When John Lennon first penned “Imagine” on a napkin, he probably had no idea of the profound effect it would have on an entire generation. Drawn in by the lyrics of peace, love and fraternity, almost anyone who heard Lennon’s song could feel hope in the world. Though Lennon’s life was tragically extinguished, his message still burns bright to this day. The passion and heart with which he filled his songs would influence many people.
One hundred and seventy years prior to Lennon’s groundbreaking song, Ludwig von Beethoven composed his Piano Sonata No. 14, Op. 27 #2, commonly known as “Moonlight Sonata.” This extremely powerful composition has been played an uncountable number of times. It ties back to Lennon’s “Imagine” in that Beethoven would not have believed a soul that might have told him that his sonata would continue to be adored to this day
This fan-like following of songs and artists extends beyond the realms of classical and rock music. All genres from R&B to jazz to hip-hop to contemporary pop have touched one soul or another. Be it the teary-eyed patron listening to Mozart or a struggling person who finds solace and hope in the upbeat rhythms of Duke Ellington’s jazz, each of us holds songs in our heart.
We all have different choices in song genre; it’s what makes us human.
Although we may disagree with our friend’s choice of music, our music is special to us in some way.
Sure, there are plenty of songs on our iPods that we have not listened to in over a year, but at one point, those songs made us happy, gave us hope, reminded us of times past, and filled us with numerous other emotions.
It is strange to think that at one time, in its most basic sense, music was nothing more than merely grunts and stick banging. But even then, just like now, that “music” was a form of expression, and everyone had their own tastes.
In a deeper sense, though we may differ in our musical likings, we hear the same message from the songs we listen to, even if those songs are at opposite ends of the musical spectrum. The music we trust can say what we are too afraid to say or help us understand the world when everything seems mismatched and disjointed.
If we look closely, do “Beth” by Kiss, “Something” by the Beatles, and “I Miss You” by Incubus not all say the same thing? They all convey the emotions of missing someone. The music stretches across three eras, but encompass the same basic emotions of loss and love.
So whatever your music style may be, crank up the dial and love every second of it, because when music ceases to play, the world will lose much of its power of expression.
Andrew Fath can be reached at
