Music, Coming of Age, Changing Perspectives

Tell me honestly: When you were 15 years old what song expressed your experience at that moment? 

What do you remember? 

Where you were? 

Who you were with? 

What you were feeling? 

Has your opinion of the song changed?

➡️ I’m going to date myself now. I was 15 years old in 1969. These were some of the most popular songs:

1. "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies
2. "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension
3. "Honky Tonk Women" by The Rolling Stones
4. "Everyday People" by Sly & the Family Stone
5. "Dizzy" by Tommy Roe
6. "Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly & the Family Stone
7. "I Can't Get Next to You" by The Temptations
8. "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
9. "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
10. "Get Back" by The Beatles

I know every song on this list… and they bring back vivid memories of a confused young 15 year old desperately trying to figure out who I was. Thank God I had music to escape into… it could have been much much worse than it actually was.

1969 America was in a period of messy and violent transition. I was a child of my times - looking for clarity amidst the confusion. 

➡️ The parallels to today are unmistakable. 

 Then we had riots, Cities burned. The National Guard was deployed to maintain law and order. People died. 

Today we have to endure the trauma and torment of children/teachers and staff being killed for nothing more than going to school. 

Then we had the youth protesting the war - a generation gap. 

Today we have youth protesting lax gun laws.

Generation Gap. Protests. Inequality. Injustice.

The more things change the more they stay the same. 

Or do they?

➡️ It has been said that art (a photo, a painting, a song) captures a single moment in time. 

 As a child of the 60’s I lived through the cultural change those songs signified.

Now ask yourself: 

Do the songs you listened to as a teenage help you define who you aspired to be in life? 

Do you still identify with the values of the music you listened to? 

Or not?

If you listen to music, if you have looked to music to help you make sense of your world the music, your youth and the music you listened to become inextricably intertwined. Without question the music becomes an identification of who you are, where you came from, your values, tastes etc. Moreover, the music of your youth is a snapshot of the times, your identity at the time and who you aspired to be at that moment in your life.

The more things change the more they stay the same. 

Or do they?

Today’s musical example is a song written by a 23 year old singer/songwriter sung by a 67 year old lady.

Did her life turn out the way you envisioned? Is there regret imbued into her latter performance? 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cBf0olE9Yc

What does the music of your youth mean to you today?

The incredible thing about music is that no matter how old you are or what genre you prefer, you will still be able to use music to help you identify your path forward; inspire you to become the person you aspire to be.