While playing, he became aware of how sound could be made to affect listeners, determined, in part, by the intention of the musician, not just the physical act of playing an instrument, nor the emotional energy expressed by the musician while playing.

Shawn Haney of Allmusic stated the song was a "sleeper hit," a "radio-friendly airplay single" and that it should "affect listeners in a charismatic and lighthearted way."

His response was to write music answering the untruths which might affect young listeners, such as "Dry Your Tears" where he describes "a world where you see nothing everywhere" before singing "Close your eyes and pray/Heaven could be calling your name."

It resulted from powerful preaching that deeply affected listeners with a deep sense of personal guilt and salvation by Christ.

By distinguishing between the abstract world of music and its power to affect listeners, Mr. Rothstein has it both ways.

He tries to maintain a balance between issues as they affect listeners, and "horse-race" pundit discussions of politics.

In debate are both the existence of backmasked Satanic messages and their purported ability to subliminally affect listeners.

So not something that's going to affect most listeners.