Timeless vs. Timely

Like most songwriters, I can name a few songs that I think represent the absolute best of the best. Willie Nelson’s “Crazy” and John Lennon’s “Imagine” jump to mind immediately and probably need no explanation. A bit more obscure, I often call Michael Smith’s “The Dutchman” my favorite song. It is a simply perfect narrative about age and love. Finally, the clarity with which Jackson Browne expresses his feelings upon the death of a loved one in “For a Dancer” makes it my ultimate meaning of life song.

It strikes me that the quality each of these songs shares is timelessness, and I suppose it is no surprise that examples of the very best of the best happen to have a universal quality that allows them to transcend the time in which they were written. In a recent interview for Acoustic Guitar magazine, songwriter Jakob Dylan discussed how important it was to him to write these kinds of songs - so much so that he won’t even attempt to write about certain topics. When I read that I recognized a bit of myself. I’ve been trying to write my version of “Imagine” or “Crazy” ever since I started doing this.

There is nothing wrong with that. Trying to write a memorable, timeless song is a noble goal. But I also have started to see that I’ve been missing something important. Life isn’t timeless. Life is immediate.

A songwriter who clearly understood this, Steve Goodman, is author of a number of timeless classics including “City of New Orleans” - a song made famous by Arlo Guthrie. Goodman wrote timeless songs for sure, but he also wrote stacks of timely topical songs. On the funny end of the spectrum, Goodman wrote and performed songs with titles like “Vegematic”, “Chicken Cordon Blues”, “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request”, and “Lincoln Park Pirates”. Of the serious topical songs, “The Ballad of Penny Evans” stands out as an especially powerful commentary on the human price of the Vietnam War. Topical songs were often collaborations for Goodman, whose writing partners included Jimmy Buffet, John Prine, and Michael Smith.

In revisiting Goodman’s work, it hit me that I’ve been guilty of limiting myself. I’ve been allowing myself to do only one thing, when in fact I should be doing many things. There is an immediacy to topical songs, and certainly they have a usefulness when performing in public. We live in the now, and maybe it is as important to capture that as it is the capture the timeless or universal.

So, if you’re stuck in a rut this month, looking for a timely topic is one possible solution. Take a cue from Steve Goodman. A song can be about anything.





I'll be the featured performer at the Flagstaff Folk Project next Friday, September 17th. There is an open mic to begin the evening, and you're welcome to bring a song. I hope to see you there!

- Chuck Cheesman