The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.
Year: 1963
It’s time to pay homage to a legend. The king of soul. The man whose voice and music influenced Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding and so many others. Play a single note from any one of his songs and his voice is instantly recognizable. In 1963, he released two albums – Mr. Soul and Night Beat. The latter is considered to be the stronger of the two, but I love the track “Nothing Can Change This Love” from Mr. Soul.
This was the one song from Mr. Soul that Cooke wrote – and it’s one of the best from the bunch. I can listen to it a hundred times in a row – and never grow tired marveling at Cooke’s effortlessly sublime vocals. His voice is as smooth as molasses, but it’s also his delivery that is worth taking note of. It’s his timing that allows Cooke to create a sense of gravitas in every line. It’s why something so simple sounds so exceptional.
“If I go a million miles away I'd write a letter each and every day. 'Cause honey nothing, nothing Can ever change this love I have for you.”