Week 1
Jul 9, 2016 20:54:00 GMT -5
Post by Kristen T. Clark on Jul 9, 2016 20:54:00 GMT -5
Week 1
Write a song using only two chords or one riff throughout.
I am very excited to once again be participating in the SAC Songwriting Challenge! It was great fun last year, and I have been looking forward to this year's challenges. At the beginning of this year's challenge, I patiently awaited an email with challenge instructions, and it never came. I was a bit worried, wondering why I never received it. Well, hotmail decided it should go to my junk folder. Remember to check your junk folder, you never know what will end up there...
Upon learning that the challenge was to use only two chords or one riff, it was very easy to decide which option I would choose. Being a guitar player, I couldn't turn down some riff writing. So before picking up my guitar, I let my brain work out some kind of mood and groove in the back of my mind. I really believe you can work things out subconsciously, and that period of settling into an idea before beginning concrete creation is usually pretty important for me. By the time I did get my guitar in my hands, I knew what I was going for and I almost immediately came up with something close to what I kept. With a bit of altering notes and phrasing, I was done with the riff, and therefore, the whole musical composition part of the writing process.
It was kind of strange to finish the music idea so quickly and be left with the task of writing lyrics that will vary, but still fit. Lyrical ideas are usually hard for me to get started with, so as many writers do, I took inspiration from something going on in my life. Someone I am close with had someone they were close with show their ruthless side, and they absolutely crushed anything meaningful their relationship might have had. Sometimes people change, and sometimes it's for the better to let them go than to struggle to hold on to what used to be. My idea took an angry turn, because it really does feel like that when you just know it's over. It's frustrating to feel helpless, but empowering to keep yourself above the drama and move on. Except sometimes moving on is difficult. Sometimes you have to forcefully remove someone from your life.
I took this to the extreme. What would you expect to happen if a movie character told another to 'forcefully remove' another character? You get the idea. My song hates the antagonist enough to off them. Honestly, I imagine this whole thing taking place in some scummy basement... Yeah, the places my mind goes...
Producing this song was a blast! It turned out better than I anticipated, and I am pretty proud of the result, for being done fairly quickly. It's amazing what happens when you get immersed in the creative zone. Sometimes when mixing, you get sick of the song by the end, but luckily for me, this time I can't stop listening!
Anyway, I think it's time you listen for yourself. It's called >>>> Mean To Me. <<<<
Lyrics:
I still can't believe your words turned cold and empty
It didn't have to be this way but that wasn't up to me
All I'm asking is for one more chance
To show you just how much you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I don't want you in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
I gave you lots of chances
You just laughed and took advantage
You don't deserve forgiveness this time
You're a goddamn bitch
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I don't want you in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
All I'm taking is this one last chance
To make it clear what you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor x4
Close your eyes
Say a prayer
Get ready
Bang
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I won't have your face in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor x 2
Dead dead on the floor
Dead
You're dead to me
Write a song using only two chords or one riff throughout.
I am very excited to once again be participating in the SAC Songwriting Challenge! It was great fun last year, and I have been looking forward to this year's challenges. At the beginning of this year's challenge, I patiently awaited an email with challenge instructions, and it never came. I was a bit worried, wondering why I never received it. Well, hotmail decided it should go to my junk folder. Remember to check your junk folder, you never know what will end up there...
Upon learning that the challenge was to use only two chords or one riff, it was very easy to decide which option I would choose. Being a guitar player, I couldn't turn down some riff writing. So before picking up my guitar, I let my brain work out some kind of mood and groove in the back of my mind. I really believe you can work things out subconsciously, and that period of settling into an idea before beginning concrete creation is usually pretty important for me. By the time I did get my guitar in my hands, I knew what I was going for and I almost immediately came up with something close to what I kept. With a bit of altering notes and phrasing, I was done with the riff, and therefore, the whole musical composition part of the writing process.
It was kind of strange to finish the music idea so quickly and be left with the task of writing lyrics that will vary, but still fit. Lyrical ideas are usually hard for me to get started with, so as many writers do, I took inspiration from something going on in my life. Someone I am close with had someone they were close with show their ruthless side, and they absolutely crushed anything meaningful their relationship might have had. Sometimes people change, and sometimes it's for the better to let them go than to struggle to hold on to what used to be. My idea took an angry turn, because it really does feel like that when you just know it's over. It's frustrating to feel helpless, but empowering to keep yourself above the drama and move on. Except sometimes moving on is difficult. Sometimes you have to forcefully remove someone from your life.
I took this to the extreme. What would you expect to happen if a movie character told another to 'forcefully remove' another character? You get the idea. My song hates the antagonist enough to off them. Honestly, I imagine this whole thing taking place in some scummy basement... Yeah, the places my mind goes...
Producing this song was a blast! It turned out better than I anticipated, and I am pretty proud of the result, for being done fairly quickly. It's amazing what happens when you get immersed in the creative zone. Sometimes when mixing, you get sick of the song by the end, but luckily for me, this time I can't stop listening!
Anyway, I think it's time you listen for yourself. It's called >>>> Mean To Me. <<<<
Lyrics:
I still can't believe your words turned cold and empty
It didn't have to be this way but that wasn't up to me
All I'm asking is for one more chance
To show you just how much you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I don't want you in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
I gave you lots of chances
You just laughed and took advantage
You don't deserve forgiveness this time
You're a goddamn bitch
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I don't want you in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
All I'm taking is this one last chance
To make it clear what you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor x4
Close your eyes
Say a prayer
Get ready
Bang
Dead dead dead on the floor
I can't stand your bullshit and I abhor you
You're so mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor
I won't have your face in my life anymore
That's what you mean to me
Dead dead dead on the floor x 2
Dead dead on the floor
Dead
You're dead to me