Songwriters—when do you pack it in on a new song?

[Slothead56]

I’m not prolific but I think I’m a pretty good writer (for an amateur).

I’ve been working actively on a new song for almost 14 months trying to get it right. I have the melody, the guitar hook, the narrative, two verses, a chorus and the bridge. I cannot get the middle verse out of me. I know exactly what I want to say and it will not come. It’s not writers block per se, just an inability to get my thoughts on paper. I have three or four variations done and they just don’t cut it.

The song started with a great guitar hook. Wondering if I should abandon ship on this and rework the hook into something else.

When do you give up and move on??

[Nymuso]

You don't. You shelve it. I've had a song on the shelf since 1974.

[Optofonik]

I have shelved songs for a couple of years. I'll periodically go through them and give a listen. Occasionally something strikes me that didn't before and I continue where I left off. I recently went back to one I had started over 10 years ago.

[FrankHudson]

If it isn't coming, shelve it. I don't mean throw it out, I mean put it away and revisit

Another classic fix for this is see what a co-writer can do.

It won't work for every song, but if you have what you want to say, but you can't versify it, break out in a spoken section. Worked for Elvis and "Nights In White Satin."

[Paddy1951]

The previous 3 answers are right on. Keep what you have. Come back to it at a time of your choosing.

Most of us aren't like John Lennon with song writing. Or Billy Joel or you name the artist.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

I’m not prolific but I think I’m a pretty good writer (for an amateur).

I’ve been working actively on a new song for almost 14 months trying to get it right. I have the melody, the guitar hook, the narrative, two verses, a chorus and the bridge. I cannot get the middle verse out of me. I know exactly what I want to say and it will not come. It’s not writers block per se, just an inability to get my thoughts on paper. I have three or four variations done and they just don’t cut it.

The song started with a great guitar hook. Wondering if I should abandon ship on this and rework the hook into something else.

Neither. The song is complete. It's trying to tell you it doesn't need a middle verse.
"the melody, the guitar hook, the narrative, two verses, a chorus and the bridge" - many songs are complete with far less than that. Run it as two verses plus choruses, bridge, and repeat first verse with chorus. Insert guitar hook wherever. Maybe that other verse will come to you some other time, but I doubt anyone else will care, or spot that anything is missing.

[TBman]

Strictly from an instrumental point of view I could probably crank a couple of fingerstyle pieces a week. Nothing monumental, but easy listening with a hint of melody once in a while.

Look at your song from a listeners point of view. Any changes you want to make to it probably wouldn't even be noticed. Record it and move on to the next one. Don't get "married" to your songs, it's just holding you back.

Each tune I write is a stepping stone to the next one.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

I’m not prolific but I think I’m a pretty good writer (for an amateur).

I’ve been working actively on a new song for almost 14 months trying to get it right. I have the melody, the guitar hook, the narrative, two verses, a chorus and the bridge. I cannot get the middle verse out of me. I know exactly what I want to say and it will not come. It’s not writers block per se, just an inability to get my thoughts on paper. I have three or four variations done and they just don’t cut it.

The song started with a great guitar hook. Wondering if I should abandon ship on this and rework the hook into something else.

When do you give up and move on??

Perhaps rework the first verse a bit to better set up the second verse, and etc..

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

I’m not prolific but I think I’m a pretty good writer (for an amateur).

I’ve been working actively on a new song for almost 14 months trying to get it right. I have the melody, the guitar hook, the narrative, two verses, a chorus and the bridge. I cannot get the middle verse out of me. I know exactly what I want to say and it will not come. It’s not writers block per se, just an inability to get my thoughts on paper. I have three or four variations done and they just don’t cut it.

The song started with a great guitar hook. Wondering if I should abandon ship on this and rework the hook into something else.

When do you give up and move on??

Yes, rework the hook/arrangement into something else. That could be a fun (and musically profitable) exercise. You can a) keep the song melody and write new lyrics, or b) shelve both lyrics and melody for another day and write a new song for your hook/arrangement. It's all fun, and you might just get the creative juices flowing in another direction.

As others have suggested, do not throw out either the lyrics or melody.

I have about 30 completed songs (words/melody). Now that I am retired I am in the slow process of arranging and recording. I also have 20-30 unfinished songs--some over a decade old. I never throw anything out.

[Mr. Jelly]

It ain't done until it's done. It evolves after that.

[Slothead56]

OP here. All good advice...

Like many of you I have a bunch of songs that are a verse or a chorus away. They don’t bother me but this one really sticks in my gut. I just played through what I have twice. It needs to be finished. You guys have inspired me. It will get done.

[jseth]

I just back off for a while and re-visit the song later... I've never been willing to "settle" on much of anything in my life and certainly NEVER on a song I wrote!

I've had songs "on hold" for LONG periods of time at this point, up to 10 years and more. I always figure that, if they pop back into my head or just stuck there, then they're worth taking the trouble to finish... whenever THEY are ready! Sometimes you just can't force it.

And there have been times when the hardest thing to do was to let a song "be" complete and stop messing with it...

Only one person can decide that - guess who?

[stanron]

Apart from "Why should I advise another composer how to compose?", if it isn't working, work on something else. Occasionally revisit, especially if you gain a new point of view.

[Mbroady]

Never let it go but don’t try to force it if it ain’t happening. Sometime a song needs to have some space. Some distance so when you come back to you have a fresh perspective.

It’s a labor of love and even love needs some space.

[MikeBmusic]

If you've got first and last verse and can't get the middle verse - why? Think of the song as a story you are writing, with beginning, body and end. Did you tell everything that needs to be told in the 2 verses and chorus?

You would probably benefit from the suggestions of other songwriters - use an online forum like musesongwriters.com or an in-person local songwriter circle where writers get together and demonstrate their work for critiques and suggestions.