RESEARCH in TEACHER EDUCATION

Using Jungian archetypes in contemporary songwriting education Angela Blacklaw Institute for Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) ABSTRACT KEYWORDS Archetypes are character prototypes, which manifest, ofen unconsciously, in cultures around the world. They are now being used consciously in creatve Jung industries (including screenplay writng and advertsing). In this artcle I explore Archetypes how they may manifest unconsciously in contemporary popular songwritng, and Songwriting describe how I have used them creatvely and consciously in teaching songwritng to undergraduate students. I intend to illustrate that archetypes serve successfully in Creativity teaching songwritng students how to access creatve stmulus, as the metaphorical Authenticity nature of archetypes ofen enables students to see things diferently and create Lyrics songs accordingly that feel satsfying and authentc to them. This works best as an emotonal, rather than an entrely intellectual, exercise. INTRODUCTION ‘copied’. These character models are branding and screenplay writng, there fundamental to human experience, is litle evidence of them being used in The Creatve Songwritng module have immediately recognisable songwritng; only Kuchner (2009) and at the Insttute for Contemporary personality and behaviour traits and Tough (2013) in the US have researched Music Performance (ICMP) aims are found in legends, literature and and writen about the topic. to equip students with the skills to movies. Carl Jung described archetypes write a repertoire of original songs Much of this artcle draws on primary as ‘Forms or images of a collectve within a range of thematc, structural sources, frst experimentng with nature which occur practcally all over and stylistc briefs; key to success is volunteer songwriters to explore to the earth as consttuents of myths learning to achieve this in a way which what extent conscious awareness of and, at the same tme, as products of is both authentc to the student’s the archetypes positvely afected own voice, and which communicates conscious origin’ (cited in Jafe & Jung their songwritng. Following that inital compellingly to an audience. Most 1963). Examples include the Hero research, archetypes were added to recently, the module has included the fghtng fercely for a cause, the Outlaw ICMP’s teaching syllabus at Level 4 use of archetypes. breaking society’s rules and the Ruler on the BA in Songwritng; feedback reigning (justly or despotcally) over from those students is also included Archetypes have roots in Western their kingdom. philosophy (Plato) and psychology to illustrate the positve impact that (Jung) as universal prototypes or While archetypes are used creatvely it had on their creatvity and on the blueprints from which individuals are and consciously in advertsing, authentcity of their writng.

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UNDERSTANDING though someone has been reading your from just one genre (country music), and ARCHETYPES mail’ and Davis (1985) describes a singer’s Tough identfed only seven archetypes role as telling a ‘universal truth we already in his analysis of the Billboard charts, Jung described archetypes as deriving know’. These descriptons indicate which represent the most popular from the collectve unconscious: ‘an archetypal resonance and meaning: ‘a contemporary songs. Being mindful that unconscious content that... takes its good song, just like an efectve brand, not all songwritng students want to write colour from the individual consciousness can evoke an archetype we have inside country or pop music, and as Pearson in which it happens to appear’ (Jung us’ (Tough 2013). ‘A good song, just like an (1991) identfed 12 archetypes in 1969a). They might also be described efectve brand, can evoke an archetype common usage, I chose her full model to as ‘controlling paradigms or metaphors, we have inside us. When we hear a song work with: Innocent, Orphan, Caregiver, the invisible paterns in the mind that that contains an authentc archetype, Warrior, Seeker, Lover, Creator, Destroyer, control how we experience the world’ the song brings meaning to our lives’ Ruler, Magician, Sage, Jester. (Pearson 1991) or ‘the stock characters (Kuchner 2009). in legend, in movies, in the Bible, in the Each archetype brings a set of qualites, stories of our lives’ (Kuchner 2009). Jung discovered hundreds of archetypes feelings and desires, showing both light These myths, ideas and characters difer (1969b). However, Pearson (1991) drew and darkness. For example, the Innocent between cultures, but the concept is up a model of 12 key archetypes that has brings trust, faith and optmism, wantng universally recognisable. been drawn upon by others (eg Mark & to stay safe and loved. They believe Pearson 2001; Kuchner 2009), and which anything is possible although this could Archetypes appear in art, religion, rites I will explore below. manifest as denial, or staying in abusive of passage, mythology and literature: relatonships. They help people to keep So far, litle research exists on identfying we recognise the loving mother who faith, leave the fast lane and relax, get the incidence of Jung’s archetypes in sacrifces herself for her child, the orphan back to simple pleasures, reminisce and contemporary music: who has to face life alone, the warrior see beauty in life: who will fght to the death for a cause, • Kuchner (2009), focusing on the hedonism of the carefree fun-lover. ‘Looking back on when I / Was a litle archetypes in country music. He We unconsciously recognise – and ofen nappy-headed boy / Then my only notced eight out of Pearson’s 12 resonate deeply with – these characters, worry / Was for Christmas what would archetypes (Innocent, Everyman, Sage, depending on who we are, what we have be my toy...’ Hero, Lover, Joker, Caregiver, Outlaw) gone through in our lives and what stage but also said ‘all archetypes probably (‘I Wish’ by Stevie Wonder, 1976) we are currently at in our own journeys. have their places in the world of Alternatvely, the Warrior brings courage, Jung used archetypes therapeutcally. popular song’; skill and discipline. They confront However, they are now used consciously • Tough (2013) referencing Kuchner, but problems, protect boundaries and defend in other environments, for example also analysing 136 songs from the US others. They want to win, so much so in screenplay writng, perhaps most Billboard Hot 100 charts, 1 January that they may lie and cheat. A principled famously in the Star Wars series. 2011 through 30 April 2012, which warrior however is ethical, and fghts Archetypes are also present in corporate included 136 songs covering multple fairly to triumph over evil: and product branding: iconic brands genres (Table 1). resonate deeply and inspire great loyalty ‘I got the eye of the tger, a fghter / while other brands – with no signifcant Table 1. Archetypes in US Billboard Hot Dancing through the fre / ’Cause I am diference in product quality – fail to do 100 Charts, 2012, by count and per cent a champion and you’re gonna hear me so. Successful brands are ‘larger than life’, (from Tough 2013) roar.’ and have a ‘humanly compelling quality’ (‘Roar’ (Cirkut et al., 2013, sung by while unsuccessful ones are ‘lifeless Everyman 13 10% Katy Perry) stereotypes’ (Mark & Pearson 2001). Explorer 22 16% Lover 55 40% ARCHETYPES IN SONG Innocent 2 1% Music too evokes meaning. Murphy (2011) Rebel 8 6% talks about ‘a connecton with that listener Sage 18 13% in three-and-a-half minutes that will last Warrior 18 13% forever’. Billy Bragg (2013) described the best love songs as ‘making you feel as Kuchner’s eight archetypes are drawn

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each archetype using a questonnaire on had never recognised or formulated song lyrics. Together we explored ways the need to think about/eliminate the of bringing the archetypes to conscious buried anger and frustratons that I awareness through three diferent suddenly recalled.’ processes: Partcipants ‘channelled’ archetypes • Working alone to draw images to in various ways. Those most satsfed refect the diferent archetypes (eg described multple methodologies one person drew a baby to represent (paintng, poetry, research, discussion, the Innocent); daydreaming, reading notes, listening to music). ‘Harry’, a man in his mid‑20s, • Using a form of ‘daydreaming’ with explained his experience: partcipants working in pairs to ask each other key questons, eg ‘get in ‘Instead of writng as myself I imagined touch with the part of yourself that being a Sage character, majestc and brings you metamorphosis, revoluton respectable... which then freed me to EXPERIMENTING WITH and growth’ (Destroyer), and to notce be as outlandish as I chose.’ TEACHING CREATIVITY and speak out loud what came to Doing so seemed to facilitate the creatve IN SONGWRITING USING mind when the queston was asked; process, as ‘Billy’, a 40-year-old man, ARCHETYPES • Working in groups to contemplate an described: Inital research with songwriters was archetype and create thought showers ‘Once I made that connecton between carried out as part of an undergraduate of words and phrases that seemed to the archetype and how real people dissertaton to explore a key research suit it, eg for Magician: ‘perspectve, express it, the song almost wrote itself.’ queston: can teaching conscious ripple efects, metaphysical, rabbit out awareness of archetypes enhance of hat’. The successful process seemed also to creatvity in songwritng? The approach channel an unconscious form of creatvity. I also advised them to be mindful of was infuenced by Denscombe’s (2003) As ‘Gina’ said: archetypes when watching television four defning characteristcs of acton programmes or advertsements, seeing ‘In this case, the idea came (almost) research: flms, listening to songs, etc. fully formed, in its most perfect form.’ • a practcal approach addressing Partcipants were asked to write a song More satsfed partcipants said that the real-world problems and issues: the based on one or two archetypes, chosen archetypes gave them focus, and many aim was to use a teaching process to for any reason they wanted. They were wrote surprisingly diferent songs, or ones enhance songwritng creatvity; then asked to complete a questonnaire that were partcularly raw and emotonal. • change as an integral part of research. about their experience of writng, and I As ‘Ken’, a man in his early 30s, said: ‘One of the most common kinds of conducted semi-structured interviews ‘Just thinking about that character change involved in acton research with four of them (the two most and least cuts to the heart of my love for writng is at the level of professional self- satsfed with their experience). “tears and all”.’ development.’ (Denscombe 2003: 75); THE EXPERIENCE Some found the experience easier and • a cyclical process with feedback OF CHANNELLING faster than usual. ‘Murray’, in his late 30s, loop – the research aimed to assess ARCHETYPES said: songwritng approaches before and afer an interventon; Following that exercise, 12 of the 16 ‘I felt free and almost a bit like in partcipants reported feeling satsfed trance. So amazing.’ • partcipants being respected and with their song, nine could see themselves Others found it difcult at frst untl they knowledgeable partners in the using this song in some way, and seven got beyond concept and into a character research. felt it was diferent from something they or story. would normally write. A middle-aged In an inital teaching session I taught 16 partcipant I will call ‘Gina’ said: volunteer partcipants the 12-archetype Ten of the 16 partcipants said the process was diferent from how they would model, illustrated how this manifested ‘The archetype chose me... I knew in existng songs by using examples, and what this was about immediately but normally write, saying that the archetypes tested partcipants’ understanding of focused their thinking and gave characters

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depth. ‘Ken’ said: easier to experiment with and expand the stated.) This broadly equates with Tough’s archetypal repertoire. (2013) fndings that 40% of songs in the ‘I was very surprised at myself in how Billboard charts were based on Lover, and deep I went with the imagery and This is not to demean the importance of 10% on Everyman (Orphan). Interestngly, story... I gave the archetype a life and ratonality and objectvity as part of the for the post-teaching songs, proportons a story to tell in the song and opened creatve process: it clearly plays a part in of both archetypes dropped to 16% him up to human emotons to make refning work. Archetypes might in fact be Lover and 8% Orphan, enabling more him feel real to me.’ used at a later stage to edit or validate a variety in archetypes than was exhibited song to ensure it communicates clearly. The most enthusiastc partcipant was in the Billboard charts. This indicates that One partcipant, ‘Edie’, in her 30s, stated: ‘Freddie’ in his 20s, who said he accessed conscious use of archetypes enables a deep thoughts and emotons, creatng ‘Rather than specifcally startng broader range of them to be accessed, more meaning and stmulatng multple from an archetype, I am currently although some remain consistently song ideas: more drawn to the idea of viewing absent in both studies, as shown in Figure a song in progress through the lens 1, comparing the results in this study with ‘I feel it made expressing my feeling in of archetype, ie using it as a tool in Tough’s analysis: words easier.’ the development of the song rather The least enthusiastc, however, was than the concepton; helping me to TEACHING ARCHETYPES ‘Norman’, in his late 50s, who felt it was understand the roles (and hence tone TO SONGWRITING more of an intellectual exercise: of voice) of characters within a song.’ UNDERGRADUATES I subsequently joined the faculty of ‘It did not feel natural to me, but that Those who had most positve experiences the ICMP and became module leader is not a bad thing, it’s just diferent to tended to refect deeply and consciously for Creatve Songwritng. Since 2017 what I would normally do.’ on the archetypes afer training, and had internalised them by applying them archetypes have formed part of the Overall, the exercise was viewed to, for example, song repertoire. This syllabus of the Level 4 Writng Techniques as stmulatng, fun and personally contemplaton and deeper understanding class for the BA in Songwritng; they are challenging, with ‘Ken’ going so far as to made it easier to channel their chosen introduced halfway through the second say: archetypes. semester as a creatvity technique. Classes are taught according to the ‘One of the best writng exercises I Prior to teaching, partcipants seemed to methodology described above, but over a have ever taken part in.’ have unconsciously writen 31% of their more extended period: instead of a single Of the 16 partcipants, 10 said they would usual songs based on the Lover archetype, session covering 12 archetypes, teaching defnitely be using archetypes again, with and a further 14% based on Orphan. takes place over three two-hour lessons another two saying that they probably (Other archetypes were not so easy to covering four archetypes each tme, with would. assess given the broad subject maters writng assignments each week. We have Figure 1: Comparison of post-teaching songs (Blacklaw 2014) Where partcipants chose archetypes with Tough’s (2013) fndings either randomly or intellectually, they tended to be less satsfed, and to consider the product less authentc, than those who selected an archetype because they resonated with it. This all indicates that mere intellectual understanding of the archetypes (a ‘thinking’ approach) is less likely to connect with the unconscious, where Csikszentmihalyi (1996) saw the “aha!” moment as stemming from, than the emotonal resonance of a ‘feeling’ response. This may be especially important when using archetypes for the frst tme and with a relatvely short introducton to them: greater exposure, study and understanding may make it

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been able to extract feedback on the or the general message of the song, as processing the archetypes. However, the impact of the teaching from students’ opposed to before, when I would simply impact is most notable where students end-year refectve statements, in which write words that ft into the sounds and develop an emotonal understanding of their learning about archetypes featured melodies of hooky tunes.’ and authentc connecton with at least frequently. some of the archetypes, rather than an As teachers we seek to create an intellectual understanding of most or all Using archetypes seemed to have environment where we encourage of them. benefts in several ways. Many students songwritng students to be both fnd writng in collaboraton challenging experimental and authentc; using Jung’s Depending on personality and at frst, but, for one student, ‘Tony’, in his archetypes as a creatvity tool seems to experience, some archetypes will be more early 20s, it clearly became a smoother support those aims, allowing students to immediately atractve and resonant than process when using an archetype: deliberately explore topics outside their others; students might start with those, comfort zone, as well as giving them a way and only move on to less immediately ‘Having the common ground of to connect more deeply, both with each compelling archetypes once they are an archetype... made the process other and with their intended audiences. sure they thoroughly understand them, far easier and more fun than I had and have experimented successfully with imagined co-writng would be and I those that come more naturally. Like learned fnding the common ground is CONCLUSIONS AND any tool, its efectveness will depend in key for me to co-write.’ RECOMMENDATIONS part on the skill and enthusiasm of both Archetypes are about expressing, and Using archetypes enabled another student and teacher, and on the processes resonatng with, the deep and common student to bring more variety into their used to teach. Using archetypes is not meanings that are behind the wide repertoire. ‘Alison’, in her late teens, said: intended to substtute for a songwriter’s variaton of human experience; student own authentc truths, but it is a way of ‘Recently, I notced that most of my songwriters are learning their creatve reaching and channelling them, if the songs used Jung’s orphan archetype as craf in order to do the same thing. songwriter is willing to take that honest they all seemed to be very vulnerable Although on a small scale, the research and personal journey. n and depressive, so I have started indicated – and this has been confrmed exploring other archetypes such as the by subsequent teaching experience – Sage and the Lover in order to expand that teaching archetypes can indeed my repertoire.’ provide students with positve creatve stmulus. Perhaps no single creatvity It also seems to have encouraged technique can work for everyone, but students to think more deeply about their this small study indicated a relatvely writer’s intenton and the song’s content. high satsfacton rate. The metaphorical ‘Deepak’, in his early 20s, said: nature of archetypes seems to enable ‘My approach to the writng process students to see things diferently and has changed in that I now take a much create songs accordingly; for some the stronger, more actve or decisive approach connecton is instant, while for others a when deciding on themes, archetypes lengthier incubaton seems to be useful in

REFERENCES

Blacklaw, A. (2014). Universal truths: archetypes in contemporary songwritng. Jung, C.G. (1969b). Archetypes and the collectve unconscious. Princeton, NJ: London: Insttute for Contemporary Music Performance. Princeton University Press. Bragg, B. (2013). ‘The science of songwritng’, interview by Steve Lamacq, BBC Kuchner, M. (2009). ‘Archetypes in country music’, Music Row Magazine, Radio 6, 31 October. August. Cirkut, Dr L., Martn, M., McKee, B. & Perry, K. (2013). ‘Roar’. Capitol. Mark, M. and Pearson, C. S. (2001). The Hero and the Outlaw: building extraordinary brands through the power of archetypes. New York: Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creatvity: fow and the psychology of discovery McGraw Hill. and inventon. New York: HarperCollins. Murphy, R. (2011). Murphy’s laws of songwritng. Nashville, TN: Ralph Murphy. Davis, S. (1985). The craf of lyric writng. Cincinnat, OH: Writer’s Digest Books. Pearson, C. S. (1991). Awakening the heroes within: twelve archetypes to help us fnd ourselves and transform our world. New York: HarperCollins. Denscombe, M. (2003). The good research guide. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. Tough, D. (2013). ‘Teaching modern producton and songwritng techniques: Jafe, A. and Jung, C. G (1963). Memories, dreams, refectons. London: what makes a hit song?’ Music & Entertainment Industry Educators Random House. Associaton Journal, 13(1). Jung, C.G. (1969a). Four archetypes. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Wonder, S. (1976). ‘I Wish’. Motown.

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