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J. Patrick Sharpe
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8/31/2008 8:12:33 AM
---- Updated 8/31/2008 8:14:40 AM
Have music but no lyrics? Here's a technique I tried with interesting results...
For any of you songwriters out there, I am sure you have experienced this at some point. You have music for a nice little tune, but you just can't seem to pull together lyrics that you are happy with. Or maybe you have a good concept for a song (i.e., a good title, hook, or chorus) but can't flesh out all the lyrics/verses. When writing songs, I always try to challenge myself to write interesting lyrics that tell a story or communicate certain ideas and emotions in every line. I try not to ever just "plug in" lyrics just to finish a verse or so that it will rhyme. That can be difficult sometimes and it's hard to get away from the same old cliches.
Here is a technique I tried to help generate new ideas and a fresh perspective. I had the concept for a song called "Hit 'em Where it Hurts" I knew it was going to be a folky/bluesy type song and I had already worked up the finishing lyrics for each verse culminating in the title words (there is not really a chorus in this song). I was struggling with the rest of the lyrics so to generate ideas, I asked my wife to help. She is an avid reader and thus has a wide vocabulary, so I figured I could take advantage of that. I knew I would need a certain number of lines in each verse based on the song structure. So... I told her I wanted to try something out and I needed her to think of the first word that came to mind I did not tell her this was for a song! I had her generate enough words in this manner so that I had one word from her for each verse line I needed. From there I took those words and wrote the rest of my lyrics around that one word per line. It was tricky to build a story around the words and connect them to the finishing lines I already had for each verse. In the end I was able to get it to work (to my satisfaction at least) and it truly stretched my own creativity to an extent I wouldn't have been able to accomplish on own.
Here is the resulting song which is posted on my website:
Hit 'Em Where It Hurts
Let me know what you think!!!!!
JP Sharpe
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Amanda Lewin
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8/31/2008 8:35:04 AM
I just read through those lyrics, amazing! Now I HAVE to listen, it's intriguing. I've know people do similar for poems but never a song. What did your wife think when you told her [or did you not in case you want to use her again]
Am&a
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J. Patrick Sharpe
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8/31/2008 8:50:05 AM
Thanks Amanda! My wife felt used but ultimately thought it was an interesting approach. -JP
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Amanda Lewin
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8/31/2008 8:57:22 AM
I listened now and I heard you struggle to fit in words like 'itinerants' ; but now I know the story of the writing I wouldn't hold that against you. It was very good, very clever.
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The Man With No Band
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8/31/2008 9:01:01 AM
Very Interesting approach ... by one of the truly great folk writers of our time ... Nice work Patrick and great humor too ... :)
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J. Patrick Sharpe
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8/31/2008 11:01:49 AM
Thanks Sam-- that really means a lot coming from you!!!
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the kozy king
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8/31/2008 11:50:30 AM
"If I knew the magic word that inspired every verse,
That might remove the mystery and I could hit you where it hurts."
That was an interesting experiment, for sure, Mr. Sharp. I'm impressed with your imagination!
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Diver Dan
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8/31/2008 1:10:01 PM
I make it a point to write the lamest tripe I can possibly imagine..., seems to work pretty well.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=405459&songID=4139367
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J. Patrick Sharpe
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8/31/2008 7:52:44 PM
To Kozy (Terry)-- Thanks very much. Very clever, sir!!
To Diver Dan-- I couldn't get to your link, but I will say... there ain't no one way to do anything, eh?
Best to you both.
JP
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SILVERWOODSTUDIO
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9/1/2008 2:39:25 AM
Bobs tribute Station ----I think so---!!
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