Mixed messages

[bobbydazzler]

Quote: I'm working through Pat Pattison's Writing Better Lyrics right now. Good stuff. But I've noticed I've done more reading than I have writing since I committed to this thing. I've done a couple of Pats workshops... really good... if you ever get the chance to do one... they are really worth it... if for nothing more than getting together in a creative environment with other like minded folks!

[clonsberry]

At least according to the back of the book, he doesn't live far from me. It's almost like knowing someone famous. I feel... special.

[squidlips]

You are......special. Okay, I'm gonna catch it for this but I love JT's What Goes Around. I know he's getting away with it because he's.....well, who he is, but at least he's following (vaguely) Andy Warhol's theme of "art is whatever you can get away with", which is kinda refreshing break from formulaic stuff.I dunno if he's bringing sexy back, though.

[matto]

IMHO, a great song doesn't feel formulaic even if it happens to follow an established form to a t. I think the reason for this is that experienced songwriters don't use a "rule book", they have internalized the formal aspects of songwriting a long time ago. Consequently song forms don't feel like straightjackets to them, but like skeletons that naturally support the song from the inside. They intuitively feel where a song should go next, thus their songs have a natural, organic, catchy feel to them even if they happen to break so called "rules".Just my 2 cents...matto