WHERE DO GREAT SONGWRITERS COME FROM?

An associate I work with in music production made the comment recently that “anyone can put words on paper to make a song”.  This led to some discussion, and I asked him if he had ever written a song.  He had not, but next time we had a session he produced a couple of songs he had written and asked me what I thought of them.

While I gave him credit for his effort, I had to point out the many flaws in what he wrote.  His work was full of the mistakes and clichés that plague new writers.  We discussed what was needed to correct them and to improve on his effort, and he is still working on doing that.

Many people believe, as my friend did, that they could easily write the next hit song if they wanted to.  After all, they think, it can’t be hard to put words on a page, throw in a rhyme or two, set it to a three-chord melody and send it to their favorite artist.  Indeed, sometimes we hear songs that do sound like they were thrown together as afterthoughts.  But those are exceptions.

The really great songs are almost always written by writers who have not only talent, but significant training and honed craftsmanship from long study and experience to develop their skill.  Great writers are seldom, if ever, simply born.    

One of my all-time favorite writers was Guy Clark.  I have recommended to many budding writers that they study his music, and how his songs are constructed.  Another great writer I admire is Alan Shamblin.  His work ranges from the hit by Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me” to Miranda Lambert’s “House That Built Me”.  Alan is also a master of the art of co-writing, as shown with both these songs.  There are many other examples.  The common thread among all of them is they have worked very hard to get where they are.

The art and craft of songwriting is something every writer continues to study and learn.  The really great ones never stop learning, and practicing.  There is a lot of value in the old adage of “if you want to learn to write, write”.  I would add to that “never stop studying”.

If you are a songwriter, or want to be, I recommend that you seriously study the most successful writers and learn as much as you can about the craft.  And, above all, write.  It is the only way to get better at it.  I wish you great success if you choose to follow this path.