Mix Tape of the Day: January 25, 2015 - The Silence is Deafening

You can make a song about anything.  Music can capture the spirit of whatever topic you want.  But can you make music about silence?  Today's mix is all about that seeming contradiction.

1. The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel (1964) A common theme of these songs is that silence actually does carry a sound.  It just that it's the sounds we commonly ignore.  I began with this classic, because, thanks to The Graduate, it just fills me with existential dread, as silence is wont to do.

2. No Surprises - Radiohead (1997) Other artists interpret "silence" as meaning calm peace.  Here, the singer longs for a quiet life, and end to the madness.

3. Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode (1990) Similarly, Depeche Mode promotes the idea that in speaking, we create more problems than we solve.  So, it's best to just stop talking.

4. Silence - Delerium ft. Sarah McLaughlin (1999) Apparently, everyone who went clubbing in 2000 fell in love with this song.  I just find it funny that the original song, which was slow and peaceful (fitting for a song about silence) became heavily remixed multiple times into poppy upbeat dance numbers.

5. Silence is Easy - Starsailor (2003) Sometimes, you just don't want to talk.  It's that easy.

6. Silence is Golden - The Tremeoles (1967) Here is a time when silence can do more harm than good.  The singer watches as his love gets treated badly by her current partner, and he decides to remain silent since she'd never listen to him.  And they both suffer.

7. Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Go's (1981) Of course, the only way to fight hurtful gossip is with silence.

8. Hush - Deep Purple (1988) Sometimes, you just want other people to be silent so that you can hear what matters to you.  Na na na na na na na na na na.

9. Silent Lucidity - Queensrÿche (1990) Only through silence, can you discover a zen-like state of lucidity and imagination.

10. The Silence - Alexandra Burke (2009) Or you can use silence as a weapon.

11. When I Go Deaf - Low (2005) Here, the singer looks forward to going deaf, because then there will be peace and will no longer have to fight and argue.  It starts as a quiet acoustic piece before descending into deafening hard rock to really seal the deal.  And after this, you'll think you've gone deaf.

12. 4'33'' - John Cage (1952) Did it really take so long in human history for someone to record the purest song about silence in existence?  Really listen to this one the whole way through to get the full effect.

13. Paint the Silence - South (2001) After all that silence, it's time to make some noise.  Thanks to The O.C., I would put this song on many personal mixes.  It may be a bit depressing, as it's trying to get somebody out of a dark place by "painting the silence."  This is actively trying to avoid silence, which is sometimes just what you need.