• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: WRITING A SONG

Not that I am a fan of somebody in particular, but as far as I am concerned, I have a HUGE admiration for songwriters, singers who make a song with no more than 4 chords.
Best example is BOB DYLAN, he has written songs, covered by hundreds, and rarely used more than 4 chords. For me one of his best albums is the soundtrack of "PAT GARRET & BILLY THE KID", containing also "Knocking on Heaven's Door". The whole record tells the story of Billy, and every song, using the same chords, is different.
Do you have other EXAMPLES of such (in my eyes) brilliant people, maybe Kris Kristofferson.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Starkville, Mississippi USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,069

Re: WRITING A SONG

One of my all-time favorite songwriters is John Prine.  The song structures are generally quite simple.  The language of his lyrics is usually plain and spare.  He is nonetheless able to convey crystal-clear images and thought-provoking stories.

Likewise Scottish/Australian songwriter Eric Bogle is also a bard of great subtley, finesse, humor, and tremendous impact.

These artists make it look easy but they have refined their raw song-writing talent with years of effort and dedication.  I would love to comb through their notebooks to see all the songs that never made it into the recording studio.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

James McCormick's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: WRITING A SONG

dear James
Thanks for answering. That is what's so good ON THIS FORUM. NOBODY ASKS "STUPID" QUESTIONS. I do agree when you get older, you know a LOT MORE, and the posed question looks mad, remember how we were back than between let's say 16 & 22 years old. MORE, we had to try everything out, and the choice in guitars was easier. You entered a store, if you tried a fender : STRAT or TELE, the tele was even cheaper in early seventies.
Gibson: les paul & SG and sometimes brands I don't recall.
It was NOT done to say I have a stratocaster or a gibson, like the cola now. PEPSI or COCA COLA

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • Mr. E
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-05-24
  • Posts: 1

Re: WRITING A SONG

dear doc... I, too, absolutly agree that a person with a six-string, a lyric and an accessable melody can move even the most jaded of hearts. I like old Brewer & Shipley's "Song from the Platte River, and their version of Jackson Brown's "Rock me on the Water". Having lived on this planet awhile, (writing for most of it), I'm wondering how I can earn a living with my songs without ripping off anyone else, and do it on the budget of my working-class existance. ANY THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT? Mr. E

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: WRITING A SONG

dear mr E, the platte rivier I know is in South Africa, my all time favorite country.
Are you from there?
Or are you music reporter, or reporter, or writer of books?
I got a beautiful "JOBAGREEMENT" being MD on a cruiseline, starting in the Carribean, but finally rejected: "there might be some medical issues" probably when they contacted my hospital, because I had just written in my CV that I had got a very bad car crash, a vertebra is exploded and 32 fractures in my left foot, this was a dream coming reality and ended at the end in a nightmare. I still live can "walk?" and drive. But I miss my beautiful trips in the USA, here in EUROPE, South Africa. At least I was able to do them, because memories like this are forever in your head.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

6 Reply by jets60 (edited by jets60 2007-06-03 14:09:38)

  • From: Hendersonville, NC USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,521

Re: WRITING A SONG

Hey Doc - I pretty sure Mr. E's talking about the Platte river in Nebraska as Brewers & Shipley mention that state with more of their songs. Sorry to hear about your accident but remember that all life experiences make good songwriting fodder. Here's a link to the platte :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platte_River/
Here's a link to Brewer & Shipley:
http://www.brewerandshipley.com/

J  E  T  S
...and yet a Washington Commanders fan (unless they change their name again) ...long story...HTT...C

jets60's Website

  • Coburn
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-06-05
  • Posts: 4

Re: WRITING A SONG

Any hints on actually grouping together lyrics to write a really decent rock song? I have plenty of lyrics but they all seem 'childish'.
Also, do you recommend writing the music first and fitting lyrics to the tune, or getting lyrics first and fitting the tune around them?

  • Registered: 2007-05-22
  • Posts: 86

Re: WRITING A SONG

hey couburn i recomment doing both at the same time! i do that and i think most people do it too...if i write a song first and then find a tune to go with it, it just doesnt work for me...pick up your guitar...make a tune and sing nonsense words along and who knows...most of the time you get a song just like that...it happens with me..
good luck
saba smile

love is like a violin, the music may stop now and then but the strings remain forever...
  • Coburn
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-06-05
  • Posts: 4

Re: WRITING A SONG

Morning Ode to the Cruel Heart.
Thanks a lot I'll give it  ashot. My next problem is finding the time to have a really good whack at it! I only get 30 mins a day after work. Some of my mates practice for 6 hours a day I'm so jealous! But to be fair, I am self tought so all of my skills are my own and its my own style.
     Oh, you know the chords and tabs on this site, when the chords are above the lyric eg:
                                  E               EM
                                    Blah Blah-blah

Do you play only the 2 chords shown in down stroke (E-Em) or strum them (E-E Em-Em-Em)?

Alot of people don't agree with me but Tenacious D are, in my opinion, the best rock band EVER!!!!!!! I love 30 secnds to mars though, they're really fresh.
Anywho, hope to hear from ya soon. Thanks for the advice.

  • From: montreal, quebec
  • Registered: 2007-04-17
  • Posts: 327

Re: WRITING A SONG

Woody Guthrie once said if your playin more than 2 chords than your just showin off

what a long strange trip it's been
  • From: Berlin
  • Registered: 2007-05-25
  • Posts: 50

Re: WRITING A SONG

Nietsche said that it is working within limits that the master shows himself.  I keep that thought very close to my heart.

  • From: Scotland.
  • Registered: 2006-07-13
  • Posts: 218

Re: WRITING A SONG

One of my favourite songwriters is Paul Weller. He has an uncanny knack of putting social commentary into words that speak volumes on whats going on around him(particularly ib his days with The Jam). 
Another one from the same mould is Jake Burns of SLF, listen too the lyrics on songs like Wasted Life or At The Edge. Pure genius imo. smile

Craig.

Blind acceptance is a sign, of stupid fools who stand in line.  John Lydon.

'Mod' is a shorter word for 'young, beautiful and stupid' - we've all been there." - Pete Townshend.
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: WRITING A SONG

In Belgium every year, 2 radiomakers, make a compilation and the cd is called "the wrong cd", I can't find for the moment why. There are songs like YMCA village people.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Texas
  • Registered: 2007-07-31
  • Posts: 950

Re: WRITING A SONG

Hey you've gotta pay tribute to Hank Sr. besides just the ones he's famous for singing hes written hundreds of songs for classic country singers that he never got much credit for.... from Roy Acuff to Rya Price, Ernest Tubb.... and his songs almost never used more than three or four chords

All You Need is Love smile

HannahBeth's Website

  • From: south africa
  • Registered: 2007-07-20
  • Posts: 135

Re: WRITING A SONG

gitaardocphil wrote:

dear mr E, the platte rivier I know is in South Africa, my all time favorite country.
Are you from there?
Or are you music reporter, or reporter, or writer of books?
I got a beautiful "JOBAGREEMENT" being MD on a cruiseline, starting in the Carribean, but finally rejected: "there might be some medical issues" probably when they contacted my hospital, because I had just written in my CV that I had got a very bad car crash, a vertebra is exploded and 32 fractures in my left foot, this was a dream coming reality and ended at the end in a nightmare. I still live can "walk?" and drive. But I miss my beautiful trips in the USA, here in EUROPE, South Africa. At least I was able to do them, because memories like this are forever in your head.

Hey doc,
I knew there was a reason I liked you so much!
Nadine, South Africa