So Where Do Songs Come From?

“My experience with songwriting is so confessional, it’s so drawn from my own life and my own stories.” Taylor Swift

A good prospector knows where to look for treasure – what kinds of rock formations are likely to produce gold or diamonds. In the same way a good songwriter learns where to mine for the raw, unpolished gems that can produce great songs.

A good place to see where songwriters discover songs is often in the opening lines. Here are a baker’s dozen.

Woke up, fell outa bed, dragged a comb across my head Fixing a Hole by Lennon/McCartney

I read the news today, Oh, boy About a lucky man who made the grade A Day in the Life by Lennon/McCartney

I found a love for me, Darling, just dive right in – Ed Sheeran Perfect by Ed Sheeran

We could leave the Christmas lights up 'til January This is our place, we make the rules Lover by Taylor Swift

I've got you under my skin / I've got you deep in the heart of me So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me I've Got You Under My Skin by Cole Porter

Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again Sounds of Silence by Paul Simon

Look at the sun painting the sky It's a love affair of atmosphere and light Mona Lisa Said by Billy Sprague

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi/ Benjamin Kohn/ Peter Kelleher / Samuel Roman / Tom Barnes

You say you see no hope, you say you see no reason We should dream that the world would ever change Show the Way by David Wilcox

I've been looking at people And how they change with the times; And lately all I've been seeing are people Throwing love away and losing their minds; What’s Forever For by Rafe Van Hoy made a hit by Michael Martin Murphy

I feel no shame - I'm proud of where I came from I was born and raised in the boondocks Boondocks by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Little Big Town

Hello, it's me I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet Hello by Adele, Laurie Adkins, Gregory Kurstin

Sometimes my life just don't make sense at all When the mountains look so big And my faith just seems so small Hold me Jesus by Rich Mullins

So, what rock formations do these gems come from? From mundane daily events like simply waking up in the morning. From news stories, falling in love, loneliness, sunsets, falling out of love, conversations, observations, reflections, heritage pride, phone calls and struggles of spirit and faith.

Obviously, the raw material of songs is all around us, inside us, day and night, 24/7.

Your assignments:

First, make a list of the opening lines of five of your favorite songs. Where do these songs come from? What scene, scenario and emotions do the lyrics and the music convey?

Second, capture in your hook book and in your music what you see, feel and discover. THIS WEEK. TODAY. Pick one idea that moves you and explore where it takes you. Maybe a cowriter could help push it to completion. Your hook book can be a growing reservoir, or treasure trove, of many strong, perhaps even hit songs.

As Taylor Swift described, a lot of raw material for songs can be mined from your own “life and stories.” Renowned author, Frederick Buechner put it similarly in the title of one of his great books, Listening to Your Life. Good songwriters fish in the daily stream flowing all around us and through us. And as long as you have your line in the water, a song can tug at any moment. A great songwriter wrote it this way: “My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” (Psalm 45:2)

Here’s to the new song in you. (Hey, that sounds like a song about hope. Dibs)