As a songwriter myself, and frequent reader/contributor to songwriters' newgroups, I'd say that country songwriting is formulaic, but the mold can be "bent" a little here and there. Typical comments about lyrics being critiqued on news groups include an admonition to keep the language "down home," and to keep the language "conversational." Poetic flights of fancy do not "fly." Multi-syllabic words are to be eschewed, and the subject matter should be of concern to the "common man."*

The prototypical American country audience member is a working-class bloke with a 9-to-5 job, a couple of kids, and more bills than he wants. His ambitions do not include becoming the boss, just getting a raise and some time off to enjoy his hobbies. He likes to stop by a neighborhood bar (sorry -- neighbourhood pub) for a couple of beers with his male friends, and isn't above some casual flirting with the females there. He loves his country, although he doesn't much like how it's going now, and longs for the old days when things were simpler.

He is a realist, so his songs can talk about death, mayhem, divorce, and such things. But he is NOT into "social action," so his songs, if they touch on the need for such, will be personal songs about the subject, not picket-line slogans and "preaching to the choir" protest songs. He champions the underdog, and loves songs that show a common man getting the best of the upper crust, whether it's a "Take This Job and Shove It" or a blue-jeans attitude song.

The folkier songs in the "country" repertoire often feature the acoustic instruments of bluegrass and old-time (hillbilly) music: guitar, mandolin, 5-string banjo, fiddle, and bass. The newer country songs use electrified versions of the guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass, and fiddle, plus drums. After 30 years of influence, rock music is finding its way onto "country" stations, too, despite the incompatibility of some aspects of the two indigenous American styles. Ditto the influence of outright rhythm and blues and African-American styles (I say "outright," since the African element has long been a part of Southern folk music in America, since long before "country" OR "western" music was even intimated in the songs of Jimmie Rodgers or the music of Bob Wills.)

Well, this may not be enlightening, but it IS long! I should shut up and let someone else speak.

-- Bob Clayton

*(Note: They say that Lincoln said that the Lord must have loved the common man, since he made so many of 'em. My feeling is that he didn't like 'em too much, though, since he made 'em so common.)