The Sound of Silence was written by Paul Simon and first released by Simon and Garfunkel in 1964, with an electric version becoming a number one hit in 1965. Its opening line later became a standalone meme, shared in edits where someone faces disappointment, loneliness or an awkward defeat. The clip regained attention through endless reaction videos and a popular later cover kept the song in circulation, but the original harmony remains the version most associated with the deadpan, somber joke online today.