Originally Posted by: SongmanYou're right? Songs are not suppose to describe your feelings. They are poetry that is written from the heart, from your soul, your feelings, and your experiences. Are you writing for yourself or for others to enjoy. Who wants to hear about you being consipated. They want to hear about your love, etc. They want to feel what you are feeling without you actually telling them or at least relate to it.

What? Poetry does not describe the feelings of the writer? The writer presents himself, opens himself, to a situation, trys to understand it or relate to it and then responds to how he feels or observes the situation. Many writers focus on 'love' songs because it's something that most can relate to in one way or another so it has a broad appeal. Not trying to be a nert here but you've kinda tripped up on your argument. You said that 'songs are not supposed to describe your feelings' and then in the next line you say that 'they are poetry written from the heart, from your soul, your feelings and your experiences'.

Look, I'm no song writer. But I do write both fiction and non-fiction so maybe there's something different at work here. But I just don't think I understand what it is that you're saying. Even though I do not write songs, I know a lot of them and I know what I like. I've been a big fan of singer-songwriters over the years and, I'm guessing, I may be in the minority, but I think that the lyrics are as equally important, and in many cases moreso, as the music behind it. Take Dylan for example. Perhaps the greatest lyricist of this generation. His songs ramble all over the place. They can invoke some tender moments and at other times, tell a hard, character driven tale, some about madness, some screeds crying for change and others a mirror held up to the ugliness of the human condition. All of them heartfelt. All of them based on his feelings about the situations or characters.

And I would have no doubts that Dylan could write a song about being constipated that might actually be worth giving a listen.

Besides, guys like Todd Sndyer, Heywood Banks and Stephen Lynch write some hilarious songs about things that are not in the normal purview of the standard musician catalogue.

Just my two and half cents worth.