Songs that soothe nation’s soul

Through triumph and tragedy, one thing remains – music.

It provides a soundtrack to our lives, it shapes our moods and alters our behavior. Arguably, there’s no more influential art form than song.

In post Sept 11 America, people need ways to cope with the devastation our country faced and the effects that we still feel.

Executives from all forms of media were at a loss for what material to present to their audiences and in what manner to do so.

Many performers, from all musical genres, took notice of their listeners’ broken hearts. They saw a responsibility to their listeners and chose to soothe their pain the best way possible.

The power of music can bring thousands to tears and as many to laughter and happiness.

Closure, for many, is an impossibility, but our country’s wounds can be somewhat mended with the healing power of music.

Superstars ranging from John Bon Jovi to Mary J. Blige to Paul Simon have taken it upon themselves to be emotional outlets for many Americans.

There have been several concert series that showcase musicians from seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum.

Fred Durst and Goo Goo Dolls’ front man Johnny Rzeznik, performed together on the “America: A Tribute to Heroes” telethon. Their rendition of Pink Floyd’s classic, “Wish You Were Here,” is only one example of tragedy bringing contrasting musical styles together for the good of all.

The current state of the pop music marketplace has been substantially altered from this time a year ago. Even artists not affiliated with holding strong political views or ideologies have honed in on Sept 11 with the music and lyrics they’ve created since.

The face of country music has changed dramatically, with many more patriotically oriented songs surfacing over the past year.

Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” embodies many American feelings in regards to the attacks. He puts no facade in front of his true feelings, painting vividly patriotic images with his lyrics:

“And you’ll be sorry that you messed with The US of A.
‘Cause we’ll put a boot in your ass/ It’s the American way.”