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Lyrics

Songwriting Series Part III: Laugh, Think, Cry

“To me, there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think — spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that’s a heck of a day.”

– Jim Valvano, ESPY Speech 1993

Hey Y’all,

Today I want to talk about three things songs can do. This post is inspired by one of my favorite quotes from Jim Valvano(click here for speech). I believe that songs have many different roles, but every great song serves a purpose. In this article, I will be discussing three of those purposes. I believe great songs should make you laugh, make you think, or make you cry.

Laugh

Songs have been shown to directly affect mood, as studies have shown. So it’s important to listen to songs that bring you joy. Sometimes you’re having a bad day, and a song comes on the radio that turns your day around. Songs can help you escape reality, even if it’s just for a few minutes. They make you smile, they make you laugh, they make life better. One of my best friends here in Nashville Manning Rothrock does an excellent job of this. Manning says he writes for the girl who gave up on her dreams, is clocking out at 5 p.m. on Friday, and just needs a break from life. That is a worthy endeavor. We all need to laugh and enjoy life. Songs can help us do that.

Think

Songs can have a profound impact on how we see the world. Some of the most insightful pieces of art are the songs we listen to. Songs can impact how we interpret life events, view seasons of life, and find meaning in things we may have initially overlooked. So I would encourage each of you to write or listen to songs that make you think. A friend of mine Jakob Miller does this particularly well. He is able to capture the essence of moments and distill them into music that touches not just the heart but the mind as well. If you want to be a deep writer, as well as an educated listener, seek our songs that make you think.

Cry

Songs that can make you cry are extraordinarily powerful. One of the most powerful reactions to an event is shedding tears. Tears occur when we encounter something so real, so relatable, that it moves us deeply. Music can make us cry, and remind us that we’re not alone. That other people have experienced our pain, and have shared in our sorrows. Another close friend of mine Joy Beth Taylor writes songs to help people who feel alone. She uses her past and present struggles to help others find hope in their circumstances. Hope and tears are not mutually exclusive, and Country Music shows the link between the two well. Be real, get in touch with your soul, and don’t be afraid of music that makes you weep.

So there you have it. May your days and your songs be full of laughter, thoughts, and tears. What makes you laugh? What makes you think? What makes you cry? Share your opinions in the comments below.

Paul

April 25, 2018 0 comment

Lyrics

Songwriting Series Part II: The Significance of Songs

written by paulwrock

Hey Y’all,

For the second installment of my songwriting series, I want to discuss “what makes songs significant? ” Most of us would agree that a song has real value, but it is often hard to articulate what that value is. I believe songs affect our lives in many unique ways. Because of that, crafting songs is a task that should be untaken with excellence. In this post, I will examine three things that songs do. I hope that this exploration creates in you not only a deeper appreciation for songwriting but also the desire to do it to the best of your ability as well.

Songs Capture Life’s Defining Moments & Create The Soundtrack By Which We Interpret Our Experiences.

All of us can look back on our lives and find defining moments. Moments that stand out for good or bad reasons. There are breakups we didn’t know if we would survive, tragedies that shattered our souls, moments of transcendence, and days we wish we could relive constantly. The highs, the lows, the fleeting moments or extraordinary, the mundane routines of life, and the moments where the lines between them blur. Life is full of memories.

Every relationship I’ve been in has a soundtrack. There’s the song for when I see her for the first time, for when we fell in love, and when we’ve broken up. Just as every girl is unique every playlist in unique.

Seasons of transition have soundtracks too. Right before I first moved to Nashville, I listened to “Last Time For Everything” by Brad Paisley constantly. As I wrapped up my time in Atlanta, I was aware that the season of life was ending.

Our best memories have soundtracks as well. I think back to my fraternity days in Birmingham. My pledge trainer had a burnt CD in his F-150 that he didn’t swap out for several years(it may still be in there). Every time I got to hang out with him, and the older brothers “Hell Raisin’ Heat of the Summer,” by Florida Georgia Line was on.

So songs are significant because they encapsulate moments. They help us contextualize and recall the times in our lives that we need to reflect on the most. We best honor those moments, by crafting good songs. A well-written song will help recall the feeling that those moments held.

Songs Help Us Tell Our Stories And Help Others Find Their Own Stories In Our Music

The best songs touch on universal themes and shared experiences. The details, the place, the setting, the imagery. They make the song personal. Many people think that the best songs capture their own experiences accurately. What I believe is more meaningful is crafting a song that others can find their own stories in. Ultimately, all of our stories matter equally. One of my goals is not only to tell my story well, but rather to tell our stories well. The best songs are based on a million true stories, not just one.

We all need to understand how significant moments in our lives are. To hear those moments set to music is powerful. Songs help us remember moments that we want to relive. Songs help us rediscover lost feeling. They take us back to the experiences we wish we could relive, and in a small way, they help us to do so. To quote Brad Paisley, “this is your life in a song.” The best songs are the stories we all share.

We Not Only Write Our Songs, But Our Songs Also Write Us.

Songs shape our lives. As much as art imitates life, life also imitates art. Thomas Rhett’s song “Learned It From The Radio,” expresses this concept brilliantly. There have been so many moments when songs have helped me get through difficult moments or shaped seasons of my life.

When I first moved to Nashville, I was paralyzed by fear of stepping into a new industry where it seemed like everyone knew each other except for me. Listening to “One Day You Will” by Lady Antebellum got me through those first few weeks of fright. Those words echoed hope into my life. Having spent almost a year in Nashville now, that song proved to be true.

As we listen to songs and as we write them, we need to remember what we listen to is profoundly shaping our lives. It’s part of why I love Country music. I believe we have the best songs. I hope that we will always consume and create songs worth shaping our lives.

I hope this has got you thinking about songs, their value, and the role they play in our lives. It is something I consider and wrestle with constantly. I would love to know how you view songs, and what you would add to or remove from this list. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Paul

April 11, 2018 0 comment

Lyrics

Songwriting Series Part I: What Is Songwriting?

written by paulwrock

Hey Y’all,

I wanted to start this series on songwriting by asking the question “what is songwriting?” I think it is an important place to our discussion on the subject. The dictionary defines songwriting as “the activity or process of writing popular songs or the music for them.” But I think for each of us, we know that we need a deeper definition.

At the most fundamental level, I believe songwriting is the sonic expression of the soul. It is an intentional arrangement of notes, chords, and lyrics that reflect the deepest realities of the heart. Songwriting is the craft that endears audiences to artists, presents a medium for philosophical, spiritual, and social conversations, and helps people contextualize their own stories either through the process of writing songs or by listening to them. In the end, we write our songs, but our songs also write us.

Songwriting looks different in every genre of music. Different songwriters have different creative processes. Songs have different purposes, even songs on the same record. In my next post, I will look at the significance of songs, and why writing great songs matter. For now, let me say that these components are framed from the perspective of a Country Music songwriter, so please keep that in mind.

First, the best songs will come from experience. There is a saying in Nashville that you write about what you know. Typically, the best works of art will come from a place of genuine inspiration. So songwriting is taking inspiration, and realizing it in a musical context.

Second, songs are stories that resonate with people. In music, the quality of an instrument is judged by how well it resonates, and the same is true of songs. The best songs resonate with people in a way that words alone never could. So songwriting is taking ideas presenting them in a way that resonates with others.

Finally, songs are how we interpret the world. This applies to both to those who write songs, and those who listen to them. For those of us who write about the experiences that shape us, songwriting provides a way for us to organize our life narratives in a meaningful way. For those of us who listen to songs, we are able to contextualize our experience through the thoughts, words, and sounds of another person. So songwriting is organizing life events in a meaningful way.

I know this has been a bit more academic, but I wanted us to have a clear understanding of what songwriting is. This is in no way an exhaustive definition, but I do think it provides a framework to start with. I can’t wait to continue this discussion in following posts. Until then, I would love to hear your thought on the subject. So, what is your definition songwriting? Why is it important to you? What would you add to this list?

Thanks,

Paul

April 2, 2018 0 comment