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What Makes You Write?


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What is it that makes you actually sit down to write lyrics? For me, I've learned there are a few things which seem to change my brain waves. Or at least cause me to feel different, an altered state. First is music. I've come across songs that simply induce a need to express myself. This Doors are one. Listening to The End does it. Similar psychedelic music seems to have that same power. But not just that genre. Also, art can do this. As simple as this may sound, I do a google image search of strange art, or something equally odd, and bring up pieces that stir my brain. The effect is amazing.

Do you have something like this?

David

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I've always come up with lyrics after music, and through blabbing out nonsense or part-nonsense to get a melody/phrasing, usually by whatever mood the music puts me in, then editing and adding words to try to make it all work and find the point of it... Similar to Hobo by the sounds of it... I used to think I was special!!! ;) Or sometimes I get the words by listening back to the gobbledygook I sang in the first run and writing down what I think I was saying... I enjoy doing that. I'd really struggle to write lyrics before music... I could write a poem, but I'd likely have to edit it a lot to fit a tune and I've never managed (or really tried hard) to do that.... I've occasionally used bits of previously written prose to fill in some lines.

 

But if I take the question as 'what makes me write a song' (including the music)...  I think it's partly an addiction. Sometimes I'm inspired to write, sometimes people I know inspire me or hearing an amazing song inspires me etc etc... but generally it's a feeling of having to make music or else be in a really bad mood like I've not fed the addiction so just get started and make something

 

Also, I think it's sometimes therapy. I let a lot of stuff out... often same old same old feelings and hangups said different ways to be honest... If I make it into a song it makes me feel a bit better ....  NURSE!!!

 

And it's escapism sometimes... It's a drug in that respect too.

 

All sorts of reasons why I make music. But again I don't write words first unless I'm just writing words...poems, stories...not lyrics.

 

 

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Interesting comments. it seems to me that many of you hear the music in your head, and live in that milieu. I live in words in my head. I don't need the music to be the impetus, but it does finish the 'sculpture' for me.

I must be a rank amateur, Gravity, as inspiration is a beautiful, colorful, rewarding, encouraging, revelatory, arousing, and illuminating thing for me. But not everyone can have your genius.

Tom, thank you for your thoughts. I do mean LYRICS, not SONGS. 

I learn from your thoughts and comments, thank you all.

Edited by David Ritchie
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On 11/7/2016 at 5:53 AM, David Ritchie said:

Interesting comments. it seems to me that many of you hear the music in your head, and live in that milieu. I live in words in my head. I don't need the music to be the impetus, but it does finish the 'sculpture' for me.

I must be a rank amateur, Gravity, as inspiration is a beautiful, colorful, rewarding, encouraging, revelatory, arousing, and illuminating thing for me. But not everyone can have your genius.

Tom, thank you for your thoughts. I do mean LYRICS, not SONGS. 

I learn from your thoughts and comments, thank you all.

 

I rarely hear a tune or words in my head first, and if I ever do it's only fragments. The music comes out when I start strumming my guitar or plonking on the keyboard or maybe even from a beat. The words come out partly at the same time but in more detail when the music base is there. Often real events, memories, or things people have said will make it into my songs, the initial spark of that is rarely there before I begin jamming some sounds out...but sometimes such inspiration is in my head when I sit down to make music.

 

Personally I find Gravity's 'chuck close' quote irritating. Everyone has their own way of coming up with songs. If you want to write lyrics first, and if something inspires the lyric, that doesn't make you an amateur. A whole load of fantastic songs were inspired by books, people, events... a good chunk of Led Zep songs are inspired by Tolkien, I am The Walrus was in some part inspired by Lewis Carol, countless fantastic songs have been inspired by devastating events (look at U2 and CSN&Y), and many great artists have been inspired by previous generations of great artists. The list of inspiration in songs would be too big to list.

 

I've not seen the original context of the Chuck Close quote, but posted here it makes both Chuck and Gravity sound soulless and egotistical....and I believe Gravity threw a tantrum and left so I'm not replying directly. 

Edited by MonoStone
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Most times I have a phrase or hook come to mind . that has somewhat of a be at or parcial melody . but for me it's emotion. It's a mode in in ,i write most times from an emotion and build from that. 

Why most of my stuff is raw and simple . but for me it works. Very few times , Hhmm if ever have I had music then put words,to it. For me that feels strainedvand backwards. Tho I wish I could . 

Or it could be I'm just lazy, and it's what's easiest for me hhhmmm.

Rock on 

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13 minutes ago, Gravity Jim said:

 

You should learn to recognize the difference between a "tantrum" and a "rejection."

 

I left because there is nothing to learn here and I lost interest. I'm a professional, and I certainly don't need any validation from a group of wannabes. If you want to cut the soles out of your shoes and sit in a tree, waiting for The Muse to give you a big wet kiss, knock yourself out. But that would certainly explain the level of quality around here. I have no interest in reading half-baked lyrics and typing "Great Write!" (shudder) after each one, and then nitpicking one little twisted train car from the carnage, just so I sound legit but don't bruise anybody's feelings.

 

So don't think decided to stop contributing because I was butthurt. I decided to stop contributing because you people aren't any good at this and it's a waste of time.

 

Now go ahead and throw yourself an actual tantrum. This will help you discern in the future.

 

Tantrum #2

 

;) 

 

 

 

 

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14 minutes ago, HoboSage said:

 . . . and please let the virtual door hit you in your arrogant ass on the way out.

yep.

 

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I really envy people who can write a lyric well.

 

I see a real distinction in approaches depending on education as it pertains to both the quality and speed of creation. To me, it seems that something is lost when it becomes all about getting a product out, even if a person is good at that. I would hope it could still be about the art.

 

I could stand to learn from this thread because I am anally retentive when it comes to expressing myself lyrically. I don't know why. I get this feeling I'm holding back for no real reason. I have trouble simply letting go with something weird and then trying to explain it to myself. I sing regularly and play regularly in public, so I'm not really shy like that, but it's usually other peoples work. 

 

On the few songs I have taken to experiments with in lyrics I seldom start with anything but a bag of magic beans....I sit with whatever I happen to decide I want to play and start to make something with it. It isn't meandering usually. It is something structural in my head. It's always the music first. A combination of basic music composition and imagination. Then if I happen to be really lucky I might start to feel like something verbal is coming out but since I'm lyrically illiterate it's usually only a word or two. Sometimes a thought actually comes from that and it turns into actual lyrics....but usually that doesn't happen.

 

I feel like I have it down there somewhere buried deep. Usually too deep to ponder to myself much less anyone else.

 

 

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Well said. I quite understand. 

Having been a poet for nearly half a century, I am comfortable with words and feel them deeply. However; I struggle with expressing myself with my guitar. While I love to play, and perform in my band, it's just not my paradigm. 

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