I’m also keen for some chat on the songwriting methodology I used. Hopefully I can learn from you, and maybe you’ll get some creative thoughts from me.
I watched Justin’s lesson, beginner grade 2, module 11 on song writing (Dice method, although I didn’t use dice). It inspired me to have a go at writing again after a break of maybe 10 years or so (I don’t think many, if any of them from 10 years ago are particularly good).
I had a subject in mind but no lyrics. My wife gave me 3 of the lines in normal conversation (i.e. she wasn’t thinking up lyrics, we were just chatting!). I built the rest of the song from there:
- I hope she “always remembers” (the chorus hook) that " she fought so hard for her" (the bridge ending, I modified “her” to “you”). And “I’m proud of her” which I modified to "we’re so proud of her (also in the bridge).
I wanted to write a ii, V, 1. It is one of the chord progressions in one of the module 10 lessons. Also I’m a bit of a Jazz fan and ii, V, 1 is a common jazz progression.
I wrote the 1st verse about the “now”. I introduced some people (“we’ve seen you”), a story outline (“pictures”, “a tough lane draw”) and an emotion (“I can’t wait”).
I started with a ii, V, 1, IV, but the IV didn’t quite sound right. I replaced it with a vi. I think it sounds better. Also it gives equal weighting to major and minor chords in the verse. So to the listener it could go either way - happy song or sad. The last line starts to hint it is a major key (ii, V, 1). The IV, V, 1, vi in the chorus puts it in majority major “confirming” it is a happy song.
Chorus: I effectively use the same lyric twice, but but express it 2 different ways. “Always remember” and “never forget”. Provides emphasis and meant I wasn’t having to think up 2 lyrics - I used (almost) the same one twice.
Verse 2. This is dreaming, hoping, anticipating what it will be like when the other person arrives (note: you as the listener don’t know who the person arriving is). The listener can do all those things too, and apply their own feelings in anticipation of someone arriving, or to a time when they looked forward to welcoming someone.
The bridge goes minor and introduces a new chord (the iii) with a return to major at the end which leads into the upbeat chorus. Also it goes quieter. This is intended to take the listener back into “listen to the story mode”. Interestingly I used 2 of the lyrics I was given in the bridge. Maybe the bridge (which often has a different feel to the rest of the song) is more difficult to find inspiration for both words and music.
Where does the bridge go? Often after a chorus. But as the song finishes with a double chorus, and only has 2 verses, the song feels chorus heavy. So I added an instrumental after the second chorus over the verse chords, then go to the bridge. This gives a better balance between the verse tune and the chorus tune.
I decided to finish the song with a double chorus (a common technique I think). I use the vi chord at the end of the 2nd time through the chorus to help repeat the final line, and to signal the end of the song is coming. The song resolves on the the final line with a bit of a “rit.”
I’ve deliberately avoided writing who the people involved in the song are, so that the listener can put their own emotions in there, without being fully constrained by the characters in the song.
(It doesn’t look like I can attach a file. If there is a way please let me know and I’ll add the chord chart, with lyrics).
, but I’m also keen to receive constructive criticism.
Someone will say something in normal conversation and a song idea or lyric will just come to me. It doesn’t even have to be something someone said. One time, I had an idea for a song just by standing in an elevator 
There are definitely times where I want to try and achieve something very specific, but most of the time, I’m just using my ears to start. That said- all songwriters work a bit differently. There isn’t one right or wrong way to do it IMO.
