Sweet Child of Mine – Willow Layne ft. Countryside Studios (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

There is no better use to put music to than as a celebration of our loved ones. Sure, a soundtrack to a Friday night out on the town or the background music to summer adventures, music to dance to, and songs as entertainment are all fine. But as a medium to express the love you feel for those near and dear, there is nothing better. And it is to this end that songwriter *Lisa Benedetto* wrote this tribute.

Obviously, this is about as personal a song as you can get. Written with her own sons in mind, it celebrates their lives to date—from birth to the experience of young motherhood right through to the point where they are ready to make their own way in the world. But it is also an eminently relatable message, one that will resonate with any parent.

“Sweet Child of Mine” runs on a wonderfully expressive country cool groove, and Willow Layne‘s vocals run the full gamut of sonic range to perfectly capture the essence of the subject matter, from suitably sweet and subtle when talking of young boys’ first adventures to brilliantly anthemic when expressing that love and emotion that a parent feels for a child.

More than anything, the song is a reminder of how quickly time passes; the fact that the three minutes that the song encompasses runs from first steps to waves goodbye is, in itself, a metaphor for how quickly children grow up. And as the music plays out, it feels like the equivalent of flicking through a photograph album, a series of snapshots and memories.

We hear the term “sonic journey” used all too often to describe music—and, all too often, it is misused. Music is always an experience but not always a journey; the two are very different things. If you want to know what a sonic journey sounds like, give “Sweet Child of Mine” a few more spins. Do that, and you will understand precisely what the term means.

Time is short, and the years run away with us. If you take anything away from this song, hopefully, it is a reminder to make the most of the time you have with your loved ones. Very soon, you will be looking back at old photos, conjuring up cherished memories, and wondering where the years went.