The Progress of the Album - Songwriting (Ch. 2)

I’m not one to write songs anywhere or anytime. In fact, there are some days when I just don’t want to write, usually because I have nothing to say or I’m just too tired or emotionally worn. Those are the days when I’d rather go to the pool or watch a mindless movie. However, there are days and nights when I am really inspired. I may be inspired by a powerful church message, a passage of Scripture, or more often than not, a personal frustration that is begging to get out constructively. On the other hand, there are those times when I’ll write a song out of the blue, without any premeditation. At times, an innocent tinkering at the piano may unexpectedly grow into an album-worthy song. With every song, I try to write about something that I am passionate about (and something which others can relate to). For example, a song about my struggle with being an introvert may not go as far as a song that deals with a broken relationship.

I would say most of the songs for this new album have been written in the middle of the night in my home studio. It is not my general practice to stay up all night, but from time to time, I can’t sleep because I’m creatively wound up, and just need to get it down on paper (or computer). I prefer to write lyrics using Microsoft Word (for Mac), as it’s easier to cut and move phrases around on the computer compared to editing lyrics which have been written by hand on a notepad. I usually prefer to be sitting by a keyboard (or piano), as I tend to work on the melody, chords, and lyrics at the same time.

Chorus & Verses
I generally aim to write the chorus of a song first, as it is the most crucial and the part that most people usually remember and sing in the shower, or on the way to work. Most often, I’ll start with a general topic and a title (or working title, basically a place holder for the eventual title). I’ll then try out various melodies while experimenting with chords and rhythms on the piano. During this process, I always do my best to make sure the melody, chord progression, and tempo is varied from other songs I’ve written.

After I land a good chorus melody and a few words or phrases that seem to reflect the feeling of the song, I enter the lyrical brainstorming process. As I brainstorm, I write down anything that comes to mind… descriptive words that fit the topic at hand, phrases that help to communicate the feeling of the song, even verses which seem to embody the message. As I write down these words and phrases, I likewise write down any rhyming words, whether they are related or not. This helps to give me some ammo when I later attempt to assemble phrases into rhyming lines.

Sometimes, I write a chorus in a half hour. Other times, I may piece a chorus together over a couple weeks, or even months. However, usually, I’ll come up with a chorus over a couple days. Once I am happy with the chorus, I begin to write verses. I almost always find that the first couple lines of the verse are the most difficult to write as they are what ultimately establish the overall feel and rhythm of the rest of the verses. They also play a key part in grabbing the listener from the top of the song. I really struggle with making verses distinct and catchy. It’s tricky as you want the verses to be strong and unique, but they can’t overpower the chorus. The chorus has to be the top of the rollercoaster. Often for me, the second verse is much easier to write compared to the first verse as the second verse usually plays off of or contrasts the first verse (and the feel of the verses has already been established).

The Bridge
Usually, after the chorus and verse have been written, I tackle the bridge (if the song calls for a bridge). The bridge can do a lot of things. It can further reveal what the song is about (similar to the explaining of a parable). It can change the perspective or direction of the song (like a surprise scene in a movie where the true plot is revealed). Sometimes, it simply works as an alternate chorus (it says the same thing, but just takes the theme from a different angle). Musically, the bridge may sometimes transition the song into a new key. Occasionally, the bridge is instrumental and is an easy way to turn a 2.5-minute song into a 3-minute song. I find that bridges are usually easier to write than choruses or verses. However, there have been times when it’s taken me several weeks to write a decent bridge.

A Relationship of Songs
Typically, I have no idea what the overall theme of an album will be when I write that first several songs for the album. However, there comes a point (maybe after I’ve written 5-6 songs) where the songs begin to fit together (hopefully). As I get further into writing an album, I sometimes discover the need to write connecting songs or contrasting songs. A connecting song may serve to bridge two completely unrelated songs together, while a contrasting song may give some variety when variety is needed (for example, a faster positive song after several darker slower songs). Just as there are various scenes in a movie (a quieter and slower moment after a chase sequence, or a heartwarming family moment before the aliens take over the earth), albums need to have variety to keep the listener engaged and emotionally balanced.

It’s Fun (But It’s Still Work)
Song Writing is usually never easy. Sometimes, one can forget about that fact when one has been away from song writing for a while. Rarely does a complete album-worthy song fall from the sky (although there have been occasions when I’ve written an entire song within an hour or two, and it turns out to be one of my strongest, but that is rare). I find that some songs do come more naturally and quickly, while others develop over time. Most often, I find that relationship songs are the most challenging to write, and typically, those are the ones that take longer to evolve. I may compose an entire song rather quickly, yet may find that it takes several months to nail down one or two questionable words and phrases. I’ve heard it said that every word in a song should count. Just as scenes are deleted in movies, lines that add nothing to a song should be eliminated.

Up Next… “What Goes Into Making a Demo?”