I hate writing lyrics

[SixStringGeek]

“Anne's Song” is good. It's a nice melody and has a decent flow. Keep up with the lessons, your voice has a Peter Gabriel quality to it. In my opinion, “All Depends on You” was better, because you were more convincing. The increased confidence, makes a huge difference in the presence of the vocals. A little attitude goes a long way, in making the listener believe.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm learning to like my voice and getting more confidence with using it.

Sadly, real work commitments have arisen and I've had to back burner my music for a wee bit but I do feel like my writing is starting to come into its own. Emotional trauma and chaos will do that for you (That stuff is getting much better now too...) .

[Frodo]

5 months later--- still hate writing lyrics?

The key to writing good lyrics is to have a convincing story to tell. A good story has a way of insisting upon being told. Such a pushy story gives the writer something to follow or obey as much as it offers something to create.... so to speak.

Lyrics don't come out of thin air. They come from real life experiences or even visceral/emotional experiences which have never been fully verbalized but are nonetheless quite tangible.

With the right frame of mind, you (SSG) could slam a great lyric just from your last post. If you don't, I might!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

The key to writing good lyrics is to have a convincing story to tell. A good story has a way of insisting upon being told. Such a pushy story gives the writer something to follow or obey as much as it offers something to create.... so to speak.

Lyrics don't come out of thin air. They come from real life experiences or even visceral/emotional experiences which have never been fully verbalized but are nonetheless quite tangible.

With the right frame of mind, you (SSG) could slam a great lyric just from your last post. If you don't, I might!

That said... the author of this song is the father of a friend, a fine musician in her own right and a joy to work with. He was also an arranger on The Christmas Song. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Randolph_Grean

The Thing - Phil Harris

(also done by Arthur Godfrey, The Ames Brothers, and others)
Writer: Charles Randolph Grean (according to Ghastly Gary Flinn)
Lyrics transcribed by: Ted Hering
see below for a discussion of this song's origins.
(The * * * is stomping.)
While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day,
I saw a great big wooden box a-floating in the bay.
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise,
Ooh, I discovered a * * * right before my eyes.
Ooh, I discovered a * * * right before my eyes.

I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king.
I took it to a guy I knew who'd buy 'most anything.
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in his shop:
"Ooh, get out of here with that * * * before I call a cop!
Ooh, get out of here with that * * * before I call a cop!"

I turned around and got right out, a-running for my life.
And then I took it home with me to give it to my wife.
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door:
"Ooh, get out of here with that * * * and don't come back no more!
Ooh, get out of here with that * * * and don't come back no more!"

I wandered all around the town until I chanced to meet
A hobo who was looking for a handout on the street.
He said he'd take 'most any old thing. He was a desperate man.
But when I showed him the * * *, he turned around and ran.
Ooh, when I showed him the * * *, he turned around and ran.

I wandered on for many years, a victim of my fate,
Until one day I came upon Saint Peter at the Gate.
And when I tried to take it inside, he told me where to go:
"Get out of here with that * * *, and take it down below!
Oh, get out of here with that * * *, and take it down below!"

The moral of this story is if you're out on the beach
And you should see a great big box and it's within your reach,
Don't ever stop and open it up. That's my advice to you.
'Cause you'll never get rid of the * * *, no matter what you do.
Oh, you'll never get rid of the * * *, no matter what you do.

This 1950 hit song was not the first to use this melody. According to Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954, the melody is that of the traditional song "The Tailor's Boy". I am not familiar with this song. However, another song which uses the same melody is "The Chandler's Wife". I don't know where this song originates, but I have heard a recording of it by Oscar Brand on one of his early LP's. Here are the lyrics to that. In this case, the * * * is knocking.
Title: The Chandler's Wife
Lyrics transcribed by: Jeff Morris

As I went into the chandler's shop, some candles for to buy,
I looked about the chandler's shop, but no one did I spy.
Well, I was disappointed, so some angry words I said,
When I heard the sound of a * * * right above my head.
Yes, I heard the sound of a * * * right above my head.

Well, I was slick, and I was quick, so up the stairs I fled,
And very surprised was I to find the chandler's wife in bed,
And with her was another man of quite considerable size,
And they were having a * * * right before my eyes.
Yes, they were having a * * * right before my eyes.

Ah, when the fun was over and done, the lady raised her head,
And very surprised was she to find me standin' by the bed.
"If you'll be discrete, my boy, if you will be so kind,
You two can come up for some * * * whenever you feel inclined.
You two can come up for some * * * whenever you feel inclined."

So, many a night, and many a day, when the chandler wasn't home,
To get myself some candles, to the chandler's shop I'd roam.
But never a one she give to me, she give to me instead
Just a little bit more of that * * * to light my way to bed.
Just a little bit more of that * * * to light my way to bed.

Now, all ye married men, take heed, whenever you go to town.
If you must leave your woman alone, be sure to tie her down.
Or if you would be kind to her, just set her down there on the floor,
And give her so much of that * * * she doesn't want any more.
Yes, give her so much of that * * * she doesn't want any more.

[Phil O]

I'm learning to like my voice and getting more confidence with using it.

If you think your voice is what it is and that's what you're stuck with, think again. Have you considered a good voice teacher? I'm not talking about your run-of-the-mill small time music teacher that also teaches voice or a voice coach, but a big time, full time voice teacher. A friend of mine is a retired opera singer who teaches voice here in Scituate and I have heard the amazing transformation of her students. She doesn't teach any particular style of singing. She teaches voice - whether for opera, pop, jazz or even announcing, she does it. If you can find someone in your area who does that, and does it well, it would be worth the time and money to study with them. From what I heard on those two Youtube links, you have a good basic instrument, you have good sense of pitch, and certainly the necessary musicality. You could have a great voice. Trust me on this, because I've seen it happen with many of her students. Your voice can be changed for the better, and if you are serious about vocal performance it would be worth it.

Rock on!

Phil

[Phil O]

The Thing - Phil Harris

Phil Harris! Wow! I had forgotten about that song. My parents had that on a seventy-eight that I just about wore out when I was a little squirt. Played it on the old RCA record player/radio machine that was about the size of a two drawer filing cabinet. Yes, I know, I'm showing my age. I loved that song!

Phil

[SixStringGeek]

Have you considered a good voice teacher? I'm not talking about your run-of-the-mill small time music teacher that also teaches voice or a voice coach, but a big time, full time voice teacher.

I found one who is pretty good - she has helped me a lot and I see her once a week. I agree, voice is an instrument like any other and needs training and practice.

And Frodo - no I don't think I hate it anymore. I'm beginning to hit my stride I think.

[Phil O]

I found one who is pretty good - she has helped me a lot and I see her once a week. I agree, voice is an instrument like any other and needs training and practice.

Excellent! Just keep on plugging away at it. Glad to hear you're doing it. You won't regret it.

Phil

[crduval]

Six String, I feel your apparently former pain

Sometimes I use tricks to get around my self doubt to create lyrics - one that a really great songwriter once told me has worked a few times.

He told me that he use to get together once a week with a bunch of other singer songwriters with the goal of forcing themselves to come up with something new to share each week (this in itself would be a great way to exercise those lyrical muscles). One week, the group chose an obscure word that everyone had to include in their tune for the following week's session. When the next week came, he presented his song, which everyone liked, but did not include the word. The group called him on it, but he showed them the lyrics, where you could see the word spelled out if you read the first letter of each line!

I've tried using an obscure word, or spelling it out likw he did, and had some fun results.

Wrt coming to like ones own voice, I just recently learned to accept and appreciate my Ozzy like voice, thanks in part to advanced age and not really caring so much about why I couldn't sing like (your favorite artist name here), but also to finding a vocal mic that seems to really work well with my voice. I tried using a Blue baby bottle one day, and the sound that came out was like my voice after eq'ing it to get rid of the deep nasal resonances. I actually liked the sound of it, and its given me a lot of confidence to sing. If only that mic would help with my lousy range - oh well there's always autotune

[sdemott]

I'm way late to this party - been away from the board for a while.

A book suggestion for you: Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison. Pat was my lyric writing teacher at Berklee. A great guy with tons of great insight into getting lyrics out of you and onto the paper. He taught me to really love the process and use it to sharpen my instincts.

[Frodo]

I'm way late to this party - been away from the board for a while.

Quote from "Lord of the Rings":

"A wizard is never late."

[zed]

A book suggestion for you: Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison. Pat was my lyric writing teacher at Berklee. A great guy with tons of great insight into getting lyrics out of you and onto the paper. He taught me to really love the process and use it to sharpen my instincts.

+1. I borrowed this book from the library, and found it to be helpful.

And I think MasterWriter belongs in the toolbox of any aspiring songwriter:
http://www.masterwriter.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sdemott]

And I think MasterWriter belongs in the toolbox of any aspiring songwriter:
http://www.masterwriter.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

May I ask how you utilize it in your workflow...and did you have a computer centric workflow before adopting MasterWriter??

I just can't seem to sit down at a computer to write lyrics. I need to sit with pen & paper...there's something about the physical act of writing that helps me. I'm sure if I found the right tool I could adapt easily.

Plus - I find the computer is the best distraction tool anywhere. There's always a website to check out or a forum to visit

[zed]

And I think MasterWriter belongs in the toolbox of any aspiring songwriter:
http://www.masterwriter.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

May I ask how you utilize it in your workflow...and did you have a computer centric workflow before adopting MasterWriter??

I used to write lyrics with a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary. I still do that when appropriate, but having MasterWriter to present more possibilities and to store all the possibilities for future reference is invaluable... especially when you are trying to focus on and work out a trouble area.

But when I first start working on a song, it is usually tackle it with a piece of paper and pen, and I try to spit out all that I can come up with before resorting to solving problems (i.e. finding better rhymes, creating better images, making sure there is good logic connecting the sections and that the lyrical payoffs come in the right places).

I just can't seem to sit down at a computer to write lyrics. I need to sit with pen & paper...there's something about the physical act of writing that helps me. I'm sure if I found the right tool I could adapt easily.

Plus - I find the computer is the best distraction tool anywhere. There's always a website to check out or a forum to visit

I think MasterWriter becomes even more useful if you have it on a laptop (or maybe the iPad, in future). That way it is like having a rhyming dictionary and thesaurus with you at all times. But it does a lot more than that, and finds words and phrases which you cannot find with the traditional dictionaries. Plus I use it to store my exercises, notes and tips on better songwriting... plus I have added my own slang dictionaries as well.

[sdemott]

I may have to give MasterWriter a whirl. Thanks for the tip.

[funkyfreddy]

What great songs were written using masterwriter? Just thought I'd ask...... I know there's a lot of great songs that were written w/o it!

I'm sorry, but the buy this/buy that mentality gets to me sometimes..... seems to echo a consumerist attitude that's very prevalent in our culture..... and the guy with the most tools doesn't always make the best product either.

I would think that GETTING AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER might help you write better lyrics, LOL. Going outside, cracking a book, etc......