Depth of Passion

Taken from my blog for my freshman seminar
Since starting this course, I've gone back and listened to some of the older Beatles records I have (which is all of them) and then I think about "Abbey Road." The disappointing thing about that album (other than it being the last by a hugely influential and amazing band) is John Lennon's output on it. Most of the songs are incomplete and lack the feeling that his earlier recordings with the band have. When you listen to "Money" or even "Dig a Pony" there's a passion in his voice that you don't hear in any of the songs he recorded for "Abbey Road." Maybe that's why I don't listen to "Abbey Road" as much as the other records. Either that or because most of the songs are only partials, and the whole thing is slightly depressing because it was the band's last.
Depth of passion. Amy Winehouse, despite her problems, still has passion in spades which makes her recent issues so sad. Kaiser Chiefs (a name you will soon learn to appreciate) have passion, despite what a certain seventeen year old reviewer thinks. Franz Ferdinand, for all their giddiness and very danceable beats, have passion. But if you really want to hear passion, listen to the "Once" soundtrack. Passion, and how much passion an artist, is what makes rock good or bad. If you listen to any song on "London Calling", despite being almost indecipherable, Joe Strummer has passion when he's singing. The passion that Glen Hansard, Joe Strummer, Ricky Wilson, Patti Smith, and all the great rockers (and quite a few of the not so great rockers) is what draws the audience to listen. That's why, thirty years after his death, Elvis is still considered a legend. Listening to his back catelogue, particularly his early recordings, you can hear why people were interested. He meant what he sang and meant it with every fibre of his body.
The list of passionate singers is long and crosses nearly every genre of popular music a person can listen to today. But those passionate singers, those who meant what they sang the most, will be the ones who are remembered in fifty years, when their bands have long since broken up, or they've long since stopped recording for whatever reason. The exploits of bands and artists will be forgotten, but the words, the passion, will be remembered. That is what makes rock (and R&B, pop, country, jazz, punk, and "Once") great: the Depth of Passion.
Train in Vain --- "Train in Vain" The Clash