songs you keep in the playlist

I was thinking about some of the great lines from songs I love:

"step out the front door like a ghost into the fog, where no one notices the contrast of white on white"

"that's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight, losing my religion"

"hello darkness, my old friend, i've come to talk with you again..."

"I want to run, i want to hide, i want to tear down the walls that hold me inside"

I was thinking about these songs, these lines, and I couldn't help but wonder about what makes these lines, these songs, truly great. These are songs, from artists, that have stood the test of time and influenced countless other artists who have followed.

I know a huge part of their greatness is the musical styling of each song. Instrumentation is so key in making a song the kind that stands the test of time. Great writing is key as well. Knowing how to rhyme and when. Coordinating thoughts and words in allegories, metaphors, or straight-forward lines. I'm sure it also helps to have a singer the caliber of Bono or Paul Simon.

I am certain that all of these and more are very important in creating great music. I think, though, that what truly makes a song a timeless classic, what truly makes a song great is the connection it creates with the listener. Music that connects will stay with us forever. The music that I love, that I connect with, is the music that has the most meaning for me. I have connections to it through everything from specific stretches of road to certain smells, even weather patterns.

I guess that is why I am so excited about the future of music and the small role I play in it. I know that there are great songs being written, produced, and performed everyday. Some of these songs, and the artists who create them, will be coming from Tate Music Group. That is a cool thing to think about. It is pretty cool to think that some of the music that will be tomorrows classics are being created as I type. They will be recorded and played and they will influence countless others, just like the ones before.

Music is a beautiful and powerful thing. I am glad I get to have a part in it.