So You Wanna Be A Songwriter?

I will be writing more articles on song writing as we go forward. This is the first.

But I have written many songs. At my most prolific I wrote easily five songs/day. And if I wasnt so bloody busy I would still be doing the same.

Here is some sampling of my lyrics…

“Little Johnny’s been acting strangely since the school put him on those pills

he just isnt the same as he used to be it sort of gives you the chills

he just walks around in a trance and stares out at the black sky

he doesnt say a word, he doesnt even cry…

and he’s been drawing those strange pictures as he sits and stares at his food

Johnny Boy is slipping into darkness, mamma, what are you gonna do?

Keep your eyes closed?

keep your ears closed?

keep your mouth closed?

shut it all down”

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“we go out for the evening

we go to get some chow

I’m enjoyin my beef burger

and you’re worried about the cow

Ya Gotta Stop Worryin Baby”

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“this old world will sure defeat ya

unless ya learn what it tries to teach ya

the way that it’s been tryin’ to teach me”

Runnin Ain’t No Way To Be Free

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all lyrics Copyright Gary Konigsberg for Garko Tunes 2004

All rights reseserved

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Yes, I wrote the last one too, only it isnt as original.

So here is my songwriting technique.

First, I get an idea. It can be very vague. Bob Dylan has said that he has written songs into the second verse before he really knew what the song was about. But it does help to have some idea, perhaps a phrase you said or heard.

Then, you write three verses supporting, embracing, expanding and expounding on that idea

Come up with a chorus with a catchy hook that manages to bring it all home.

As for the music, that depends on many factors. For example, what instrument you are writing on, how proficient you are with that instrument, your musical influences and so forth.

Music can be complex (Sting, Yes, etc) or simple (Tom Petty) and, when enhanced with proper tasteful instrumentation will sound very uniquely yours.

Look at how many blues, rock and country artists have made their careers on the same basic musical pattern.

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