Perhaps the greatest number of songs throughout history have been written about relationships. Songwriters talk about falling in love and out of it. They talk about families and friends, bosses and gurus. Lady GaGa is "Caught in a Bad Romance," but Ella Fitzgerald wants, "Someone to Watch Over Me."
A large group of singers came together to perform a song written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson in response to a famine in Ethopia in the 1980s. The song, "We are the World," called upon people everywhere to help. After Hurricane Katrina, rapper Lil Wayne contributed "Tie My Hands" to talk about the disaster and encourage hope. Writing about world events can always keep a songwriter busy.
Songs such as Bob Dylan's song, "The Times they are a-Changin," forecast or call for change. Other songs announce a change in a person. An example of this is Gloria Gaynor's disco tune, "I Will Survive. A songwriter can write about changes in age, interests, perspective or geographical place. Many such songs speak of leaving home or going back.
Songwriters can express the wide variety of feelings that they feel or notice in others. Some of the most popular and powerful songs are about feelings. Hank Williams, the famous country and western singer, wrote "I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry." The percussionist Bobby McFarrin wrote a song that told listeners simply to "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Other topics might focus on anger, fear, hope or faith.