Close your eyes and soak in this extraordinary cover of “The Sound of Silence” by The Ghost of Johnny Cash! 

This astounding recording isn’t one created by hi-tech computer tricks, piecing together Johnny Cash’s words and phrases posthumously. The word “ghost” is not meant to trick or mislead, but you may have to suspend belief as you listen to the cover—recorded not by Johnny Cash, but by an individual named David Radcliffe who goes by the moniker Ghost of Johnny Cash!

“The Sound of Silence” in this video is starkly different from the first two versions that were recorded by Simon & Garfunkel in 1964 and in 1965 with low-tech computer tricks. More on that in a bit. While their voices, to an amateur ear, sound tenor-esque, this voice is low, low, low! This version is slow, and the one we all recognize from way back when has a faster tempo. So, there is no confusing this solemn and impactful rendition from the more upbeat and artsy one.

On the other hand, the voice here sounds exactly like Mr. Johnny Cash, also known as The Outlaw or The Lone Ranger of Country Music. Instead, the artist is Mr. David Radcliffe, and he sings the song as about ten mostly black-and-white photos of Johnny appear. 

Viewers praise both the talent of Johnny Cash and the voice of David, noting in comments that this is exactly how one would expect Johnny Cash to do the song! They use the following words to describe the cover: authenticity, haunting, chills, goosebumps, reincarnation, hooked, masterpiece, and more. Truly, the performance is all of those things!

The original recording of “The Sound of Silence” was an acoustic version, and it did not perform well. But, without alerting the recording artists, Producer Tom Wilson overdubbed the original with electric instruments and drums. That one became a hit! And, aren’t we lucky that it did. Had it not become so well known and loved nearly 6 decades ago, David might not have seen a need to record it now as The Man in Black!            

“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke 12:7