In Songs, ‘I’ Is Usually Better Than ‘We’
Even more than most of these posts, this is just an opinion. But my opinion…
Singing Helps Get The Lyric Right
In preparing for a recent gig I was, as usual before a show, singing my…
6 Tips On How To ‘Finish Your Song’
I recently wrapped up, with seven songwriters, the first “Finish Your Songs’ workshop I’ve held.…
What I Forgot To Remember… About Being Productive
Back when playing the bass guitar was my main obsession, I’d sometimes get depressed about…
When To Add A Bridge… Or Not
The question often comes up: Should I add a Bridge to my song? There’s definitely…
Bridges Are All About Momentum
In a Verse/Chorus song, Bridges usually happen a minute and a half to two minutes…
How To Keep Your Focus In A Lyric… Or Not
Recently I heard some talented students record a song that I’ve always liked, and still…
A Big Part Of A Lyric’s ‘Meaning’ Is Its Sound
Two very different lines from very different songs recently caught my attention for the same…
Work On Your Songs AND Your Skills
Every song I write is an opportunity. Not just an opportunity to write a good…
A Simple Way To Make Lyrics and Melodies More Musical
Songs with sections – Verses, Choruses, Bridges – in which every line has a similar…
What Do Nas, Sting, and Metallica Have In Common?
It’s a practical and sensible songwriting convention that, in a Verse/Chorus song, the Chorus will…
Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’: Getting Inside A Great Song
What makes Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ a great song, maybe one of the great songs? Greatness…
Amy Winehouse, Meet Irving Berlin: Modulations, Part 2
In last week’s post I covered two of the five general categories I laid out…
How To Use Modulations In Pop Songs
Modulations in pop songs… Some people love ’em. Some people can’t stand the sound of…
Write and then (cue Ominous Music)… REWRITE
There’s writing and then there’s (cue ominous music)… Rewriting. I look at writing as an…
Looking For The DNA Of A Lyric? Try Your Song’s Title
When writing a lyric, we songwriters often have trouble answering a very mundane question: What…
If Marvin Gaye Can Do It, So Can You
Writing my post last week about the non-plagiarism of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Got To Give It…
Was ‘Blurred Lines’ Stolen From Marvin Gaye? No.
The first time I heard Robin Thicke and Pharrell William’s Blurred Lines I thought, “This…
When The Words And Music DON’T Match… Sometimes It’s Great
Most songs have music and lyrics that match – moody music gets sad lyrics; happy,…
How To Punch Up Your Song’s Title
Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ – written by her, Max Martin, and Shellback – leaves…
Watch the ‘Ask Tony’ Videos
