In journalism school, there was a common saying, "Kill your babies."
What it means is, no matter how brilliant that line you wrote is, all that matters if how it fits into the whole. If you want the whole thing to be brilliant, it's about flow. It's about order, and importance.
You just can't cram all the good ideas and expect for it to radiate awesomeness. What it'll radiate is cobbled together'ness.
I'm working on a new song this week. After several frustrating hours of coming up with cool parts that were going nowhere, this great melody jumped into my head.... and the thing that's most important in the writing process clicked into place: I knew what I wanted to say.
It's a song about feeling lost inside yourself, and knowing if someone outside yanks hard enough, they can bring you back.
Here's the thing though. Of the 6 or so stanzas I sculpted, listening back, they're not quite right. The sentiment is right, but the images are wrong. I need something more physical, more forceful, more tangible, less metaphorically poetic. So I'll throw these ones out.
But I couldn't bear to do that without at least printing them here first.
So here are the lyrics I'm leaving behind & some of my thinking about the true direction this song needs to go in.
Just hit me with your sureshot
I need a dose of what you got
Take your aim & I’ll be ok
Just hit me with your heartbeat
Stronger ‘til I move my feet
& I’ll be ok
Just lend me your anchor
Before my ship drifts under
Be my Milky Way & I’ll find a way
Just show me your sweet side
If I could, I’d give you mine
Take me inside & I’ll be revived
Just give me that one thing
The one that keeps me dreamin’
& In spite of everything,
I’ll be ok
here's the new direction.
Smile
Stomp
Heartbeat
Arms hands
Louder
stronger harder tighter all connote intensity
Do you all struggle to leave some of the good stuff on the cutting room floor? II'm with you.
And thanks for reading.
~jessie
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That's what my creative writing teacher told me too: "Sometimes you have to kill your babies". It's funny how those brilliant snippets can't always work in the piece as a whole in the end. I'm not sure I have any surefire tips for letting go of the perfect bits that won't fit into the larger whole, but I just try to think: "I have three or four minutes to make an impact with this song. How am I gonna do it?" That usually gets rid of the preciousness and clears way for more urgent ideas to come through. It's hard being a poet and being able to create a romance around every idea - sometimes snippets are only meant to be snippets. But that doesn't mean they aren't their own work of art, or that they didn't get you to the right end point. Good for you for sharing them as their own piece!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jess! Sometimes snippets are only meant to be snippets. That said, I save mine. Sometimes, they come back to generate a piece all of their own.. Love it when that happens. But sometimes, they don't. And that's okay too.
ReplyDelete(sorry if this comes through more than once, tried to post and I think it disappeared!)
ReplyDeleteDitto to what the others are saying for sure! I won't even try to rephrase because what they have is so perfect.
Sometimes just taking distance (hours, days, weeks, months, etc) allows you to come back with fresh eyes/ears.
Another thing I've heard and love from many different sources is to "take the song for a walk". Actually go for a walk while singing the melody you have. Sometimes the rhythm and movement of the walking will get the words moving too.
That's funny, Heather. I think I tend to take my songs "for a shower" or maybe "a scooter ride."
ReplyDeleteBut I am definitely one of those who needs a lot of time or sessions messing around with it for a song to come together in its perfect form. There's always that nagging question of: should I work harder or more on it? or do I just need to step away & give it space to jump back into my head in a more perfect form later?
Thanks Jess & Sweet Surrender for your comments. I've also dreamed of having a blog where different artists & creators come together and discuss creation. You all rock!