My own version of posting lyrics in my LJ

[adiva_calandia]

Oof. Ever have one of those days where you feel like you spent the whole day with your foot in your mouth? Yeah. I think I have sock caught in my teeth.

Some nice driving today, though. The long straight stretches of the Sterling Highway on the Kenai Peninsula, especially headed northeast into the mountains, when the road dwindles to a vanishing point ahead and young birch trees and spruce, not so tall that they block the sky, creep up to the edge of the road, and ahead of you are mountains . . . it makes it hard to imagine living anywhere else. God, I love my state.

I spent some time while I was driving today actually listening to the lyrics, because I haven't written poetry in a long while and I'm never really been able to write songs, as much as I would like to. I was thinking about how Vienna Teng writes songs, and listened to things like "Narcolepsy" and "All Will Be Well" and "Such Great Heights" that way, as reactions to real life events and feelings -- and then on came "Icarus' Sister" and "Is The Spirit Here" and I reminded myself that sometimes it's storytelling. Either way, it seems to me sort of like drabble writing. You have a prompt, a person or concept or image you want to explore, and somehow you get a song out of it (of course, they you have, say, Heavy Trash, who are in it for the sound, not the lyrics. Different kettle of fish).

I started thinking of people I would like to write songs about, but didn't get very far in what sort of music they would be. I know a couple people who would have to be slow, smooth lounge singer jazz songs, lots of double bass and saxophone; some people who would be strummed guitar, bar chords, quick and upbeat with simple chord progressions, like early Beatles or Bob Dylan, probably with lyrics that sounded equally quick and upbeat but were dripping with irony.

I would be a piano piece, I know that. I would like to be a Regina Spektor song, but I think it's more likely I'm only a Regina Spektor song in sound, and more a Tori Amos or Vienna Teng or Paul Simon in lyrics. Or is that giving myself too much credit for complexity? No, I think I could be a Paul Simon song.

Comments

[ashen_key]

Or is that giving myself too much credit for complexity?

As you answered yourself, no. Humans are complecated, complex beings - we all have our highs and lows, twists and turns, passions and flashes of humour. And I have babble about songs and people, but considering how doped up I am on drugs, I'm not sure how much sense I'd make.

Course, now I'm pondering what kind of music I'd have, and haven't the foggiest idea.

[adiva_calandia]

If I were writing a song about you, it would involve a lot of some unusual instrument, like harpsichord or sitar or something. "Norwegian Wood" feel.

[ashen_key]

*cheerfully* Well, there you go. I like the sound of that, actually.

[gramarye1971]

One of the things I love best about Vienna Teng is that I can't predict her lyrics. You know how there are some songs where you can guess what word or rhyme is coming up next, even if you've never heard the song before? Vienna Teng's never like that, mostly because she has such an amazing sense of internal rhyme/rhythm schemes that she doesn't need to rely on those end-rhymes to move the music along, and can rest comfortably on the story she's telling. Yet another reason why her music is just that good. ^_^

[adiva_calandia]

*vigorous nodding!* She also uses a lot of unusual tempos and time signatures, which makes her unpredictable as well.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

The way you talk about writing songs is the way I write poetry.

*grins* I find it way easier than drabbling. Drabbles just always make me want to give more context. (I am a great lover of context.)

No, self, you are not allowed to write Will/'Belles smut poetry. If only because you have no idea how to write Will.

...

...:D?

[adiva_calandia]

You could just write the Belles' half of it! :D

Oh, man, I know what you mean about context. Except I think I tend to try to do that in poetry, too. "I'm going to write something about Alaskan mountains -- BUT FIRST let me give you eight lines on where and when exactly I was when I had these thoughts on Alaskan mountains!" It is very silly.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

...XD

The problem with writing poetry from the Belles' perspective is that they think of themselves, collectively, as I. Not we. Especially during sex. Also they consider themselves male.

So I'm going to end up sounding like I'm writing from the perspective of... uh, a man with two mouths, four hands, and two vaginas.

As soon as I figure out how to get over that narrative hurdle? You're on.

[adiva_calandia]

*spluttering* Most surreal comment I have ever gotten on this journal? QUITE POSSIBLY.

WRITE IT. PLEASE. I WILL MAKE YOU ICONS OR SOMETHING IF I CAN READ THAT.

[lienne.livejournal.com]

*giggles out loud*

*for some time*

I'm busy watching crazy French films. XD I'll write it, though! Swears! And I may inflict the rest of my Hannibal-poetry on you, too. *beams*