I can't play but I cringe at sing-songy meter. Joni never, ever does that. I'm talking about text that has the perfect number of syllables and relies so heavily on cliches that you can spot the rhymning word as they're setting it up with the previous line...... the first time you hear the song. For example, there's a completely predictable song about closing time at a bar. Fill in the blanks..... if you can:
"Closing time. One last call for ___ - __ - ____, so drink up your whiskey or beer. Closing time. You don't have to go home but you can't.... stay.... ____." If you said "alcohol" and "here", you qualify for as a songwriting whiz in the brave new world. Not that I can write songs, mind you. No, my specialty is *criticism*. <smecking at myself. I'm so clever.> "smecking" is from A Clockwork Orange if I recall correctly which is never a safe assumption. Did I already say that? hee hee Lama Owen said, [ps Im a musician so I can tell a lazy/contrived/cliched chord progression or melody when I hear it!]
