A recent comment on the blog got me thinking (yes - it takes prodding). The comment was downplaying the songwriter's lyrics, mentioning they sounded as if they were written by a 17 year-old, because, well, they were.
I know when I was 17 I felt most of what I needed to know I had already learned, and by that time (probably around 15), I had out-paced my parents in terms of worldly knowledge. Now that I'm "my parent's age," I've come to realized I was perhaps a bit misguided.
However - that does not mean a 17 year old can't write a song that transcends their life experience, and speaks to many. To illustrate my point, rather than delve into Janis Ian's "Society's Child" (she was 13 when she was inspired to write it), I thought I would go with something more contemporary the kids might know: Adele's "Chasing Pavements." She was 19 when she wrote the song, and while the melody and her vocal phrasing certainly adds to the power of the song, we'll stick to the lyrics and her silver bullet device for not sounding 19.
Verse 1:
I've made up my mind, / don't need to think it over.
If I'm wrong I am right, / don't need to look no further.
This ain't lust - / this is love. But -
Verse 2:
If I tell the world, / I'll never say enough,
'Cause it was not said to you, / and that's exactly what I need to do,
If I'm in love with you.
These verses seem honest. Paul Simon once said in an interview "It's good to start with something that's true." All eleven of these lines ring true for the listener and speaker/singer. She's resolved herself to loving this person, and realizes the fair thing to do is to tell them. However, in the eleventh line (which seems unresolved since it has no partnered pair), the word "If" creeps in - "If I'm in love with you." Hmmm . . . not so confident now. Which leads us to the chorus:
Chorus
Should I give up, / or should I just keep chasing pavements
Even if it leads nowhere?
Or would it be a waste, / even if I knew my place,
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up, / or should I just keep chasing pavements
Even if it leads nowhere?
The whole chorus is a question - not for the listener, but the speaker. Questioning whether or not you're making the right decisions is not something only a 19 year-old does. It's something we all do. This song transcends the age of the writer because the language is simple but rhythmic, the words aren't trendy (so timeless), and the song revolves around a question rather than delivering a great insight.
I have to admit, this is one of my favorite songs recently. The vocals are no doubt phenomenal, but the songwriting is very strong. As you start peeling the layers you can see elements of the craft which are often left unattended. This one is worth studying.
One extra item: a good trick is to include punctuation when you're transposing or writing. It's amazing what a single punctuation mark can tell you!
