<< Caveat: I am not suggesting more disciplined approaches are not fun! I just grow weary of reading on some discussions here (not this one) that our lives are incomplete because we don’t know music theory smile >>

I spent the "requisite" 12 years studying theory and sight-reading. Once I got into the real world of traditional and public domain music, I found myself returning to where I was before that exercise started; namely, to the simplified approach. If the song is in GMaj, perfectly acceptable melodies and accompaniment lines can be played never
leaving the GMaj scale. After all, isn't this the basis of rock, blues, and country? Keith Richards is one of the "all time great" guitarists. Looking carefully and knowing he is tuned to open chord, note he rarely leaves the big three notes of the scale. He doesn't have to look at the neck, or a lead sheet. Finally, I give you the current
obsession with the minor pentatonic scale.

<<The principles behind a billboard or poster or other media I referenced may or may not influence a song or lyrical idea of a songwriter. I'm not sure what you mean by composers being "left out" because in the example you give that "if we are at war with a country, you wouldn't want to write
a song about what a beautiful place it is.", were I perhaps a left leaning anti war activist songwriter, I may actually would use the beauty of that country as a platform for anti war protest in a song. >>

As I say, it can get deep real quick. I pulled an example that I thought no one would refute smile OK, so my point is the population walks around in a state of belief that their thoughts and opinions are entirely of their own making. This has been demonstrated to be untrue, as most salesmen can
attest. My point is the commercial songwriter looking to his or her own heart for inspiration might also consider asking, "What is it they want, really want? By "left out," I mean, "Why should ad men and propagandists have all the fun?"

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