Silence is golden at times, and with it comes the opportunity to self-reflect if life isn’t turning out the way it ought to. Silence offers daydreaming as there’s nothing as magical as a self-created world with everything falling in place.
With various music having some different beat, most are seemingly loud and turn down that inner voice that needs to be awakened at times. The message in songs about silence is clear, and it’s easy to give them recognition and appreciate what they offer. Here are the best songs about silence to listen to.
“Hush” – Deep Purple
“Hush” by Deep Purple is a heartbreaking love song under the pop-rock genre. First released in July 1968, the narrator longs for his love who has broken his heart.
Still stuck in his mind, he considers her the most beautiful person and the best partner ever had. He daydreams about her, the silence making him think she’s calling his name, and he can’t do anything but wait for her love.
“3 Enjoy the Silence” – Susanna & the Magical Orchestra
Sometimes silence is needed as some words cut deeper than a knife. The song “3 Enjoy The Silence” is about loving the silence as words hurt.
The pain pierces through the narrator, and it’s best to stay quiet as words have not made their partner understand them. It goes on to portray that silence makes words unnecessary, and with intense feelings, all that is needed is loved ones in their arms.
“I Better Be Quiet Now” – Elliott Smith
The silence that comes with regret can last a lifetime, especially if it’s about a missed opportunity. In “I Better Be Quiet Now,” Elliot Smith sings about a protagonist who fails to get the number of the one they fancy. The loneliness is creeping in.
The regret comes with the long stretches of silence, and it’s better to stay silent as they wasted the opportunity to talk and get to know more. It has become tiring, and they feel as if they are wasting their breathe as they still have a long way to go.
“Silent Shout” – The Knife
“Silent Shout” is a song about being vulnerable. It’s a masterpiece that enters the dream world of a man afraid of being seen as inferior to what society expects them to be.
As they grow older with a partner at arm’s length, the fragility of their situation in life becomes apparent, and they wish for the chance to speak their mind.
However, when they try, all that happens is a mumbling, thus failing to tell those close how meaningful they are to them and what matters in their lives and can only crack a smile.
“The Quiet One” – WHO
British rock band WHO is responsible for this song about silence. It was first released in the 1960s, and it’s about the dark side of silence.
It warns of quiet people as it’s not them who are not talking but their companions who are not listening. Eventually, they have nothing to say as it still will not be taken into consideration.
“The Sound of Silence” – Disturbed
The pop folk song “The Sound of Silence” first release was in 1864. The classical song is about offering comfort to those having a drastic change in their life.
It highlights the inability of friends and family to communicate adequately with their loved ones even though unintentionally, it leaves those needing the emotional support feeling empty which leads to people failing to love each other.
However, when listening to the song, note that the lyrics are darker than most but the message is clear.
“Our Lips are Sealed” – The Go- Go’s
Released in 1981, “Our Lips are Sealed” is a pop genre song about keeping silent even when provoked and having a reason for retaliation.
With no secrets to reveal, they choose the high road and keep their silence, looking through them, waiting for the day they finally disappear without shedding a tear.
“A Quiet Place” – Garnet Mimms
“A Quiet Place” is one of the most relatable songs about the need for silence. Living among people has its peaks. However, when they get a little too noisy, the familiarity is unwelcome.
The only solution is looking for a way out of a place that can offer peace, even monetarily, to rest.
“In a Silent Way/ It’s About That Time” – Miles Davis
“It’s About That Time” is a jazz music piece by Miles Davis. Miles aligned the track with rock and space music to make a perfect silent song.
“In a silent way” is an excellent song for fans looking to have some beautiful background songs without the need for wordiness, as it makes for a peaceful, tranquil environment.
“Lazy Calm” – Cocteau Twins
The Cocteau Twins in “Lazy Calm” show just how fragile life can be. It speaks on mortality and death, and the silence loved ones feel when they seek to continue talking but are left with their voice echoing on the walls.
It encourages the creation of relationship bonds and making the most of it before the other party cannot hear the words anymore.
“Silence Kid” – Pavement
The song begins with a simple guitar and piano piece that sets the tone. It talks about the power of silence.
The lyrics are about how the singer’s mind is filled with thoughts, trying to come up with the perfect words to explain their feelings. By finally saying what they needed to say in a soft voice, they had suddenly found peace.
“Quiet on tha Set” – N.W.A
N.W.A released quiet on tha Set in 1988 from the album Straight Outta Compton . It is about the loneliness that comes with being a celebrity.
Even though the rapper is surrounded by people all of the time, he feels very isolated. The constant pressures of fame cause him to feel like a quiet man in a loud world.
“Nowhere Man” – The Beatles
The hit song talks about the stress of life and how all of it can be avoided by just letting go and being silent while you are in the now.
The narrator is always thinking about his future, past, or any other time he has ever been through.
“Phantom Limb” – The Shins
It was written in response to the lead singer’s experience of losing his left arm in a motorcycle accident. He had a hard time accepting his new life.
It is about the idea that if you can’t communicate with someone due to the pressures of life, then you will lose all that you have with them—pretty deep stuff for a song that uses such a soothing soft chorus and rhythm.
“Awooga” – Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris sings about his struggle with insomnia and his desire to sleep at night.
The constant thoughts in his head keep him up to a point where he can’t even tell what’s real and what’s not anymore. The only thing he is sure about is the fact that he wants to shut down and go to sleep.
“Two of Us” – Lake Street Dive
Lake Street Dive’s “Two of Us” which is an incredibly catchy song that will have you dancing along at home or belting it out at karaoke night. The song is about the separation between the singer and their significant other.
They want to be together with them, but it is impossible because they are always busy with things. This causes them to start questioning whether or not they even matter in the other person’s life anymore and if there is any point in continuing to try and make it work.
“Silence in Your Head” – The String Cheese Incident
There are various songs which talk about the pressures that come with fame and this is the best one yet.
The narrator compares the loneliness of being in a crowded room to the loneliness of being utterly alone in their head. The constant socializing and need for acknowledgment can be so overwhelming that it causes them to become extremely introverted.
Born and raised in Austin, David is a dedicated writer and avid fragrance lover. When he's not trying out perfumes, he enjoys traveling and exploring new restaurants.