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Songwriting

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hey, just looking for some pointers from the poets/songwriters out there. I've studied music and composition as a postgrad degree, but never tried songwriting. I've recently started jamming with a few musicians, so thought it would be a good opportunity to have a go at writing a few songs. I spent about 20mins writing down the first ideas to come into my head. I thought by having some words to think about, I would be in a position to think about melody and then revise the lyrics as that starts to take shape. Does anyone else write that way? It seems like a good method to use til I have more of an idea how to approach songwriting. The style will be more folk/blues influenced, so I'm trying to make the lyrics scan but not sound like they rhyme too tightly. I want to sketch a rough melody, but give the singer some room to put her own mark on it. Here's what I've got so far, it's loosely based on ideas drawn from the film Mulholland Drive. I want the first 2 verses (paragraphs 1 and 3) and choruses (paragraphs 2 and 4) to sound fairly musically similar (realise I may need to change some words to do this) and then the ending (I'll possibly add another verse before paragraph 5) will have a slightly different feel.

Piloting a speeding jet
Almost blinded
In the back of a car
Subjugated, never to comment
Want to know the truth?
A dark haired woman
Everyone thought they should forget

Heard a gunshot but, already you know
A silver bullet never arrives
Please continue with your lies
Blurred self-delusion and
Deprecation only serves to ostracise us
Whilst lustrous eyes conceal
Her true sold-out identity

Shaken, bleeding, yet
Shamelessly broken
Travelled very far
All alone, naked in an apartment
Where is her Aunt Ruth?
A fair haired woman
Each time no one could forget

Fired the gunshot but, already you know
A silver bullet never arrives
How pointless are these lies?
Shattered in time and
Deadbeat, you’ll never know the truth
Her lonely eyes reveal beauty
See her cold blue key?

The fear of loneliness and bitter truths
Never needed to contemplate these, cos..
Perplexing tho it seems
A love story in the city of dreams
Never dared to exist without
Narcissism and self-confusion
But , wake up, I swear it’s all just illusion

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm by no means an accomplished songwriter or anything of the sort but imho, the best songs tend to paint a picture in the minds of the listeners.
    Although quite poetic these lyrics don't seem to mean very much. It reads as though it's a story of a woman who dreams of suicide due to sadness but then its not real in the end..? But if this is the case it's not overly clear and in a song i think any story portrayed here would be lost.

    I'd also say about 90% of the emotion within a song comes from the singer and the way they interpret it, obviously the lyrics and melody are massively important as well but unless you find the right person, no matter how boss your lyrics are, it won't work.

    ETA: There are a lot of songwriter forums out there, obviously this is not much help as you probably already knew this and i can't actually remember the name of this one in particular, but one sites forum was full of songwriters posting their work where they get bombarded with constructive critisism.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the rhythm of your lyrics is also really important! just as much as painting a picture in someones mind. it doesn't mean it has to rhyme, but it has to flow...and unless you have amazing rhythmic talents ala brandon boyd, keep it a simple rhythm, otherwise you'll get tongue-tied.

    its quite often a good idea to keep doing drafts of it. i normally do three before i put it to music...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    to be honest, it sounds like you "decided" to write a song. of course everyone is different, but when i used to write a lot it was never something i could force. you either have a good idea or you don't. i don't think its something you can force, learn or study. i highly doubt whether elton john has a degree in music composition or if bob dylan studied how to write lyrics.

    what i'd suggest is to not try to force it, or to have too many pre-conceived ideas. usually it just comes out how it will. i have seldom had much success thinking "i am gonna write this style of song about this subject" but then again, as i said, everyone works differently.

    anyway, practice makes perfect. i used to read a songwriting forum quite often on a guitar website, i think it is pretty quiet these days but you could have a look; http://www.guitarzone.com/forum/index.php?showforum=10
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    phoenix24 wrote: »
    to be honest, it sounds like you "decided" to write a song. of course everyone is different, but when i used to write a lot it was never something i could force. you either have a good idea or you don't. i don't think its something you can force, learn or study. i highly doubt whether elton john has a degree in music composition or if bob dylan studied how to write lyrics.

    what i'd suggest is to not try to force it, or to have too many pre-conceived ideas. usually it just comes out how it will. i have seldom had much success thinking "i am gonna write this style of song about this subject" but then again, as i said, everyone works differently.

    anyway, practice makes perfect. i used to read a songwriting forum quite often on a guitar website, i think it is pretty quiet these days but you could have a look; http://www.guitarzone.com/forum/index.php?showforum=10

    Yeh, I know what you mean about the style sounding forced. I find writing lyrics a bit personal and need to get out of my comfort zone a lot still. I guess that's what I was looking for - someone to say I can afford to pour more of myself into it without it sounding over the top. That's what I was really getting at with the degree background - that I'm used to expressing my feelings through certain tones, rhythms, colours, harmonies and I'm still struggling with the idea I can just come out and say what I feel in words. (and not that it will make me naturally in a good position to have any sort of talent songwriting!) But just I would like to give it a go. I can be a quiet depressive girl so often a lot of thoughts flying around my head (again it won't mean the songs will necessarily be any good but I have nothing to lose I guess!)

    I chose this theme because someone very close to me has spent the past 2 years having a nervous breakdown and I wanted to find a way to explore it which isn't directly about them, but I would think as I begin to re-draft I'll start to show through more. As for having a subject matter I probably be someone who needs to have a clear idea what 'story' I want explore then go from there, and if it still feels forced and I'm lost where to go, scratch it and take sometime and wait for something else to come along.

    Some good advice and links there tho - many thanks to everyone!
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