Get the Throat Clearing Done Before The Song Starts!
One of the most common problems/mistakes I run into – in my own songwriting and…
The Most Common Songwriting Mistakes – Part 1 (Titles)
Titles are important because the way we hear a song is organized around the phrase…
Where Do Songs Come From? How Do You Start A Song?
The beginnings of songs are varied and often mysterious. In this blogpost I’ll go through…
Lyrics: Connecting The Dots – Part 3 (David Byrne)
Continuing to think about the many different ways songwriters connect the dots in their lyrics,…
Lyrics: Connecting The Dots – Part 2 (Frank Ocean)
Super Rich Kids by Frank Ocean has been my favorite for a few months now. …
The ‘Problem’ Is Not Really A Problem
When I’m working on a song, I try to write down everything that comes to…
The ‘List’ Song – Part 1
The ‘List Song” – not quite as ubiquitous as it used it to be, but…
You Don’t Need An ‘Idea’ To Start A Song
I’ve worked with many songwriters who’ve said to me, “I’m not writing because I just…
On Christmas Songs – It’s That Time Of Year
This time of year, it’s amazing to me that everywhere I hear mostly the same…
Lyrics: Connecting The Dots – part 1
With a lyric, you can’t fit everything in. Where would you put it? You’ve usually…
Have You Tried Converting Your Ballads Into Uptempo/Dance Songs?
Last week I wrote about the added value of uptempo songs. This week the news…
Ask ‘What Am I Trying To Say?’… Then Say It
Years ago I was sitting with the great songwriter Doc Pomus at a New York…
It Doesn’t Have To Have Words To Be A Good Lyric
Shananana Nananana – Ba-oom – Yip yip yip yip Yip yip yip yip Boom boom…
In Football-and Songwriting-the last few yards can be the hardest
One of the things that I’ve heard the legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb say is that,…
What’s ‘It’ All About?
One of the most common problem areas in lyric writing is the use of the…
Bring The Pain – To Your Songs
It’s natural for a Songwriter to worry about things like, “when people hear my songs,…
Is Your Song Happening In The Present Or The Past?
When writing and developing a lyric, a relatively simple yet powerful tool that’s often overlooked…
‘It’s Having A Good Idea For A Song That’s Hard’
Lyle Lovett recently said, “I’ve always thought that writing isn’t really that hard. It’s having…
Have You Tried Outlining Your Song?
If you have the basic idea for a song – the Chorus and/or the Title…
One Way To Break the ‘Rules’ of Songwriting: Iron & Wine’s ‘The Trapeze Swinger’
There aren’t really any ‘rules’ to Songwriting. Maybe one: Don’t bore the listener. But there…
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