Writing A Song Takes A Lifetime!
I sat down the other evening and spent a few hours reading song lyrics I have written over the course of my life to date. I discovered, within the lyrics written years and years ago, ideas and philosophy that I no longer held as gospel! Not that I completely disagreed with what the lyrics said, but that they did not necessarily hold the same position of importance in my life. And in my lyrics, it’s my life and experience, and personal interpretation of those events, about which I write.
Parents are dumb as rocks!
“Growing up,” so to speak, has changed the way I interpret things. I remember telling my daughter, when she was going through the teenage “my parents are dumb as rocks” phase, “Baby, you are only 15. I am 53. I have been 15, but YOU have never been 53.” I don’t remember who won the argument in which we were engaged at the time (probably not me). But in all seriousness, I do know, now that she is older… that logic she remembers!
Social Immaturity
Point is, in my lyrics of long ago, and some not so long ago, I see the maturity and immaturity in both. I am not referring to a childish immaturity, but more of a social understanding maturity. As I have aged, whether or not I have gained in wisdom of a particular topic, it is reflected in the lyrics of my songs. In some of the songs I wrote years ago I find an amazing insight into who I was then and my convictions at that time. Others, (I’m smiling as I write this), are just goofy!
I write what I know
But, at the time the songs were penned, I have to assume that this is the way I felt. I do not write about things of which I really know nothing!
So, I do not think I am going to re-write the lyrics I no longer hold to heart today, because at the time they were written, that is how I viewed the world around me! The lyrics I write today are certainly a reflection of how I feel and view my world now. And besides, it’s fun to go back and remember the world as it was for me, when everyone older than me were “dumb as rocks!”
How things are now
I guess the moral of the story is that we all should always try to challenge our beliefs and realize we can never have the full picture. In my own life I have come to realize that everyone has their own principles and that I should at least except that, what works best for me is not the best for someone else.
The older I get, as I look back at who I was before, sometimes I just think to myself, man I was an idiot! I heard this saying from a man you may have heard of. His name is Ray Dalio. He said (I’m paraphrasing here) that if you don’t look back at who you were a year ago and think, I was an idiot then you are not learning enough.
As a thank you for reading my blog post I want to give you a free track of mine. It’s called, “Lonely Is The Night.”
If you wish to hear more from my album you can do so here.
Leave a comment and tell me how your perspective has changed as you got older.
Lots of things change as a writer the older I got from my parents and my own kids.
I write what I’ve lived through things I’ve done bad and good.
I also write what others been through as well.
Writing became my therapy over the years and one day make song writing as my career
I agree. Writing and singing the blues has helped me immensely. I bet you are all the better for it. Thanks for stopping by!
I don’t need to tell my younger self how much of an idiot I was because I already know it to be true. I was also a hard drinker and user of ganga. It’s been more than 4 years since I’ve stopped the latter and I don’t drink nearly as much as I used to.
Because of those two things I now have a new love to care for and she has already changed me (diet wise) even more!
I’m not a writer of anything but instead a real honest to goodness fan of great music – especially the blues! Keep on rocking Johnny!
Well put my friend! Thanks for reading.