…but my eyes still see” sang Brian Poole and the Tremeloes back in 1967. It’s doubtful that they were alluding to resistance movements all over the world bearing witness to the crimes that empires commit in the name of national self-interest given the theme of the song is more about a lover’s betrayal, but the allure of silence fascinates many other musicians.
Simona and Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence”, Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” and “Deafening Silence” by Machine Head would all be perfectly acceptable additions to a playlist which might be constructed before tomorrow, Monday 19 September.
Daniel Barenboim the conductor went several steps further:
In the beginning, there was silence. And out of the silence came the sound…. There are many types of silence. There is a silence before the note, there is a silence at the end and there is a silence in the middle. This whole Prelude to Tristan und Isolde, the whole beginning of the prelude, is built on the use of silence as a means of expression.
And that, as they say, is enough for today.
On the other hand, to add one final lyric from the McCartney stable:
Her Majesty’s s a pretty nice girl
But she doesn’t have a lot to say
Her Majesty’s s a pretty nice girl
But she changes from day to day
I wanna tell her that I love her a lot
But I gotta get a belly full of wine
Her Majesty’s a pretty nice girl
Someday I’m gonna make her mine, oh yeah
Someday I’m gonna make her mine.
This blog is contributing to The Mighty (Un)Mute, a campaign aiming to raise £5,000 to support the artistic creation for one of ten Globe Sculptures in The World Reimagined art trail across Leicester. The purpose? To recognise and honour those most impacted by the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans through the centuries to the present day.
The TMC staff team are going to support the campaign by taking part in the Mighty (UN)Mute, a day-long vow of silence, on the 5th October. If you want to join us on the day and take a vow of silence, then please check out the campaign here.
Of if the thought of donating your silence for 24 hours is really too much, then you can donate your hard-earned disposable income here.
Or if neither of these is possible (and heaven knows we’re all in tough financial times right now), then anything you can do to share and shout about the campaign would be equally welcome and appreciated.
So… come and help me to shut up, once and for all. You know you want to.
Dr Nick Owen MBE PLUS 