In my opinion the most meaningful music came out of the 1940's and 50's.

      The reason I say this is because of the content or lyrics. over the years music has taken a huge turn towards having to be numb of to  the words or circum to the negative messages that are in the music. Sure, music in the 40's and 50's had some promiscuiss inuindos, but you had to be already educated in order to figure out where or what these words meaning were taking you. For instance; Arrivederci Roma, this had inside meanings for different people. It could have been for someone who met their love or a one night stand or just some travelers who seen all the beauty and wonders of Rome. Given music today, the lyrics are straight forward leaving nothing of romance to the imagination at all. Meaningful music captures our imagination and sends us on a jearney; be it a jearney of love or a jearney of sadness. Using direct approaches towards a songs meaning or intent only deminishes our expectations of what is to come at the end of the song and takes away from our jearney with the song as well. I'm not saying all music after these periods of time were not good, but I am saying that somewhere along the musical road we have lost our love of that lyrical jearney of music.