Where the air is fresh and sweet

I would state without fear of contradiction that there are no great songs being written or likely to be written ever.

There are those emotive anthems which give a bit of padding to heart breaking stories on Surprise, Surprise or to the inspirational dedication of performers on The X-Factor and of course as a soundtrack to great sporting acheivements as at the Olympics.

What makes a great song?

There are many interlaced factors and nothing more pivotal than the period it was originally written.

This is the glue that binds together the lyrics and tune and truly makes for a classic and timeless song. In the very commercial and exploitative music business of today it is a case of churning out very formulaic tunes which to my seasoned ears sound very, very similar and therefore bland and ordinary.

This cannot be said for the writers and singer song-writers of say, the 1960's and certainly not for the likes of Gerry Goffin who died this week.

I was not really aware of his prolific output beyond his association with Carole King to whom he was married for some time but his discography includes 59 top forty hits. He worked with the greatest performers of the 1960's and successive decades and amongst his greatest works are the likes of "Natural Born Woman", "Will you still love me tomorrow", "Take good care of my baby", "The Locomotion", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", Do you know where your're going to", "Saving all my love for you", "Something better", "I'm into something good", "Don't ever change", "Tonight I celebrate my love", "It might as well rain until september", "Don't bring me down" and of course "Up on the roof".

I have been humming and attempting to piece together the words for all of these today and it has been an inspirational journey. That has to be a sign of a true classic, doesn't it?