The Songs Belong to Everyone

Music is one of the most precious gifts we all share collectively. It moves us in ways that nothing else can. It opens the eyes, broadens the mind and reaches a part of the soul beyond the senses.

Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.
Martin Luther

It moves us.

Last year on November 5th, A Great Big World debuted their music video for “Say Something’ featuring Christina Aguilera. If you haven’t seen it, here it is.

It reminds me of the immortal Billy Joel lyrics from Piano Man, “[I]t’s sad and it’s sweet….’ It’s all about human relationships, which really are the foundation of the human soul. I can think of no greater mind-hell than being truly and utterly alone.

When we lose someone we love, it’s as if a piece of our soul is torn away, leaving behind a deep void. Music somehow expresses this inexpressible emotion better than anything else.

So, music finds its way into our collective conscious. We hear it, we sing it (often loudly and badly in our cars when we think no one is watching). It becomes a part of us, a part of all of us.

Music is everybody’s possession.
John Lennon

Nothing will teach me more about a culture quicker than its music. Even if I don’t understand the words, there is a feeling, an identity that comes from a culture’s musical tradition. It’s the universal language, and it has power.

Music can change the world because it can change people.
Bono

Last October, ARTISTdirect did an interview with A Great Big World, wherein they discussed the relationship between people and music. Especially when discussing “Say Something’, they found the song had touched people in many different ways, sometimes quite differently than they would have thought.

The songs belong to everybody. They come from this universal place, and we’re just filters for the music and messages. It’s really incredible. That’s what it’s all about.
Ian Axel

So, let’s look at another rendition of the song, just released by the PS22 Chorus.

Yes. The music, the songs do belong to all of us.

Go hug someone you love.