This is the last (for now) in this series of three blogposts about the difference between vulnerability and oversharing.
Sometimes there are songs that do give a little more information than might seem necessary. Some of the ones that come to mind are:
- I’m not wearing underwear today, Avenue Q (well, probably 2/3 of the show qualifies as oversharing)
- I touch myself, The Divinyls (1990 pop song – a cute tune but did we really need to know this?)
- I can’t say no, Oklahoma! (Ado Annie’s confession about how easily her head is turned)
- The love of my life, Brigadoon (pretty much the same song as “I can’t say no”)
- Does this look infected? (Okay, I made that one up. And you’re welcome.)
There are pop songs that go even further, and I’m not even going to list them because they were ridiculous. And kind of gross.
In general, if a song is oversharing, at least in musical theater, it’s because it’s supposed to be funny. The character is going too far. And that’s the joke. But when we’re interpreting a song that is intended to be serious, even if the content is very personal, we aren’t oversharing.
In planning this post, I did find a really good song called Oversharing by country singer Kelsea Ballerini. And even though she’s singing about how she overshares, the song is showing her vulnerability. Part of the chorus is:
Yeah, I know, there’s moments that I’m missin’
If I’d just shut up and listen
But silence makes me scared
So then I overshare
If you are working on a song that is intended to show your vulnerable side – a song like “Your daddy’s son” or “Someone else’s story” or “Stranger” – you need to take a moment to “shut up and listen.” Listen to the spaces between the notes. Between the words. Between the verses. Listen to the harmonies, the instrumentation (even if you’re doing it with piano) – what did the composer intend to convey when s/he chose the instruments accompanying the song? How do the harmonies enhance the text? How does this help you express the message of the song?
Think but don’t overthink. Share but don’t overshare. Care but don’t overcare. Don’t miss the point. Don’t be scared of the silences.