Sometimes I have the music first, sometimes not. I think most of my songs are music first because there's something about having a prewritten lyric that speaks of paint-by-number to me—if that makes any sense. Although I did write one last night just to see if I still had it in me, and low and behold, a magical, ramblin' train of words painted itself and now I have a complete set of lyrics that are actually pretty darn good.
By the way, I ordered a Rick Nelson record last week and was so excited that it would be showing up in a few days' time. Nothing. The seller is about three hours away from me—I could have driven over there and gotten it myself! I have this feeling he's waiting to sell enough items on ebay to make that trip to the post office worthwhile, and here I am in the meantime, looking out my front window every afternoon with no package. Worse things are happening in the world though, so I'll shut up.
Lady M will be jealous about the Rick(y) Nelson record. She still swoons on occasions!
ReplyDeletePromise me you'll never write a 'now' song.
Baby I love you now
You know I do now
Honey make my dreams come true now
Or I'll just lay down and die now.
Something like that. The Beach Boys wrote them a lot. Every line ends with the word 'now'. My other pet hate is the word 'mind'; as in 'Baby you're on my mind'. Drives me nuts.
I'm sure you'd do neither of these; would you!
Nope. No nows. I guess that would be pretty annoying after awhile- never thought of it before. Huh.
ReplyDeleteWell, here's my lyric, with no nows:
When morning is drifting, like minnows, away,
humming and a shaking your body to stay,
mascara strand gelatin, the world is on lien,
the unspoken prayers and pollen caffeine,
when life is a river, one tide at a time,
just wake and I’ll hold you,
because you are mine.
When dogs start a barkin’, cause that’s what they do,
and cats creep the alley in shadows of blue,
the tar of infinity, like fields with no rails
and box cars and trains with their whistling wails,
from sudden to languid, an iris of lime
just ask and I’ll hold you
because you are mine.
When angels start dancing the tango in Spain,
when sulphur drips slowly from branches of pain
like earwigs and sweet figs, Picasso corrodes
the hawks of tomorrow in silver abodes
Orgies of statues all stuck wasting time
just reach and I’ll hold you
because you are mine.
When lighting brands hexagons on top of your head
and stallions crush into the down of your bed,
forever and never, was once and again,
its seasons like this that I’m likely to win,
But sorrow and promises I do so incline,
just speak and I’ll hold you,
because you are mine.
Wow, your song looks good. I've never tried to write one before.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm...
:-)
Haha, you can be my songwriting partner!
ReplyDeleteA lot better than my feeble attempt at a 'now' song. But then, all 'now' songs are feeble!
ReplyDeleteI was only kidding.
I write my music first too. I've been playing guitar for years but my skills are pretty basic. Sometimes I can't make the music I want because I can't co-ordinate what I want to sing with what I want to play. Does that ever happen to you? I need to get myself back in the music mode. I have to write some somgs for my novel character which are going to be on the book's website. Scary!
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely know what you mean. Sometimes you have to dig so deep and create such honesty that it's painful, if not more so, as writing fiction. Good luck writing the songs! They're probably in there just waiting for you to let them out! xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lyrics, Amy. Fascinating to hear about your songwriting process.
ReplyDeleteThank you Talli : )
ReplyDelete