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How much do you vary your song themes? Boy being meets girl being, beneath a silvery moon which then suddenly explodes for no adequately explored reason? (name that quote)
Do you use awareness of types of themes to help guide your songwriting direction and variety or sameness?
It's an underestimated way to help kick-start a song.
Cheers
John
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Song Themes
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#1
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Posted 15 January 2010 - 08:54 PM
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#2
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Posted 15 January 2010 - 10:03 PM
I think my lyrics tend to have rather varied - but in the later years I shy away from love lyrics, mostly because it has been so thoroughly done through the years that I feel there is very little new I could bring to it. And I do want and try to be original. I often get lyrics/story/concept ideas late at night before I go to sleep. I used to have a book beside my bed that I scribbled stuff into, now I use the audio recorder on my mobile phone.
For me, lyrics are real hard work and I very often get very good help from my wife to finish stuff.
For me, lyrics are real hard work and I very often get very good help from my wife to finish stuff.
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Homepage: Singer/Songwriter/Musician Finn Arild Music - pop/rock with progressive roots
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind - Mahatma Gandhi
Homepage: Singer/Songwriter/Musician Finn Arild Music - pop/rock with progressive roots
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind - Mahatma Gandhi
#3
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Posted 15 January 2010 - 11:45 PM
The quote has to be from the Hitch-hiker's Guide, but it's been while since I read it, so I can't remember which part....
I think having a theme in mind helps keep a lyric on track, whether you're one of those people who has a lot of ideas you want to put into a song, or (like me), who might have a good idea to start, but need to generate more material to bring it home. When I say theme, I mean a pretty specific idea which you could probably state in one concise sentence. Even within "love songs" there are many specific themes you could focus on: you're crazy, but I love you; I love you, but you drive me crazy; I love you, but your cousin makes me drool... there might be more...
I think having a theme in mind helps keep a lyric on track, whether you're one of those people who has a lot of ideas you want to put into a song, or (like me), who might have a good idea to start, but need to generate more material to bring it home. When I say theme, I mean a pretty specific idea which you could probably state in one concise sentence. Even within "love songs" there are many specific themes you could focus on: you're crazy, but I love you; I love you, but you drive me crazy; I love you, but your cousin makes me drool... there might be more...
Better Than a Sharp Stick in the Eye!
Andrew
Andrew
#4
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Posted 16 January 2010 - 02:05 AM
I don't choose to write in one specific theme. I get so many ideas, the choice is realy "which one could be developed now?" Some ideas take longer to stew than others.
I did notice I had a tendancy to write in a negative or dark theme and have tried to turn that around. I think I hear more positive themes in music by far, so thought it might be better to write in that direction.
I did notice I had a tendancy to write in a negative or dark theme and have tried to turn that around. I think I hear more positive themes in music by far, so thought it might be better to write in that direction.
Hey, the eraser still works, it's the pointy end that won't co-operate.
#5
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Posted 16 January 2010 - 03:26 AM
The lyric needs:
1. a purpose - why am I writing this
2. a subject - what is this lyric about
3. a scope - what gets included or excluded
4. a style - is this a story about something that happened or just about a feeling or about something totally mysterious
5. a tone - is it positive, negative, hopeful, mellow, dark, filled with angst or anger
6. a message - what can the listener learn
You can think about all of this beforehand or you can sit down and begin to type words and see what happens. You can do like I used to do and pick up the guitar and play through chord sequences uttering nonsense phrases until something good comes out. The thing that works for you right now is what you should do. Don't give up what works. But there is a reason why disciplined, schooled people are productive. They've learned the techniques and don't mind "working" at something they love to do.
We might quibble over terminology or what's important but the main thing is:
Keep writing,
Don
1. a purpose - why am I writing this
2. a subject - what is this lyric about
3. a scope - what gets included or excluded
4. a style - is this a story about something that happened or just about a feeling or about something totally mysterious
5. a tone - is it positive, negative, hopeful, mellow, dark, filled with angst or anger
6. a message - what can the listener learn
You can think about all of this beforehand or you can sit down and begin to type words and see what happens. You can do like I used to do and pick up the guitar and play through chord sequences uttering nonsense phrases until something good comes out. The thing that works for you right now is what you should do. Don't give up what works. But there is a reason why disciplined, schooled people are productive. They've learned the techniques and don't mind "working" at something they love to do.
We might quibble over terminology or what's important but the main thing is:
Keep writing,
Don
To compete with your contemporaries is wasted energy. Be better than yourself. (apologies to William Faulkner)
Writer's block only occurs when the fingers are not close enough to the keyboard.
Creative magic draws less from innate talent and more from a firm deadline.
Be not distracted by abundance; limitations ignite the creative juice.
Inspiration seldom comes to he who waits.
Most of all, keep writing.
Writer's block only occurs when the fingers are not close enough to the keyboard.
Creative magic draws less from innate talent and more from a firm deadline.
Be not distracted by abundance; limitations ignite the creative juice.
Inspiration seldom comes to he who waits.
Most of all, keep writing.
#6
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Posted 20 January 2010 - 11:39 PM
TaoMannaDon, on 15 January 2010 - 06:26 PM, said:
The lyric needs:
1. a purpose - why am I writing this
2. a subject - what is this lyric about
3. a scope - what gets included or excluded
4. a style - is this a story about something that happened or just about a feeling or about something totally mysterious
5. a tone - is it positive, negative, hopeful, mellow, dark, filled with angst or anger
6. a message - what can the listener learn
You can think about all of this beforehand or you can sit down and begin to type words and see what happens. You can do like I used to do and pick up the guitar and play through chord sequences uttering nonsense phrases until something good comes out. The thing that works for you right now is what you should do. Don't give up what works. But there is a reason why disciplined, schooled people are productive. They've learned the techniques and don't mind "working" at something they love to do.
We might quibble over terminology or what's important but the main thing is:
Keep writing,
Don
1. a purpose - why am I writing this
2. a subject - what is this lyric about
3. a scope - what gets included or excluded
4. a style - is this a story about something that happened or just about a feeling or about something totally mysterious
5. a tone - is it positive, negative, hopeful, mellow, dark, filled with angst or anger
6. a message - what can the listener learn
You can think about all of this beforehand or you can sit down and begin to type words and see what happens. You can do like I used to do and pick up the guitar and play through chord sequences uttering nonsense phrases until something good comes out. The thing that works for you right now is what you should do. Don't give up what works. But there is a reason why disciplined, schooled people are productive. They've learned the techniques and don't mind "working" at something they love to do.
We might quibble over terminology or what's important but the main thing is:
Keep writing,
Don
I like this checklist, I think it could be really helpful, especially when re-writing, for finding the focus of a lyric...
Better Than a Sharp Stick in the Eye!
Andrew
Andrew
#7
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Posted 09 February 2010 - 07:28 AM
Good points, all. Sideline thought: "I love you, but your cousin makes me drool" sounds like a line that needs a song to go with it.
Joe
Joe
#8
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Posted 09 February 2010 - 02:32 PM
roxhythe, on 09 February 2010 - 01:28 AM, said:
Good points, all. Sideline thought: "I love you, but your cousin makes me drool" sounds like a line that needs a song to go with it.
Joe
Joe
And this could be the next line of that song:
I love you
But your cousin makes me drool
Perhaps the three of us could spent some time together
To compete with your contemporaries is wasted energy. Be better than yourself. (apologies to William Faulkner)
Writer's block only occurs when the fingers are not close enough to the keyboard.
Creative magic draws less from innate talent and more from a firm deadline.
Be not distracted by abundance; limitations ignite the creative juice.
Inspiration seldom comes to he who waits.
Most of all, keep writing.
Writer's block only occurs when the fingers are not close enough to the keyboard.
Creative magic draws less from innate talent and more from a firm deadline.
Be not distracted by abundance; limitations ignite the creative juice.
Inspiration seldom comes to he who waits.
Most of all, keep writing.
#9
- Smile, Be Happy
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Posted 09 February 2010 - 03:35 PM
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#10
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Posted 10 February 2010 - 01:52 AM
.........speakin' of cousins. 
......have any of you guys ever heard a song by Steely Dan called "Cousin Dupree"? It's a riot! I'm thinking tht it's just a couple years old....the first time I heard it was on a DVD of "Two Against Nature" that I got a few years back.
......have any of you guys ever heard a song by Steely Dan called "Cousin Dupree"? It's a riot! I'm thinking tht it's just a couple years old....the first time I heard it was on a DVD of "Two Against Nature" that I got a few years back.
"Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff" - Richard Carlson
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Tom Hoffman at jango.com
http://www.tune-smith.com
http://reverbnation.com/tomhoffman
http://www.myspace.com/tunesmithth
#11
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Posted 16 February 2010 - 12:52 AM
I don't really think of themes as such very much. I don't have this moment where I go: "Now I am going to write about that!" Rather I let ideas slowly filter through my mind. I can have one idea floating around for years, before I try to make anything coherent out of it. This helps them mature and for me to find more and more nuances it has to already relating themes and flows of thought that have existed in the real world. I was reading a summary of the history of modern philosophy today and found out - for example - that one of the ideas I've been having resembles some bits of Schopenhauer's philosophy.
Anyways...
I guess I like the freedom. I like having unused ideas around. And generally the things that really stay with me filter through with time - thus making sure (or at least a bit more sure) that the thing I am going to write is going to be about something more than a one-day fancy.
Of course there are cons to this type of approach as well. I don't get as much practice in actually writing lines of poetry down as I should. I guess I shall try to mend that fault soon.
Generally speaking you should write about things that are relative to YOU and you only. You have no way of knowing what people would like to hear... in fact I think even THEY don't know it. It's just you on your own and your head (hopefully) filled with a big abstract mess that can be turned into something coherent.
Anyways...
I guess I like the freedom. I like having unused ideas around. And generally the things that really stay with me filter through with time - thus making sure (or at least a bit more sure) that the thing I am going to write is going to be about something more than a one-day fancy.
Of course there are cons to this type of approach as well. I don't get as much practice in actually writing lines of poetry down as I should. I guess I shall try to mend that fault soon.
Generally speaking you should write about things that are relative to YOU and you only. You have no way of knowing what people would like to hear... in fact I think even THEY don't know it. It's just you on your own and your head (hopefully) filled with a big abstract mess that can be turned into something coherent.
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