Re: The songwriting process
- From: "JustinT" <nobuddy@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 09 Dec 2005 12:09:05 GMT
"Stephen Calder" <calder9@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:439931b0$0$493$61c65585@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The songwriting process
No, Im not one of the great songwriters, but I've written quite a few
I'm happy with so this might be of interest to those wondering how to go
about it.
Today I was riding home on my motorcycle and wondered what I might call
an album if I eve made one. The title that came to mind was ?Of course?
which might seem ordinary but has a special meaning to me. Then I
thought well if that was the title there might be a song with that title
too.
A few scraps of snatches of phrases came to me, which I tried to
remember. Some of them came back as I sat down at the typewriter to
string some words together for a new song. I had a feeling for it, a
kind of slow swing (because Annie doesn?t like fast swing a la Stephane
Grapelli), sounding a bit like a classic because I love the classic songs.
Here?s what came in the first half hour or so. The actual process is
very difficult to analyse. The state of mind is free-flowing and
receptive, and it?s probably enough just to set your mind in that
direction. It?s a listening kind of thing, being able to snatch the
thoughts that resonate, the phrases that have rhythm, the lines with end
words that rhyme, before they slip from memory. If they do slip, they
can sometimes be called back, but the whole thing is kind of slippery,
it can?t be taught like other arts in terms of steps, it?s a kind of
leap to a thought high in the air. You can see the difficulty I?m having
describing it.
Anyway, what I intend to do is keep you up to date with my progress on
this song in the hope that this is of some interest to those of you
struggling with lyric writing.
As more verses come, if they come, I?ll post them. I have a kind of
rhythmic feel in mind, and a style, so in my mind I?m listening for
sounds and sequences of notes that will fit. As I do I will try to
remember them, find a chord progression that fits. I might develop a
chord progression from that start. Let?s see what happens. I might
decide in the cold light of tomorrow morning that the whole thin is cr-
ahhh rubbish. Back to you soon.
Oh, before I go, I?m looking at the fourth and fifth lines and thinking
that?s where a rewrite may be needed. It depends a little on whether I
can find a tune that fits with the rhythm of the words.
Of course the love between us is the real thing
Of course you can believe it?s true
Of course it?s bigger than we can imagine
There?s something about it that?s more than it appears to be
That?s more than me and you
Of course you can believe I?m thinking of you
Probably when you?re thinking of me
Of course the we two are really one,
Of course we?ll always have the sun,
Of course, of course of course, I love you
--
Stephen
Lennox Head, Australia
Great idea! I for one will be watching with much interest as your song
unfolds. What better way to gain some insight into the creative process?
Thanks for sharing. Love the lyrics so far, btw. Do you always write the
lyrics first and then fit music to them, or does it happen equally the other
way?
Cheers
Justin
.
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