Hi, Edly. (if I'm not being too bold).

I actually wrote my first song after finishing your book and am quite thrilled. It's not a best seller (my song) - or even a seller, but in the process it made me double check what I was doing. And you were right, of course, about the ending pulling to the key. I wrote it with one flat aka key of F. However I ended up with a few naturals making it a D minor.

BUT the ending note it pulls to is an F, not a D. I guess I should re-write the whole last stanza. Also it starts with a C. Shame on me.

Many, Many thanks.
Grandma S

Hiya Grandma S.

Congrats to you! BUT, don't rewrite anything just because it doesn't follow conventional theory!!! Never do that! The purpose of music theory is to describe and codify what is done and how things work in common practice, not at all to dictate what composers and song writers SHOULD do. On the contrary, what we should do is write music that is pleasing to us, and/or the audience for which it's intended, whether or not it breaks every so-called "rule" in the book!!

Does this strike a chord with you?

Also, starting on C is not at all surprising, being the dominant in F. Heck, Happy Birthday and 3 zillion other songs start on the dominant!

Keep it up!

Edly