While most of us pick up a few new favorite songs every year, there are the select few that we never shake off. These songs are evergreen, though their meanings may change as we age. Take the three songs below as examples. These classic rock songs grew up with us, only to change in sentiment when we heard them with older ears.
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“Landslide” (Fleetwood Mac)
When you’re young, Fleetwood Mac‘s “Landslide” plays like a message from a mentor—advice that feels far away, and not yet for you. However, this track becomes increasingly visceral as we age. That evolution can be seen in songwriter Stevie Nicks‘ trajectory. Nicks was just a 20-something when she penned “Landslide.” While her view of life has always been wise beyond her years, she has settled into this song as the decades have passed. “Landslide” feels even more palpable and reflective when Nicks sings it in her 70s.
Nicks penned this song while taking stock of her life. Looking back becomes increasingly prevalent as we age. Though this classic rock hit helps many through their youth, its meaning truly sets in when we grow up.
“In My Life” (The Beatles)
The Beatles were only in their mid to early ’20s when they recorded “In My Life.” That fact seems impossible when you dig into the lyrics. Somehow, these young musicians managed to tap into a universal truth about aging: people will come and go, but love is eternal.
It’s a pretty existential message for such young artists. However, that’s part of what made the Beatles stand out from their peers. This is a song that can appeal to us in youth, but really hits us in the heart as we grow up. It’s emblematic of the Beatles’ evergreen catalog as a whole.
“Born to Run” (Bruce Springsteen)
Bruce Springsteen‘s “Born to Run” is an ode to youthful exuberance. However, this classic rock hit rings even truer as we grow up. There is something inherently nostalgic about this song. Even when it came out, it distilled the yearning only time can give you.
Because of its reflective qualities, this song means even more in adulthood than it does to those who are young enough to relate to Springsteen’s story of running wild and free. We gotta get out while we’re young / ‘Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run, he sings, reminding older listeners of a time gone by in their lives.
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