Topic by Theme

An attempt to organise the hundreds of Readers Recommend and Song Bar topics into common themes. The categorisation is somewhat subjective, but it’s hopefully of some interest – and a way of sparking ideas for future topics.

Part A covers topics about musical or structural characteristics, use of language or narrative, the tone or feel of a song, the circumstances of its recording or publication, and so forth.

Parts B-I cover ‘songs about …’ topics, i.e. where the theme is the subject matter of the lyrics or title:

  • Part B: songs about music, art & literature
  • Part C: songs about people & relationships
  • Part D: songs about history, geography, religion & magic
  • Part E: songs about animals, nature & time
  • Part F: songs about food, drink, sport & leisure
  • Part G: songs about physical objects & media
  • Part H: songs about messages, activities & behaviours (doing and saying stuff)
  • Part I: songs about feelings, conditions & qualities

PART A: MUSICAL, LINGUISTIC OR TONAL CHARACTERISTICS

A1. MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Vocal characteristics

Instrumental characteristics

Sonic characteristics

Genre or influence

Structural characteristics

Performer characteristics

Covers & samples

Publishing characteristics

Time of recording

Geographic origin

A2. LINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS

Use of narrative or language

Song titles

A3: TONAL OR AFFECTIVE QUALITIES

Tonal qualities

Affective qualities

Songs for particular times or occasions

Quality of song

PART B: SONGS ABOUT MUSIC, ART & LITERATURE

B1. MUSIC & MUSICIANS

Music

Musicians

B2. DANCING

B3.LITERATURE & WRITERS

B4.ART, PHOTOGRAPHY & DECORATION

B5.FILM, TV AND THEATRE

PART C. SONGS ABOUT PEOPLE & RELATIONSHIPS

C1: FAMILY, FRIENDS & RELATIONSHIPS

Family & friends

Stages of life

Relationships

C2: TYPES OF PEOPLE

General

Tributes or hatchet jobs

Positions & occupations

C3: NAMES & TITLES

PART D: SONGS ABOUT HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, PHILOSOPHY, RELIGION & MAGIC

D1: HISTORY

D2: GEOGRAPHY

Specific places

Types of place

D3: PHILOSOPHY, RELIGION, SUPERSTITION & MAGIC

Philosophy

Religion

Myth & superstition

Magic & supernatural

E: SONGS ABOUT ANIMALS, NATURE & TIME

E1: ANIMALS

E2: ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY

Anatomy

Physiology

E3: THE NATURAL WORLD

E4: SCIENCE & PHYSICAL PHENOMENA

E5: CHEMISTRY & GEOLOGY

E6: COLOURS

E7: NUMBERS & SHAPES

Numbers

Shapes

E8: TIME

Times of day & week

Times of year

Time

Temporal qualities

F: SONGS ABOUT FOOD, DRINK, SPORT & LEISURE

F1: FOOD, DRINK & DRUGS

General

Food

Drinking

Smoking & drugs

F2: SPORT & LEISURE

Sport & games

Leisure

G: SONGS ABOUT PHYSICAL OBJECTS & MEDIA

G1: TRANSPORT

G2: CLOTHING & FASHION

G3: OTHER MANUFACTURED ITEMS

G4: MEDIA

H: SONGS ABOUT MESSAGES, ACTIVITIES & BEHAVIOURS (SAYING & DOING STUFF)

H1: MESSAGES & COMMUNICATION

Types of message or communication

Songs with a message for other people

H2: SOCIETAL ACTIVITIES

Work

Commerce & the economy

Agriculture

Healthcare

Education

Politics & sociology

Crime & punishment

Warfare & revolution

H3: PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

Movement

Travel

H4: EVENTS & BEHAVIOURS

Positive events & behaviours

Negative events & behaviours

Other events & behaviours

I: SONGS ABOUT FEELINGS, CONDITIONS & QUALITIES

I1: FEELINGS

Love

Positive feelings

Negative feelings

I2: CONDITIONS & STATES

I3: QUALITIES

Personal identity

Position

Physical qualities

Positive qualities

Negative qualities

Other qualities