DonnaMarilyn

Great article! Thanks for posting it. Now I want to read the book. Donna

Hi Alicatt, It's hard to say whether I feel most inspired to write in a particular season, but on a personal level my favourite season is autumn. I was born in October, so maybe that plays a role. 😉 I love the colours and the changes, and the feeling of preparing to go into a kind of hibernation, introspection. Many of my lyrics are reflective in nature, so perhaps they've emanated from that state of hibernation, so to speak. Donna

It sure has. The most wonderful music, and I'm not even a musician! I always think I'll remember the melody in the morning, but of course I never do. )-: Often, though, in those fleeting moments between coming out of sleep and actually waking up, lines will pop into my mind that I use later in a lyric. Or in the transition from being awake to falling asleep, a sudden line or two will jolt me into wakefulness, and of course after I've written them down I can't get back to sleep. So I keep working on the lyric.

It's wonderful when things fall into place. And good for you as well, making a move and a brand new start. I'd recommend that at some point you get in touch with Marc-Alan Barnette. He's a treasure trove of information, and has been living, working, and writing/playing in Nashville for years. Decades, I think. He's also highly entertaining. https://www.marcalanbarnette.com/home Well, if I ever get over that way, I'll be sure to give you fair warning. Would be fun to meet up. In fact, as I'm a TAXI member, I've occasionally toyed with the idea of going to one of their annual Rallies. They're said to be fantastic. Hasn't panned out though so far. Delft is a long way from Nashville.

Good questions, John. They got me thinking. As you know, I play no instrument, but I take the craft of writing lyrics very seriously. So I hope you won’t mind if I respond to your questions from the perspective of a lyricist who sometimes writes melodies but mainly works with musicians/composers. What drives YOU to write songs (lyrics)? Once upon a time, I had the silly notion that maybe I could write a lyric for a song that might be picked up by an artist. Just once would have sufficed. Apart from a couple of very minor ‘victories’ (i.e. placement in a TV series episode, a few competition wins or almost-wins), however, that didn’t happen. So now I’m happy just to ‘scratch the itch’ − that sudden and overwhelming desire to create a ‘story’, or to give voice to a visceral response to some personal or societal or global event. What are you looking for when you write? It depends on the story and the impetus. Sometimes it’s to get something off my chest, or to find closure (as if that’s ever possible), or to amuse/entertain/inspire/enlighten the reader/listener, or to express a strong feeling about something to which the reader/listener can relate. What, if anything, do you get from the process? Mostly satisfaction if I feel I’ve done a good or at least a fairly competent job. Sometimes I ‘get’ breathing space when the act of writing – removing myself from the world, so to speak − has served as a distraction from whatever might be weighing heavily on my heart or mind at a given moment. In other words, it can be therapeutic. Sometimes I get the truth. For instance, when I look at a completed lyric and see that I’d written something I didn’t even realise I’d believed or contemplated. I often feel – especially with stream-of-consciousness or semi-SOC – that the lyric writes me rather than the other way around. I suppose too there's a sense of 'leaving something behind' once I've sloughed off this mortal coil. Maybe one day in the distant future someone will stumble across a lyric or a song of mine, and feel somehow touched or connected, in the same way that I often feel when I read a favourite poet or author, or listen to a favourite song. What do you like about writing lyrics for songs? I like the challenge. I like the thrill of the chase when I’m scrabbling around looking for the perfect word or phrase to express a feeling or a state as simply and as elegantly as possible. I like the challenge of writing across different genres, and creating a story and structure that’s representative of that genre. I like forcing myself out of my comfort zone. Heck, I’ve even written a couple of rap and punk lyrics. I like making up stories, creating ‘characters’ and situations, finding the words to bring them to life. I like the sheer joy of stringing words together like pearls. They can be white or black or any of the colours in between, but always something that – I hope – the reader/listener will want to pick up and wear, or just hold in her/his hands and look at, for whatever reason. Though I’ve never quite fathomed why, a lot of my lyrical stories are from the POV of a male character/narrator. Apparently I like the challenge of seeing how believable I can make the character and the situation. (I’m an ex-journo, and was a writer of short stories in another life, so I imagine traces of that still linger.) If someone asks me to work on a lyric with them (i.e. I co-wrote an album of lyrics for a rock band in Italy a couple of years ago), I try very hard to contribute something substantial and pleasing. What do you dislike about writing song (lyrics)? There’s nothing I dislike. I even love the part where I need to sit down and tackle the hardest and most important aspect of writing a lyric – the revising & polishing up until I feel it’s ready to be handed over and to find a good home with a musician/composer. What inspires you to write songs (lyrics)? Everything. Are you trying to achieve something with writing lyrics? If so, what? Probably a lot of things, including some I’m not even conscious of. Connecting with others by way of the written word. Presenting a story that might resonate with someone, maybe in a healing capacity, and bring joy or laughter or insight, or whatever it is they might need to read/hear or to feel at a given moment. Honing my skills as much as possible. In the craft, there’s always something to learn. Creating a lyrical story that my collaborators/co-writers will want to wrap their wonderful music around. If you were to pick one of your songs to represent you, a song that sums up who and what you are as a songwriter, it embodies it.... what song would it be? Please post the song and the lyrics. Because I write across a number of genres, I think no particular lyric or song is representative of me as a whole. I suppose though that one or another lyric/song might be representative in a particular genre. I enjoy writing ‘folky’ lyrics/songs. This ballad, written a few years ago, is still one of my favourites in the genre. I love what my collaborator, Billy Playle, did with it. https://soundcloud.com/donmar-2/if-i-were-a-sailor/s-RTuoW

Good for you, Lisa! 0nce upon a time I daydreamed vaguely about at least visiting there for a wee while. However... It's not likely to come to fruition. Goals change over the years, especially when one is non-instrument-playing lyricist.

Lovely to see you again, @Vagdavercustis. And good for you, making a brand new start with a brand new love and in a brand new place. That takes a lot of of courage. You'll be a wonderful mother. I've been AWOL for some time also. Needed to take a sabbatical and re-group. Finding peace is definitely the answer.

Welcome to the forums, Kali. Is there somewhere we can hear a few examples of your songs? I'm sometimes in need of a good vocalist. (I write lyrics - and occasionally melodies - and my collaborators take care of the music.) Donna

Thank you, Tom. And a big thanks to folks here who voted. Apparently the total of votes was a record number. I'm thrilled for Billy, because no one deserves a win more than he does. Not only a consummate composer/arranger/musician, he's also an overall very nice person. We've collaborated on a number of songs over the past 5-6 years. So…Fingers crossed for tomorrow, when the judges select the category winner. Donna

Bump! At the moment, the track's in front. Please help us keep it there. Donna

Much appreciated, Danidog. Thank you. Donna

Bump!

Thanks, Tom. I've just realised that if folks have multiple devices, they can actually cast a vote on each one of them every day. This might up the vote count. Donna

Randy and Les, thank you. Donna

McNaughton Park, Mike, and Lisa, thank you so much for your support. I appreciate it a lot. I know it's a lot to ask folks to cast a vote each day, but… fantastic when it happens. Interesting that of the five instrumentals, two each are from the same person(s). So it will be an exciting race to the finish. Donna