why wouldnt the words come.....

[germ]

i seem to trip over my self and kick myself in the butt ever time i write... lyrics...... and i dont know why.... it seems like such a natureal way for me to express myself...... any suggestions on somewway to over come it.......

[dr.colossus]

a bottle of scotch, a bad breakup, three cartons of cigarettes, and a clock that won't stop ticking

[badgas]

Don't expect the song of the century.
Don't try so hard. Write down what comes. You can edit it later.
Some people write best with a guitar in hand or a keyboard in front of them.
Some write the words then later the music.
Others, like me do both at the same time. But almost always come back later and tidy it up.
Still others do the music first and add the lyrics later. Try different angles of composing. You'll nail a way to do it, your way, your style.

When you begin writing try to keep the external noise down, phone/TV/Radio/Family, etc. I do most of mine at night when it's quite and I'm very tired. I do better when I'm tired. Some people do better in the mornings, after excercising, sex, what ever.

Begin carrying a note pad and pencil with you, or a small mini cassettee. When a few words come to mind, save them. In a month you'll have a collection of bits and pieces you can fall back on. You should see my collection of bits and pieces. I'm always rumaging through them for that forgotten phrase that would fit right in the third verse of the song I happen to be working on at the time.

Never throw a song away, no matter how bad you dislike it. Some really great songs were taken from more than one song that the artist never finished or didn't think the whole song was worth anything. The only one that comes to mind right now is , 'Just like Starting Over' by John lennon. He took three unfinished songs and combined them.

Hope some of this helps. After a few years you'll find a nitche that will work for you. You'll get into your habit and feel comfortable with it. But don't get in a rut, always look for new ways and styles to write, look for new motivations.

Good luck, Germ.

[PaulB]

I'd say be willing to write some bad songs to get to the good
songs.Try not to have your "editor" on when you are first writing.
Write down anything at that point. This is not the time to be critical. That comes later.

I like to write away from my instrument myself, sometimes going for a walk with a hand held cassette machine. Sometimes about motion can help. I guess that also goes for riding in a car.

I like to map my songs out before writing if I can although I also write down any line that just comes to me about the song.
By mapping, I mean a short sentence on what the song is about
then a map out individual parts of the song.....in verse 1, he discovers that she's cheating on him...in verse 2, he decides to get his revenge getting her name on a bunch of mailing lists, ect.

In other words, get the big idea firm before writing. I think the
more you write, the pickier you get about ideas you start writing.
But if you are too picky when you first begin writing, you might
get discouraged and not write at all. So there is a balance.

I've heard people say things like go write 100 bad songs then
you'll be ready to write good songs, ect. I don't know if that's true but I do know you learn from writing bad songs.

PaulB

[Henri Devill]

Originally posted by dr.colossus
a bottle of scotch, a bad breakup, three cartons of cigarettes, and a clock that won't stop ticking

Dr,...This is a example of a great start/partof to a song.Man thats country hit material...Paul B & Badgas gave you the best info..The only thing that I can add is to be aware of everything..notice the little things....Something I like to do is people watch and imagine there lives..then Ive got all kinds of things to write about..Good luck

Don

[dr.colossus]

an empty bed, that thing you said, and a mind that won't stop thinking...


goddam this is sounding like a country song.... i write lyrics spontaneously.... learn to move your pen faster than your brain!!! and definatly no editing till later (good point PaulB)

[Buffalo Bob]

"i seem to trip over my self and kick myself in the butt ever time i write... lyrics...... and i dont know why.... it seems like such a natureal way for me to express myself...... any suggestions on somewway to over come it......."

Start writing poetry. That will give you a better feel for meter, rhyme, etc., and you may come up with a poem that will translate into a song lyric. Write prose - give yourself an "assignment" (like in school) to write about a certain subject, 1000 words. This will give you a feel for dialog, setting, timing and brevity.
You practice your instrument, right? Then practice your writing skills the same way.

Bob

[Monomaniac]

Try this:

Begin with the music and then just sing something to it (don't forget to record what you're singing). Don't think about the words. Sing what comes to your mouth (english is not my home language so sometimes I sing something that "sounds" like english just to fill the melody :-) ).
The next day you'll listen to what you sang and you'll find that it altogether makes absolutely no sense. But some words or phrases may fit to the melody. Then take these words an build your lyrics around them. Using this way you'll get ideas for songs you'd never have if you thought the whole day. For example one day I sang "He has a heart of solid gold" because it just fittet into the melody and came out of my mouth without passing the brain. These words gave me the idea for a whole song about a fallen angel and so on. This seems to be a strange method to write a song but for me it works.

And if you wrote the half of a song and just can't finish it, then keep it. I once finished a song I began more than one year before.

Good luck!

[Jay C. James]

monomaniac, thats exactly what i do.

[philboyd studge]

First, know where you're going conceptually. Then, pick up a pencil and with the pointy end insert data to a blank piece of paper, then turn the pencil around and use the other end to edit. Repeat the process a bunch of times.

[Chris Shaeffer]

The words will come if you play with them long enough.

[rhs2000]

Dear All,
Some good remedies.
Try sitting in your 'studio' with just a guitar. Then imagine an audience all around you - waiting to be entertained.

Think first:
Do I make 'em laugh.
Do I make 'em cry?

Do I sing the blues?
Do I even try?

Do I call to heaven?
Get help from high above?

But then...I see you smile...
write a million songs of love!

(You want more? Get your boxes strumming!)

(raise it - crescendo)
Then I see my children,
awed on Christmas day.
all the work takes meaning,
as I watch them play,
a million more songs, every second of my day.

(raise again!)
Then I see the sunrise,
enliven death of night
beaming over your face,
eyes suddenly bright,
is there ever time,
all the words to write?

all you needs an audience,
let them feel your life,
thru' your chords and verses
open all the doors,
thanks for being my audience,
now let me,
be yours.

(Come on! dive in! Write!)

That was written as I sit a surfin'
Hope you don't mind my write,
Hope the words help fight the block,
Sorry to hog the site!


The block is our Goliath,
against him we fight.
I've long since been rid,
because my name,
is David.

(Over the top eh! But you get my drift!)

So here's your 'audience', just tap the keys, write away, there's no such thing as a 'bad' lyric.

have fun!
rhs2000

[WEBCYAN]

badgas, i think thats not good advice.

I think you SHOULD expect the song of the century.

aim high. shoot low.
or hit low...somthing like that.

Or aim REALLY hi and hit high...

but if you aim low, you...um hit the ground.

so...there.