Writing lyrics

ido1957

ido1957

9K Gold Member
You just finished your album and are suffering from a case of "need to sit back and enjoy the results of my efforts for a while before moving onto the next album" syndrome. It's not terminal and doesn't last too long.

While you're waiting for inspiration you can listen to a few of your fav bands for ideas.

Then just write a bunch of lyrics about unrelated stuff until you get enough lines that ARE related enough to make a song.

:D:D:D:D
 
ido1957 said:
You just finished your album and are suffering from a case of "need to sit back and enjoy the results of my efforts for a while before moving onto the next album" syndrome. It's not terminal and doesn't last too long.

While you're waiting for inspiration you can listen to a few of your fav bands for ideas.

Then just write a bunch of lyrics about unrelated stuff until you get enough lines that ARE related enough to make a song.

:D:D:D:D
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Yeah, maybe. Musically, I've already got enough riffs and song ideas for another album. I just hate writing lyrics. :mad:
 
Greg_L said:
How do you write decent lyrics when you feel nothing, think nothing, and have nothing to say? :confused:
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Hi Greg! Well, to start with, you need to get some inspiration. What turns you on? (In a lyrical/creative sense, of course). For me, it's always past experiences, most notably, past relationships and family issues. So, what I'd do if I needed a quick lyric would be to look through old greetings cards/love letters/photos and the like and get a sense of what was going on at a particular time in my life.

Everyone always has something to say, be it at the days news events or at the neighbour for letting his dog poo outside your front door, again! So, if you really feel like you have nothing to say, maybe your focusing on a very small topic, maybe you would benefit greatly from looking at the big picture of the world. How do you feel about starving children in the third world? What do you make of Obama? What would you say to some of the British MP's who are spending tax payer's money on rubbish? I'm looking mainly at politics there, but that's a good selling point in music, if you get it sounding right and get it out at the right time, look at Green Day!

I hope you get rid of this "writer's block" effect, it can be utterly infuriating and disheartening at times, but we all suffer with it at some point, so it doesn't mean anything is wrong!


All the best, and please show us what you come up with in the end, we're all very interested in new work!https://homerecording.com/bbs/images/smilies/wink.gif
 
Greg_L said:
How do you write decent lyrics when you feel nothing, think nothing, and have nothing to say? :confused:
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You wait until it hits you and then you've got to be ready for it. The worst part is when you get a great idea but you've got nothing to write it down with or use for a quick recording.

Here's a tip: Most cellphones have a voice recorder built in. If you get an idea and you're on the road or out in the middle of nowhere, record it on the spot, then transfer it paper, computer, etc when you get the chance.
 
Greg_L said:
Yeah, maybe. Musically, I've already got enough riffs and song ideas for another album. I just hate writing lyrics. :mad:
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Another idea is get your lyrics from someone else.

www.songwriter101.com is full of people looking for musicians who can put their words to music. one caveat, most of the lyrics there are not classic punk material. :D But you never know...
 
Lol. I dunno. I'm cool with collabing on covers, but not my own stuff. My original music is tongue-in-cheek and a joke, but even still I take it pretty seriously. I'm not comfortable with using someone else's lyrics. What's next? Have someone else drum it for me too? No freaking way. I may be limited in my musical abilities, but one thing I do have is my own weird brand of musical integrity. :o

Social and political themes aren't my thing either. I generally don't like it in music I listen to, so I don't wanna write about it myself. Other people's politicial opinions mean exactly jack shit to me, and frankly, outside of a few classic punk bands, I find political music to be a huge turnoff. ;)

Coming up with music and arrangements is easy. Musically, I can rip through something I'm proud of in no time. Then I sit down to write the lyrics and I end up eating the pencil. :mad:
 
Greg_L said:
How do you write decent lyrics when you feel nothing, think nothing, and have nothing to say? :confused:
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You don't worry about it because you are, in fact, dead (or lying..) :D

Man, you HAVE to have something to say... read the newspaper, look out the window, sit in a train and listen to people talking, write about your life (don't say you haven't had one...) ...and so it goes on.

Or, write music only. Plenty do. I don't remember too many Beethoven lyrics, but he did OK... ;)
 
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Greg_L said:
Nope. I really don't. :o
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:o

Sorry, my post was a bit rudish.

Have a listen to Frank Zappa maybe then. He wrote some lyrics I never knew the meaning of. Also, if you can't write lyrics why not try this idea...

Take part of any magazine article, say 200 words. Cut it up so you have one word on an individual piece of paper, put them in a bag and draw them out one by one. Then that's your lyric...

P.S. I've done it and it worked for me or should I say

it me and worked done it I've for :)
 
LOL _ this is hilarious !!!! Now it shows my name as the Original Poster when in fact Greg was the poster!!! Busted board or what? :eek::confused::):mad::rolleyes::cool::D;):p:o:(
 
Greg_L said:
Lol. I dunno. I'm cool with collabing on covers, but not my own stuff. My original music is tongue-in-cheek and a joke, but even still I take it pretty seriously. I'm not comfortable with using someone else's lyrics.
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I hear ya. In the past, I did a few songs with others' lyrics and I'm not crazy about it. Especially when you have to share a copyright. But it is an option. At least you can peruse through and get ideas for your own stuff. Can't copyright ideas!! or titles!!

Don't worry, something will come to you.... What did Kiss sing about???

Shouting
Sex
Saturday Night
Sex
Detroit
Sex
A Sailor's Daughter
Sex
Beth
Oh, and Rock and Roll!!!! Lots of Rock and Roll!!! and sex.
 
He's got a point about sex. The Beatles first No. 1 was about heavy petting.

Please, please me...

Mind you here's another thought:

If you can't write lyrics, why do you want to write songs anyway? I write lyrics because they keep coming into my head. If they didn't...

(if you get my drift...)

Anyway, good luck in breaking out of your writers block or whatever it is, and all the best for the future!

Fx:)
 
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