There are tons of hit songs with bad and or unoriginal lyrics.

Nope. There may be tons of hit songs that you don't like. But someone likes them, so how "bad" can they be? The issue of originality is another matter altogether. Where is it written that a song must plow completely fresh earth in order to be a good song? It may be what YOU are looking for in a song, but the general public is perfectly happy to listen to songs that sound nice and whose lyrics speak to THEM.

Take Alan Jacksons "Remember when." This has to be one of the most unoriginal songs I heard in quite some time. The song idea is very unoriginal, the lyric is one big cliche and the melody is extremely unoriginal.

Okay then. It is not a very original song, yet lots of people seem to have been moved by it. What does that tell you? As a songwriter, what can you learn from that?

Goes to show, Star power can make a lame song a hit.

That comment is pretty insulting to the thousands of people who like the song.

The Top 40 is filled with lame unoriginal songs that are hits because of who are singing them.

Again, you seem to keep harping that it is originality that defines greatness in songwriting. There is no evidence to support your opinion.


That's not to say all top 40 songs are lame. Long Black Train, Spend My Time and Redneck girls (great lyric) are some of my favs.

Man, what a bunch of lame songs! [Linked Image]



[This message has been edited by TrumanCoyote (edited 03-24-2004).]