It's all about the song
The Importance of "Tone" in Songwriting
This is going to be a little "suggestion lesson" that I want to mention to those of you who are in the LYRIC areas of websites, doing open mics, writers nights, trying to make your way in the new landscape of the industry. As well as anyone who writes songs in general, PARTICULARLY you new people, but this is a serious point to those of you who put so many things out there.
SONG TONE
The TONE of your song means EVERYTHING. As I look down the titles in Lyric sections of web sites or hear songs from newer writers (and some people that should know better) , I see titles of anger, bitterness, depression, self -Loathing, etc. There are so many about "death, sickness, being rejected, a whole lot of "NOT", DON'T" CAN'T, WON'T, etc. As writer we should be able to write anything we want. That is CREATIVE EXPRESSION. But there is points that most people are interested in OTHER people listening, collaborate, or even just COMMENT on songs. And of course, a big complaint on all websites is "NO ONE IS COMMENTING ON MY SONGS." Most people visit a LOT of sites, open mics and writers shows where they have gotten the same thing.
What this leads to is that people to go to the INTERNET and get pulled into all the scams, schemes and bad advice. That is why there are so many threads that start "Has anyone ever heard of...." because they figure if they pay money to get into a contest, a pitch service, a film and television library, someone will listen to their songs. Well guess what folks. THOSE PEOPLE DON'T LISTEN TO THEM EITHER. Except to GET YOUR MONEY.
Look at it like this. Have you ever been to a party where most people are having a good time, laughing, talking, a few singing, a few paired up romantically. Everybody is in the spirit (and the SPIRITS). Over in one corner is one person all by themselves. They have a scowl on their face, any one that comes up to them, they glare, or say something nasty, so generally everyone just avoids them and hope they don't "go postal."
That is what those songs and titles are like to most people. The anger, bitterness, disappointment, challenges, are easy to write. Like buying a great car, you just drive that car and love it. But you get a LEMON? EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT. Posts are made on Social media, the dealership is targeted, some take out ads in newspapers, consumer hotlines are alerted. It is GAME ON!!!! Songwriters are like that. They want to wear their emotions on their sleeves, and TELL EVERYONE how terrible everything is.
Guess what? MOST PEOPLE DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR PAIN. They have THEIR OWN PAIN. They don't need someone ELSE to TELL THEM HOW THEY FEEL. They want someone to tell them HOW TO GET PAST THOSE FEELINGS AND MAKE THINGS BETTER. Even in songs with SOMBER SUBJECTS, DEATH, DISEASE, DEPRESSION, etc. can have a NOT SO TERRIBLE ending. they can have a twist. And especially in a world that already has so much negativity in it, people really don't need any more. They already got THAT T-SHIRT!
So I would strongly suggest you look at your TONE on your songs. Also look at PRONOUNS. How many songs have "I, ME, Myself, MINE", etc. verses the songs that have "YOU, WE US, OUR". How many songs are ACCUSING SOMEONE ELSE OF MAKING THINGS BAD FOR THE WRITER? Or how many songs CELEBRATE things that are good?
There are some very good PROFESSIONAL DEVICES that can be used to achieve this. First is the TWIST ON THE TALE.
This is where a song takes you in a direction you didn't see coming. There is conflict, story, and resolution. Here is a hit song written by a friend of mine, Rory Feek, recorded by Clay Walker. Rory had his own horrible time last year when his wife Joey, died after a long public battle with Cancer. She was amazing and such a sad loss. But this song was written before that but applies to that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVyhvFYJQaI
By Marc-Alan Barnette