A Gentle and Profound Anthem of Acceptance, a Musician’s Personal Journey to Find Peace by Surrendering to the River of Life.
In the mid-1970s, the rock and roll world was a wild and unpredictable place, full of flash, bombast, and fleeting trends. But amidst the chaos, a handful of artists were still dedicated to the craft of songwriting, to creating music that was honest, melodic, and deeply human. Dave Mason, a founding member of the legendary band Traffic, was one such artist. He was a master craftsman, a gifted guitarist and songwriter who had already established a powerful solo career. In 1977, he released the album Let It Flow, a record that was a testament to his enduring talent and his newfound sense of personal peace. The album was a commercial success, reaching number 33 on the Billboard 200, but its true power lay in its title track and lead single, “Let It Go, Let It Flow.” This song, which reached a respectable number 47 on the Billboard Hot 100, was more than a hit; it was a philosophical statement, a deeply emotional monologue from a man who had finally found his way.
The story of “Let It Go, Let It Flow” is a quiet, personal drama that unfolded over years of a restless career. Dave Mason’s journey through the music world was marked by constant movement. He was a wanderer, a free spirit who, for various reasons, never quite seemed to settle. His departure from Traffic was a dramatic, career-defining moment, and his subsequent solo career was a series of collaborations and artistic explorations. The song, therefore, is the dramatic culmination of this long, winding road. It is the moment when the man who had been searching for so long finally found a philosophical and emotional anchor. The song’s creation was an act of profound artistic and personal maturity, a declaration that he was no longer fighting against life’s currents, but learning to surrender to them.
The lyrical drama of “Let It Go, Let It Flow” is a masterful series of simple, yet profound, metaphors. The song is a sermon, a gentle guide to living a more peaceful life. Mason’s lyrics are filled with powerful, poetic truths that are instantly relatable to anyone who has ever felt the futility of trying to control the uncontrollable. He sings, “You can push a river, but it can’t be pushed too hard,” and “You can try to hold a flower, but it’ll close up and fade away.” These lines are not just words; they are an intimate, dramatic admission of a hard-won wisdom. The music itself is a character in this story, perfectly complementing the song’s message. With its laid-back, smooth vibe, warm harmonies, and a beautiful, gliding guitar solo, the song creates an atmosphere of calm acceptance. The guitar solo, in particular, is a moment of pure, emotional storytelling, a fluid and graceful expression of the song’s central message—letting go and flowing with the current.
For those of us who remember this era, “Let It Go, Let It Flow” is more than a song; it’s a timeless piece of wisdom set to music. It’s a nostalgic reminder of a time when rock music could be both catchy and deeply philosophical. It speaks to the universal human experience of trying to find peace in a chaotic world. The song endures because the truth it speaks—the need to find serenity by accepting life’s unpredictable flow—is timeless. It remains a beautifully crafted and profoundly emotional piece of rock history that feels as relevant today as it did in 1977.