| Topic "Stop Looking Inward" | |
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Posted by: |
Bright_Eyes 03:37 am UTC 06/11/07 |
| I saw an article on the internet a few weeks ago in which songwriter Jim Steinman was interviewed. Can't find it anymore. I recall he said that if he were teaching about songwriting, one of the lessons would be “stop looking inward”. This seems to go against the apparent philosophy of a great many songwriters out there. Who seem to be trying to look inward and reveal their true feelings or something like that. I thought at first I knew what Jim meant by this, but then when I tried to write it down I realized he could mean a lot of things. What do you think he means when he says “stop looking inward”? Do you think he just means to not feel restricted to your own life experiences when you're choosing the storyline? Do you think it has to do with a need to write Archetypal stories? Do you think it has to do with a need to write Universal stories? Do you think it has to do with a need to write larger-or-better-than-real-life sort of stories? Do you think this comment was a protest/complaint against some style of song that has been popular? If so what type of song? Which writers or songs might be representative? What might be examples of songs by Jim Steinman that do a good job of “not looking inward”? What might be examples of songs by Jim Steinman that do not do a good job of “not looking inward”? What might be examples of songs not written by Jim that do a good job of “not looking inward” and that Jim would presumably like for that reason? What might be examples of songs not written by Jim that do a poor job of “not looking inward” and that Jim would presumably not like for this reason? If Jim taught about songwriting, what do you think the other lessons might be? Other than “stop looking inward”, “WRITE LYRICS FIRST ” and “WRITE IN THE VOICE AND TONE OF A CHARACTER, VERY SPECIFIC! Or maybe iconic! BUT song speaks as the person speaks!” Do you think Jim has always written lyric first? If not, when do you think he has not? In which songs do you think he may have violated his rule about writing in the voice and tone of a character? I have exams to take all this week up until the end of Saturday the 16th. Don't have time to hang around and post, but will check back sometime after then. Hopefully at least one of you will write a reply to at least one of the above questions. Huge thanks to blog operator Pudding for the Humberto Gatica mix of "It's All Coming Back To Me Now". Truly phenomenal. Unbelievable. And I can be very fussy. | |
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