Songwriting

I ask this here because it's got nothing to do with the music, just the lyrics. Not a Concert Hall thread.

How do you write a song?
I've got lot/ I get lot's of ideas about what I could write a song about but nothing comes out when I try.
Nothing original or interesting anyway. Maybe i'm trying too hard. Maybe not thinking about what i'm saying enough.

All you lyricists; how do you do it?
How do you just let it all out?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I guess, you could start by looking at artists you already like??? Brain storm your ideas etc

There's nowhere I can't reach.

When I'm writing lyrics or a poem, it all just flows from me, and then I mould it from there into something a bit more tangible. Perhaps you need inspiration, something that provokes emotion or something you care a lot about. Just think about what you are trying to say and mould the language around it.

For the actual music part, I sometimes write the music first, then the lyrics, but I find it more effective to write a set of lyrics and then using the tone of the words decide on the key the song should be in, and work it out from there.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

My approach to writing is a mite like Bernard Black's: an image or an emotion provokes an idea or a series of ideas, and it sort of, well, "flows" from there. The majority of the pieces I've written sprang from something that I saw--imagining how I could describe an object, making it real (or at least semi-real) through words.

Sometimes I can just sit down and chisel out a piece in a pinch. Other times, I struggle for hours, days, or longer until I'm finally satisfied.

Finding inspiration is sometimes the most difficult part, as you're finding, it seems. I recommend going outside, or anywhere were there are observe-able objects-sss (that part shouldn't be too hard, unless you've lost your glasses). A good exercise, then, is to find an object--any object: a tree, a sidewalk block, a bench, a squirrel (hehe...squirrels)--and try to describe it in as many ways as your mind can conjure; write down as many observations about said object as you can. That'll get the mental juices flowing, at least, and it'll be a start.

Also, read, and read a lot. Read poetry. Read books. Listen to musicians who have made the whole lyrics bit work smashingly well. You can go a step further and try to mimick an individual's style, too; that is a greatly helpful method to mature as a writer.

Putting whatever you've written into musical form is a horse of a different colo(u)r, of course, that I don't know much about, to be honest.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Remember, you do not neccessarily need to write a story. And also, you do not need to really make any coherent sense at all. But remember, each idea needs its own approach.

I was speaking idiomatically.

As a disclaimer, I am far from the best songwriter. However, my dad has written lyrics for several bands and has some pretty good concepts and techniques, so I'll pass on the knowledge that he garnered. Furthermore, I personally like to write lyrics after I get the song completely done, but I think the techniques work either way.

You probably should decide the generic subject matter, but this is the easy part, and I assume you can think of things you want to write a song about. If anything, the composition can help you along, cause the style of the song usually suggests a certain theme.

When you start writing the song, first of all, you need a good hook. No matter if the song is part of an elaborate concept album, or a "throwaway" pop ditty (these are often harder to write!), anything with lyrics should have a hook. A hook is a sentence that just flows right, or is clever, preferably both. Check out Bob Dylan's works, his lyrics are almost entirely hooks.

Coming up with a good hook is hard. So, to make things easy on yourself, you can borrow phrases from TV or magazines or people you talk to. Have a notebook with you where you can write down the exact phrase if you come across something good. The Dire Straits line "money for nothing and chicks for free" came from a gas station clerk (or it might've been a truck driver...) who said that about being a musician.

Second, you'll need to flesh out your subject. Be specific. Never resort to songs about "diamond rings" or "holding hands" (no offense to The Beatles). The more specific, the better--ie. name a city, describe details, give the listener the impression that he's your friend, and you're sharing something intimate with them. For an example, try anything from Steely Dan's amazing album "Pretzel Logic".

Finally, it's just a matter of making sure the words flow over the melody. Depending on how talented of a singer you have access to (or are), you can get away with a lot in the phasing. However, sometimes a sentence just won't work properly. Don't be afraid to change a sentence for practical purposes, but remember that lyrics do mean something, too. As an example, When Jimi Hendrix covered Bob Dylan's song "All Along the Watchtower", he changed the first line from "There must be some way out of here" to "There must be some kinda way out of here". Simply by adding "kinda", he made the sentence more slangy and modern, and also made the phrasing much better.

Finally, remember that writing lyrics just isn't easy. Short of getting a burst of inspiration, it takes time and patience to find the exact right words to say what you want to say. Do it a lot and you will get better, but it will always take a lot of effort to get it right.

EDIT: Okay, long post... Hope it's worth reading!

Most amazing jew boots

When I write songs, I normally sit with my guitar and play whatever comes. Usually just a chord progression I think sounds interesting, maybe a lick. Then I'll start humming along with a melody. Eventually, I'll start singing words to it.

In this way, almost all of my songs are more like Tom Petty, rather than Bob Dylan... just random phrases I came up with that fit with the melody. People seem to like them, though.

FELIPE NO

those are all good ideas and i think that your songs need to come from the heart
if your song comes from the heart then it dosent matter what you sing about it will be good.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?