U2start.com | Songs You've Written

Originally posted by Macphistfly:[..]

You don't know that.

You know the best way to deal with the block?

Ignore it.

Cal, that... actually helped. You rock too hard.

Thank you. I'll remember that whenever I feel that "blocked" feeling.

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

Just as my block came to an end yours started! Cruel cruel world. The band setting should help, it helped me.

Alex

I'm glad that you're "out of it!"

Yes, I really can't wait. Should be epic after nearly two months lol...

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:[..]

Sorry for your "block" Nick, but as Cal said, ignoring it and just putting pen to paper and not even thinking about what you're writing can sometimes crank out a hell of a song.

I went through a bad writer's block a long time ago and decided to "free write" for a change. I'd never tried this before. I had plenty of emotions, but not really channeled into anything, and I literally just let my hand write words on the paper. Eventually, it made it more fun as they spontaneously came out to make them rhyme, and after a few days, I revisited the whole thing from another perspective and made it a song- this is what I came up with. If you've ever heard "Only", by Nine Inch Nails, its very very similar in style to that song.
[..]

It seems odd, and too conversational to be a song- but trust me, listen to "Only" and you'll get a decent feel for how the verses work. It's a cool tune that needs a drum machine, really.

I actually did that earlier today, and it worked. I actually got a full song out and, I think it's among my best actually.

But yes, whenever I feel "blocked" I will just power through it, like I did today.

Yes, I've heard that it works (and I'm glad that it did for you). I usually don't free write, because I always feel that it's not up to par. Maybe it's just the name "free write" lol. Because when I "normally" write, it's a lot like free writing, it doesn't require a lot of thinking.

That was actually pretty funny, I pictured a drunken hobo dressed like a pirate (Puffy shirt!) speaking the song.

U2Nick

14 years

Martyr Of Bliss

Am................................D Am........................D

Who’s calling my name? And what is it for?
Who’s playing the game? We’ve played it before
Hearts stay inflamed, when hate has a name
Vision of peace, dove of accord
Never be tamed, never vacate
Am........F.Am..........D
(Winds of bliss)

Am.................D Am......................D
*What is peace without confliction?
What is right without conviction?
(Winds of bliss)
(Winds of bliss)

D...........Dm......Am
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm

I will believe, all of your lies
Just as long, as you believe mine
Martyr for war, besought for your vice
Writing your own, legacies’ score
I don’t have time, to prosecute soul
(Winds of bliss)

Where there shall be peace, there shall be stride
Who dares to dream, shall dare to reign
(Winds of bliss)
(Winds of bliss)

G....................Dm........Am
The fire that’s at your core
I’d reach out and feel the burn
But you keep blowing it out

It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm

It's kind of a JT-esque tune in my eyes.

*reused from "What Is A Star Without It's Darkness? (myself)

Edit: Dedicated to Cal and Matt, for getting me out of the hole

WojBhoy

14 years

Originally posted by U2Nick:Martyr Of Bliss

Am................................D Am........................D

Who’s calling my name? And what is it for?
Who’s playing the game? We’ve played it before
Hearts stay inflamed, when hate has a name
Vision of peace, dove of accord
Never be tamed, never vacate
Am........F.Am..........D
(Winds of bliss)

Am.................D Am......................D
*What is peace without confliction?
What is right without conviction?
(Winds of bliss)
(Winds of bliss)

D...........Dm......Am
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm

I will believe, all of your lies
Just as long, as you believe mine
Martyr for war, besought for your vice
Writing your own, legacies’ score
I don’t have time, to prosecute soul
(Winds of bliss)

Where there shall be peace, there shall be stride
Who dares to dream, shall dare to reign
(Winds of bliss)
(Winds of bliss)

G....................Dm........Am
The fire that’s at your core
I’d reach out and feel the burn
But you keep blowing it out

It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm
It’s time for the storm

It's kind of a JT-esque tune in my eyes.

*reused from "What Is A Star Without It's Darkness? (myself)

Still got writer's block so I see?

U2Nick

14 years

Originally posted by WojBhoy:[..]
Still got writer's block so I see?

lol

Actually, I'll dedicate that one to Cal and Matt, for getting me out of my writer's block.

The "just do it" attitude got me to write that one.

MattG

14 years

Awh thanks Nick! Really great tune, by the way. I was so focused on the "It's time for the storm" parts, and thinking about how awesome and ominous that would sound, that I kept forgetting the actual title of the song

It's interesting though, as your song titles always are.

Got a really sweet riff, sort of inspired by U2 rocking out with Glastonbury, in a way, that's called "Cold Again", and you just might get some lyrics by the end of the night. Entire song is written musically.

Speaking of storms, I've always wanted to write a song about a storm and use the line "When it's all said and done/Which would you regret more?/Suffering the storm/Or the calm before" Might just throw that in "Cold Again", it fits pretty well with the theme. If I end up not, feel free to blatantly steal that- I'd much rather see it get used than it just sit there. And if not, well, that's fine too

RattleandHum1988

14 years

You guys spit out awesome lyrics like they're nothing!

Crazy good songwriters around here.

Here's a question, where do you guys WRITE your lyrics? On the computer? In a notebook? Wherever you can find a scrap piece of paper? on your hand?

Personally I collect notebooks, something about having a cool looking notebook inspired me

I have about 3 on the go, one is close to being finished, it has this on the front:

I also have a leather-bound one my girlfriend bought me with really nice paper inside of it. I love writing in notebooks!

What about you guys??

Alex

Andrew_C

14 years

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:You guys spit out awesome lyrics like they're nothing! Crazy good songwriters around here.

Here's a question, where do you guys WRITE your lyrics? On the computer? In a notebook? Wherever you can find a scrap piece of paper? on your hand?

Personally I collect notebooks, something about having a cool looking notebook inspired me I have about 3 on the go, one is close to being finished, it has this on the front:
[image]

I also have a leather-bound one my girlfriend bought me with really nice paper inside of it. I love writing in notebooks!

What about you guys??

Alex

i was just thinking this today, where should i write my lyrics, i rekon ill go a note book, so then i can see what changes ive made to the lyrics and go between ideas.

MattG

14 years

I either scrawl into notebooks- I never write lyrics in them too cleanly. I feel it somehow psychologically makes it easier for me to change them.

Or, generally I write very late at night, when I'm awake and all the lights in my house are off as everyone has gone to sleep, and I have no distractions from a channeled emotion. There, I use my laptop and open up Notepad- never Microsoft Word. Something about Notepad draws me to it. Can't explain it.

I also usually do this with a movie on in the background, when it's late at night.

WojBhoy

14 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:...There, I use my laptop and open up Notepad- never Microsoft Word. Something about Notepad draws me to it. Can't explain it.

I'm a Notepad man too - sometimes if my laptop isn't to hand, I scrawl on a notebook, but I prefer spieling stuff out on the computer because I catalogue it all into a nice big lyrics folder, so it's easier to go back to them again. I've got so many Wordpad files with like 2-3 lines in them, but it means I've got a big load of stuff to draw on later.

RattleandHum1988

14 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:I either scrawl into notebooks- I never write lyrics in them too cleanly. I feel it somehow psychologically makes it easier for me to change them.

Or, generally I write very late at night, when I'm awake and all the lights in my house are off as everyone has gone to sleep, and I have no distractions from a channeled emotion. There, I use my laptop and open up Notepad- never Microsoft Word. Something about Notepad draws me to it. Can't explain it.

I also usually do this with a movie on in the background, when it's late at night.

I also tend to use notepad when I'm transferring stuff over from my notebook! It's a great little program, super simple, super easy and basic, maybe that's why we like it? We tend to associate Word with essays and homework, so many notepad is the exception there?

Alex

LikeASong

14 years

Word is for elaborated and well-presentated stuff... but writing music (and specially lyrics, where we put the best of us, etc) is something emotional, in-rough, somehow visceral and messy thing... That's why we're not inclined to write them in a "clean" format like Word, and choose Notebook instead. I do too

U2Nick

14 years

Originally posted by EyesWithPrideB3:Awh thanks Nick! Really great tune, by the way. I was so focused on the "It's time for the storm" parts, and thinking about how awesome and ominous that would sound, that I kept forgetting the actual title of the song It's interesting though, as your song titles always are.

Got a really sweet riff, sort of inspired by U2 rocking out with Glastonbury, in a way, that's called "Cold Again", and you just might get some lyrics by the end of the night. Entire song is written musically.

Speaking of storms, I've always wanted to write a song about a storm and use the line "When it's all said and done/Which would you regret more?/Suffering the storm/Or the calm before" Might just throw that in "Cold Again", it fits pretty well with the theme. If I end up not, feel free to blatantly steal that- I'd much rather see it get used than it just sit there. And if not, well, that's fine too

Thanks! Actually, the verse parts are played with a more furious or ominous feeling than the chorus, the chorus actually is a bit cooled down. But I know what you mean.

Thanks man

That promises to be pretty great, I can't wait!

You should most definitely try to use those lines in the song. Those lines alone have already made me anxious to hear the rest.

That, actually has potential to be a bridge in "Martyr" if they go unused... but really, I'm sure that they can inspire something great on it's own if you use them.

Thanks for the offer too

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:You guys spit out awesome lyrics like they're nothing! Crazy good songwriters around here.

Here's a question, where do you guys WRITE your lyrics? On the computer? In a notebook? Wherever you can find a scrap piece of paper? on your hand?

Personally I collect notebooks, something about having a cool looking notebook inspired me I have about 3 on the go, one is close to being finished, it has this on the front:
[image]

I also have a leather-bound one my girlfriend bought me with really nice paper inside of it. I love writing in notebooks!

What about you guys??

Alex

Yeah, I've found that it was a big deal when I first started. Now I look at them as a defeated opponent. Actually, just as I was writing "Martyr," I was getting small rushes of adrenaline from the furious guitar lines (if I didn't live in a second-floor apartment, I would do some power stances or something

) Thanks!

I personally write my lyrics on a computer. Obviously, when I get an idea, I write it down on whatever is closest to me. But, the computer is very clear and it allows me to really visualize what I'm doing. It's also much more intimidate than hand writing, which, I must credit as a force behind a lot of my songs. If I hand wrote everything, I would probably get distracted a lot and get way off topic. Also, it is much easier to edit anything. For the record, I use Microsoft Word 03'. Something about the blue background is very peaceful.

Try all of them out and do what pleases your soul.

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