One of the hardest parts of songwriting is opening to the flow of ideas and creativity. It’s as hard as turning all of the stuff you get into polished songs that people might relate to. When my Muses are talking to me, I try very hard to pay attention and write down what they say.
Last night they started in around 10:15, and didn’t quiet down until sometime after 11. So I got to sleep before midnight. In between, I got four pages of fairly interesting ideas and lyrics. Most of them seem to be on a theme of dealing with everyday life, and most of them seem like I could possibly stick them into the same song. There’s no chorus yet, no hook. I know I need these to turn it all into a song or two, and they’ll probably arrive in yet another blinding flash of inspiration. Hopefully not at 2 AM, but it’s possible.
A rough-draft sample, just so you can see how my mind works:
(traffic)
Take a break before I break the brake lights getting in my way
Hate to decelerate; this waiting makes for longer days
(other)
My mortgage is under water; I don’t want to screw with it
I’ll call the bank next quarter; tell them what to do with it
This is the stuff songs are eventually made of. Either in the shower, or in the middle of the night.
Sadly, my Day Job won’t take “My Muses kept me up all night” as an excuse to not be on time in the morning. So it goes.
