Tim McGraw, Live Like you were Dying.

Tim McGraw,
Live Like you were Dying.

Music and lyrics can do different things for different people. From bringing one to tears to bringing another true joy and happiness, music has the power to invoke strong heartfelt emotion out of most people. With such a great diversity of listeners though comes diversity in opinion of what is a truly great song. The truly universally great song though, I believe, is one that can create a positive reaction in the largest possible amount of diverse individuals. Tim McGraw has accomplished this feat with one of his most recognizable songs, Live like you were Dying. I believe throughout his career he has been a key artist that can be credited for revolutionizing and modernizing the country genre itself.

McGraw released his first album in 1993 when country music was still mainly the stereotypical songs of old country hicks. When McGraw started out many people as they still do today looked at country as the story into the life of a redneck. That component though I believe is one which made McGraw so successful. Rather then writing songs of fantasy as many artists do in today’s popular genres he hybridized the new with the old. McGraw takes subjects close to his heart to write his lyrics about. These subjects come from the heartfelt sentiments featured so blatantly in few other genres except old country. McGraw eloquently blends these subjects with more pop melodies. Along with the modern music and instrumentals McGraw utilizes a modern diction and tone. He chooses words and phrases not necessarily confined to a southern dialect which also helps to boost the universal appeal of his music.

As artists such as Johnny Cash and Hank Williams were surely inspiration to McGraw, he has become a truly inspirational to the younger more modern country artists that are just recently becoming popular as McGraw continues to be popular. Young pop/country artist, Taylor Swift, felt so inspired by McGraw she released a song entitled Tim McGraw. McGraw has contributed to the modern country genre that many of today’s newest country stars are being categorized as. McGraw though was not only inspirational though to other country artists but also universally inspirational to his listeners. The song, Live like you were Dying, is possibly one the most inspirational songs of his. In the song McGraw discusses his father Tug McGraw, a subject very close to his heart, as he dies from cancer. McGraw states that you should live life as if everyday is your last directly without complexity to aid in the universal appeal he wishes to create. He states in the song that you should cherish the time that you have on earth and accomplish all that you wish too because at any moment your life or you life as you know it may be take from you. It inspires those that may have lost hope due to illness or other reasons to continue to hold on. I believe that this is truly a powerful message and one that applies universally to most all those living in western society.

The song that McGraw writes truly conveys a universal message to all those that have heard it. Even those people that despise McGraw as an artist or despise the country genre itself for whatever reason can see the genuine heartfelt message he portrays in the song Live like you were Dying. I first experienced the song with a close friend who was in a similar place as the artist of the song. They found it to be very comforting as I am sure it was for the artist to write it and that was when I realized that this song had more meaning then just lyrics with music as so many songs really are. Without complexity, or convulsion McGraw directly conveys a timeless message to his listener that is truly inspirational and hopeful for many people.