In 1964, Paul Simon wrote a song that would last centuries. Decades later, he thought he came up with something miles “better”

Paul Simon said he considers “Hearts and Bones” a better song than “The Sound of Silence”, the 1964 hit that made him widely known. His comparison reflects how his songwriting grew more complex over time, even as he recognised that his earlier, simpler song had a broader cultural reach.

Simon wrote “The Sound of Silence” in his early twenties and believes it could endure for 100 years. He said “Hearts and Bones” is more layered, but that complexity can draw a smaller, more devoted audience; the older song’s popularity has carried it into many settings, including a performance by a Native American flute player he found on YouTube.