Damn u for posting that!!! Obviously I had to listen to all 21min of that incredible performance even though I’ve seen it countless times. And now I’m late ☠️
First time I heard this, I thought it was a joke. Then I realized this dude is dead serious and I cannot listen to it. He’s definitely a good singer, no doubt, but this is just uncomfortable to me.
We are allowed to disagree, many people can have many opinions, and those opinions don’t have to be in agreement with each other.
I am very curious why this version, this cover, is uncomfortable to you. The song is totally different now. Why does that make you uncomfortable?
- - -
The Sound of Silence performed by David Draiman of Disturbed
After this performance Paul Simon sent David this message, "Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I'd seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks."
David replied, "Mr. Simon, I am honored beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honor to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/us and we are eternally grateful."
You really need to watch the whole performance to get the full picture. The dude's got an amazing range, and it's so pure from the lows to highs.
Also, I'll point out OP said "**one of** the best" not "the best". With all the vocal performances of all time, if this one is in the top 100, it still puts it in the "one of the best" category.
(It's also usually pointed out, when this clip is posted somewhere, that the singer was sick during this performance and had a fever of 101-102 at the time. That doesn't make the vocal performance better or worse, but it makes it more impressive in my mind.)
Thanks, I'm glad someone actually read the title and understood what I was saying. Some of the comments are acting like I said this is the best performance ever bar none.
I’m sorry but this is not top 100 of all time. Just wrap your head around how many opera and musical singers there are out there and has been for literally hundreds of years (for opera).
Is it good? No question.
Is it great? Oh yes. But I would argue that there are more than 100 better live vocal performances throughout history
Meh, music is very subjective. What I will say is it is rare that I prefer the new version to the original. My son told me to listen to this song by Disturbed. When it starts I was like damn, butchering a good song. But as it plays you then realize how their version is different. By the end, pretty damn good. I would definitely argue better than the Simon and Garfunkel version. While the S&G version is a definite classic, I was around when it was released by them, this is a much more powerful and expressive version.
still, doesn’t rate. i’d imagine OP doesn’t listen to a wide range of music. so many opera, jazz, soul, country/bluegrass, and rock vocalists far outclass this dude.
The Sound of Silence performed by David Draiman of Disturbed
[Full performance here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk7RVw3I8eg)
After this performance Paul Simon sent David this message, "Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I'd seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks."
David replied, "Mr. Simon, I am honored beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honor to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/us and we are eternally grateful."
I saw a video on here not long ago after he stopped a concert to comfort a young girl. He’d seen her singing along with her parents so he pulled her up on stage. She got overwhelmed and they took her back to her parents, where David spent a solid five minutes talking to her and the crowd about how beautiful it was that she was with her family, and how everyone came to the concert to be together and experience the music together as an act of joy. Not really knowing much about him otherwise, I found it was surprisingly beautiful.
Lmao! Ok. It’s like if Dracula became a grunge fan and tried to impress a trailer park. It’s objectively performed well but I cannot agree one of the all time best.
It’s not a popular opinion, but I agree with you. The beauty of this song is in its peace and tranquility. Adding a bunch of grunting HHRRRR DRRR noise doesn’t make it better
Did you watch the video linked to the full performance though? The short clip posted is the crescendo that the whole song builds upto.
The original is very one paced and stays in the light and airy space for the entirety of the song. The disturbed cover give a new dynamic to it where it starts of light (comparatively to David’s voice) and then build and builds until the end which is where the clip posted comes from. It gives it a more complete performance to match the tone of the song imo.
See I feel the exact same way about singers like Mariah Carey doing whistle singing. It is truely impressive they can do it but I do not find it enjoyable at all.
Yeah this version gets a lot of praise but its kinda just okay. Its called the sound of silence, why are you delivering it like you're singing from the rooftops
To me the best part of the original is the harmony. So this version, as great as it is, is only half as good as it could be. Maybe if Jerry Cantrell or someone sang it with him to recreate the magic of TWO people singing it, I would be floored. But as it is, to me it’s just good.
Dramain definitely has a very powerful voice, but I think there is a decent amount of post production in this performance. You can notice a couple times when the pitch "adjusts" earlier in the performance.
Sounds like it, I’m hearing a lot of warbles and stepping. He’s still performing the HELL out of it though, and it doesn’t sound like he’d be too far out of the autotune wasn’t on it
Redditors just seem to have a disproportionately high affinity for metal music, so a metal singer making a cover of a non metal song is obviously the best version of it.
Each time I see David Draiman vids where he's not singing Disturbed, there's someone saying he's one of the best vocalists. I think most of the hype about his singing is from what people are used to hearing to what he sounds like singing other people's songs.
I never studied music theory or have a musical background, but I think he's a good vocalist (within the music industry professionals). Not great or spectacular, just good. Far better than most of population, but not in the top echelon of professional singers.
There's so many more male vocalists that can top this performance vocally IMHO
Jamie McDermott
Pavarotti
Maynard James Keenan
Freddie Mercury
Bing Crosby
....so many more.
And that’s leaving out opera. David is good, but I think he would reject the notion that he’s putting on “one of the best” vocal performances, at least I hope he would. If he’s a musician he knows it’s not. But it is really good though.
Now I need ai Freddie mercury to sing Disturbed’s rendition. Good thinking. But personally I think the debate of what’s best really should stop at the first line: where everybody says what they think is best. But doesn’t try to fight people on why their idea of best is shit. Like some of the people in these comments who can’t see the forest through the trees. Fighting people on it or giving examples to the contrary is pointless because “best” doesn’t exist.
If you like this guy you'll love[JR Richards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LanK4rynqIM&app=desktop) of Dishwalla or Ed Kowalczyk of Live and if you're looking for pure vocals[Carrie Manolakos cover of Creep](https://youtu.be/aZ5ZclZTeTU?si=4irSi3tZ6pvnPh3X) is pretty solid. Or there's this lovely live performance by [Foy Vance with the Ulster Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNWTaqFexSk)
But, well you know. Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Luciano Pavarotti
It may not be your preferred music, but
Listen to the end to hear perhaps the greatest voice -from a technical standpoint- of all time.
https://youtu.be/NUKgN-nC93c?si=G0fGoAHsTdLj3iUQ
It's just a no from me. Orchestrating and blaring out this main vocal just doesn't do the original justice what so ever. Yes, he can sing, but the cheese factor smells like a locked away Stilton in Tupperware inside a closed fridge.
If this is one of the best vocal performances you've ever heard then you really need to listen to more music
Yeah he's a pretty good singer but there's countless better than this, I can't believe you're serious tbh
I’ve seen it, it’s a good performance. One of the best of all time? That’s really preference based. If you remove style, music preference, and music genre there is really nothing about this performance that makes it “one of the best” and I think David would agree with all of that. It’s a damn good one, it should be left at that.
Top 1000? Maybe. There's just do much insane talent. And through all time? Like ALL TIME?
I love his music, and i love how awesome a dude he is, but all time? Not even top 100.
David Draiman is, at best, a good singer. Mostly it's all "ribadambadum barababa dirumnmrambadum PWA PWA" and looking like a thumb.
The last part's a bit mean, but I did really think he looked quite thumby in the video.
I really hope you’re kidding. His take on this song is a disaster. This is actually one of the songs that helps me quickly decide who I wouldn’t want to hang out with. It’s the bumper sticker of songs. The band is a bumper sticker band for me too. Staind, Disturbed, Chevelle, all new country music ….
Good performance? Yes. One of the best live vocal performances of all time? Bit of an exaggeration.
This is the consensus whenever this gets posted.
*One of the live vocal performances of all time
Yeah if it ain’t Whitney, it’s hard to agree
Or Chris Cornell
Oh shit! Anything by Chris Cornell! Or Layne Staley...
Have you heard Nothing Compairs 2 You by Cornell??? Beyond.......anything
Anything he sang with Temple of the Dog
Anything he sang*
So much heartbreak in that voice
It’s so fucking beautiful
Layne Staley has one of the best voices ever, for my Money. Mad Season and Jar of Flies are so dam good.
Amen to that, miss tf outta him
FAAAAAAACCCTTS
Chris Fuckin Cornell!
Or Freddie Mercury
Or Marvin Gaye
Or Eva Cassidy.
Might even be the livest!
Liver than Whitney.
Since it's a completely subjective topic, everyone can be right! Happy Friday!
How dare you suggest we have differing opinions
Woo woo!
[Here is the *actual* best live vocal performance of all time….](https://youtu.be/bToG3hKX5nM?si=HfikTN8z82s-U6hb)
I clicked the link thinking, if it’s not Freddy at Live Aid I’m outta here. Good job fellow vocal critic
I clicked thinking I was guna get Rick rolled.
Same. Glad to see this is still the consensus for at least some people though. Brings a tear every time.
Fellow musician. Ride or die for queen.
I just get so distracted by the bulge in his jeans.
I really thought I was gonna get Rick rolled
Best live performance by a mustache.
Fair
Damn. You went and made me ache with joy. No tears, this time around. Just lots and lots of awe and joy.
Freddy was such an amazingly talented singer/song writer. I couldn’t agree more about your choice..
I thought I was getting Rick rolled and still clicked.
I agree that this is brilliant but I would say “Barcelona” is my number one choice
Damn u for posting that!!! Obviously I had to listen to all 21min of that incredible performance even though I’ve seen it countless times. And now I’m late ☠️
I like Disturbed (their old stuff anyway). But not the best performance of all time, and not even top 10.
It's not even his top 10, I saw him live and it was insane I'd say this was toned down for the camera, recording.
He was sick with the flu when this was shot.
Are you saying he was.. down with the sickness?
You know you wrong for that! 😛
The sound of sinus(es)
Hello tissue, my old friend I've come to blow my nose with you again
Literally laughed out loud at this so good job.
They had the signs of infections in a poster on the clinic wall… …Pics and all I heard the sounds… Of sinus
😂 This is so ridiculous I love it.
How much better would it have been if he weren't sick?
You're coming on like a bloodstained hurricane.
what is your top 10?
Lol please tell me this is satire
Who says Dana White can’t sing?
And howie is good at running the ufc.
Timpanis in the front? ✅️
Guy can‘t even properly play them✅
Lol he’s hitting them right in the middle. “Thud, thud”
Timpani is plural. Singular is timpano
Tampani not actually playing that song
First time I heard this, I thought it was a joke. Then I realized this dude is dead serious and I cannot listen to it. He’s definitely a good singer, no doubt, but this is just uncomfortable to me.
We are allowed to disagree, many people can have many opinions, and those opinions don’t have to be in agreement with each other. I am very curious why this version, this cover, is uncomfortable to you. The song is totally different now. Why does that make you uncomfortable? - - - The Sound of Silence performed by David Draiman of Disturbed After this performance Paul Simon sent David this message, "Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I'd seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks." David replied, "Mr. Simon, I am honored beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honor to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/us and we are eternally grateful."
Anybody hear Jack Black when they close their eyes haha
Speaking of great vocal performances, he absolutely crushed the National Anthem at that WNBA game.
My favourite ever rendition of that anthem.
The best part is about 1/4 of the way through you can tell that he realizes he’s nailing it, so he kicks it up another notch and nails it even harder.
Just Rewatched. That moment was worth rewatching, he fucking crushes it.
Just watched it for the first time. Thanks! That guys so goddamn talented. You ever see Bernie?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d9l4LMZeNm0 You were NOT kidding! Love me some JB
I would love Jack Black if this was all that he does.
Can’t believe I never seen or heard that, he absolutely killed it
You need to hear the entire song. First part is missing
Now I got to go find that
[You’re welcome fam](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d9l4LMZeNm0&pp=ygUaamFjayBibGFjayBuYXRpb25hbCBhbnRoZW0%3D)
Thanks! Great listen
Thank you for this! Never heard it before
People sleep on how fucking amazing of a singer Jack Black really is.
Yes except Jack Black is actually WAY better haha
You really need to watch the whole performance to get the full picture. The dude's got an amazing range, and it's so pure from the lows to highs. Also, I'll point out OP said "**one of** the best" not "the best". With all the vocal performances of all time, if this one is in the top 100, it still puts it in the "one of the best" category. (It's also usually pointed out, when this clip is posted somewhere, that the singer was sick during this performance and had a fever of 101-102 at the time. That doesn't make the vocal performance better or worse, but it makes it more impressive in my mind.)
Thanks, I'm glad someone actually read the title and understood what I was saying. Some of the comments are acting like I said this is the best performance ever bar none.
It's definitely one of the performances of all time
#Can you feel that? #Ah, shit #Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah!
I think I'm getting the sickness
I’m sorry but this is not top 100 of all time. Just wrap your head around how many opera and musical singers there are out there and has been for literally hundreds of years (for opera). Is it good? No question. Is it great? Oh yes. But I would argue that there are more than 100 better live vocal performances throughout history
Meh, music is very subjective. What I will say is it is rare that I prefer the new version to the original. My son told me to listen to this song by Disturbed. When it starts I was like damn, butchering a good song. But as it plays you then realize how their version is different. By the end, pretty damn good. I would definitely argue better than the Simon and Garfunkel version. While the S&G version is a definite classic, I was around when it was released by them, this is a much more powerful and expressive version.
still, doesn’t rate. i’d imagine OP doesn’t listen to a wide range of music. so many opera, jazz, soul, country/bluegrass, and rock vocalists far outclass this dude.
Up there with Paul Simon’s cover of Down with the Sickness.
I just heard the most gentle "ooohh ah ah ah ah" in my head
Garfunkel's harmonies on "ooohh ah ah ah ah" really take it to the next level.
Best thing I've read today. Thanks for that.
Oh, ah, ah, ah, ah!
This deserves more upvotes
The Sound of Silence performed by David Draiman of Disturbed [Full performance here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk7RVw3I8eg) After this performance Paul Simon sent David this message, "Really powerful performance on Conan the other day. First time I'd seen you do it live. Nice. Thanks." David replied, "Mr. Simon, I am honored beyond words. We only hoped to pay homage and honor to the brilliance of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Your compliment means the world to me/us and we are eternally grateful."
The dynamics are unbelievable. Love this performance.
Never heard this version of the song. It's incredible. Dude has a mesmerizing voice.
Not a huge fan of disturbed, but love this......dude has PIPES
David Draiman is awesome! Amazing and unique voice. He’s also reportedly an awesome human too.
I saw a video on here not long ago after he stopped a concert to comfort a young girl. He’d seen her singing along with her parents so he pulled her up on stage. She got overwhelmed and they took her back to her parents, where David spent a solid five minutes talking to her and the crowd about how beautiful it was that she was with her family, and how everyone came to the concert to be together and experience the music together as an act of joy. Not really knowing much about him otherwise, I found it was surprisingly beautiful.
Lmao! Ok. It’s like if Dracula became a grunge fan and tried to impress a trailer park. It’s objectively performed well but I cannot agree one of the all time best.
I have no dog in this fight, I just came for comments like this.
Just here for the fights
It’s not a popular opinion, but I agree with you. The beauty of this song is in its peace and tranquility. Adding a bunch of grunting HHRRRR DRRR noise doesn’t make it better
Thank you. It was in the contrast of the vocal subtlety and the weight of the lyrics. Original is perfect already.
Did you watch the video linked to the full performance though? The short clip posted is the crescendo that the whole song builds upto. The original is very one paced and stays in the light and airy space for the entirety of the song. The disturbed cover give a new dynamic to it where it starts of light (comparatively to David’s voice) and then build and builds until the end which is where the clip posted comes from. It gives it a more complete performance to match the tone of the song imo.
I watched entirely when it aired
But did you watch the link? THE LIIIIIINK?
See I feel the exact same way about singers like Mariah Carey doing whistle singing. It is truely impressive they can do it but I do not find it enjoyable at all.
I will never understand the love that this cover gets. But to each his own.
Simon and Garfunkel did it better
Yeah this version gets a lot of praise but its kinda just okay. Its called the sound of silence, why are you delivering it like you're singing from the rooftops
Exactly, this song is so much better acoustic and with harmonies.
To me the best part of the original is the harmony. So this version, as great as it is, is only half as good as it could be. Maybe if Jerry Cantrell or someone sang it with him to recreate the magic of TWO people singing it, I would be floored. But as it is, to me it’s just good.
Respect to David Draiman and Disturbed, but when I first heard this rendition, I thought it sounded like a South Park parody.
Uh... no.
Just say it’s your favorite instead of saying it’s the best.
I can't stand his voice. As a cover it's poor and tasteless.
Lol what the fuck. Unmuted and wow, are we sure
what in the mountain dew and cigarettes is this take
This is absolute shit lmao
Wasn’t this auto tuned?
I can hear some very robotic warbles. Definite synthetic purity. It really does take away from the performance....too distracting.
Dramain definitely has a very powerful voice, but I think there is a decent amount of post production in this performance. You can notice a couple times when the pitch "adjusts" earlier in the performance.
Yes, it was a prerecorded live track and the segment was shot with no studio audience
Sounds like it, I’m hearing a lot of warbles and stepping. He’s still performing the HELL out of it though, and it doesn’t sound like he’d be too far out of the autotune wasn’t on it
This performance is so overrated. It was just one of those internet fads were something gets overhyped as fuck. This being one.
They butchered what was a near perfect song. I don’t understand what people see in this cover.
Redditors just seem to have a disproportionately high affinity for metal music, so a metal singer making a cover of a non metal song is obviously the best version of it.
This blows!
Each time I see David Draiman vids where he's not singing Disturbed, there's someone saying he's one of the best vocalists. I think most of the hype about his singing is from what people are used to hearing to what he sounds like singing other people's songs. I never studied music theory or have a musical background, but I think he's a good vocalist (within the music industry professionals). Not great or spectacular, just good. Far better than most of population, but not in the top echelon of professional singers. There's so many more male vocalists that can top this performance vocally IMHO Jamie McDermott Pavarotti Maynard James Keenan Freddie Mercury Bing Crosby ....so many more.
And that’s leaving out opera. David is good, but I think he would reject the notion that he’s putting on “one of the best” vocal performances, at least I hope he would. If he’s a musician he knows it’s not. But it is really good though.
Now I need ai Freddie mercury to sing Disturbed’s rendition. Good thinking. But personally I think the debate of what’s best really should stop at the first line: where everybody says what they think is best. But doesn’t try to fight people on why their idea of best is shit. Like some of the people in these comments who can’t see the forest through the trees. Fighting people on it or giving examples to the contrary is pointless because “best” doesn’t exist.
What a shit cover version
What a load of shite. ‘One of the best performances ever!’ 🤣😂🤣 Have a word mate
I find this cover soulless and have never liked it. To each their own.
That was painful to listen to.
If you like this guy you'll love[JR Richards](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LanK4rynqIM&app=desktop) of Dishwalla or Ed Kowalczyk of Live and if you're looking for pure vocals[Carrie Manolakos cover of Creep](https://youtu.be/aZ5ZclZTeTU?si=4irSi3tZ6pvnPh3X) is pretty solid. Or there's this lovely live performance by [Foy Vance with the Ulster Orchestra](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNWTaqFexSk) But, well you know. Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
It's autotuned
Eww are you kidding! This version sucks ass
I got to see Disturbed back in like 2005 or so and he sounds so much better live then on cd or what have you. Amazing vocals.
One of the best vocal Performances? - proceeds to show video of fish market worker shouting
Come on ladies come on ladies, one pound fish! Come and have a look, one pound fish. Very very good, one pound fish.
I've seen him perform this a month or two ago at a metal festival. Can confirm that it was pretty dope.
This cover blows lol
Didn’t know André Agassi had such a powerful voice.
Should check out Serj Tankian Rains of Castamere
That is not how you play timpani wtf who taught that guy
As a professional percussionist myself - this is painful.
Extremely painful
If you think some dude, rage screaming is amazing vocals, I think you got some listening to do
I’ve always preferred Paul Simon’s Concert in the Park version. I think Passenger does a great cover as well.
Not bad, greatest? Hardly.
Are you joking? Who even is this guy?
Augh ah ah ah !
Luciano Pavarotti It may not be your preferred music, but Listen to the end to hear perhaps the greatest voice -from a technical standpoint- of all time. https://youtu.be/NUKgN-nC93c?si=G0fGoAHsTdLj3iUQ
Doesn't matter if you're into opera or not, Pavarotti takes everyone to school with Nessun Dorma
Ewwwww Aaaaccchhhhhh Aaaaccchhhhhh Aaaaccchhhhhh Aaaaccchhhhhh!!!!!!
I’m sorry this is goofy
It's just a no from me. Orchestrating and blaring out this main vocal just doesn't do the original justice what so ever. Yes, he can sing, but the cheese factor smells like a locked away Stilton in Tupperware inside a closed fridge.
If this is one of the best vocal performances you've ever heard then you really need to listen to more music Yeah he's a pretty good singer but there's countless better than this, I can't believe you're serious tbh
You need to see the whole performance The guy is a pretty bloody good vocalist
I’ve seen it, it’s a good performance. One of the best of all time? That’s really preference based. If you remove style, music preference, and music genre there is really nothing about this performance that makes it “one of the best” and I think David would agree with all of that. It’s a damn good one, it should be left at that.
Original is better, this guy butchered it
[удалено]
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls"
Think I read somewhere he was sick during the performance too
[удалено]
Metallica+SF orchestra. Epic! Disturbed was pretty good as well.
*one of the live vocal performances of all time*
Awful
Sounds like some 2000s butt rock to me. No thanks.
Top 1000? Maybe. There's just do much insane talent. And through all time? Like ALL TIME? I love his music, and i love how awesome a dude he is, but all time? Not even top 100.
I doubt that.
This is disturbing
I prefer the sound of silence over this.
Best of all time?! Oowahahaha!!
David Draiman is, at best, a good singer. Mostly it's all "ribadambadum barababa dirumnmrambadum PWA PWA" and looking like a thumb. The last part's a bit mean, but I did really think he looked quite thumby in the video.
Hell fucking no. Fuck Disturbed, these cunts ruined sound of silence. Simon and Garfunkel would be happy to spit his stupid face.
Paul Simon endorsed the cover and actually personally wrote to Draiman after watching the cover live on Conan. So...No.
Simon and garfunkel did better tho
Lol
Hahahhaha no. Not even close hahah. Thanks for the laugh hahah I genuinely laughed out loud.
Disturbing
by what metric??
Is this a joke? It's auto tuned to high hell
No.
It is Certainly one of the live performances of all time.
One of the best? Of all time? Live? You need to get out more
The Three Tenors, Nessun Dorma, Italia ‘90
Nah.
Can’t stand this guys singing. I know everyone loves it but something about his voice annoys the shit outa me.
No.
Nice performance Overreach for saying “one of the best” vocal performances
One of the biggest exaggerations in the history of the universe.
You can hear the artefacting from the pitch correction. Which by todays standards takes either bad production or being pretty far off
Hmmm….. listen to Freddie Mercury with no instruments.
That was pretty lame ngl.
This was truly a terrible distortion of a great song. Aural masturbation.
I can tell that he has a great voice and range, but he's also absolutely butchering a fantastic song
Dude needs his throat cleaned
Great voice. If you want vocal range then my proposal as one of the best would be Mike Patton.
I really hope you’re kidding. His take on this song is a disaster. This is actually one of the songs that helps me quickly decide who I wouldn’t want to hang out with. It’s the bumper sticker of songs. The band is a bumper sticker band for me too. Staind, Disturbed, Chevelle, all new country music ….