In the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on

In recognition of my dad’s birthday over the weekend, let me talk about perhaps the greatest of influences on my musical tastes: Him, and his box of cassette tapes.

Back in the late 1970s, dad kept a box of cassette tapes at his auto parts store.

Seventies rock music.

I learned to love it.

In that treasure trove of tapes, you could find my most favorite four minutes of rock music, and also my least favorite four minutes of music.

Both in the same song.

You might have heard of this little ditty:

Stairway to Heaven.

The first four minutes… agonizingly slow. It might be a screed against commercialism, a search for meaning in life, or maybe cry for help. Because of all the stairs. And the flutes. I can’t stand it.

But then, halfway through:

It becomes the most exciting four minutes of music I know.

(Admittedly, my perspective is pretty narrow)

The lyrics don’t improve much, but they grow louder, so that helps.

But the drums… the bass… the incredible guitar.

How can one song be my favorite and least favorite at the same time?

I guess that’s how it goes sometimes. Take the good with the bad. Try to find what’s good even if it’s not readily apparent. Or when you have to put up with four minutes of sleep lab therapy to find it.

What do you think?

Do you have any examples of something you love and hate at the same time?

See you tomorrow!

#ledzeppelin #stairwaytoheaven #70srock