Songwriting

[pegkerr]

I've been thinking about songwriting lately. Uncharacteristically, I went to a panel on songwriting at Minicon. markiv1111 was on the panel; I certainly consider him the most talented songwriter than I know personally. I guess I've been toying with the idea because of how fun it was to do that one wizard rock filk and because of what soulcollaging has cracked open for me--I can be creative; why not consider poetry? Why not consider songwriting?

It was extremely interesting. The one comment that stood out for me--I think markiv1111 made it--was that the best songs are extremely simple, but the words just feel right. As I've been listening to the Holy Tree playlist I've put together, both from my own music, and from the .mp3s people have sent me, one song stands out as illustrating exactly what the panel was talking about: this is a song that's extremely simple but perfect, and I've fallen in love with it.

Here it is: Richard Shindell's "Wisteria." This is a live performance, not as polished of course, as the studio performance I have on .mp3. (The studio version has the added loveliness of using a poignant violin on the bridge.) But as a piece of songwriting (in my admittedly amateur opinion), I think it really couldn't be improved upon.

Here are the lyrics:

Let’s not drive away just yet
Give me a moment more
To walk through those rooms again
To walk through that door

If we turn off the radio
I’ve only to close my eyes
And the wind in the sycamores
Will carry me home

The vine of my memory
Is blooming around those eaves
But it’s true it’s a chore to tame wisteria

I’m tempted to ring the bell
Maybe they’d ask me in
Or maybe it’s just as well
To let it all be

Remember the price we paid?
It seemed like a lot back then
Remember the love we made
The day we moved in?

(chorus)

It did need some pruning back
And I know that it's not my place
But how could they just cut it down
And leave not a trace?

But let's not drive away just yet
Give me a moment more
To walk through those dreams again
To walk through that door

(chorus)

Comments

Songwriting

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

You do me honor. I wasn't even aware that you had an opinion about my songwriting one way or another. But I think there are a lot of people out there whose idea of songwriting is "simple but perfect," and it is a thing that works. (Note that there are at least two songs -- just going from what I can remember off the top of my head -- where, between "finishing" it and performing it in public, I deleted a verse.) Even so, though, there is room for a lot of variation, songs that would remind one of Paradise Lost, songs that might remind one of a Shakespearean sonnet, and a song here or there more reminiscent of a haiku. There are few that are bonafidely bad, and there is such a range -- and should be such a range.

As for your turning to poetry or song lyrics, I would support that quite wholeheartedly. In a poetry class I once took, the recommendation was made to write a little bit of poetry every day. This is an excellent idea, though I haven't done this in years. I am available to discuss this if you want to go from prose to poetry. And it is all "wordsmithing" one way or another. Try it and see what happens.

Nate

Re: Songwriting

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I bought a book on how to write poetry that I took along with me to the retreat. I didn't crack it since I got caught up in the soulcollaging instead. But I am interested, and I hope to read the book in the next couple months. I'd love to talk with you about it sometime.