These three 1970s folk songs double as life mantras to carry with you wherever you go. From sobering advice to gushing sentiment, these tracks carry a wealth of wisdom. Revisit them below to remember how they can speak to your own life, as they have for so many others over the decades.
[RELATED: 3 Folk Songs From the 1970s That Are So Heartbreaking, You Can’t Listen to Them Often]
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“Teach Your Children” — Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Teach Your Children” is like a burst of optimism through a grim smog. Though times are hard, this folk song urges us not to fall into complacency. Instead, the lyrics urge us to keep pushing forward and do better for the next generation.
“And so please help (To teach your children) / Them with your youth (What you believe in) / They seek the truth (Make a world) / Before they can die (That we can live in),” the lyrics read. So often, we become divided in life, especially across generations. This song is a unifying wake-up call that works in any era.
“Fire And Rain” — James Taylor
“Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun / Lord knows when the cold wind blows it’ll turn your head around,” the lyrics to James Taylor’s “Fire And Rain” read. Many lines from this folk song could double as life mantras, but this one is particularly affecting.
This song reminds us of life’s ever-changing nature. This line speaks to realists who want to keep their feet on the ground. Even though it’s a little bleak, it sobers us, which is an important function of folk music in the genre’s history.
“Heart Of Gold” — Neil Young
“It’s these expressions I never give / That keep me searchin’ for a heart of gold / And I’m getting old,” the lyrics to Neil Young’s “Heart Of Gold” read. This song reminds us to give love as much as we receive it before it’s too late.
“I’ve been to Hollywood, I’ve been to Redwood / I crossed the ocean for a heart of gold
I’ve been in my mind, it’s such a fine line,” the lyrics continue. Young explores a lifelong search for expression in this track, a notion many listeners can relate to. This song urges us to be more open in life; a mantra for the closed hearts out there.
(Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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