When the Well Runs Dry
Sept, 2003
Anyone who has ever tried to write a song knows that it is not as easy as it may appear. Sure, there are those days of inspiration, when songs seem to write themselves, but more often than not, the opposite is true. The well runs dry and in order to eke out a song, one may be willing to resort to a number of tactics that would not be considered sound songwriting practice. If you find yourself in desperation as a songwriter, here are some pitfalls to avoid, along with an example of a well-known offender.
1. If you run out of words before finishing a verse, singing "ooh baby
baby" several times is not a viable option.
Example- Led Zeppelin
2. Similar to #1, if you are unable to complete a verse, throwing in a
few f-bombs as filler is not recommended.
Example- Limp Bizkit
3. Finding words that rhyme should never be done at the expense of
actually making sense.
Example- The Doors
4. Cramming 3 unfinished song ideas together and calling it a song is
not advisable.
Example- Paul McCartney
5. Finding a melody line can sometimes be a struggle, but unless you
are a hip-hop artist, DO NOT under any circumstances attempt to rap.
Example- Madonna
6. If the lyrics and music to your songs start to become
interchangeable, you are most likely in a songwriting rut and should
just stop.
Example- Bob Seger
7. If you have had a born-again experience, avoid the temptation of
writing new versions of your old songs, replacing "baby" with "Savior".
Example- Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad)
8. If you are unable to come up with any new material at all, recording
your first couple of albums over again is probably not the best
solution.
Example- King's X
9. If you are struggling to write a song, simply ripping off someone
else's is never a good idea.
Example- George Harrison
10. Never spell.
Example- Bay City Rollers
Peace
Brian Fife