I’ve been waiting all year for this.
Well, specifically, I’ve been waiting since April last year.
That’s when I made a note in my journal that I should write an email about the song We Are The World.
Today is January 28, the day that We Are The World was originally recorded, back in 1986. That makes today a particularly good day to talk about it.
You’ve probably heard We Are The World. Maybe you were even around when it came out.
Basically, We Are The World was a bunch of the biggest U.S. pop stars of the time, singing a simple, heartwarming/sappy, highly repetitive song to raise funds for famine relief.
Each of the pop stars sang just a line or two of the total song — a basic melody, over a background of generic pop instrumentation.
But even if you don’t watch the video, it’s remarkable how quickly you can recognize who’s singing, just by the tone of their voices, within a second or two:
Cindy Lauper — shrill and colorful
Ray Charles — smooth and swinging
Stevie Wonder — clearly from another dimension
Michael Jackson — childish and vulnerable
Bruce Springsteen — muscular and tormented
Bob Dylan — nasal and intellectual
Do you think it’s an accident that the world’s biggest pop stars, then and now, are recognizable by the tone of their voice within about a second and a half?
The last one on my list above, Bob Dylan, is a particularly good example.
Early in his career, Dylan had a much more conventional, clear, melodic way of singing.
At some point, he figured out that exaggerating his natural tendencies, or even inventing a completely new voice, gave him distinctness, memorability, immediate recognizability. The critics, who panned him for it, be damned.
Do you think there might be a valuable opportunity for you there as well? At least if you have a presence online, or want to have a presence online?
If you do, here’s a tip based on what I’ve found to be true:
You don’t have to “decide” on your unique and distinct tone and voice today. In fact, it’s almost impossible to do so.
But you can experiment with it from day to day. Introduce little quirks… make little tweaks… or go whole hog and make a big change and see if it sticks.
Do this regularly, and pretty soon, you will settle into something that both feels natural to you, and which is unique and distinct enough to win you attention even in today’s crowded marketplace.
And that’s my soft segue into my offer today, which is the same offer I’ve been promoting for a while now:
Daily Email Habit.
Daily Email Habit helps you start and stick with consistently writing daily emails so you can make sales, influence readers, and yes, even develop your own unique voice in time.
You don’t NEED Daily Email Habit to write daily emails.
But it can save you time and headache, and make it more likely you will stick with the process long-term. If that’s something you think could be valuable to you, then—
There comes a time…
When we heed a certain call…
Ok, I won’t get all sappy on you and start singing about the children. Here’s the link: