Songwriting Part 3

Lyrics

This post is about lyric writing. I feel that writing lyrics is the most important part of the creative process. The tune has to be good of course, especially the chorus which is the focus of a good song, and we are only concerned here with good songs!

The first set of words have to ‘scan’. This means that if you have a tune the words must fit. Seems obvious but it is harder to match the accents in the tune. There are critical points in a tune. The notes on the beats 2 and 4 need strong words, that is how rock music works. These points will help punch energy into these beats.

Some words ‘resonate’ these have a vowel as the last letter. The vowel allows the singer to impart their personality into the song. A good singer will recognize a good song when they hear one. So if you are not a performing composer make sure you find a good singer.

The first set of lyrics you write do not have to mean anything at all! In fact it is better that they don’t. This leaves the direction of the song open. What you are looking for is a title, something that encompass the point of the song. Ask yourself one simple question, what is this song about?

Write lyrics that sound right together. You are writing for the sound of the words not the meaning. In fact there are finished songs that are clearly about the sound of the words , not their meaning. Whiter Shade Of Pale is my favorite example. Paul Simon’s Punky’s Dilemma is another.

David Bowie used a method for lyric writing that is unusual. This is what he did.

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He would cut up the lyrics of two of more songs of his that he conceded weren’t very good, or for some reason just didn’t work. He placed the pieces in a bag and gave the bag a shake to mix them up a bit. Then, without looking he would pull out some words and assemble them in order.

I don’t know if he wrote it this way but here are the lyrics for Golden Years

I liked this idea so much that I wrote a program to allow the computer to combine lyrics or indeed any text, maybe a Shakespeare play, Midsummer Nights Dream, some poetry, maybe The Ancient Mariner.

The program runs on a Linux system, there is no Windows or Mac version as yet. However if they is a demand I will look at writing one. In the meantime you could use the Bowie cut-up paper example.

Whatever you write enjoy the creative process. Sometimes it may seem that are are carving words out of stone but stay with the process until you have some results. Good writing!

Songwriting Part 2

Start with something you know and develop the idea into something new.

Take a set of lyrics to a song you know very well and sing it without listening to the record. Do not play an instrument while you sing, you need to be free to adapt. You may find that you start singing a different tune to the original. Grab some music paper and an instrument and write down the tune, or record it.

Leave the tune for a while, a week , ten days, what does it matter? This is the percolation phase. This time delay will help you break the association with the original lyrics so you can put them to the back of your mind.

When you return to your tune you are ready to create a new set of lyrics. Now lyric writing is a whole other posting, check back to this site for that one.

What you have done is use a song to write a song. It is a technique used by the professionals such as Paul Simon so take a tip from them.

Songwriting Part 1

The Types of Songs

Identify the different types of song to help with your own songwriting.

Start by learning about the different types of songs. Here are a few to begin with. Use the comment section below to add song that fit the category featured in this post.

The List Song

The list song is a list of items. Things you like, places you have been to, the sort of day that it isn’t it or things to blame.

My Favourite Things is a list of items, “brown paper packages, tied up with string, sleigh bells and door bells”. It was recorded by Julie Andrews and appeared in the film Sound Of Music.

I’ve Been Everywhere is a list of American place names. E.G Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota . It was recorded by Johnny Cash. It was written by Australian country singer Geoff Mack in 1959, using Australian place names. The song easily lends itself to be adapted to many different countries.

I Just Called To Say I Love You is a list of days that the current day isn’t, no New Year’s Day. It was written and recorded by Stevie Wonder.

Some songs are a hybrid in that they include a list but there are other parts to the song. Blame It On The Boogie has a short list of things to blame it on, sunlight, moonlight , good times. The song was recorded by The Jackson 5.

Our New Look

The old look is out the new look is in. We needed to simplify the site as we prepare to place the articles and pix we have been stockpiling in our virtual warehouse.

There will be band features on our Latin Rock outfit Vicia Faba. Graheme Wilson has returned to an album project and we are looking forward to release of something that we expected to hear ten years ago!

Sounds are the reason we exist so there will be places to listen to new music and old favourites.

Leave a comment and let us know what we want to see and hear from us.

Welcome to Yew Tree Music

We make music our way.

It seems like a long time ago that we decided to start our own record company. Now, over 24 years later we can look back at all we have achieved. We also look forward to producing new albums by the Latin-Rock band Vicia

There is plenty to look forward to and you will find updates on our site. Keep checking.

We like to hear from other record companies and artists with their unique take on the music business