by Ian Loft

Created on: June 13, 2010

Music communicates on many levels and is a unique medium of expression capable of evoking a wide spectrum of human emotion.   21st century warriors are frequently seen charging into battle with fast, aggressive heavy-metal music blasting away at ear-splitting levels to fire up adrenaline, anger and present a fearless demeanour.  A mother will often sooth her babies with a lullaby and lovers seem to almost universally select their own special tune to characterize their relationship on a personal level.  

Music reinforced with carefully crafted lyrics significantly augments the power of emotion and when written under sorrowful circumstances the result is more often than not tears.  There are four songs in this category that come to mind; each song was inspired by the same emotionally charged common theme – loss of a loved one 

24 November 1991 is a day the music world lost one of the most flamboyant and loved performers of the 20th century.   Moving from Zanzibar in 1964 an unknown Farrokh Bulsara settled in Great Brittain with his family.   With Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon Freddie added ‘Mercury’ in 1971, and the band Queen soon became a household name.  Unfortunately it was Freddie’s flamboyant lifestyle that eventually led to his death by AIDS – the song 'No One But You' was without any doubt one of the most uplifting tributes written by the remaining band members to morn the loss of Freddie Mercury. 

In fairness to the reader I should warn that ‘No one But You’ is a song that can invoke deep emotional feelings and thoughts of loved ones lost – I could not listen to this song for several years after the loss of my own father without tears filling my eyes when listening to the words ‘one by one; only the good die young’. 

The 1991 Gulf War inspired another deeply moving song.  This one is from the Alan Parsons Project album ‘On Air’.  Guitarist Ian Bairnson is a stalwart of the Parsons genre and composer of the song ‘Brother Up In Heaven’ in memory of cousin lost in a peacekeeping mission during the first Gulf War conflict.   This is another song with deeply moving lyrics reflecting senseless violence and death ultimately motivated by mindless hatred.   Listening to the words “why do men with so much hate

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