Some speak of a distinction between sentiment and sentimentality -- Jeri has an excellent point. "Sentimentality" sort of means that feelings are being consciously manipulated by the author of the song. Traditional songs almost never give me that feeling. (But there's always "Silver Dagger," which I have trouble believing is really traditional.) One problem I have with singer-songwriter stuff is that it almost always has something false in it that leaves me feeling manipulated. Like, someone trying to tell you how a farmer or sailor, or mountaineer or whatever would feel, written by someone who saw some sailors or read about them in a book, and thinks they are just too, too, glamorous. It almost never works.