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The Legacy of Song

By Marco den Ouden

February 5, 2024

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In their new book, Modernizing Aristotle’s Ethics, Roger Bissell and Vinay Kolhatkar discuss two types of legacy as being among the twelve basic needs of human beings.

In their new book, Modernizing Aristotle’s Ethics, Roger Bissell and Vinay Kolhatkar discuss two types of legacy as being among the twelve basic needs of human beings. Unlike the other ten needs, these aren’t universal. Not everybody shares these needs, but many do.

One of these legacy needs is the need to leave a genetic legacy. As they put it, “Organisms are driven biologically to make genetic copies. Nature wired in us a sex drive in order to mix and then copy our genes—undifferentiated copies make a species vulnerable to extinction.” (89)

But the human animal is different. “Birth control has separated the sex drive from the biological need to pass on our genes” (94, italics in original). Due to neuroplasticity, our brains can be rewired to suppress this need. Thus, for humans, this need is “not felt universally.”

And indeed, many people do not want, or feel the need, to have children.

The second form of legacy they discuss is a non-genetic legacy. A non-genetic legacy is something we create other than offspring. It can be deeply personal. My extended family on my father’s side came out with a genealogy book last year that traces our family’s history with lots of pictures. People are fascinated with their roots and want to know what sort of legacy their ancestors left behind. That is partly a desire for genetic legacy but overlaps with the non-genetic.

As the authors put it, “‘Mortality salience’ is the awareness of our limited lifespan. This cognizance will often create a desire to leave a mark on the sands of time, particularly as one ages. The way our lives are led touches everyone we come in contact with. The ideas that make us what we are and our actions whether or not in conformance with who we believe we are, affect others in every interaction.”

Ironically, this means everyone leaves behind a non-genetic legacy, but often it is unintentional.

Ironically, this means everyone leaves behind a non-genetic legacy, but often it is unintentional. It is not in conformance with who we think we are. All actions have consequences and leave behind a residue or legacy. The authors go into a fair amount of detail on non-genetic legacy which I won’t go into here.

Now on to the substance of this essay. I contribute regularly to a music blog called the Song Bar. The feature used to be carried as part of the Guardian newspaper in London. But the Guardian dropped the feature in 2018. The writing had already been on the wall and one of the Guardian’s freelancers who had hosted the feature launched his own independent website to carry on the tradition in 2016. The idea is that every Thursday, the host will offer a topic for consideration. Then until late Monday, Song Bar patrons will offer suggestions of songs that fit the topic. A volunteer for the week listens to the nominations, selects a playlist from the songs nominated, and writes up a feature article connecting the songs together. Often they will offer a B List of also-rans as well. I have taken the guru’s chair, as we call it, 39 times.

Inspired by my contracting colon cancer recently and with the request by the hospital to create a living will, I was struck by my own mortality for the first time. It made me think about what sort of legacy I was leaving behind. So, I volunteered to explore the topic of legacy in song. 153 songs were suggested. The hive mind of the Song Bar always comes through with 150 or more suggestions. I’ve had over 300 on occasion. The varied suggestions cover many different nuances of the subject as I discovered with this topic. I never know what I’m going to get to work with and so I never know in advance which way the topic will go. I am lyric driven and sometimes I’ll include a song, even if I don’t like it that much musically, because the lyrics are profound or leave me with something to think about. So here is the column as I wrote it for “Songs About Legacy” which was published August 23, 2023. I am a fan of rock and blues and pop, and occasionally even punk. So, some of the songs may offend some ears, but I urge you to give them a listen. There is a YouTube Playlist at the end of the article so you can give them a listen.

Let me quickly add that some of the songs, such as “The Living Years” by Mike and the Mechanics, speak to the Four Orders of Humaneness that Bissell and Kolhatkar write about in the book. “You can listen as well as you hear,” they sing, which speaks directly to the Fourth Order.

 

Songs About Legacy

Legacy proved to be a more complex subject than I expected.

Legacy proved to be a more complex subject than I expected. Probably because I tend to have a positive view of legacy that closely follows the dictionary definition as “the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.” (Oxford) This definition is neutral. Of course, legacies can be negative as well. And, for most people, their legacies are modest. Often it is just a matter of being important in the eyes of one’s loved ones. And being proud of one’s children and one’s modest achievements. These different nuances came through very clearly in the songs nominated.

We start with the famous and not so famous who did, in fact, have a strong impact on the future. Who left legacies that carry on, even today.

First up we have George Washington, American Revolutionary War hero and first president of the United States. In the musical drama Hamilton, General Washington tells his aide, Alexander Hamilton, who longs to die in battle as a martyr for the cause, that he needs to think twice and not throw his life away recklessly. History Has Its Eyes on You, he tells him. Christopher Jackson plays Washington in the Broadway cast.

The movie Troy, starring Brad Pitt as the Greek hero Achilles, ends with the battle following the duping of the Trojans by the Trojan Horse. Hector’s brother, Paris, avenges his brother’s death by shooting an arrow at Achilles which happens to hit his vulnerable heel. Remember, sung by Josh Groban during the end credits, is a plea to his beloved Briseis to remember him. He tells her “I’m with you whenever you tell my story for I am all I’ve done. Remember, I will still be here as long as you hold me in your memory. Remember me.”

We remember mighty warriors like Washington and Achilles, but in more modern times we also honor the foot soldiers of war. There are many statues to the unknown soldier, whose legacy of freedom also lives on. British Sea Power honors these unknown soldiers in Remember Me. Do watch the remarkable music video in which the statues of the fallen are movingly brought to life.

The song compares legacy to following one’s destiny.

The Japanese trio Hitsujibungaku sing Hikaru Toki (When You Shine). The song compares legacy to following one’s destiny. “At the time that flower falls, although if it didn’t know its role, I’m sure the people who were beside could understand it.”

I don’t buy into the fatalism of destiny. We choose our own destinies. But I like the sentiment of the song. “I’ll say it again and again; this world is so beautiful because you never give up on it.”

Stevie Wonder honored the great man in 1981 with the song Happy Birthday.

One man who never gave up on the world and strived to make it a better place is Martin Luther King, Jr. Stevie Wonder honored the great man in 1981 with the song Happy Birthday. The song has a story behind it. Wonder had long been campaigning for a national holiday to honor King. The song includes the lyrics: “I just never understood how a man who died for good could not have a day that would be set aside for his recognition.” Wonder’s campaign worked. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr. Day an official holiday. King’s legacy now lives on even more robustly, thanks to Wonder’s splendid efforts.

Black America has made great strides since those days though much remains to be done. Jay-Z knows he will use his success and his wealth to continue the struggle. He enumerates some of his plans in Legacy. “Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Legacy! Black excellence, you gon’ let ’em see.”

Meanwhile in Jamaica, Errol Walker laments the violence and crime plaguing the island in his 1977 song Better Future. “I hope my life is spared to see the day when people won’t be scared to walk the street at night to buy the things they need without any threat from aggressors.” He yearns to provide a legacy of peace and “a better future for our children.”

We continue with two songs about fathers and sons. Mike Skinner of The Streets laments in Never Went to Church that his Dad left no physical memorabilia. “I miss you, Dad, but I’ve got nothing to remind me of you.” It takes a while for him to finally realize that he has some of his Dad’s mannerisms and habits. “When I do something like you, you’ll be on my mind all through ’cause I forgot you left me behind to remind me of you.”

Mike Rutherford of Mike and the Mechanics regrets that he and his father were constantly at odds, yet says, “I know that I’m a prisoner to all my father held so dear. I know that I’m a hostage to all his hopes and fears.” But “It’s too late when we die to admit we don’t see eye to eye.” He wishes they had talked more in The Living Years.

Melissa Etheridge speaks of a different kind of legacy, a Silent Legacy.

Melissa Etheridge speaks of a different kind of legacy, a Silent Legacy. A silent legacy left by your genes. A silent legacy that has you fighting against efforts to change you because you’re different. “Craving the affection, your blood is full of heat. They don’t listen to your reasons as original as sin. Deny all that you feel and they will bring you home again.” Sadly, homophobia seems to be more rampant now than ever.

While many long to leave some sort of legacy, some know that they have led checkered lives. There’s good mixed in with the bad. Linkin Park sing, “When my time comes, forget the wrong that I’ve done. Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed. Don’t resent me, and when you’re feeling empty, keep me in your memory, Leave Out All the Rest.

Tim Buckley is one of the average Joes. “Once I Was a soldier.” And yes, a good provider, and a lover, too. But is that enough? He can’t help but “wonder just for a while, will you ever remember me.”

We close with a powerful reminder from Carole King. Is she speaking to someone in particular? Or is she speaking to all of us when she sings “You better think about the Legacy that you want to leave behind. Things are getting wasted, out-of-hand, burnt-out, used-up, sold to the bottom line. Hey, that ain’t the way it’s gotta be. Oh, don’t you want to leave a better world than you find? You can look down, turn aside, run away and hide, but you can’t put it out of your mind ‘cause it’s your legacy.”

What will your legacy be?

What will your legacy be?

If you find this game entertaining and want to participate, it is free to join. The Song Bar operates on the Disqus platform for comments. Disqus is free to join. There’s a new topic every Thursday. No need to volunteer to be a guru. It’s just something I enjoy doing but not everyone does. So, check out the Song Bar.

 

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