More than any other element of human society, music ties us to our past. Heard repeatedly on our radio, tape player or digital device, songs are associated with events or individuals from our youth to more recent periods in our life.
Of course, those ties are especially strong when they are associated with emotional events or relationships, whether joyful or pain-inducing. In such cases, the music is an integral part of a memory and the latter is invoked whenever the song is heard.
One might conclude that songwriters are the most powerful individuals in our life, surely exceeding the impact of politicians and business leaders who come and go over the years. The words and melody of a song, especially when closely bound to emotion, will always retain their influence.
