"The Sound of Silence", originally "The Sounds of Silence", is a song by the American music duo Simon & Garfunkel. The song was written by Paul Simon over a period of several months in 1963 and 1964. A studio audition led to the duo signing a record deal with Columbia Records, and the song was recorded in March 1964 at Columbia Studios in New York City for inclusion on their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.. Originally titled "The Sounds of Silence" on Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., the song was re-titled for later compilations beginning with Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits.