I'm alright with a slow burn

What is up? 

Something that is up for me after going deeper into this week's "Songs I wish I wrote" episode is this idea of why too much specificity in songs is not always a good thing. 

And yet it’s not necessarily true in life. 

So I started to ask myself "what is the difference? Why would it be true for songwriting and not in life?"

And an answer I've been toying with is that it all depends on who you're talking to. 

If I'm talking to my good friend, all the details matter. "It was October 27th, we went to this bar first and then we met up with some friends and then I spilled the drink all over my pants", or whatever it is. 

If I was saying those details in a song, to the general public, they wouldn't care. Because they don't know me like that (also because it’s not that interesting ).

It might have something to do with what I consider to be the "job" of the songwriter. And that is to be the voice of people who don't have the desire, skill, or leaning towards writing songs.

It's my responsibility then, to make sure I write songs that people can relate to while still telling my own story through song. If I make it too personal with too many specifics people might not see themselves in the story. 

In this week's "Songs I wish I wrote” video, which is Kacey Musgraves’ “Slow Burn”, I talk about a line she uses: "Grandma cried when I pierced my nose". It's a cool line. And as an artist, I totally understand that it's her story, and so she gets to sing it. 

But as a listener, it's not something I can grab onto because those details are too specific. And when thinking about covering the song, it's a line that I personally don't relate to (though I did pierce my nose when I was in college and my mom said "take that thing out of your face").

On the other hand, you don't want it to be too general, because that could also make it un-relatable. Either way, if the listener doesn't have something to hold on to that is true to them, you lose them. 

This idea of being too specific is interesting. I know if you're thinking about trying to get your music into TV and Film, Coca-cola for example, won't use your song if you're singing about your days at 112 Main St. 

Maybe it's something I'm still working out. But I talk about it in today's video and I do know when I hear something that is relatable vs. something that is too personal and makes me cringe a little. 

One of the things that’s genius about Taylor Swift, for instance, is that she found the sweet spot of detailed stories within general topics so that basically everybody in the entire world sees themselves in her songs. 

Leave a comment over on my Youtube channel and let me know what you think about “Slow Burn”. And if you would be so kind as to hit subscribe.

Until the next episode.

xoxo,

D