Your Take: The Experience Element In Songwriting

I don’t think having an actual experience is absolutely required in order for a really talented songwriter to create a song of real emotional depth, but I’m sure it makes the process easier. The artistic creative process in music or otherwise is based more in emotional inspiration than mental cognition, so a real event of emotional impact is more likely to trigger the process. The deep emotional wounds resulting from the premature death of Ashley Monroe’s father from cancer is at the root of many of her best songs, like “Hank’s Cadillac” or “He Ain’t Coming Back”.

A classic example is Sarah Buxton showing up for a songwriting session which at the beginning is interrupted by her annoying ex-husband. As a disgusted Sarah hangs up she utters something along the lines of “that stupid, stupid boy…” which the other songwriters grabbed onto. They got Sarah to open up about how that relationship affected her personally and a fantastic song was born. Thank goodness Keith Urban heard it early on and had a nice radio hit with it so Sarah could earn some royalties.

i agree that Stupid Boy was a great song but would Sarah, at her age, understood what she had said without the help of more “seasoned” songwriters? Not to take anything away from Sarah’s input to the song but from the story Rick parlays about the song the idea would never have become a song without Deanna Bryant and Dave Berg being in the room to hear it, two more “experienced” writers.

Johnny Cash never shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Marty Robbins didn’t fall in love with a Mexican girl in El Paso. Tom T Hall didn’t almost get killed with a switchblade in Germany. Merle never…okay, Merle did…but stay with me here.

I’m not saying personal experience doesn’t help. My man Merle can attest to the fact that it does. The point is, you don’t have to live through somethin’ to write a good song about it. You do, on the other hand, have to make your songs believable enough so that the audience forgets you’re not writing from personal experience (think about how many casual country fans think Cash did time in prison).

I have to agree with Paul…Taylor Swift in ten years time – I can only imagine.

I think that songwriting can be derived from a number of factors including by not limited to experience, the ability to observe others or simple imagination.

A simple example would be Sugarland’s “Stay”, written by Jennifer Nettles. She was not an adulteress, instead, she heard Reba’s “Whoever’s In New England” and was inspired to write a track from the ‘other woman’s’ perspective.

I think Ben has it — observation and empathy are just as important as experience.

I don’t think experience is absolutely necessary to write a good song, but I think you have a better chance of writing a good song when you write about what you know.

For instance, Taylor Swift is so believable (and successful) because she simply writes what she knows based on things she has experienced. Ultimately, millions of other people have experienced those same feelings and relate to her songs – thus her success. The most “emotional” Taylor gets is whining about how a guy she likes, likes someone else. Not really tackling too many mature subjects.

Another example is Kenny Chesney. I’m not a fan of Kenny’s island-flavored Jimmy Buffett soft rock, but his concept album “Songs from an Old Blue Chair” probably features his best songwriting. Why? Because thats what he knows, and those are emotions he can tap into.

Personally, I prefer, and am more likely to believe, artists who have been there and lived what they write/sing.

I agree with Ben C that songwriters must be observant and have talent.

That being said, I think that experience is hugely important, but only insofar as it meets up with the songwriters ambition.

For example, it doesn’t take much experience to inform something as superficial and ridiculous as “Red Umbrella” (take that Chris Lindsey!), or other songs that are purposefully cliche. If a songwriter feels that the strength of their song is that its vaguely positive and therefore relateable, uptempo, and cliche, than their youth or lack of life experience isn’t going to matter.

On the other hand, if a songwriter is more ambitious and is actually trying to write country music that gives people an insight into the human experience, rather than only providing a catchy 3 minute number to dance to/rock out to in the car to/drink cheap beer with buddies at a festival to, then experience is essential.

good writers of all stripes have the ability to pull the most out of their experiences, as well as the experiences of others (Ben C’s observation and empathy) and to take their observations and express them in a way that is uniquely accesible to others.

That’s my huge beef with most of the Nashville songs, these guys aren’t even trying to be good writers. They aren’t even trying to offer something interesting, unique, or “true”. Let’s set the concept of “songwriter” aside for a moment, and just look at what these guys are putting out as “writers”, as people who are looking at the world with their unique perspective, working to internalize as much as possible, and using their talents of expression to convey their discoveries and experiences to others. What Nashville songwriters are producing is constantly disappointing and boring.

That’s why I like Taylor Swift, I think that she is actually trying to be a writer and I think her songs are ambitious when one considers that small-town highschool was the sum entirety of her frame of reference.

Also, I think that it’s worthwhile to separate the concept of “experience” from age. I think that there have been enough talented young writers to show that a person in their early 20’s has had the opportunity to experience enough to write fully meaningful material, while I’m sure the guys behind a lot of Nashville songs are in their 40’s or 50’s and have managed not to learn much at all.