Ballad Challenge #1

[john]

Hi Gang

 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a ballad. Sounds straightforward... but here are the guidelines...

 

1. Your song should use Ballad Song Form also known as AABA song form: http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/aaba-song-form/
2. This should include a refrain (ie this is NOT a verse / chorus song form, instead the verse includes a refrain.)
3. Your song should mention:
   1. At least one music genre
   2. One color
   3. At least one public figure
   4. One number
4. You can use an AABA derived song form, such as AABABA

Please post your results to this thread, and please take part in discussion about the contributed songs, even if you yourself have not submitted a song.

 

Importantly, I will be selecting a song that best meets the brief. I will then interview and feature the writer of that work (unless they don't want to be!) This interview and feature will be promoted across Songstuff, in our newsletter and on our social media outlets.

 

Your work does not need to be complete on initial submission, but it should be complete and available within the thread by friday, 23rd September 2016.

 

To qualify:

• Submit a song that meets the brief.
• You should take part in the discussions of other contributed works within the lyrics challenges board... old posts will not count.

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers

 

John

[Richard Tracey]

John, you spelled Colour wrong!!!

 

[john]

lol It's the American spelling. Most of our members are American

 

http://grammarist.com/spelling/color-colour/

[teek]

Declan MacManus

 

V.1.

A given name of Declan , no political ambition

A punk with a metaphor , he's just a musician

Does the hard yards , on the road

Always lives by , the musicians code

 

V.2.

Been to number one , but the jobs not done

He's been in Vogue , and the cover of Rolling Stone

Wears a stylish suit , white  fedora on top

What happened to Veronica , swimming in pop

 

 

Bridge

A punk with a metaphor

Just a little left of centre

Has the blues in his soul

Listening taste is classical

Plays in the mainstream

He's just so discographical

 

V.3.

He may be last years model , but is still current today

A social listener , that never went away

Just a little left of centre , anti establishment

A snappy dresser , looks the proper gent

 

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2016 by teek

[Karanis]

Can it be dark and depressing? I've been wanting to write lyrics to my "Ballad of the Clocks" instrumental piece.

[john]

2 hours ago, Karanis said:

Can it be dark and depressing? I've been wanting to write lyrics to my "Ballad of the Clocks" instrumental piece.

 

Absolutely

[Skin]

8 hours ago, teek said:

Declan MacManus

 

V.1.

A given name of Declan

No political ambition

A punk with a metaphor

He's just a musician

 

V.2.

Been to number one

But the jobs not done

????????????????

????????????????

Just a quick observation teek

you have ambition/musician as your rhyme in v1 and so if you are going to use "he's just a musician"  as your refrain line then you need to change 2nd line v2 if your going to match rhyme scheme?

 

Les

[Skin]

I'm doing a teek here and posting a part of and idea for this challenge and I have a question for anyone.

Does it make any sense? 

 

V1

Forgive me father for I have sinned

And the Devil has my soul

They tell me I will go to Hell

In the name of Rock n Roll

 

V2

Blackened heart and twisted mind

I have strayed outside the fold

Know not what he does they cry

In the name of Rock n Roll

 

It could be that by me asking this question I have already answered it?

I think I need some sleep lol!

 

Cheers

Les

[Richard Tracey]

10 hours ago, teek said:

Declan MacManus

 

V.1.

A given name of Declan

No political ambition

A punk with a metaphor

He's just a musician

 

V.2.

Been to number one

But the jobs not done

????????????????

????????????????

 

Damn Teek, I'm using punk in my entry as well.

[Karanis]

12 hours ago, john said:

 

Absolutely

YES! Thank you!

[teek]

12 hours ago, Skin said:

 

 

V1

Forgive me father for I have sinned

And the Devil has my soul

They tell me I will go to Hell

In the name of Rock n Roll

 

 

Hi Les . one thing i noticed , i think the second line would read better if  it went 

FOR THE DEVIL HAS MY SOUL 

 

[teek]

10 hours ago, Richard Tracey said:

 

Damn Teek, I'm using punk in my entry as well.

 

Rock On - 

 

[teek]

12 hours ago, Skin said:

Just a quick observation teek

you have ambition/musician as your rhyme in v1 and so if you are going to use "he's just a musician"  as your refrain line then you need to change 2nd line v2 if your going to match rhyme scheme?

 

Les

 

Hi . Les .  

Yeah , i am confused by the rules of this comp. it it say's rhyming scheme has to be AABA , my rhyme in the first verse is

 

A=Declan

A=Ambition

B=Metaphor

A=Musician

 

But then i read the LINK that explains " songform  AABA , which relates to Verses and a Bridge , i understood that the AABB or ABAB rhyme  pattern was within the ONE verse etc. ??  not the pattern of verses to bridge etc.? anyway I learn something everyday

              

                                                                                                

[john]

35 minutes ago, teek said:

 

Hi . Les .  

Yeah , i am confused by the rules of this comp. it it say's rhyming scheme has to be AABA , my rhyme in the first verse is

 

A=Declan

A=Ambition

B=Metaphor

A=Musician

 

But then i read the LINK that explains " songform  AABA , which relates to Verses and a Bridge , i understood that the AABB or ABAB rhyme  pattern was within the ONE verse etc. ??  not the pattern of verses to bridge etc.? anyway I learn something everyday

              

                                                                                                

 

hey Teek

 

If you re-read the challenge it doesn't actually mention rhyme scheme. The first requirement exaplains:

 

Your song should use Ballad Song Form also known as AABA song form: http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/aaba-song-form/

 

If you follow the link you will get an exlpanation of AABA / Ballad song form. When talking of song form (also known as song structure or song architecture) letters refer to the different sections of the song. For example AAA song form is a song that has 3 identically structured song sections. Normally this would be 3 verses, often with a refrain line or two lines.

 

To understand the different types of song sections:

 

http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/song_building_blocks/

 

That includes what a refrain is.

 

To get a better idea of Song Form overall, read http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/song-form-overview/

 

If you look at both articles you will get a much better idea. There are other articles in our library that explain all the common song forms

 

[Skin]

3 hours ago, teek said:

3 hours ago, teek said:

 

Hi . Les .  

Yeah , i am confused by the rules of this comp. it it say's rhyming scheme has to be AABA , my rhyme in the first verse is

 

A=Declan

A=Ambition

B=Metaphor

A=Musician

 

But then i read the LINK that explains " songform  AABA , which relates to Verses and a Bridge , i understood that the AABB or ABAB rhyme  pattern was within the ONE verse etc. ??  not the pattern of verses to bridge etc.? anyway I learn something everyday

              

                                                                                                

You and me both bro! Always learning bits n bobs.

Yeah my post was more on the refrain as part of the challenge  not the rhyme. 

Les

[teek]

2 hours ago, john said:

 

hey Teek

 

If you re-read the challenge it doesn't actually mention rhyme scheme. The first requirement exaplains:

 

Your song should use Ballad Song Form also known as AABA song form: http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/aaba-song-form/

 

If you follow the link you will get an exlpanation of AABA / Ballad song form. When talking of song form (also known as song structure or song architecture) letters refer to the different sections of the song. For example AAA song form is a song that has 3 identically structured song sections. Normally this would be 3 verses, often with a refrain line or two lines.

 

To understand the different types of song sections:

 

http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/song_building_blocks/

 

That includes what a refrain is.

 

To get a better idea of Song Form overall, read http://www.songstuff.com/song-writing/article/song-form-overview/

 

If you look at both articles you will get a much better idea. There are other articles in our library that explain all the common song forms

 

 

Thank You John .

As i said " i am confused " i will re-read the rules and what u posted , i am sorry if you thought i was bypassing you in some way , Thanks again .

 

[john]

1 hour ago, teek said:

 

Thank You John .

As i said " i am confused " i will re-read the rules and what u posted , i am sorry if you thought i was bypassing you in some way , Thanks again .

 

 

Not at all. A huge part of these challenges is about broadening horizons, trying new things, getting exposure to stuff you don't normally deal with. I am perfectly happy if you ask questions, or for any member to help another member and for members to share knowledge. If anyone can help you get an improved clarity for a challenge I'm good with that.

[JH Michaels]

Ok....I feel like I just opened the musical version of the "Chopped" entre basket......thanks John....this ought to be fun!

[john]

On 7 September 2016 at 10:09 AM, Skin said:

I'm doing a teek here and posting a part of and idea for this challenge and I have a question for anyone.

Does it make any sense? 

 

V1

Forgive me father for I have sinned

And the Devil has my soul

They tell me I will go to Hell

In the name of Rock n Roll

 

V2

Blackened heart and twisted mind

I have strayed outside the fold

Know not what he does they cry

In the name of Rock n Roll

 

It could be that by me asking this question I have already answered it?

I think I need some sleep lol!

 

Cheers

Les

 

I like where this is going Les

[john]

3 hours ago, JH Michaels said:

Ok....I feel like I just opened the musical version of the "Chopped" entre basket......thanks John....this ought to be fun!

 

Nice one