We all have them, songs that seem to touch a secret place in your soul – sometimes secret even from you. They can grow and occasionally fester like an open wound, or they can fill you up, inspire you and occasionally even heal you. Sometimes they don't even reflect your musical tastes. They can be shameful secrets that you keep from family and friends. You feel like a drug addict craving your next fix. At times like those you thank the powers that be for MP3 players - the syringe of those suffering with this affliction. This is a special two-part Valentine’s Day instalment of Songs that Touch My Soul.
Valentine’s Day probably originated with the 14th century English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (author of the very first work of fiction in English The Canterbury Tales) who romanticised in poetry the legend surrounding several early (Roman times) Christian martyrs, all named Valentine, to fit in with the Medieval court’s fashion for romantic love.
So romantic love is certainly the basis and the reason for Valentine’s Day – well, that and the card and chocolate industry need the yearly boost – but I can’t help but think that romantic love is only part of the story. So in this, edition of Songs that Touch My Soul we will celebrate ALL kinds of love and even heartbreak, because where one goes the other always follows. Just a warning, this may be more than just gently dirty, I frequently fall directly into smut.
“Little On Up” - Nils Lofgren
Let’s begin with the purest, most incorruptible form of love; the love of a parent and child. In this song, guitar virtuoso Nils Lofgren (now with the E Street Band) sings a beautiful tale about a father raising his daughter alone. The honestly expressed love, pride, and respect of the lyrics touch a place in my soul that also seems to trigger my tear ducts. But who wouldn’t have a tear in their eye when hearing lyrics like: “I remember your birthday/ your first breath out of the womb/ we were all crying, you were screaming/ it was the most beautiful tune/ God needed mother in heaven/ suddenly it was just you and I/ I felt so shattered and useless/ if not for you, I'd have surely died”. Lofgren’s raw, natural vocals lend themselves beautifully to this sweetly nostalgic tale of one daddy’s love for his perfect little girl.
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