Forbes contributor Bruce Weinstein recently asked leaders from a variety of professions to share songs that have influenced them. For Finance Professor David Chapman, “American Tune,” a 1973 hit by singer-songwriter Paul Simon, serves as motivation to remain open to the future and reflect on his responsibility to others.
“I have always found inspiration in Paul Simon’s ‘American Tune,’” Chapman says in the Forbes article. “I understand that it is a bleak and depressing song, but I take a couple of things from it that I use a lot. First, the good old days really weren’t always good nor even perceived as good at the time. Fighting against the pull of nostalgia is important to me. If you hold onto the past, you are less open to the future. Second, there are a lot of people out there who have a tough life, who are low on or without hope. I am blessed. What is my responsibility to those people?”
See the full list of “11 Songs That Inspire Today’s Leaders” in Forbes.
