When writing songs, do you....

bassist4life2004 · Post by **bassist4life2004** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:59 pm

I know sometimes, when I write songs, I will get into a phase where I get stuck on writing songs about one subject, weather it be love songs, hate songs, or whatever the topic or event. So, my question is...Have you ever gotten stuck on one subject for a long time when writing music, and really felt like you couldn't break away from it? Or are you random and unpredictable?

Merge · Post by **Merge** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:12 pm

I try to be random, but I do sometimes get in a rut. I think it happens to every songwriter at one time or another. More people can relate to the "I've been wronged" kind of songs than the "I love her and she's wonderful" kind of songs, lol.

RFBuck · Post by **RFBuck** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 2:04 pm

It's happened to me too, and I let it run its course. I jot stuff down all the time and after awhile I just say "Im bored with this" and look for other sources of inspiration.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:21 pm

I haven't written a love song in years. I used to write a LOT of lonely songs, not because I was lonely (not in my personality-type), but because I felt everybody could relate. Now I'm more into story-songs, with a beginning, middle, and end, and when love is featured in them, it's usually love that's gone wrong, or at least unrequited. My latest is called "The Grieving Old Man On The Mountain" (working title), and it's about a man whose love runs off to the city lights she can see from the mountain... he never again comes down from the mountain, and basically stays up there and cries out about her. Now, when you go up there where it's windy, you can still hear him grieving about it when the wind cuts through the trees. It's not the lyrics that are the hook per se, but the sad lyric laid over the bouncy, happy melody... something I've always liked about bluegrass... we've had people happily dance to a song about an old woman pleading for the jailer to release her son, then dying there in front of the jail. That juxtaposition of a heart-wrenching story with a boom-chicka-boom rhythm always makes me perk my ears up.
Writer's blocks are a common thing. In fact, if you don't periodically experience one for one reason or another, you're not much of a writer. You can't disconnect if you've never been connected. A blockage means there was once flow, know what I mean? I've had lots of them, one that lasted several years. I hate to say it, but they just sort of run their course when they're ready to. I can sit with a cowriter and hammer at a song actively using the general "rules" of songwriting, but by and large, we're all just passengers in the whole process. I've generally approached creativity as me sifting through the sand with my fingers. Mostly I find broken shells and gum wrappers, but sometimes I find something cool. Once I do, I do my best to make it rhyme, and slap some cool-sounding chords behind it. Once it gets to a band situation, I give the other guys the room to stamp their creativity on it, and then it's a song. Mostly, I just stay out of the way.
You can also use a rut to your advantage: If you're writing 27 songs about one subject, go ahead and write the 27th song, then pick the best one and eighty-six the other stuff. Not every song you write is a keeper. If 10% of my songs were crowd-pleasers, I'd be freaking ecstatic. They don't all have merit to others, and what is art if nobody wants to view it?
Practice, that's what!

--->JMS

hicksjd9 · Post by **hicksjd9** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:24 pm

Sounds like a great song, Songsmith. I'd really like to hear it someday.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:51 pm

I think it's going to be on our upcoming recording, if we can gather some cash to record. We've done it live a few times, and it gets a nice response.--->JMS

Asundor · Post by **Asundor** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 5:17 pm

I know when I'm setting down to write songs, usually I'll get these ideas and go and write them down, then sometimes I can be driving in my car two weeks later and something pop in my head and I'll be like that would be a great part with that other song I've been wroking on. So ya I relate to alot of you guys. Sometimes I think it's a good thing to take your time and think it over how you really want that certain song to be even If it takes weeks or months to put it together. In the end we all want to be happy with what we write and have to offer.

bassist4life2004 · Post by **bassist4life2004** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 5:33 pm

Lately my writing style has leaned toward the vengeful side. I am starting to get more spontaneous ideas in my head, and not getting stuck on love songs, like i sometimes tend to do. it just seems that they are the easiest kind to write. If i feel a certain way, normally i tend to get stuck on the subject and cant really think outside the box. A lot of things that I write are actually things that people say to me. If someone says something to me, and it seems like a neat phrase i will write an entire song around it. I tend to get inspiration in weird places, but hey, inspiration is inspiration, and im not going to pass it up.

Merge · Post by **Merge** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:51 am

bassist4life2004 wrote:Lately my writing style has leaned toward the vengeful side. I am starting to get more spontaneous ideas in my head, and not getting stuck on love songs, like i sometimes tend to do. it just seems that they are the easiest kind to write. If i feel a certain way, normally i tend to get stuck on the subject and cant really think outside the box. A lot of things that I write are actually things that people say to me. If someone says something to me, and it seems like a neat phrase i will write an entire song around it. I tend to get inspiration in weird places, but hey, inspiration is inspiration, and im not going to pass it up.

I know what you mean. The last few I've written have been rather nasty, lol. The people they are about asked for every bit of it, though.

Post by **Ron** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:44 pm

Nine of the last ten songs I wrote were all about breakfast food. Go figure.

THEM BONES · Post by **THEM BONES** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:34 pm

I always started with a guitar riff and tried to determine if that riff sonically represented a certain emotion I was feeling at the time. If so I write lyrics that hopefully match the feel of the riff. Did that even make any sense?? Damn Pills.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 10:43 pm

i'm not even going to pretend i can write music. however, i have been impressed more than a few times to the genius of those who have .. i've tried to figure out what characteristics separates the great from the mediocre and worse.

A tune should tell a story.. i'm firmly convinced. I don't mean "tell a story outright" in an obvious way. God forbid the poor (most) C&W tunes are an example of how not to tell the story in a clever way.

I mean the great tune should tell the story in a clever way that grabs the listener by not only the ears but the heart. RATM comes to mind as great not only lyricists but genius at extracting the most from their instruments.

When they play they grab your azz, and no way can you sit still. your head starts banging you can't control yourself. And the lyrics are awesome. they tell a "story", and it all works in most clever way.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:13 am

i guess what i am saying is a tune should LEAD the listener somewhere. a different place than where he started. at the end, he/she, the listener should be "changed", at least for the moment.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:30 am

Skynyrd is another, GNR, can anyone think of anyone else?

let's talk theory

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:59 pm

Toby Keith also strikes me as a particularly gifted song writer. His lyrics stand out from most of the inane country stuff out there today.

What really amazes me is when musicians are hired to come up with a theme for a new movie..a lot of those are surprisingly creative.

Can you imagine having to create a song that embraces the theme of a new movie in a clever and fetching way?

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When writing songs, do you....

When writing songs, do you....

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