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  #16  
Old 01-24-2018, 12:02 PM
FrankHudson FrankHudson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post
I have great respect for the great lyricists - writers like Tom Waits, John Prine, Steve Goodman, TVZ, etc. They can take ordinary life and boil it down so well. I don't know if songwriting is a gift, a skill that can be improved with practice, or some combination. My own few attempts fall very short. Does anyone have suggestions for actively improving songwriting? Do you work at it or wait for inspiration?
Gift or skill or combination? It's combination. As it's wisely been pointed out already, when gift or inspiration strikes, some amount of the skill (discipline to apply the inspiration) is necessary.

Some writers take the stance of working at it every day, like clocking into any other job, and then they're already in "their work clothes" whenever inspiration strikes.

Some writers just stay tuned in, monitoring themselves to when inspiration strikes, and then know how go to work capturing and shaping it like a firefighter or an EMT waiting for the call.

Both methods work. Both say the same thing: it's a combination.

Hidden in your request is one way to start. Most writers benefit from being listeners/readers first. You have list there of some very good songwriters. It's not a big step to go from just having pleasure from listening to them to lifting the hood and trying to figure out how they make their songs go. Song lyrics are made up of parts and tactics and you can hot rod them infinitely swapping them around. I'm not talking about the logistical matter of their song's words, or even their particular subject matter. I'm talking about what they notice, the order they present the material, what they leave out and include, what they repeat, what they leave for the end.

That's part of the unwritten law that stealing from one writer is plagiarism, but stealing from many is research. Your own experience, your own strengths and weaknesses will make the tactics you mix together original.

Your list of lyricists seems to say you like story songs. You don't have to steal from (excuse me, "research from") just songwriters. Anyone who tells a story can give you ideas.
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  #17  
Old 01-27-2018, 01:33 PM
Pitar Pitar is offline
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Lyric writing for those who are active listeners of music can be a task. Being influenced by published music is not entirely desirable to that end. Conversely, it could be the food of choice for others.

Dylan was (is) a voracious reader and brings from that vast resource his own take on it, albeit rephrased to please his own ear. Elton John had (has) a similar passion, directed by a desire for an historically older, expansive musical library to draw upon for melody inspiration when underscoring Bernie Taupin's lyrics. Other pop celebrities in a range of genre's have their methods as well but it comes down to good writing and that is usually academic.

Technically speaking, choosing an audience, subject and style (of poetry) to express it to them are the 101's of any academic approach to writing. Of them, knowing your audience is the first rule. Who are you trying to reach? What do you want to express to them? How do you want to express it?

Lost Love or true love are standards that reach all audiences so that topic is a blueprint for attracting listeners.

Otherwise, lyrics are really just descriptions of thinking on a topic like this lost love lyric -

"I tried to write a letter to you,
I couldn't make the call
I didn't want to hear your voice
Still reeling from the fall

Pen and paper didn't work
The words just cost to much
Staring down at the table
At another drink of crutch"

The lines are basically emotions flowing through words describing a true experience.

I think the approach to writing might be construed as something above the simple honesty of saying what's on a person's mind. It isn't. It's that very charm that lures us to good lyric writing and I think everyone has it.
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