People Make the World Go Round - Evergreen Music and Mentality - in conversation with Corwin Harper
“But that’s what makes the world go round
The ups and downs, the carousel
Changing people, all around
Go underground, young man
People make the world go round”
For decades music has been used as an instrument for social evolution. The right lyrics, perfect tone, and harmony of instruments can come together beautifully to stir emotions and bring people together to fight for important causes and find common ground.
Today we are in conversation with Corwin Harper, an innovative transformational healthcare leader, and authentic connector of people. His overarching purpose is to improve humanity through healthcare — a cause and belief critical to the world we are living in today. Corwin believes that people truly do make the world go round — an idea inspired by real-life events and reinforced by a song — The Stylistics’ 1971 classic, “People Make the World Go Round”.
“People make the world go round” — not a song about love or loss, nor a blatant statement about politics. This song subtly addresses social, economic, and environmental upheaval in the world as a result of human actions. What do the lyric of this song mean to you and what is the relevance of these words today?
“After the year 2020, we are living in a golden age of outrage — we are expected to pick sides and have an opinion on every given issue. When looking at music as a medium to represent societal change, a lyric cannot just be a lyric. A lyric is a representation of your worldview, a window into your thought process, and a glimpse into your ideology. This can be a lyric you write or simply a song you resonate with. We live in an extremely politicized world, constantly being bombarded by the personal beliefs of every individual. In such a situation, it is refreshing to listen to a song that addresses issues, without imposing conclusions or ideas.
“As the question rightly stated, the song subtly addresses social, economic, and environmental upheaval. The lyrics can be applied to many different moments — during the recession in 2008, the line “Wall Street losing dough on every share” was on point, despite the song having been written in the 1970s. Today too, the lyrics are relevant and can be applied to the pandemic and our lives.
“I think the song can also be a representation of how disruption can be positive. People make the world go round — they are champions, they are leaders, they are activists and they are disruptors — all in a positive sense. Back then the human race was faced with economic issues, steel mills were closing, the automotive industry was in upheaval, and there was a drug epidemic. Today we are faced with an entirely new range of issues — the pandemic, healthcare access, social unrest, droughts, fires, climate change, diversity & inclusion, and more. The one common thread that remains unchanged — human beings. We make the world go round. As the song rightly states:
“But that’s what makes the world go round
The ups and downs, the carousel
Changing people, all around”
There will be ups and downs — we as people will fight together to bring about positive change, and the world will continue to go around.”
A great song indeed, thanks for sharing Corwin.
