Successful Songwriting: Forget Everything You Have Heard Before!..If You Can!

Have you ever listened to a song (or songs!) before and thought, "Um...I've already heard this!" Yes? No?...Well I certainly have!

You know the song that talks about "climbing any mountain", "when I look into your eyes", all of those types of lyrics that were probably pretty cool the very first time they were written, but now they sound just as stale and uninteresting as your friend singing Journey on a 3-hour road trip to the beach.

Well, this type of writing is what seems to be killing some songwriters today. Everyone's saying the same thing and saying it the exact same way! "Oh baby, just hearing your voice tears me apart inside!" (Example and pun!) And, to make this doubly as bad, how about all of the songwriters writing the same lyrics to say the same thing and trying to sound like their favorite artist(s)! Another painful example, Dave Matthews! Remember when he hit big? Well Dave does a fine job, but he does a fine job own his own! In other words, the other hundred artists I've heard trying to pull off the "Dave sound" while singing their "original song"...well, it also, "tears me apart inside!"

So, now, I don't want to get off track talking about melodies, and trying to sound like other artists etc. I'll just try to just stick to song lyrics specifically. I know you are probably thinking, who the heck are you, what have you done and why are you being so harsh! Well, I have been fortunate enough to have songs I have written licensed for multiple TV shows, used in radio ads, licensed for major TV networks, and signed to publishing deals etc...but, I had to learn the hard way on how to write a song. One of the most important elements I learned in songwriting, outside of writing a great melody and speaking specifically about lyrics, was that you should say what you have to say in a way that has never been said before. Pretty poetry, especially cliche, set to music will get you sent to the back of the line in a hurry! So, go out on a limb, be creative and/or even abstract! It will definitely take you farther than a, "long and winding road!"

So you can be writing for radio, TV, commercials or whatever, but in general, especially when you are trying to write a "good" song, you want to write something that is "unique!" Say something that everybody knows about in a way that nobody has ever said it!

Elvis Jackson Jr. has written songs that have been licensed for major TV shows, major TV networks, radio ads and has signed publishing deals with hit publishers. Learn more about him and how he can help you and your music career at, ElvisJacksonJr.com. Also be sure to check out, WriteaHitSongNow.com.