Years ago, I shared a song I was genuinely proud of.
I thought the lyric was clever.
I thought the message was clear.
I thought people would immediately understand what I was trying to communicate.
One listener gave me feedback I’ll never forget.
They said:
“I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t feel anything.”
That sentence annoyed me.
At first.
Because I wanted credit for the effort.
I wanted recognition for the wordplay.
I wanted appreciation for the message.
Instead, I got a lesson.
The listener wasn’t criticizing the idea.
They were describing the experience.
And listeners only experience what reaches them.
Not what we intended.
Not what we hoped.
Not what we meant.
What actually reaches them.
Since then, I’ve become far less interested in asking whether a lyric is technically correct.
I’ve become much more interested in asking whether it creates an emotional response.
Because music isn’t a transfer of information.
It’s a transfer of feeling.
The difference sounds subtle.
Until you hear it.
