George Harrison once said, and I quote, “It doesn’t take long from being 17 to 57. Forty years just goes like that. You know? Now I understand about 90 year old people who feel like teenagers. You know? ‘Cause nothing changes. It’s just the body that changes. The soul in the body is there at birth and is there at death. And the only thing that’s changed is the bodily condition. So, you know? All this stuff, about where, you know, age-groups fit or don’t fit, or where the music belonging to age-groups fit or doesn’t fit is stupid. All it does is limit the potential of the marketplace or the audience.”

I find this quote great from three different angles. First of all George sums up the extreme pace of time, and the fact that it flies. I can feel that it is extremely worrying that my own take on this is that each new year passes by faster than the one before. But at the same time I find a strong connection with him in the sense that I feel the same in the sense that I am the same person now as I was five, ten, or even fifteen years ago. Of course I’ve changed in bits here and there but I still carry the same dreams, hopes, and beliefs. Thirdly George attacks the people that appoint certain aspects of music to different age groups, may it be genres, bands, artists, or whatever. I can also interlink with this mindset and at times here in Stockholm when we have had Justin Bieber and Bruce Springsteen sell out three shows each within two weeks the topic is more than relevant. Of course each person that listens to music, and let’s be honest, any human being with a soul should have an interest in music, goes through phases. But I do not think it has anything to do with age, I think it has more to do with more important things that just a number.

Here are four songs that I always turn back to and listen to when I need a little bump on the shoulder, a boost up from the sofa, or just a quick fix in what we call life.
They are not my favorite songs, no, but listening to them will always make me feel good, even great.

Dire Straits – Walk Of Life
Just the synthesizer intro gives me the goose bumps. So simple, yet so great. And this version with Eric Clapton on the side. It’s from 1988 and the birthday party of Nelson Mandela. Speaking of a different kind of walk of life.

Patti Smith – People Have The Power 
Any song which will highlight the small over the big, the people over the corps, or David over Goliath, always gives me hope of that anything can be reachable. During this epic anthem Patti Smith truly does so when proclaiming:
People have the power, the power to dream, to rule, to wrestle the Earth from fools but it’s decreed the people rule, but it’s decreed the people rule. Listen, I believe everything we dream can come to pass through our union, We can turn the world around, we can turn the Earth’s revolution

Oasis – Whatever
This song was never released on an actual album, however I reckon it’s one of their best ones. When those first chords ring out from the guitar a feeling of freedom washes over me in an awesome wave. When I listen to this song anything is possible. Every single dream I’ve ever had and aspired for can still happen. And it’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

George Harrison – What is Life
Most people would probably state Here comes the Sun as their favorite uplifting song penned by the late George Harrison. I don’t agree. His album All Things Must Pass released in 1970 holds an absolute gem in the truly great What is Life.