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Learning From












                This month, I’d like to         wisdom about the human
                review a songwriting            condition ….. let’s make
                concept that has worked         up an imaginary one--
                for countless hitmakers         ”You can’t finish the Job
                of the past, and is so          til you start” .... less than
                simple and logical that         genius, but it will serve.
                you can use it when
                you’re stuck, when you          If that’s our strong line
                don’t feel like starting, or    (arguable, perhaps),
                just need sharpening or         we’ll need a set up line.
                polishing of an idea you        Turning to the rhyming
                started with that has lost      dictionary, we find
                its lustre.    Blues, R&B       “heart”  (maybe steering
                and Motown writers used         us to a cliche love song
                this formula, sometimes         right off the bat?) ....
                instinctively, sometimes        fart (only if we’re writing
                in a very calculated            for South Park) .... go
                manner.   Let’s throw out       kart ( a stretch) .....
                some titles:   You Don’t        smart (maybe?) ..... how
                Miss Your Water, Til Your       about we run with “art”
                Well Runs Dry…... Born          (you write YOUR song!)
                Under A Bad Sign ….. I          .... so that suggests:
                Second That Emotion …..         “Success is a science
                You Can’t Judge A Book          not an art, You can’t fin-
                By Looking at the Cover         ish a job until you start”
                …. Poppa Was A Rolling          (assuming we don’t think
                Stone.  See the idea?           that’s complete dreck)
                With a title that’s almost      .... how would we set
                a proverb, the song may         THAT up?
                not write itself, but it
                certainly steers the ship       “I’m not sure of much,
                towards safe harbor!            the old man said. But
                                                success is more a
                Let’s be more specific.         science than an art, Get
                What if we start by             this one thing through
                presenting the listener         your empty head, You
                with our central clever         can’t finish a job until
                insight, our nugget of          you start”






                12                                                                   www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk
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