Wednesday, July 21, 2010

An item on my grocery list

I'm going to buy a spiral notebook on my next shopping trip; I've already added it to my list.  
I used to write the occasional song, and even had a few of them recorded on an unknown label by some unknown artists.  
I've written hundreds of poems, too; most of them mediocre, but I'm proud of a few of them.  
Lately I've been getting an itch to write some songs again.  I have lots of them in me, I've just been too lazy to do anything about it.  Seriously, I have things to say.  Things that, if I said them directly to people, would either make them laugh at me, or make them mad.  
The only way to get people to listen is to put these thoughts into a song.  And if they don't listen, at least I feel better for getting it off my chest.   In fact, maybe I won't even sing them for anybody but Cliff.  Either way, I'll feel better.
So I got to thinking back to the time when I wrote a few songs, and realized I never, EVER, sat at a word processor or computer to make up a song.  That's works for rhymes, but not for songs.  
I wrote my songs by laying a pen and a spiral notebook on the kitchen table, strumming my guitar and putting words to a tune as I chorded along.  
I have things to say that nobody wants to hear; but if I word them right, it'll be OK.  
I already have titles and ideas for my "old people's songs".
"Oh Mother, now I understand what you were going through When you saw us doing stupid things you knew we shouldn't do"; "When Kids Knew How to Play"; "What's to Become of the Old"; "Bigoted Christians and Arrogant Atheists Get The Same Ratings From Me"; and "Politics Makes Me Sick".  
I might take the old folk song, "Greenback Dollar", and put my own words to it, words more appropriate for today than the old version.    
I've had this urge, and these ideas, for a couple of weeks.  Maybe it's just a flash in the pan of an old lady's mind, but I'm buying that spiral notebook, just to find out.  
Hehe, the more I look back on what I've posted here, the more I wonder just how much I've stirred up.  Bring it on.

6 comments:

  1. Wide ruled or college ruled? I can stop on the way home tomorrow.

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  2. That is a great idea. If you don't write them down when you are thinking about it, you might forget something important you wanted to include. I've a notebook that I try to keep some good thoughts, quotes or ideas in when I see them. If I don't I'll forget them. When you get done I hope you'll be sharing.

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  3. It'll be wide, but Cliff and I will be out shopping either tomorrow or Friday. So I'm good.

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  4. I think it's a great idea!

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  5. I'm not a great song listener. I don't know if songs include ballads? Just to hear the same restrain sung over and over leaves me unfulfilled. Put a story to a tune, melody, or rhythm and I'm a listener.

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  6. I SO hope you scratch that itch, and please, please let us hear some of them. I totally agree with at least two of your ideas "Bigoted Christians and Arrogant Atheists Get The Same Ratings From Me"; and "Politics Makes Me Sick". I can't wait to read/hear those!

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