There Are Never Enough Good Songs

There's so much new music out there, peoplehad gone wrong. Months later, after a few similar
don't have time to listen to it all. They tend toexperiences, the reason for my failures occurred
play the stuff that fits easily into the background.to me. Song writing is a journey of the heart not
Like the soundtrack for our lives, music sets thethe brain. The mind can't tell the heart what to
tone for everything we do. These days wefeel anymore than the brain can decide when to
prefer our music loud and loaded with attitudewrite a song.
over soft and sexy. Like fast food, if it's filling it'sThere are many different song writing techniques.
fine.Bob Dylan claims that he never set out to change
Cover bands became a trend in the seventies. Itpop song writing or society, but clearly, unlike
was a good way for a working band to make arock stars before him, his goal wasn't just making
living. You can still see tribute acts - Abba, Beatles,the charts. Dylan says,"Popular culture usually
Stones lookalike artists who sound like icons ofcomes to an end very quickly. It gets thrown into
the sixties and seventies. in small halls andthe grave. I wanted to do something that stood
community auditoriums across America. But, ifalongside Rembrandt's paintings". Still, Dylan once
you're interested in more than just making a living,said he wrote songs so fast in the '60s that he
on doing more with your art, if you want to bedidn't want to go to sleep at night because he
recognized and respected for your God givenwas afraid he might miss one. He soaked up
talent, you need to develop your own sound. Ifinfluences so rapidly that it was hard to turn off
you want people to like your music, you'll have tothe light at night. Dylan found subject matter in
set yourself apart from the rest. You'll have tonewspapers. If the story is big enough, it tells
get people to listen to your music; to slow peopleitself in a song.
down long enough to really hear what your musicNeil Young takes a completely different approach.
has to say and to develop a taste for your music.He can apparently go for months, even a few
Not everyone can write great songs. It takes ayears without writing a single song. The way he
special gift to do that. But everyone can interpretwrites is completely different. One day,
a song and in that interpretation develop a newcompletely out of the blue like the divine
and different sound. Play what you want to playmanifestation of an epiphany, he'll write four
the way you want to play it. Don't always copysongs in a row. A day or two later, he'll write a
somebody else. Of course, when you're startingfew more songs. The songs would come so
out, it's only natural to pattern yourself aftersuddenly and effortlessly that he can barely write
someone. Dylan followed in Woodie Guthrie'sthe words on paper fast enough. Once he has
steps in the early days of his career. Anyone whoenough songs for an album, he's be in and out of
wants to be a song writer should listen to asa recording studio producing an album with very
much good music as possible.few changes to his original inspiration almost
Some writers sit down every day for two orovernight.
three hours, at least, to write, whether they areOf all the good things this world has to offer, for
in the mood or not. Others wait for inspiration.a musician, song writing must top the list. There
One summer, I went to the cottage to spend aare never enough good songs. Original songs
few days with my guitar, a pen and paper. I waswritten from the heart are enchanted. Songs are
in the mood to write; confident at least one goodmeant to be shared. In that sharing, you'll
song would come from the experience. I playedexperience the first delirious crowning
for hours but nothing came out; nothingachievement of your career. You'll begin to
memorable. Disappointed, I left wondering whatdevelop your own sound.