Bob tour in 1999. What’s to bet that the version of “Sound of Silence” is from that tour or concert. Either way, it’s fabulous.
