Back in the 60's folkies argued long and loud about "what is a folk song?" Legend has it that Mississippi blues man Big Bill Broonzy settled the issue when Studs Terkel asked him if a certain blues he sang was a folk song. "It must be," he replied, "I never heard horses sing it."
But I don't remember any folk songs about folk music.
I only remember three rock songs about rock and roll: Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music," (which was more of a listener request than a tribute) and "Roll Over Beethoven"; and Danny and the Juniors' "Rock and Roll is Here to Stay." (I'm not counting the satirical "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" from Peter, Paul and Mary.)
Country music seems to have earned the distinction of being the only music obsessed with itself, producing song after song about... you guessed it... country music!
Ben Yagoda, author of The Sound on the Page : Style and Voice in Writing
chronicles this trend in an article anticipating a flood of tributes to the great Johnny Cash. He traces it back to songs about the "Singing Brakeman," Jimmie Rodgers, and the legendary Hank Williams as well as dozens of songs about the music itself.Yagoda notes: "Country singers are always defining, narrating, defending, or mythologizing their own lives."
Now what does that remind you of?
Ever notice how many blogs are about blogs?!
I'll admit it. I'm also guilty. Hey, look at this post! Steve O'Keefe thought I would blog this week about copywriting and here I am blogging about blogging! Why are bloggers so obsessed with the process of blogging itself? Is it the novelty? It's not that new anymore.
How many magazines are there about magazines? Is Folio still around? Can you name any others? Yes, there are advertising and marketing publications. But they are all professional trade papers, serving the needs of the industry. They don't contemplate their own navels.
Much of the criticism leveled at blogs is because of this very self-absorption.
The answer? Put your blog to use by thinking of your readers. What do they want to know? What to they need to find out?
Many bloggers have tried and failed to "monetize" (what an ugly word!) their blogs with ads. Some have diluted the value of their blogs by doing so and lost readership. As Doc Searls and David Weinberger wrote in the Cluetrain Manifesto
When you think of the Internet, don’t think of Mack trucks full of widgets destined for distributorships, whizzing by countless billboards.
Think of a table for two.
Blogs at their best are a way of making friends with your public. It can be a wonderful public relations vehicle. But only if you relate!