Postcards from the Funny Farm

Last night I was having that “overwhelmed” feeling about a lot of stuff going on. It didn’t help the situation that my 8 month old Julianna has a cold and kept me up three or four times through the midnight hours. Anyway, I decided it was time for some structure in my life so I can get these things under control.

I decided to get all the clutter set aside to focus only on the stuff that matters. “WIN,” What’s Important Now.

Today I feel renewed like the clouds are lifting. My moment of clarity last night is going to do me a world of good I can tell already. Maybe kids being sick and keeping you up isn’t all bad after all.

Have you had a moment of clarity recently?

A long running hobby throughout my life has been songwriting. I think I wrote my first song in 7th grade, the chorus went something like this:

You’re out of reach, out of reach
I try to reach you try to make you believe
But you’re out of reach . . . to reach your peak.

Okay okay, so it isn’t “Every Breath you Take.” I hadn’t lived or read much but I had the music bug in me . . . the drive to write. After years of studying songwriting and spending time recording in the studio I can tell you that the drive and inspiration is the thing that can’t be taught. BUT other things can be, so let’s take a look at those:

Songs are not just one part, they have several. Breaking songs into parts is the first thing to teach about songwriting. The example above was, as I said, a chorus. The chorus is the singable melody, or the bit you can’t get out of your head on the golf course or at work. Have you ever just had a dumb song stuck in your head? Chances are that’s because they wrote a catchy chorus.

Next is the verse. The verses are where you develop the main idea (chorus). For example, if a girl is singing in the chorus about tears on her guitar, then in the verses she is tellin us why she’s cryin’ them.

Next is what the British call “The Middle 8.” I have no idea why they call it this. It could be because it comes in the middle to take the attention away from the chorus and verse. This is a short part you come up with that serves to bring back the sweet chorus and welcomed verse again.

Instrumentally, there is usually a solo and then a return to the chorus again and a fade or stop.

This is just one example of a song structure. It’s a fairly common one though. –so– How do I write songs?

Wow, quite a question. Let me explain how I wrote one song, my song “Talk to Me:”

1. Had an idea for the chorus in my head (this is a common way that songs come to me)
2. Sat down with a yellow pad and wrote an outline of the song.
   Chorus: “When you’re ready oh please talk to me.”
   Verse: “As we’re drivin’ there has grown a great big wall . . .”
   (repeat)
   Middle 8: “Don’t you tell me . . .”
   Solo: —-
   Chorus
   fade/stop
3. Worked it / recorded it / slept on it / changed it / (repeat bazillion times)
4. Book the time and do the final recording!!!

I’ve given just one example of how a song is envisioned and born. There are many ways to Rome. I’ve also left out elaboration in inspiration which is really the most important part in song creation. Anyway, I hope that took you to a new place, if it didn’t . . . all I can tell ya is that : Hey, I’m a simple man and a simple songwriter. Below is the song as it was recorded back in 1993 with some production help from Dave Sharp and all my buddies in my band back then.

Talk To Me ‘93

More of my recorded tunes and info at damienrileytunes, a MySpace Page: