Peter,
Thanks for reading, writing, and for sharing your process. I’ve had a lot of similar experiences.
I really appreciate yours.
Good to hear from you!
Best wishes,
Tony

Thanks for the thoughtful summary of what can be a tricky process.

I don’t usually find it too bad as for me the process of originating the lyrics in the first place is usually the part I struggle with, though experience has taught me to have faith that the lyrics will come, because they always do and I just have to wait them out. Smartphone Voice Memos are a blessing! (though pedestrians may be perplexed at the strange sight of a guy walking down the street singing into his phone…)

Once I’ve got the foundation of the song and its structure and most of its lyrics, the fine-tuning and rewriting is usually not too painful as by then I’m on a roll, I know what the song is about, its feeling, its heart, and so coming up with those parts that focus and complete the song is usually easier than easing out the original inspirations and drafts. The relief I feel when I finally know what a song is about, what my subconscious has been prodding me towards, is palpable. For me, everything that comes after is a stroll in comparison. YMMV!

Also I find that the rewrites can complete the song in unexpected ways: on several occasions I’ve been unsatisfied with a couplet or entire verse, only to find after many attempts at replacement that I was overthinking it and the original couplet was absolutely fine, or that the verse only needed a line or couplet tweaked to make it work. The nice part is that even without a change it’s never a waste of time because I’ve gone through the refinement process and am content with it (or at least as content as I can be). Or on other occasions I’ve found that a couplet or sometimes a verse that I LOVED and thought of as being fundamental to the song had to go because it just didn’t fit as the song evolved. It hurts, but it’s tough love.

Thanks again Tony, insightful as always.
Cheers Pete