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Help me put my song lyric idea on paper

H

HoosierBassist

Dec 18, 2010
132
1
#1
So,

I've got an idea for a song. I don't know what genre it should be, probably anything but death metal.

idea: A man is traveling in his car when he miraculously survives an apocalyptic event. He is the only living person in a once thriving city, left to wander a place that was made desolate and nearly extinct of life. Kinda getting a Fallout (video game) vibe from this. ashes. destruction. erie, freaky quiet. These are just things coming to my head.

this isn't a zombie apocalypse, this is just extinction. rapture.
 
#6
He sees empty cities, empty cars,

feels an strange erie quiet vibe. he is beginning to realize that he is the only living being for miles and miles.

He thinks just as any of us would if we were ever in the situation, freaked out and intimidated by what he's just gone through, yet motivated to keep going, like "what do I do now?" type thinking.
 
#8
Steely Dan already wrote that song.



Hello one and all
Was it you I used to know
Can't you hear me call
On this old ham radio
All I got to say
I'm alive and feeling fine
If you come my way
You can share my poison wine

CHORUS:
No marigolds in the promised land
There's a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know

I don't want your bread
I don't need your helping hand
I can't be no savage
I can't be no highwayman
Show me where you are
You and I will spend this day
Driving in my car
Through the ruins of Santa Fe

CHORUS

I'm reading last year's papers
Although I don't know why
Assassins cons and rapers
Might as well die

If you come around
No more pain and no regrets
Watch the sun go brown
Smoking cobalt cigarettes
There's no need to hide
Taking things the easy way
If I stay inside
I might live til Saturday

CHORUS
 
#13
elgecko said:
Steely Dan already wrote that song.



Hello one and all
Was it you I used to know
Can't you hear me call
On this old ham radio
All I got to say
I'm alive and feeling fine
If you come my way
You can share my poison wine

etc. etc. etc..........
Click to expand...


  • Yep 8 line verses, I like 4 lines per verse - works the same.
  • Cookie cutter chord progression - I-IV-V7-I or I-V-IV-V7-I or I-vi-IV-V7-I whatever, just grab one.
  • Start with the I tonic, move to IV near the end of the first line -
  • Continue with the IV in the second line and end the 2nd line with the V7. The V7 pulls you into the 3rd line where you repeat the I- IV- V7 progression. Ending each 4 or 8 line verse back with the I tonic to close that thought. Repeat this same cadence through out the song.
  • Now work on melody. Draw your melody notes from the chord's pentatonic. That will give you three like notes for harmony and two safe passing notes for color. One melody note per lyric word. Your melody line being made from the notes of the chord - your melody line and chord line harmonize each other.
  • That will get you a lead sheet. Take the lead sheet and come up with a bass line based upon the chord tones used already - this way everything harmonizes and sounds good and you got yourself a first draft. Flesh it out from there.
  • Yes you can start with lyrics and work from there. If you want you can start with the melody and work from there. Does not really matter which comes first. When you finish everything has to harmonize and be something you want to listening to. If you follow those steps it kinda falls into place.
  • All you need is a story worth telling. Put it into verse format - rhyme or not up to you. A cookie cutter chord progression. Move the chord changes around to where the changes match up with lyric words, i.e. lyric climax matches with the V7 chord, etc. Draw your melody line notes from the chord's pentatonic - so everything harmonizes. Then come up with your bass line that follows the chord changes. Song writting 101. First time, it'll sound like the first time, gets better........
 
#18
Suddenly I hear nothing.
Not even the sound of my own breathing.
Liquid tricking down my neck.
Crawling from this mangled wreck.

Shadows forming in my eyes
Blurry shapes and leaden sky
Desolation all around
Bodies still upon the ground...

yadayada...etc.etc...
 
#19
Not yanking your chain, but, without the story no need for the song. Work on putting your thoughts into verse format. Keep some paper and a number two pencil - the one with the big eraser - in your pocket. Write down stuff. And I understand your question is what to do with the stuff. How to get the first verse, etc. That's a study in itself. English Composition.

http://www.search-results.com/web?q...hnu:src=hmp:o=100000052:q=poerty&locale=en_US

Our Daughter introduces poetry to her 5th grade class using song lyrics. Which comes first; how to write lyrics or how to write poetry? She uses simple songs to get the 5th graders wanting to write poetry. Up to you which way you go....... She keeps a 3/4 size 6 string classical guitar in the room. One of the boys, in the class, is usually taking guitar and he then helps the class strum out their song's lyrics. Kids love the connection and end up being introduced to music and poetry.
 

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