diff --git a/songbook_core/build.py b/songbook_core/build.py
index a471f07e..6a4a91d4 100644
--- a/songbook_core/build.py
+++ b/songbook_core/build.py
@@ -114,10 +114,15 @@ class Songbook(object):
             content = self.config["content"]
             self.config["content"] = []
             for elem in content:
-                if isinstance(elem, unicode):
+                if isinstance(elem, str) or isinstance(elem, unicode):
                     self.config["content"].append(("song", elem))
-                else:
+                elif isinstance(elem, list):
                     self.config["content"].append((elem[0], elem[1]))
+                else:
+                    raise errors.SBFileError(
+                                 "Syntax error: could not decode the content "
+                                 "of {0}".format(self.basename)
+                                 )
 
         # Ensure self.config['authwords'] contains all entries
         for (key, value) in DEFAULT_AUTHWORDS.items():
@@ -126,7 +131,7 @@ class Songbook(object):
 
     def _parse_songs(self):
         """Parse content included in songbook."""
-        self.contentlist = SongbookContent(self.config['datadir'])        
+        self.contentlist = SongbookContent(self.config['datadir'])
         self.contentlist.append_list(self.config['content'])
 
     def write_tex(self, output):
@@ -149,7 +154,7 @@ class Songbook(object):
         context['filename'] = output.name[:-4]
 
         self._set_songs_default(context)
-
+        print(self.contentlist.content)
         renderer.render_tex(output, context)
 
 
diff --git a/songbook_core/errors.py b/songbook_core/errors.py
index 6b850712..d724ae14 100644
--- a/songbook_core/errors.py
+++ b/songbook_core/errors.py
@@ -10,6 +10,19 @@ class SongbookError(Exception):
     """
     pass
 
+class SBFileError(SongbookError):
+    """Error during songbook file decoding"""
+
+    def __init__(self, message=None):
+        super(SBFileError, self).__init__()
+        self.message = message
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        if self.message is None:
+            return str(self.original)
+        else:
+            return self.message
+
 class TemplateError(SongbookError):
     """Error during template generation"""