and if you can't give them a familar song, give them a familar 'feeling'....many new songs..pop/rock/country, etc. seem to have a sameness...not many 'topics', so it is not necessary to pay close attention to get the point...(you seldom see long learned discussions about the deeper meaning of the latest rock hit)...

I know, some old ballads are similar, too...but the songs I like are the ones about 'life'....love, drink, murder, farm animals, fiddles, food, gods, demons, wars,....etc..and it takes awhile for those to become familar...and the phrase 'folk music' was sort of coined to describe those songs the 'folk' sang with and about themselves...

much of the 'newer' music seems to be 'familar' because the theme of "oh, baby, I want you" is already well known...

(what, ME opinionated?)