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I use Logic Pro, a modern software that lets me hear my songs almost fully recorded. I can add guitar parts or other instruments to define the arrangement and decide if the song is worth pursuing. I like this new way of working. But I still believe that the most important parts of a song are the melody and lyrics. If they\u2019re not captured well, the song won\u2019t go anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I was talking to one of my songwriting heroes, Gerry Rafferty, he agreed with me. He said that in a song, the melody is the language of the soul, while the lyrics are the actual language of the mind. Sometimes, a beautiful tune doesn\u2019t need lyrics, and its emotional impact can be universal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had an amazing time listening to David Weiss, also known as David Was from the band Was (Not Was), on the podcast 80\u2019sography. Mark Palawski interviewed David, and he shared his songwriting process. I totally connected with what he had to say. David believes that finding words that rhyme can lead to amazing new directions in songwriting. He even quoted Anatole France, saying, \u2018Rhyme lights the way.\u2019 David might have taken it a step further and said, \u2018If the path is beautiful, let\u2019s not ask where it leads.\u2019 But he\u2019s right on the money. Just by finding a word that rhymes with your \u2018A\u2019 line, you can open up your imagination and explore new ideas. It\u2019s the most fun and rewarding part of creating art, but it can also be extremely frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I don\u2019t usually collaborate with others, but in the early days of writing, I had a great time working with Ian Erving. We came up with some really good stuff together. When we were finishing up the album \u2018Murder In The Rain,\u2019 we tried to finish an unfinished song called \u2018Bar Angel\u2019 that we had started when we were teenagers. I suggested we use words from Cab Calloway\u2019s \u2018Hepster\u2019s Dictionary.\u2019 This guy was a total legend in the jazz world. It was like a treasure trove of slang words used by jazz musicians and in everyday conversations. \u2018Slip me some skin, man,\u2019 \u2018Cool Cat,\u2019 \u2018Growling Gabriel.\u2019 The Gabriel was a trumpet player. It was like we had a secret code or something. We managed to create a really amazing song using these clever words. It\u2019s one of the most fun experiences I\u2019ve had when writing a song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mackinmusic.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/the-songwriter-1024x595.jpg\")
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Sometimes, a song just hits you when you\u2019re driving home from work or walking home from a pub. I love walking and thinking, and I often come up with my best ideas when I\u2019m doing it. Back in the 80s, I used to walk to work. If I had a good tune, I\u2019d try to remember it all day and cook it up some more. Then, I\u2019d record it when I got home to my bedroom and my tape machine. The songs I lost were the ones I couldn\u2019t record when the idea first came to me. Nowadays, we have mobile phones in our pockets, and I can capture my ideas into a voice memo anytime I have one. This has been a game-changer for me, and I have a bunch of songs brewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m exploring new musical directions and have a lot more time to write. I\u2019m trying to write something new every day. As you can see from this blog entry, it\u2019s important to me. I\u2019ve studied the thought and processes of my heroes and used their approaches to inspire me. If I can write and record as many things as I can before I die, at least I\u2019ll have left something for others to explore, not just a boring epitaph on a gravestone. The songwriters I love are still sharing their magic from beyond the grave. I recently dug deep into Harry Nilsson\u2019s work and found a new appreciation for the man with the amazing voice. Gerry Rafferty\u2019s daughter Martha recently released \u2018Rest In Blue,\u2019 which is a fantastic completion of some of Gerry\u2019s unfinished recordings. It shows that this man still has a lot of gold left in the cupboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019ve taken the time to read this article, I\u2019d love for you to take it a step further. Find a quiet place and listen to your favourite songwriter\u2019s songs again. Try to figure out what makes their music so special.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"