Music is all about the Passion, the Emotion. If you make a song and you want it to sell you have to have it performed by a member of the beautiful crowd, or the hideously outrageous. The money is in the Visual, the presentation, ‘The Prestige’ if you will.

But unless there is Passion it is just another commercial product. Something no better then you would find on the shelves at Walmart and K-mart. Add Passion and ‘WaLa’ it becomes a timeless piece of art. If you want to know how I think then think this: Music doesn’t have to be sappy sweet, in fact if that is what it is driving the bus it is a short yellow bus and best left on the shelf or in the garage. How’s that for mixing metaphors?

OK here is a favorite of mine. If you have ever been in love you have to hurt for Gordon when he says,
“I would be happy just to hold the hands I love… and to be once again with you.’” It is clear he doesn’t care if he makes one dime off of this song - After the mold of Bach, Michelangelo, or Edgar Allan Poe. If you do it for the money you just can’t generate the intense feeling in your work. Perhaps it is all in my head but when he says “If I could only have you near.” I can hear it in his voice that he is singing about someone whom he misses with his whole being. It creates a visual of him pining away, as the Monty Python boys would say. And as you listen to it, if you don’t remember a past love then I feel sorry for you.

This is not to say that there isn't emotion and passion in AC/DC or Crazy train by Ozzy. and I am just fine with you listening to Country or Greenday but it ain't going to stand the test of time. Little Stevie mentioned how 40 years ago there was a big movie that came out every few months. Now days there is a couple a week, how many of them slip through the cracks and we never hear of them let alone see them. The same is true of music. there is way to much music out there for every lame kid with a mic and no talent to.... well things have taken a turn that I didn't expect and I don't know where it is going... I can hardly wait to hear what I will say next.

Ok here are the lyrics:

The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The snow is softly fallin'
The air is still within the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly callin'

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon the page
The words of love you sent me

If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you

The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are liftin'
The mornin' light steals across my windowpane
Where webs of snow are driftin'

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
And to be once again with with you
To be once again with with you

post a comment - who has emotion in their music?
Sarah McLachlan?
Randy Newman?
the lady who sang 'Think of me' from Phantom?