Pipes1975

I don't read enough intros. That was a nice. Welcome Jeanie. Any rainbows come out of the rain yet .

I appreciate the comments. But I have 2 problems with this older lyrics I wrote: #1 - it's not original, I just revised a song #2 - I only looked at the negative side of 'Living for Me' - there should be a part 2 that is all positive But I'm more into my own stuff now, so I doubt I'll reuse this - it served it's purpose on my journey, when I only saw one side of things!

I'm fairly new, and this thread is fairly old, but if this ever starts back up, I'll give it a try! Although, I'll warn now - I sometimes have trouble writing about things if I don't feel them. Saw the last onme was from June, and not many replies, so I figured I'd mention my interest here - I think a few of the other newbies would likely give it a try to - although I sometimes need more than a week - every 2 weeks (or even a month) might work better for me . I think the Pheonix Coyotes would make a good topic right now seeing that Betman thinks the NHLs $160 million to keep a team in a market that is failing is worth more then Mr Blackberries $240 million to put a team in a successful market!!!! Reason - Betman doesn't want to upset Toronto ownership by allowing another team so close, that would sell tickets at a reasonable price opposed to Torontos ridiculas prices! Could also hurt Buffalo (although Buffalo is nothing to do with Betmans agenda). I think it's ridiculas that Betman took all the Canadian teams away, and than changed the policy so smaller markets would get help. Where was the help when Winnipeg and Quebec needed it? Both Winnipeg and Quebec can easily support a team, but both needed new arenas - both moved to the states. How many California teams make money? How many unsuccessful franchises does Betman need in the US before we can bring hockey back home where its appreciated? (I'm Canadian, I love hockey when I'm not dreamin - lol, I don't hate anyone, but I dislike Betman quite a bit, or at least I dislike his ideas.)

This is when I have fun revising a song already a hit! Basically, I'll take a song that I like the flow and feel, but where the lyrics didn't hit home for me, and I'll start changing the lyrics to better suit me. I know it won't be usable, but its easier for me to change words when the emotions are already in front of me - so I've done this plenty of times when I was having trouble with my own original works. I actually got one of those in the poet critique - 'Living for Me' revised from 'Hero of War' by Rise Against. 'Hero of War' is a very emotional song with amazing lyrics, but since I have never been a soldier, and don't know too many soldiers, it didn't hit me hard enough, it felt like I was observing other blind people, when I know I'm part of the blind!!! So I changed the lyrics to reflect my blindness. It really seemed to help, as I wrote my next original about a week afterward. I tend to take a small break first though(probably smoke a joint or 2 too, lol), if I'm still having difficulty when I get back into writing, thats when I do my revising just to help keep the pen moving and my mind working. It's a cheesey trick that has helped me - it helps me get more emotional sometimes too, as I don't always let all my emotions go - but when revising, and the emotions are already presented, I seem to let go a little easier too!

You want to relate to your audience, and you need to have emotion. Those are the biggest factors when picking a subject, and that can lead to all the topics you mentioned in the OP. I'm more about recognizing problems, finding common goals, unconditional love (as oppose to the more traditional love we have that always comes with conditions), a better future, unity, against all forms of seperation (including war, nationalities, religion, strong beliefs, etc..) - I dream, and my lyrics are free thoughts without boundaries. I'm all about opening eyes and freeing minds. However, when I get going deep into some meaningful lyrics, I still need to relate to the audience, and hook them, before I can expect them to think ! The meaning behind my lyrics, and getting others to ask questions, are both much more important to me than making money off my lyrics.

Since I only write lyrics, and I have never made a song, I think I do have more freedom with my writing than someone that is writing music for his/her band. Some of my lyrics come off as slow and soft, others loud and aggressive. Some are full of love, others full of anger. Some sound simple enough, that I could probably sing them, others sound like Disturbed meats Ozzy, and I can't transform what I hear in my head out loud to others. I think most writers do write more than one style, but when they are writing for a band, the lyrics that get noticed are the ones the band plays - so unless the band can come at you with multiple different styles - generally one genre is settled in on. This is all my opinion, nothing more.

With me, I should first note, I only write lyrics, I don't make music. When I write lyrics, I'm no longer functioning in the world. I enter a dream like state, where my mind wanders freely without restrictions. I write nearly all my verses alone and I try to give them deep meaning. I don't write when I'm on a time limit or when I got to go function imediately after, so I tend to do most of my writing late at night, after my daily routines are over, . My choruses are sometimes much different than my verses. Some of my choruses have come from bouncing stuff off buddies, everday events, a tempo that got stuck in my head, common stuff others can relate to, and/or just random conversations. I find my best lyrics are the ones that have the catchy chorus already in my head, than when I got time to dream, I can go do up the verses.