Back to Methuselah though Kennedy stated that he was quoting Shaw—"You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?' Back to Methuselah Back to Methuselah (A Metabiological Pentateuch) by George Bernard Shaw consists of a preface ("An Infidel Half Century") and a series of five plays: "In the Beginning: B.C. 4004 (In the Garden of Eden)", "The Gospel of the Brothers Barnabas: Present Day", "The Thing Happens: A.D. 2170", "Tragedy of an Elderly Gentleman: A.D. 3000", and "As Far as Thought Can Reach: A.D. 31,920". All were written during 1918–20, published simultaneously by
What'd I Say and Van Morrison counted the song as a major influence on why they were interested in music and incorporated it into their shows. Music historian Robert Stephens attributes the birth of soul music to "What'd I Say" when gospel and blues were successfully joined; the new genre of music was matured by later musicians such as James Brown and Aretha Franklin. "In an instant, the music called Soul comes into being. Hallelujah!" wrote musician Lenny Kaye in a retrospective of Atlantic Records artists. In the late 1950s, rock and roll was faltering as its major stars dropped from public view.