writing songs is seldom easy, but some are easier than others.
i wrote an easy one this week. what made it easy was the announcement of a big event - the engagement of two of my very best friends.
big event, big emotions. big fuel for creativity.
but how is that well-fuelled creativity to be focussed? in my case, it's usually through visual imagery. and what could be more easily visualized than a wedding?
not to say that my friends' wedding will look much like anything i see in my head. they are both very creative folks themselves, brilliant writers and performers, and are likely to come up with something unusual to mark the beginning of their marriage. they're on tour at the moment, so i've had no conversation, no inkling of what they might have in mind.
cool. lots of room for licence.
i started writing in the first person, from the groom's perspective. not the first time i've written in my friend's shoes. i visualized him/me standing at the front of the church, half-turned to watch his bride:
i'm standing / you're walking / on the arm of another man
can you tell it's in waltz time? my default rhythm, but this time, it was actually planned, as later i foresaw their first dance.
it also has other possible meanings, if i don't announce beforehand that it's a wedding song. one might be more likely to take the first line as the start of a heartbreaker.
i'm not sure at what point i grasped that i would use those "-ing" verbs, whatever they're called, throughout, but it's typical of my style - i like to give myself some structure early in the process, a trellis on which to grow the song.
i'm waiting / for that moment / you're beside me / here we stand
okay, now they're standing together. how are they standing, geographically and metaphorically? paint the picture:
we're standing / and listening / our backs toward the past
we're speaking / promises / in light through coloured glass
the minister is another friend, which helps to solidify the image.
time for a refrain. they're saying their vows. it's a time of joy. the phrase "say it out loud" punched it's way into my head. i also needed to bring in the gathered mass of friends and family. i had thought of the word "throng" but almost immediately rejected it as unwieldy. but a rhyme with "loud" in line two would be a natural for "crowd"
i take you, will you take me / before this witnessing crowd?
another -ing word.
and what about the crowd, and how to set up the last line? this one was a gift from the muse i think - a perfect double-meaning which gives you both the image of the throng, and perhaps the feeling of not-quite-sure among them. this is not the first marriage for either, and some of us are not sure they really need to make it legal. but we love them, celebrate their insistence that it's what they want, and wish them luck.
they're waiting at a distance / so say it out loud
so now they're together, instead of doing separate "-ing" things:
promising / we are promising / our voices will be heard
i initially had the urge to make a reference to their professional aspirations "the most promising..." but it felt forced, so i kept it simple.
i'm kissing / you are kissing / the lips that speak the words
again, i had the last line first, so found a rhyme in "heard" that echoed what they were saying in the refrain.
i don't think i've ever written about kissing, and it was difficult to sing the first few times, but it had to be in there, yes?
okay, they have to walk up the aisle now. but i'm thinking about leading it towards the last verse, where the "-ing" word will be "dancing". my buddy will be walking. but maybe the bride is a bit lighter on her feet, more willing to show the joy she feels:
i'm walking / you're dancing / the path that you came in
but what's changed? everything. so sum it up:
you're holding / my arm now / so it begins
refrain, then some instrumental space - the verse - to feel the waltz. the first dance.
we're dancing / alone for now / before this witnessing crowd
i cheated - used a line from the refrain in the verse - breaking the rules to end with a bang...
beaming / with their brights on / living out loud
refrain. repeat refrain. repeat last line, twice.
SAY IT OUT LOUD
i'm standing / you're walking / on the arm of another man
i'm waiting / for that moment / you're beside me / here we stand
we're standing / and listening / our backs toward the past
we're speaking / promises / in light through coloured glass
i take you, will you take me, before this witnessing crowd?
they're waiting at a distance, so say it out loud.
promising / we are promising / our voices will be heard
i'm kissing / you are kissing / the lips that speak the words
i'm walking / you're dancing / the path that you came in
you're holding / my arm now / so it begins
i take you, will you take me, before this witnessing crowd?
they're waiting at a distance, so say it out loud
we're dancing / alone for now / before this witnessing crowd
beaming / with their brights on / living out loud
i take you, will you take me, before this witnessing crowd?
they're waiting at a distance, so say it out loud
i take you, will you take me, before this witnessing crowd?
they're waiting at a distance, so say it out loud
so say it out loud
say it out loud.
now here's a thing. i started with a very simple, what i like to think of as stately, melody in my head. when i had the outline for the verse and refrain, i picked up the guitar, tuned down to my favourite, almost-unique-to-me tuning, DADEAD, and started strumming the few chords i've figured out. but that's the trouble with being an underachiever on your instrument - the limitations of what your fingers can do further limits what your song will be.
but damn! i'm in the middle of a song here. no time to update my chops.
and here's another thing. writing a song to a purpose like this is a challenge, like any song, but let's be real. everyone - no, almost everyone - one must take into account the envious and the song snobs - will love this song. you've taken the time to create something for someone (sometwo), and infused it with love and meaning. it's a very special thing.
so the pressure's off. it doesn't have to be the best song ever written. go with what you've got.
which is, in this case, a simple melody on a waltz beat, with lots of droning space.
mountain dulcimer - what i call my "instrument for all occasions" - funerals, parties, weddings.
so i write it on the dulcimer, and it's okay. good enough.
then Deb finds the lyric on the table at breakfast, reads through and highly approves. i agree that the words are very good, but the music is less than unique, i've opted to drone along on the dulcimer in my usual style.
"so change instruments" "nah, it's done".
never say "never". after having written out the song here, i thought "what the hell?" (a common thought for me) and tried it again in DADEAD. and you know what? it works. it's bigger, fuller, more interesting, more joyful.
she's done it again. thanks Deb!
