Sunday 25 November 2012

I catch the songs that make the whole world sing ...


 Playing my guitar this morning, working on a couple of the songs I've written recently, I began thinking about the process of songwriting ... & how obscure it is; at least for me!

I can't consciously grab hold of what happens when I write a song.  I never write in a formulaic way. I don't think about music theory when I'm writing.  I don't think about what 'should' work or 'shouldn't' work.  I just allow the song to emerge ...

And that's the process for me.  I can't force a song to be written.  I can't just sit down and decide to write a song.  The song will only be written when the time's right for the song; that's just how it feels.  

Earlier in my life, I was a prolific songwriter.  Songs came easily to me.  They weren't all necessarily good ones, but some were!  What, for me, was important though, was that I could write songs.  I could express myself, my thoughts and feelings through music and lyrics; and that was a powerful outlet for me.  And then, somewhere along the way, I seemed to lose that ability.  Fortunately, for whatever reason (& I could hazard a guess as some of those reasons!), I seem to have broken through my writers' block and have written 3 new songs over the last few months, which gives me great pleasure.  

And yet, to go back to the songwriting process, I'm not sure what I do to write a song.  It's feels more like a process of me having to capture what emerges through my fingers on the guitar or piano, or through my mouth when lyrics & / or a tune begin to emerge, or even what I sometimes hear vaguely playing somewhere in my mind.  I'm not consciously creating the song ... it feels more like it emerges through me & I have to catch it!!

Which isn't always easy.  Sometimes, I can 'hear' that tune in my head, but I somehow can't quite get it out through my voice or instrument.  And that can be really frustrating!  But that moment when I do stumble across, or find, the right notes or chords is amazing!  Such a sense of achievement; 'Wow! that's it!'  It can make me smile or even laugh out loud, when the song is suddenly out there!  I feel a sense of pride at this piece of music that I've created, that's come from me ... & yet I still don't fully understand where it comes from!

Does that matter though?  The final creation is what matters ... the song; no matter where it comes from, or how it gets there ...


Sunday 18 November 2012

Christmas Wordplay ...

As someone who loves wordplay, and who is very aware of both how much, and how little, words can mean ... I just love these Christmas cards!

Every time I hear the carol, 'The Holly and the Ivy,' I'll think of this Holly and Ivy!

Dscf2144

Bought in John Lewis, the cards are designed by Ernst Voller & the copyright of the image belongs to photolibrary.com  (who I hope doesn't mind me sharing it on here!?!)   (RNLI also receive a donation from the sale of these cards)

Tuesday 6 November 2012

My Life In A Photo ...

Whilst I was writing a song on my piano and guitar yesterday ('Liberty' the previous entry on here), my cat, Elsie, jumped up onto the top of my bookcase to watch ... after she'd helpfully walked up and down the piano keys a few times!

I got my camera and took a photo of her sitting up on the bookcase watching me.  It's somewhere she's only been once before ... at least whilst I've been in to see her!!  As I took the photo, I realised that it included most of the important things in my life.  I moved my guitar to make sure it was clearly in the frame ... and there it was; my life.

My gorgeous god-daughter in the photo.

My cat on the bookcase.

My books, symbolising my love of reading, my PhD and my interest in all things relating to therapy and the human condition.

My guitar and piano showing my love of music ... playing them, writing songs, singing, and listening to music; both recorded and live.

My laptop, on its home on my little stool - another part of my PhD, it also symbolises my love of writing and researching online.  It houses my collection of photos of friends, family and important memories.  And of course, it's my link to friends and to this blog.

And last, but not least, my wine rack ... & enjoying a glass or two of wine ...

                                                                                 
                                                                                           Which photo of yours, illustrates your life?

Monday 5 November 2012

Liberty ... a song for New York



Verse 1

Raindrops and stormy clouds,
Blowing through the skies.
Tears, fears, and broken dreams,
Caught in many eyes.
I watch Liberty cry for everyone,
Who’s felt her heart was their home.
And as she takes a look at what’s destroyed;
Things she could not control.
And it leaves her feeling like a lost and injured soul.


Verse 2

Waves crash and sweep ashore
All that’s in their way.
And washing up old memories
From a different yesterday.
I watch Liberty scan the skies,
And wonder what’s yet to come.
She listens to the fear that’s in her heart,
But it’s drowned out by hope.
Cos she knows that storm clouds always drift away.


Verse 3

Instrumental

I watch Liberty inhale the air,
Take it deep in her soul.
She looks to her flame to light the way
Along the steep road to home.
And she knows her heart will some day soon be whole.


(c)  Sharon Cox 4th November 2012