Monthly Archives: June 2014

Bets placed for what are but bits

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If it was difficult to join two disparate lines then surely adding a middle one will fail to tell us what we don’t already know. That said, let’s try three lines or couplets we can align in any order. That way, if one has more relevance or resonance than another in a certain position, we at least have that as a tool in our armoury.

‘The yarn pulls apart’

‘Rolling hills of condescension/Rolling waves of seize your chance’

‘Heavenward or awkward, you decide’

Well, the yarn pulls apart could reasonably sit at the end but so could Heavenward or awkward, you decide. In fact, that has a conclusive tone to it. The rolling hills and rolling waves are on a roll; you’d see those in the middle.

But none of that is accounting for what the finished song decides. What do I mean? Well the order of the lines in abstract are different again to the order of lines once the whole song unravels. There’s always an element of enigma and it’s best to allow for that.

Let’s try three different (unfinished) pieces placing them in different order and see what eventuates:

The yarn pulls apart
from the very start
The close-knit brow
for the here and now

Lie rolling waves of condescension
rolling waves of seize your chance

The waves pull me under
once more rent asunder
Weave an old wives fancy
Several stories high

The hills rise before me
the rest to restore me
Depict a depth I fancy
Paddled tales afire

The characters collude and then collide
Heavenward or awkward you decide

II

Rolling hills of condescension
Rolling waves of seize your chance

I’ve watched the way you’re guided
all the time you’re timed and tided
The yarn pulls apart
at the source your art

Always confound whom you confide
Heavenward or awkward, you decide

III

Heavenward or awkward you decide
To give birth to the earth where you reside
The sentimental celestials wait some while
For you to scan the skies

The yarn pulls apart
all the yearning for a start

To rolling hills of condescension
Rolling waves of seize your chance

IV

So order is important. If not the order imposed by a theme or subject then by how we place the lines; the beginning, middle and end. This affects the flow and it privileges the beginning, which takes over from the title or subject matter when they are not defined.

These are drafts and can be sketched out with more repetition and effects that suit the vocals or music. The important thing to take away from this lesson is that it is possible to construct meaning merely by choosing a leading line. There are more than three possible treatments here: you could do yarn/Heaven/hills or Heaven/hills/yarn, for instance. And you’ll notice I’ve already turned the ‘hills of condescension’ into ‘waves of condescension’ in one treatment.

Middle muddle medal

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Speaking from the constructs of the song, working a song from beginning to end, rather than from the usual organic approach, had some benefit in expanding the possibilities. As a songwriter, you don’t use every morsel, but there’s a delight in the gathering.

Mixing for the middle or staging for the start; enabling the end, are all capable of being done mechanically.

If you have a particular techno beat or trip hop treatment then lyrics are tools for that. But that is a different emphasis. My teaching is in the classic song form that I use. Clearly, knowing the strengths and limitations of different songwriting strategies is what you want when you are learning the trade.

Given the genres that continue to use verse chorus verse or variations thereof, you won’t miss too many core tenets of good lyric writing if you stick around.

II

Having looked at beginnings to end in both a structured and unstructured style, let us meet in the middle. The middle we went to before? Well, this time with the features we’ve found in the start and finish of the song.

First let’s theme a song before doling out the three sections and their potential, separate and combined.

Canopy

The cool collective gather there in branches
Underneath the leaves their shadows dancing

Flung high above our fellows

Live solely in the canopy
Never touching ground

Here the three parts are all still on the subject of canopies but the style is different: the first is a poetic romantic walk through the forest, the second connoting the presence of humans or else casting the narrator as a beast, and the third managing to be scientific and Doorsy at the same time.
Whether you want as abstract a notion as this natural feature (?) being cast above kindred creatures, as to trust it to lead to the end (or The End for that matter) is something for you to decide as you work on it.

You could also rest on a moss-covered log and ponder whether you feel that the quite violent ‘flung’ reference might disturb the mood.

Meditative mood setting in the opening does complement the science wonder the song closes with and we feel reassured that we haven’t left the rainforest.

That middle line introduces drama and mystique and it’s knowing when those are not wanted that is crucial in developing as a songwriter. Without those narrative fellows with something- presumably the canopy but possibly not – flung above them, this would serve an ambient purpose while still satisfying those who came for the music. Arpeggios go well with birdsong and brook babbling if you time it right. And if hammering the Hammond conjures the forest, so much the better.

III

You could at this point decide that it’s time for the flung line to be flung aside.

Or keep it in reserve in case the subsequent song suggests it again.

Needless to say, if you’ve followed my approach to the art, there’s no need to be prescriptive about the position these lines hold after there’s a certain progress. If you can see that the number of verses looks right and the conclusion brings satisfaction then why shoehorn in some aspect of the songwriting tool you started with. Don’t let these considerations hamper your style. Choosing to write to a formula; albeit a loose and arty one, is worth it for the exercise. It can on occasion lead to other things.

IV

Canopy

The cool collective gather there in branches
Underneath the leaves their shadows dancing
They commune as common lesser spotted

Yes the canopy is one level
Layers lie below
All sheltered from the winds
Hidden from the sun

Covered by the canopy

The naturally selective perform a highwire courship
Flung high above our fellows
They play out green affection
and filtered fancy there

Live solely in the canopy
Never touching ground

Add it and edit

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While I’m quite happy to continue with the construction of the song, I feel it timely to remind the reader (and intended writer) that editing is a good practice to get into. I had jagged a couple of good complete songs a couple of times when I was particularly inspired and went off on this reverie of belief that this was the way.

Now I write both instantaneous pieces and ones that are worked on. I don’t even wish for a definition. Not when it is such a reliable process.

So, while we’re in the middle of talking about beginnings and ending, I want to encourage you to embrace editing as you go along. You’ll get an idea of when you are most receptive to making minute changes to a work in progress.
I just looked back on the first verse of that song and I can’t see what it was I wanted to edit. So the urge to change wording isn’t always consistent.

I did come up with a possible title: ‘The clay that we’re composed of’

The effect that this approach had on my writing is that I didn’t default to the catchy line that often also forms the title and chorus. And not writing from the title meant I was defining the direction to a lesser degree. Indeed, there’s an argument for saying that the verses hook up without looking like they were made for one another. Each are discrete and complementary. Discreet and complimentary.