3 Folk Lyrics From 1968 That Hit Harder Now That Their Artists Have Aged

Songs are often like journal entries. Though they are not our own, we understand their personal nature, typically letting someone else’s story take over our hearts and even reminding us of what we have in common. Because we can respond empathetically to music, an artist’s life can change how we view a song. A hit written by a 20-something folk artist will often become even greater when we consider all they have endured in their careers. The three folk songs below, which all have stunning lyrics, are like that. These 1968 releases hit even harder now that the people who wrote them have even more storied lives than they did back then.

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“Who Knows Where The Time Goes” — Judy Collins

Many people have covered this stunning track, but Judy Collins delivered a particularly moving rendition in 1968. This hit touches on the passing of time. We so often hope to stop the clock, wanting so badly for things to slow down. As Collins ages and her listeners do the same, this song hits even harder.

“Across the morning sky all the birds are leaving / Ah, how can they know it’s time for them to go? / Before the winter fire, we’ll still be dreaming / I do not count the time,” the lyrics to this folk masterpiece read. They have long been touching, but modernity has shone an even brighter light on this throwback classic.

“Carolina In My Mind” — James Taylor

James Taylor’s “Carolina In My Mind” is a timeless kind of song. But every passing year makes it an even richer listening experience. These folk lyrics about longing to be somewhere different are universal and feel even more poignant as we age and move further away from the places where we first feel comfortable.

But it’s not just the listeners’ aging that helps mature this song to perfection; it’s also Taylor’s. We think of this track as one of Taylor’s signature songs. As he grows older, “Carolina In My Mind” becomes all the more iconic.

“Mrs. Robinson” — Simon & Garfunkel

We associate Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” with an age-gapped relationship as shown in the accompanying film, The Graduate. But it actually carries a lot more weight than that in its lyrics.

“Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon / Going to the candidates’ debate / Laugh about it, shout about it / When you’ve got to choose / Every way you look at this, you lose,” the lyrics read, reflecting loss of innocence and longing for different values. As the world changes and those themes become even more true (and Paul Simon ages into iconography), “Mrs. Robinson” becomes a stunning emblem of a time gone by.

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