Today is the second fortnight of the Songwriting Groups I run (if you want more info on the groups, please check it out here).
Here, I’m sharing the prompt from today, as it is a little more unusual than the prompts I normally send.
[The prompts I normally send for Songwriting Group are short phrases, designed to catalyse an idea, rather than anything pedagogical; things like “dangerously close”; “making the bed”; “Babylon hairdo” (Yes, that was actually a prompt…!)]
Here is today’s prompt:
Write a song based on a place, where the place features as a central image of the song.
For example, “The River” by Bruce Springsteen.
“Ladies of the Canyon”, by Joni Mitchell.
Here are some suggestions on a way into this:
- Spend 10 minutes Sense writing about one of these places (got the PLACES section of the prompts); OR
- Pick a city or town that has special significance to you, and write about it; OR
- Where were you when a significant event occurred (either directly to you, or something that impacted you)? Describe the place in detail, and make the place an important aspect of your lyric writing.
Enjoy!
PS – Here is the song I wrote for this prompt! My partner and I agree on most things. There’s one where we don’t: The Stanwell Park Overpass just south of Sydney (aka Sea Cliff Bridge).
I think it’s beautiful.
He thinks it’s awful.
