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"You’re the Inspiration" in Retrospect

Probably the most unfortunate fact about the music world is the fact that most songs simply do not chart. In a way, this is understandable as it takes a great deal of intangible elements that must come together for a large audience to make a song a hit. (Yes, there are those derivative songs and gimmick oriented songs that end up charting, but their success is usually short lived.) In 1984, the band Chicago scored a hit with the song “You’re the Inspiration.” It hit number three on the music charts and helped sell a very successful album.

So what was it that made “You’re the Inspiration” a hit? There are a number of reasons for this and many will point to the lyrics, melody and recording. Of course, these elements played a significant role in making the song a hit, but there are often many songs that bring these same elements together and did not succeed. Often, there are other elements at work that can make a song a success and this was the case with “You’re the Inspiration.”

Historical Context

In the 1980’s, there was a significant re-emergence of a celebration of traditionalism in the United States and Western Europe. While there had been a number of anarchist musical movements during this period which was visible in the popularity of heavy metal bands, there was also a return to retro 1950’s style soft pop rock theme that spawned a number of more “benign” chart topping hits.

Granted, “You’re the Inspiration” was hardly the first song released by the band Chicago (Chicago had been around since the 1970’s) the song was somewhat of a departure from the type of music that had previously released. To a certain extent, “You’re the Inspiration” demonstrated Chicago’s maturity as it targeted an older demographic that was moving away from the common sound of the 1970’s.

A Perennial Favorite

“You’re the Inspiration” has become something of a perennial favorite that plays on “easy listening” and nostalgia radio stations. Part of the reason for this is the fact that Chicago remains a super band that has a collective body of work that has allowed the band to survive on airwaves for many years and part of the reason is because the song is an excellent song that attracts a new audience every year. As such, it is likely that this is a song that will play on the radio for many more decades to come.