Maybe because it was cold or because I had long day at work or because of that huge delicious lunch. Suffice to say, nothing productive came out of my two and a half hour long recording\writing session last night. Nothing. It just wasn’t happening and when that’s the case it’s always best to just walk away and do something else. The chords progressions weren’t coming together, the melodies simplistic and unmemorable.
And the lyrics? This has always been my weak point. I think it has something to do with my difficulties in hearing lyrics and words when I listen to music. Don’t get me wrong, I love that aspect of pop and rock music but it takes me longer than most people I know to hear the words, and therefore the meaning. I know people who can hear a song once or twice and already be singing along. But I simply hear the melodies and harmonies and phrasings more clearly.
I think because of this fact, my lyric writing can be anemic. I have been ‘studying up,’ so to speak; reading some of my favourite lyricists and looking at their styles and techniques. But also trying to always carry a small moleskin notebook with me in case a phrase comes to mind. But after two or three years now of focusing on this stuff, I still feel my lyric writing borders on cliche, illiterate and clumsy at best. The best will make an intimate personal sentiment feel like a broad universal statement. It can be such a fine line though.
Am I too hard on myself? Probably. But I think that drive to make myself better at music also translates to the lyrics. The next few weeks of hello.music I will probably try to spend more time on the lyrics and vocal melodies and less on the intricate harmonies and layers of overdubs. A simple melody and poignant line stands out much longer than studio techniques. It will be an interesting challenge.
I think we listen to music the same way, regarding not processing the lyrics right away (if at all in my case). I think I’ve made some headway in that regard with some active listening techniques, and being married to someone who likes to sing has probably contiributed as well. I still can’t write poetry though (can you say insipid), so that now I have a much greater respect for the lyricist. Good luck with your pening, I look forward to hearing your development.