Ray,

Old buddy. You are still bringing up songs that are between 10-15 years old.

Blue was around 2000.

Don't Tell me What to do: Around 1997

The Lee Anne Womack is a bit more current but things change now at the speed of light. If you are two or three years behind, you are in the ancient world.

It is not that everything has to be a positive subject. It is the spin you take on that subject. Even if it is a "down subject, you have to have a "rope of hope."

The biggest song of this year is "Stay" written and performed by Jennifer Nettles, of Sugarland. Won Grammy for song of the year.

The first verse you find out the woman's boyfriend/husband is having an affair with another woman.
The first chorus is the singer emploring him to "Stay with her."
Same with the second chorus. The "twist is in the last chorus where she is imploring him to "Stay" with the other woman, and leaving her alone. Classic woman empowerment.
But one caveat. Jennifer, lived, wrote and sang that. Even if you had a song as good as that one, there is NO WAY she is going to take your song over hers. Period.

In "Next Time he Cheats" Carrie Underwood is doing a juxtaposition song, doing what every woman has ever wanted to do, take a "Lousville slugger" and a "key to the guy's car."
Woman empowerment.

In the ACSS (angry chick singer songs) there is an element of getting past all the bad elements of their lives. Showing people in the same position, how to escape. Bad Marriges, abuse,
Ever hear ANY thing Martina McBride does? "Independence Day", "Goodbye Earl" Dixie Chicks? Every single one sets up the tough situation, then finds a way out.

Sit coms like Andy Griffith show, and the Lucy show are on the TV 40 years after they were done and still more popular than ever because they solved the problems in the world in 22 1/2 minute. (Time for the show minus commercials) We are doing the same thing in 3 1/2 minutes.

On the guy side, it is mostly about getting the girl. That is the same thing Sinatra, Elvis, The Beatles, etc. did. That is the only reason you start playing music as a guy. Come on, be real guys, which 16 year old, acne encrusted guy,who is bad in school, washes out for the football team, supposed to do to get women? Does he sit down and say:
"What kind of sensitive life altering subjects can I write about to point out the inequities of the International banking system, as it relates to the current taxable entities on my 401 K plan, and how can I convince people that we must save the enviroment from long winded singers and writers expelling so much carbon dioxide by singing long winded songs about the inequeties of the International banking system and current taxable entities, relating to 401 K's and saving the environment?" NOT A CHANCE.
Although there are some of those people out there. They end up being over 40, going on web sites about songwriting and talk about how terrible everything is because the music industry has rejected their songs about the inequeties of the.... you know,
CRUMUDGEONS!!!
The rest of the guys just want to get laid.

MAB