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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1964-paul-simon-wrote-a-song-that-would-last-centuries-decades-later-he-thought-he-came-up-with-something-miles-better/
- Published: 2026-11-14T16:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-14T16:23:25+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1964-paul-simon-wrote-a-song-that-would-last-centuries/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Simon rates “Hearts and Bones” above his 1964 hit.
- He thinks “The Sound of Silence” may last 100 years.
- Its simplicity helped it reach a wide audience.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.