Every genre has what Nashville writers call “furniture”. A Nashville song with a Subaru Outback in it rather than a pick-up truck would be pretty funny. It might be a good song but it seems unlikely that the singer is going to describe jumping in their Subaru Outback and driving down a dirt road. Every genre has scene-setting furniture.
- Dan Wilson
Welcome to the sixth episode of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty! Thanks for joining us on this journey so far. Take a listen to this week’s songwriting challenge and don’t forget we’d love you to get involved too! Scroll down to read this week’s homework and the submission link.
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🎵 Episode 6: Write Me A Genre
This week Edward presents Olivia with a list of genres:
Great American Songbook
Math rock
Disco
Sea shanty
Ska-punk
Trip-hop
They pick one at random and Olivia has to write a song in that genre (she’s crossing for fingers for no sea shanties!).
Listen to the episode to see what she has to write!
🎹 Songwriting Homework #6
This week, we want you to immerse yourself in a new genre.
Here’s your homework:
Take a look at the of six genres above or write your own numbered list of six random genres.
Roll a dice — whatever genre it lands on, that’s the music you are now going to immerse yourself in for the week, until you write your new song!
When you first listen to this new genre, write down your impressions. What instruments are used? What rhythms does it feature? What are the lyrics about? What are common motifs used in the songs? Notice the ‘furniture’ of the genre.
Take three things (at least one musical and one lyrical) from this list and use it to write a song, inspired by the genre. It’s all about how your natural songwriting process is affected by these variables.
Record a demo and send it in!
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.
📚 Episode References
Mentions from today’s episode:
💻 Nahre Sol ‘As Digested By a Classical Pianist’ Videos
💻 BBC’s Disco at the Proms 2024
💿 Stream/buy Olivia’s new album
🎟️ Tickets for Edward’s String Quartet Show on 3rd April
✒️ Lyrics
I know I got two left feet
I know I got no rhythm at all
All I’m good for on the beat
Is standing here like a flower on the wall
I know that you don’t see me
You’re the centre of it all
There’s a thousand hungry eyes
Waiting at your beck and call
And if all my fantasies
Flickered like blazing light
You would take my hand
And I’d understand
All the steps from left to right
My heart would be right on time
My body’d be synchronised
If your arms reached out for mine
I’d know every lyric and rhyme
‘Cause I’d know the you groove
I’ve measured every move
My heart beat would be beating right on time
📝 Olivia’s Notes on Disco
4 on the floor beat
Singing about dancing
Lyrics in the present tense
Rich backing vocals with different textures
Melodic flairs in between vocal lines with brass or violins
“Wiki wiki” guitar
Solid baseline — groovy, not static
Love, disco, dancing, activities taking place in the night
Sense of expansion and occasion
Bass saturated a bit rough
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