The Power Of Songs
Music is more than melody and rhymes; it's the universal language that narrates our collective story. Take a journey with me as I talk to all types of people in the music industry about the power of songs. From the first songs that pulled them into the love of music, to the songs they've encountered along the way that had a powerful impact, we will have great conversations about the power of songs.
The Power Of Songs
Power Song Story with Jordan Critz - Where The Streets Have No Name
In this episode, I continue my conversation with Jordan Critz, diving into our "Power Song Story" segment. Jordan opens up about his deep connection to U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," describing how his interpretation of the song has evolved over time. He recounts his initial encounter with the song in his childhood home and how it's continued to impact him throughout his musical journey.
We explore the profound layers of meaning in the song, from its philosophical underpinnings to its technical brilliance. Jordan shares how the song's message about finding joy in the journey rather than the destination resonates with Eastern philosophy and C.S. Lewis's writings. We also discuss the song's musical elements, particularly U2's innovative use of delay pedals, which has influenced countless musicians.
I share my own experiences with the song, noting how it's touched many in the industry and served as a gateway into U2's broader catalog. We also touch on the documentary "It Might Get Loud," highlighting its significance for guitar enthusiasts and music producers alike.
Join us in this conversation that really showcases the power a single song can have in our lives, both personally and professionally in the music industry.
Hey, we're back with Jordan. If you guys didn't hear, the last episode great podcast talked about a ton of stuff, but in this one we're going to talk about a particular song that has a powerful story. So it's a power song story and I am real curious what you're going to talk about.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, totally.
Chris Estes:There's so many songs you've been involved in and so many songs that have impacted you.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, I mean, like I was saying, I feel like I kind of live in that space where I feel like incredibly affected by songs every day. But there was like this cool song, a little song you probably have never heard of, by U2, called Still Haven't Found what I'm looking for, and it's interesting as like cliche is probably that sounds I have this insatiable desire I think that all of us have, of, just like man, we think that there's a mountaintop and we're trying to climb it and we're trying to get to it, but right when we get to it it moves again. It's like the ceiling that always moves Every time.
Jordan Critz:I hear that it's just kind of like this reminder for me that part of the beauty of life is actually not finding the thing. It's like there's this idea in our Western culture that says, hey, there's this thing, this sacred object that you think is going to bring you wholeness and happiness, and you can get it, and you spend your entire life trying to find it. Um, but you know a lot of eastern cultures. They actually flip it on its head and they say, actually joy is in not getting the thing. You know pleasure is getting it, but it only lasts like a few minutes. But joy, it's like CS Lewis talked about joy is actually found in what we do not have. It's like joy is found in waiting for the gift on Christmas, in the anticipation. Pleasure is getting it, but then it lasts just fleeting.
Jordan Critz:And so it's kind of like what I was saying before joy is found in the journey and not actually like getting the thing. We think, yeah, and so I just love that song because it was.
Jordan Critz:There was a moment that I heard it a few years ago and it just hit very different so I was like, oh my gosh, like you've had all of these things and you're still like you still haven't found it. And it sounded depressing, like years and years ago. But then, when I heard it recently, I was like, oh, that's so good and I don't know. There was like actually like an exhale, like a peace about it, because it was like, oh, you too, like you too, but also you too. It's like, oh, you too, like you too, but also you too. It's like man, like me too, you know.
Jordan Critz:It's like we're all trying to find that. But, um, yeah, there's a. There is truly like I feel like a piece, and people that are driven, like myself, and being like you know, we, the thing that I think that I'm trying to find is actually a trap. And so, instead of spending my whole life trying to get to this thing that I think will bring me happiness, how about I actually get truly in the present, which is the only place where time touches eternity? It's the place that actually only exists, you know, and and find the joy within that? So, yeah, that's just true man.
Chris Estes:Yeah, that is a really good way to look at it. And I think you two, without being a Christian man or trying to evangelize or carry the gospel, the Bible, they carry the tenets and the fundamentals of faith through a song like that. That's so approachable. And I think the timeless songs, songs like that that are timeless, are not just a soundtrack to a season, but they can be relevant to each season. Yeah, like you experienced, yeah, it's so true yeah. So true, Such a great song man.
Jordan Critz:Do you?
Chris Estes:remember where you were the first time you heard it.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, yeah, I was. Uh, I was in my living room with the house I grew up in. Yeah and um. I didn't hear the actual album version. First I heard the version that they did with the choir oh, yeah, yeah um, I think it was like a documentary or something yeah, and I was like this is unbelievable, like in every way. Yeah, so that's actually the first time I heard it was that version. I was like what in the world I know?
Chris Estes:It's such a for such a. You know it's just a band. It's not like this big, even with the choir. It's not like a big layered production. But the spatial placement of each part of that musical landscape and the lyrical content is absolutely beautiful.
Chris Estes:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's so full, it's like it is yeah yeah, I remember the first time I think the first time I think it was a music video, I think it was a music video, I think it was empty. I'm trying to remember if it was a radio or music video and that drew me like that song drew me further into U2. I was a I was kind of a, not an active U2 fan, yeah, so I liked a lot of different styles of music at that point, but that song was like that, that one pulled me in, oh yeah.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, oh yeah. And I even, like I could only play classical guitar at the time we couldn't do any pedals or amps, or distortion, no, delay, no. And so it's funny because I was like what is that, Like, what is that sound? Yeah, so it was so tough, but I like learned to play it like playing the delay without a delay. Pedal tough, but I like learned to play it like playing the delay without a delay pedal.
Chris Estes:So when I finally got a boss dd5, I was like this is this, is magic, this is it, this is it yeah oh, it was great man.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, I think uh, yeah, my life changed when I figured out, dotted eighth notes.
Chris Estes:It's like they changed the landscape for and for christian music.
Jordan Critz:Yeah, that's true, oh yeah it's interesting that dan lanwa and brian you know like they were huge parts of even that sound yeah, yeah you know, like even getting the memory man and yeah it's. It's so interesting how those producers like had such a impact on the entire sound of the band. If you guys haven't, if you watched it might get loud, oh yeah.
Chris Estes:Documentary if you haven't seen that, any listener here, the band. If you guys haven't, if you watched, it might get loud oh yeah, if you haven't seen that, any listener hearing this. If you haven't seen the documentary, it might get loud. You need to go watch it right now edge talks about he has. It's pretty amazing. He has edge jimmy page and um jack white. Is there a fourth one? It's just those three, right I?
Jordan Critz:think it's just those three yeah.
Chris Estes:And they all talk about their sound and their development and their ingenuity and the way. But when Edge walks through his house and starts showing the pedals and his approach, if you're a guitar head, tech head, music lover, it's worth a watch yeah it's amazing Go watch it so cool, awesome, great story. Go watch it so cool, awesome, great story man, yeah, thanks for sharing it.
Jordan Critz:Thank you, alright.