Lyrics, Schmyrics

A few months ago, I posted on my Patty M Facebook page that I hate writing lyrics. Folks, that’s the truth. I really do.

I dunno… maybe I’m not a “words” person. I feel the music more than hear the words. Is that so wrong? 

I think I know why I dislike lyric-writing - it goes back to my never-ending battle with perfectionism (see my 2/5/21 blog posting). It’s just such a struggle to compose lyrics that are witty, wise, brilliant, deep, inspiring, insightful, blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, not my thing.

And yet! I have written close to 200 songs. And most of them have been a challenge for me when it comes to the words. Arrrgh! What rhymes with “Jupiter”? Can walls really have eyes? Huh? (I’m mentally exhausted just thinking about it). I guess that’s why I am stinkin’ ecstatic when the song is done. 

There are times I get so frustrated with trying to come up with words for my next song that I just give up and start writing gibberish nonsense. And oddly… that’s how some of my best songs start. Rather than trying to be slick and Paul Simon-esque, I’ll write something like this:

I once loved a boy at school, his name was Valentine

And though he hardly looked my way, I swore he’d soon be mine

YEAH! Pure schmaltz! 

Why not? At least it’s the seed crystal for a new (pre-edited) song. And when I look at songs by professional songwriters I admire, I realize that there are lyrics like these in a lot of “good” songs. No shame in that! And I wonder how many gosh-awful throwaway lines some of my favorite songcrafters have written, only to be famous for that one great song they wrote?

So, carry on, fellow songsmiths - if you hate writing lyrics, too, just know you are not alone!