David Usher “The Music”

Throwback Thursday (2007)

A lot of the music I listen to (including most of my favorite songs) came out more than 5 years ago so I guess you can call them throwbacks. There’s the songs I’ve been introduced to over the years thanks to my father’s music collection from artists including James Taylor, Kenny Loggins and Dan Fogelberg. There’s the songs that make me feel nostalgic for my teenage years from *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. There’s the songs from the endless list of singer-songwriters I listen to such as Cary Brothers, Matt Nathanson and Ingrid Michaelson. And then there’s the songs from my core go-to artists whose music I listen to when I need a little extra happiness in my life – John Mayer, Lifehouse, Collective Soul, Gavin DeGraw and The Goo Goo Dolls.

Since all the cool kids are doing it I think I’ll start sharing an older song each Thursday (if I remember). And I decided to start my own version of Throwback Thursday off with something special.

Life is full of millions of people with individual soundtracks. We all have songs we feel personally connected to, as if they were written just for us. David Usher’s “The Music” is that song for me. I first heard it when I interned at a startup music website back in ’07. I added it to my playlist of favorite songs and it’s stayed there ever since.

“The Music” is my anthem. The song may have a different meaning for whoever listens to it at any given time but for me it’s about the power of music and the power of simply being alive. Life can really kick you in the ass sometimes. Bad days and struggles are inevitable. We cry. We fight. We lose. We eventually die. But life is also beautiful. We laugh. We smile. We love. This world is about balancing all of it out – finding the pleasures in the ordinary, embracing our imperfections. I know I personally need to do a much better job of this. And when I listen to this song, I feel capable of it. Of anything really. Wherever I am when I hear “The Music”, I’m dancing. Even if it’s only on a stage inside my head. I press play and the song fills me up. Surrounds me. When I’ve lost my way this song finds me and brings me back home. That’s the power of music.