I promised myself that I would start using this space to talk about the songwriting process, so I'm starting with this one. I've been working on it the last couple of days and the lyrics are almost solidified.
The last few years have been much better for me in terms of finishing songs. Mostly I attribute this to not worrying as much about the individual words and instead focusing on the overall idea behind the lyric. I'll find a nice chord structure that pushes a melody to the surface. If I'm lucky the concept for the lyric will come naturally from the mood of what I'm playing.
This tune for instance felt like a hopeful tune, it has just a repeated four chord structure and sort of reminded me of a Van Morisson tune like "Brand New Day" or one of those. What popped into my head was the memory of discovering a new emotion.
For want of stronger language I fell in love all over again, only on a completely different level. It really is impossible to describe in words, it was a spiritual moment. I can't remember what led up to it, but we were looking into each other's eyes and then we were both crying. I guess that's what happens when an emotion so strong hits you like that.
Throughout my life I've only more strongly realized how disfunctional the world is and how rare it is to find a truly genuine relationship. So many people we've had in our lives are fakers and want to take advantage of us in one way or another. These situations always make my feelings for Samantha even stronger.
Anyway, although I used to find most love songs cheesy, I don't seem to have much trouble writing them, they always seem to move fast. 10 minutes later I had a page and a half of lyrics and was balling my eyes out singing them. I edited them so that they flowed a little better and am mostly satisfied that it's a complete song.
The problem was one that is pretty common. Some of the lines rhymed or could be made to rhyme pretty easily, but trying to force it can make the process fall apart. So do I ignore the potential for rhyming, try to make it all rhyme or what? That's why it's not quite done, I want to play it some more and figure it out.
In the end I doubt that the lyrics will win me any awards, but I don't care. When I can capture an emotion in a song in a way that brings it back so strongly it's a masterpiece to me.
I'll try to get some kind of recording of it this week. Maybe I'll play it and record my set at the coffee shop on Friday.
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