Most of us wish to be younger. Age grows tiresome for us all. However, sometimes, I wish I was actually 20 years older and can remember a time when love and romance not only meant something, to both men and women, but was completely embraced and respected. When I think of the 60's and the kind of music to come out of that decade, from the Girl groups to the Beatles, the predominant themes were all about love and falling in love. Today...it's still about love, but on the wrong side of it, breaks up and heartbreaks.
Go back and listen to the golden era of the 60's where Jackie DeShannon's "When You Walk in the Room", or The Crystals "Then He Kissed Me", and The Chiffons "He's so Fine"...and even the The Beatles break out American hit "I Wanna' Hold Your Hand" were musical staples. This music was uplifting, positive and yearning.
So what happened to music? What happened to us?
Unrequited Love. Disappointment. Disillusionment.
By the 70's, gone was the optimism, romantic ideals and free love so prevalent in the 60's. The Vietnam War, and then the Woman's Liberation Movement changed forever how men and women felt and interacted with one another.
70's songs like The Eagles "Desperado", Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" and Tom Petty's "Don't Do Me Like That" gave way to the likes of Sheryl Crow's "Are you strong enough to be my man?" signaling a change of the heart on both sides. And today, singer songwriters like Taylor Swift and John Mayer continue to write about lost love and hard feelings.
It's no wonder more and more people are so unhappy with the world and with each other. The marriage rate is down. Divorce is up. I personally know so many couples completely miserable with each other. And for those still single? They've thrown in the towel long ago. Where has all the hope gone? The dreams? The romance?
In 1975, Bruce wanted to know if love was real. Today, I wonder if it still exists.
