Songs About the Loss of Innocence
Some of the most emotionally powerful songs ever written—IMHO—are not lyrical laments on lost love but sorrowful songs about the loss of innocence.
Don Henley's touching reflection on the 80s, Was Not Was' remarkable commentary on the tragic deteriation of our society and finally, Jimmie Spheeris' absolutley gorgeous ballad on resiliency (despite all the odds...) are all fantastic tunes on their own but when listened to in succession, the arc of their subject matter takes on an additional poignancy.
Don Henley - The End of the Innocence
In 1989, Don Henley had a hit with The End of the Innocence, an emotionally-riveting bittersweet summary on the decade of change the 80s had wrought in America. Frequent breakdowns of the nuclear family, an increasingly callous disregard for the environment and the ascendancy of "armchairs warriors" into central positions of power all contributed to the disillusionment and malaise that sadly devolved from the idealism that surfaced in the 60s.
Was Not Was – Somewhere In America (There's a Street Named After My Dad)
From the moment I first heard Was Not Was' Somewhere In America, I was mesmerized! Such a powerful poignant plea for a return to the peaceful innocence of yesteryear. The lyrical wordplay was a brilliant scathing summary of what the world had become… Little needs to be said about this tune - it just nails it! "What the hell has happened to America?"
Jimmie Spheeris – Child From Nowhere
Lastly, this incredibly beautiful song (one of my all time favorites) evokes a wonderful aura of childlike innocence. It’s a story of someone who endures and ultimately triumphs over the hardships of the world around him. Jimmie Spheeris was a hippie flower child of the 60s and his music and this flagship song personifies the Woodstock generation's idealism. Who was Jimmie Spheeris?
Who Was The Child From Nowhere?
It could be Jesus, it could be you, someone you know or simply anyone who's spirit transcends the banality of the daily grind…<