Analysing Sting’s Songwriting Process
Studying the songwriting process of established songwriters is a great way to get an insight into other ways of thinking artistically. This in turn broadens our pool of creative knowledge to draw from. In this article, we take a close look at 17-time Grammy Award Winner Sting and discover some of his most effective songwriting techniques.
This article is a summarised transcript of our video “The Surprising Truth about Sting’s Songwriting Process”. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.
Start from the End
Sting has said that he starts writing from a title – which is usually the same as the refrain – and goes backwards. He uses the title “Message in a Bottle” as an example. By asking himself questions such as “What does that mean?”, and “Who sends messages in a bottle?”, he can find out what to write for the rest of the song.
This makes sense because the title/ refrain line is usually there to communicate the core message of the song. Through going backwards from the title, we create clarity in the writing process. So, the lines between the first line of the verse and the refrain line are really there to deliver the listener to the refrain.
To help you plan out your songs clearly, here’s a free Song Map Template PDF for you to download:
The ‘Clinching Line’
Another technique that Sting uses is to start writing each verse with the last line of four – which he calls the ‘clinching line’. This way, you have to write backwards to fill in the gaps. A great metaphor for this is to imagine you’re sitting in the car in a driveway and wondering where to go.
By picking a title to work from, you give yourself a destination to drive to. There will still be multiple routes you could take to get there. However, this is better compared to having no destination at all because then you’d just be driving aimlessly. You also need to be careful not to get stuck with too many options early on because then you might end up going inside to watch TV again.
This technique works really well if you’re writing in AABA form because you can place the refrain at the end of the verse, and reverse engineer all the lyrics line by line. A great example of this is Paul Simon’s song “Still Crazy After All these Years”.
Mastering Song Form
According to Sting, if you use a song form that is time tested such as Verse – Chorus – Verse – Chorus – Middle 8 – Key Change – Coda, there will already be a distinct abstract narrative that your story will follow. What’s important is that you learn to work within the limitations and parameters of each of these song forms.
Instead of being restrictive, this forces us to be more creative within those limitations. Then, when you’re comfortable with the song form, you can go about transforming it into something that is uniquely your own using your own modifications or adaptations.
Trust the Process
Although there are clear ways in which Sting controls his songwriting process, there is an element of the songwriting process that remains elusive. Understanding that you can’t control everything, and trusting the process is an important part of songwriting. A lot of the lyrics and the story in songs comes about via free association.
In the Sodajerker episode where they interview Sting, he talks about how he wrote the song “Walking on the Moon”. It was late, and he couldn’t sleep in the hotel room. He had a riff stuck in his head, so he got up and walked around. When he looked out of his window there was a full moon, and that’s how the song began.
What’s important to take away from this process is that Sting was always receptive to his surroundings. He allowed himself to take inspiration from anything, anywhere and anytime. In turn, the songwriting process naturally guides him on where to go next.
Conclusion: Analysing Sting’s Songwriting Process
Sting’s insights provide valuable lessons for aspiring songwriters. From starting at the end to trusting the process, and mastering song forms, there are multiple ways to incorporate his techniques into your songwriting process. What’s important is that you experiment with creating your own style, and find what works for you.
If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now.
Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:
