Songwriting thread

[Liar]

What are song lyrics really? To me they are merely poetry with a different purpose. Just like a form poem or one made for illustations. It is semantic, prosodic and semiotic art. But created for the specific deliverance called singing.

It puts certain demands on the text as far as phonetic coherence and pacing, but you also gain other new freedoms in the same area. It is for instance perfectly all right to linger on a vowel in ways that you can't with regular speech.

This thread is for poems written with a melody and a rhythm in mind. It can be your own melody, or someone elses, new lyrics for famous songs, it doesn't matter.

Discussion, hints, anectdotes and whatever else about writing for music and about singing poetry is also welcome.

Let the music flow, poets.

#L

 

[Liar]

I'll start with a little something I wrote yesterday:


Question to the forum... would this pass as a regular poem if you didn't know it had a melody? Or do you see something here that clearly defines it as song lyrics?


Swing This

Here's a six round
leather bound caress
of all your conscience,
and I must confess
there's cadence to be found
in all this nonsense.

But a fine line
separates the weight
from the punch up
we anticipate.

There's a six round
too profound release
still dodging fire
from your thought police,
still waiting for rebound
and aiming higher.

So play another 2 by 4 blues,
righteous as hell.
Swing your pretty caveman club,
cause who could ever tell,
when skull cracked, gob smacked,
run to rags, to mud, to earth,
who stole away the echo,
turned all gravity to dirt.

There a six round
justice in my hand.
Any moment now
I will disband.

 

[My Erotic Tale]

I wrote this years ago, one of my better out of < a lot> of songs, to express this to a guitar <music> makes the POEM more powerful and aids in the feel, imagine a slow finger picking that builds at the end, start out reading it slower than normal, as the song is sang this way. I almost always get a crowds praise with this song.

originally in D - C - G

~2000 years ago~
by Art

I was walking
down the city street
and 'ohhhh' it was christmas time

people were in
a hurry shopping
running around christmas chimes.

I saw Santa on a corner
and 'ohhh' he was ringing a bell
I said, "How's Mrs. Clause?"

He said, "Son can you spare a dime!"
I tossed 'one' in the kettle
and I walked on ... down the line.

Not much farther down the road lay a hobo
he said, "son can you spare a dollar I really need a bottle"
"I said sure mister, merry christmas"

<pick up tempo>

I thought about how it must have been
2000 years ago
oh how that star must have shown...
'Ohhhhh how that star must have shown...

The gifts that your given this christmas
you can't take them with you when you go
no no ohhhhhhhh you can't take them with you
when you go.

how that star must have ... shown
2000 years agoooooooooo


2000 years ago!

 

[Liar]

Already on Lit as a poem, but originally written for a musical.




Start Spreading

I got to be on top
I got to bang the drum
and blow the whistle
I am coming up
and everything around me
sparks and sizzles

and the city moves me
the city grooves me on
It's infatuating, intoxicating
I'm in love with everyone

and through the blushing beat
of of a sweaty swirly street
I hear her silly sultry
siren song

In N.Y
U can free your mind
leave your plastic
world behind
I got U on the floor tonight
So B my lover 4 a while​

and she is lookin' good
her purple dress
and candy coloured glasses
gets me in the mood
we're decadence in dance
when midnight passes

now the pulse is chillin'
and liquor's spillin' out
but I don't care,
her bright blue hair
is what it's all about

and like a chit chat clutter
on a bathroom wall she sputters
flimsy pouty purring me
to come along

In N.Y
it is all pretence
let me twist your
every sense
I got U lover, right or wrong
So B my music, lick this song​

Damn, I had forgotten how fun songwriting can me. I got to get around to that again.

 

[My Erotic Tale]

my brother, a friend and I wrote this one

g - d - c

Making memories

Me and my freinds sitting around
talking about old times
of how we use to race our cars
and chase the girls round town
lord we drank some beer
in our time
and I hope you realize
we weren't wasting time

we were making memories
every single day
when that sun rises
we're ready to roll
cause we're ...
making memories
every single day

if your thinking of the days behind you
not the days ahead
of all the thinks you've said and done
along the way
there all memories
that you've made
and I hope you realize
you are not wasting time!


we're all making memories
every single day
when that sun rises
we're ready to roll
cause we're ...
making memories...

every single day...

 

[CharleyH]

What are song lyrics really? To me they are merely poetry with a different purpose. Just like a form poem or one made for illustations. It is semantic, prosodic and semiotic art. But created for the specific deliverance called singing.



It puts certain demands on the text as far as phonetic coherence and pacing, but you also gain other new freedoms in the same area. It is for instance perfectly all right to linger on a vowel in ways that you can't with regular speech.

This thread is for poems written with a melody and a rhythm in mind. It can be your own melody, or someone elses, new lyrics for famous songs, it doesn't matter.

Discussion, hints, anectdotes and whatever else about writing for music and about singing poetry is also welcome.

Let the music flow, poets.

#L

Terrific idea. Can we include a chorus?

 

[Liar]

Terrific idea. Can we include a chorus?

Certainly. Bring it on.

 

[BooMerengue]

Here's 2 that I wrote, Liar. They're both 'bluegrassy' and plaintive. I call them my mountain songs, or songs for my mandolin- if I ever get one and learn to play it!! lol

The Old Dusty Road


How many times we've ridden
down this dusty mountain road
and shared a silence born of minds alike.

Our memories inseparable
of years all limned in gold
and trials that we weathered much from spite.

But we won against the odds
and the easy part is now
No more babies born of pain
No more twisting that old plow.

Our children have moved onward
with strong families of their own;
a legacy of pride that we have made.

This mountain farm's a showplace
for its yield known far and wide;
the mortgage seven years ago was paid.

But we won against the odds
and the easy part is now
No more babies born of pain
No more twisting that old plow.

Now to tell you that I'm leaving
Starting up a brand new life
to me this is the cruelest blow of all.

Well I've met a blue eyed lover
who wants me to be his wife
he's in my heart and broken down the wall.

Once again, my love, we travel
down this dusty mountain road
gazing sadly o'er this lovely mountain sprawl

I will leave you in the foothills
I will carry my own load,
and I pray you will not see me if I fall.

​

A Song For My Mandolin


I am the place you put your dreams
when dust too thickly lies

I am the mood you fast embrace
when stars fall from your eyes

I welcome you with kind mien
I urge you closer, pull you in

I slither through your daily rite
I slink into your bed at night

I block your ears
I still your tears
I dull your fears

I take away your every care
and say to you...

I am Despair.​

I've got another one floating around here that ee was going to put to music, but I can't find it. But now I'm on a mission, and I'll be back. Great idea for a thread- I think a lot of us sit down to write a poem sometimes and a song comes out!

 

[mojo_cat]

Funny this should come along

Having been a singer/songwriter AND a halfass poet, I will say the difference is nominal to me. But the idea of the "jam" is more exciting than the first fumble-rush of writing that begins a poem. I don't have lyrics written out, but here is a song I wrote and recorded in one take: all the lyrics are spontaneous, based on a single word the band and I chose ahead of time. It was a fun experiment, and though it's not entirely successful, I have seen worse poems.

I like the idea of Rod McKuen's sort of spoken pieces but set to music. I've seen it done really well (Tori Amos) and really badly (Alanis Morrisette.)

But there's a lot to be said for straight up balls-rocking music accompanied by the very slightest of lyrics. I have some of those too.

You can hear the experimental song here: Monochrome

Listen if you like:

 

[Jennifer C]

Having been a singer/songwriter AND a halfass poet, I will say the difference is nominal to me. But the idea of the "jam" is more exciting than the first fumble-rush of writing that begins a poem. I don't have lyrics written out, but here is a song I wrote and recorded in one take: all the lyrics are spontaneous, based on a single word the band and I chose ahead of time. It was a fun experiment, and though it's not entirely successful, I have seen worse poems.

I like the idea of Rod McKuen's sort of spoken pieces but set to music. I've seen it done really well (Tori Amos) and really badly (Alanis Morrisette.)

But there's a lot to be said for straight up balls-rocking music accompanied by the very slightest of lyrics.

Wicked song ~ Really really liked it, I will def listen to it again! Great stuff

 

[mojo_cat]

Wicked song ~ Really really liked it, I will def listen to it again! Great stuff

Thanks! That warms my Garp

 

[Liar]

Having been a singer/songwriter AND a halfass poet, I will say the difference is nominal to me. But the idea of the "jam" is more exciting than the first fumble-rush of writing that begins a poem. I don't have lyrics written out, but here is a song I wrote and recorded in one take: all the lyrics are spontaneous, based on a single word the band and I chose ahead of time. It was a fun experiment, and though it's not entirely successful, I have seen worse poems.

I like the idea of Rod McKuen's sort of spoken pieces but set to music. I've seen it done really well (Tori Amos) and really badly (Alanis Morrisette.)

But there's a lot to be said for straight up balls-rocking music accompanied by the very slightest of lyrics. I have some of those too.

You can hear the experimental song here: Monochrome

Listen if you like:

What Jennifer said - great song. Had no idea you sang. I love the voice.

 

[mojo_cat]

you guys are gonna go to my head

What Jennifer said - great song. Had no idea you sang. I love the voice.

Thanks to you as well, Liar!

There are five more songs, actually, there was an entire CD in the can, and then, pussy called my guitarist away across the New Mexico desert. Now I'm just trying to talk myself into auditioning for other bands.

I have some other tunes too, if anyone's interested (no pressure guys, and i don't wish to derail.)

 

[Liar]

A strange mix of jazz-pop and indie rock behind this one...



my days have fallen like leaves
my years have gone to slumber
left to turn to dirt in their own pace

and here I sleep
I add a calendar number
and wave a shadow puppet in my place
and wave a shadow puppet in your face

how do I turn this mesh of knots into wire,
electrolyte align, a signal calling to define?
maybe one day I will do it on my own
but tonight I'm bound to your design

my thoughts are china and jade
wrapped in careful cotton
hushed away to shatter out of sight

and here I fade
with all I have forgotten
pale excuses, placid and polite
with every line of langour I recite

how do I turn this mesh of knots into wire,
electrolyte align, a signal calling to define?
maybe one day I will do it on my own
but tonight I'm bound to your design

 

[mojo_cat]

This is a good example of a poemsong

This is pretty good with the music - very atmospheric and voice used an instrument. But I think it stands on its own as a poem pretty well.

the pool - tori amos

One
with her hands
Open
"Don't Be afraid" she said
"No one will know it -
Just you and me
And when it's over
I'll go back"

I can't host the song because I'm not sure what Lit's rules on hosting copyright mp3's are, but if you PM'd me I'm sure I could find SOME way of getting it to you.

 

[BooMerengue]

Having been a singer/songwriter AND a halfass poet, I will say the difference is nominal to me. But the idea of the "jam" is more exciting than the first fumble-rush of writing that begins a poem. I don't have lyrics written out, but here is a song I wrote and recorded in one take: all the lyrics are spontaneous, based on a single word the band and I chose ahead of time. It was a fun experiment, and though it's not entirely successful, I have seen worse poems.

I like the idea of Rod McKuen's sort of spoken pieces but set to music. I've seen it done really well (Tori Amos) and really badly (Alanis Morrisette.)

But there's a lot to be said for straight up balls-rocking music accompanied by the very slightest of lyrics. I have some of those too.

You can hear the experimental song here: Monochrome

Listen if you like:

I've got dial up- it wouldn't work. But more power to you!

 

[mojo_cat]

I've got dial up- it wouldn't work. But more power to you!

Thanks Boo!

 

[Liar]

Here's something I've been trying to write for ages. But it wasn't until today, when I picked up and (poorly) plonked a loop on a guitar that the words came together. Seems like I needed a melody to tag it to before I could get it out. But does it hold it's own as a poem? I'mthinking about sumbitting it to Lit and see what reaction I get.



Final Renovation

We brought down
what hunger put up,
stripped it down to naked wood and skin.
With carpet blades
and finger nails
we tore a time that never should have been.

We carried out
a three year's sleep,
cigarettes and silence from the walls.
It's written still
in punctured palms
but that is all forgetful flesh recalls.

And you
are older now than ever,
slower now to savor every breath.
You say
There's always something bigger
but living on a linger isn't death.

We let in
an indian summer wind,
spiralling a dust cloud in the sun.
You stepped in
and swirled along
to tell me that a new day had begun.

We brought up
a new veneer,
cyan white as carefree as the sky.
I closed the door,
left you there
to whisper your good riddance and goodbye.

And you, more beautiful than ever,
led me out to indian summer glow.
You said
I will never hear it,
but I leave a better story when I go.