In our lyrics, we tend to write about the same things over and over. We all have our themes: love, romantic love, romance, sexual love, sex, loss. commitment, betrayal, optimism, skepticism, joy, anger, heartbreak, even obsession itself… among many others…
They seem to embed themselves in our songs no matter how we try to guide them otherwise. This can be part of having an identity as a songwriter, a ‘style’, a ‘voice’. It can also lead to boring repetitiveness and predictability.
If the songs are products of my Obsessions – themes that haunt me, taunt me, and insist on being written about until they’re out of my system – then that’s good, maybe inevitable. I need to not fear them, or be ashamed of them… whatever they may be.
Most great writers seem to have their obsessive themes.
But some themes repeat out of mere force of habit. These songs get written because they’re the first thing that comes to mind, because they’re the path of least resistance. Anyone who knows your work can practically predict the next line. That kind of lazy writing tends to produce a lot less good work. And the songs often come D.O.A. – without new life.
You can change your unproductive habits and push through to songs outside your comfort zone.
But you can also commit to your obsessions – ride them until they don’t interest you any more and you’re ready to move on.
Don’t worry, there are always more where they came from.