How can I get some new ideas for writing song lyrics?

Half of the time I spend playing video games and the other half is spent making music. But I have a dilemma. How do I come up with new ideas for lyrics? I'm married, but have a hard time writing anything about my wife. Should I divorce her and marry the overseas gal that Bitfliper is trying to hook me up with? She may be in her older 50's, from the looks of things but if it spurs some song writing ideas, maybe I won't even have to buy Omnisphere. So how do you all get new inspiration and ideas for songs?

you can't force inspiration.  I like the tag line that guitarhacker has in his signature.

"Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer " 

keep your eyes and ears open.  inspiration comes from just about anything - sometimes it comes from very unexpected places and sounds.  inspiration doesn't have to come from a man made melody either - listen to all the sounds around you.  look at the evening sky, the trees, the cars, the buildings, the people in the street.

just keep your mind open and cell phone recorder and paper and pen handy ready to write things down and/or record a melody.  it is 99% likely you WILL forget it if you don't get it recorded somehow immediately.

skylightron


Half of the time I spend playing video games and the other half is spent making music. But I have a dilemma. How do I come up with new ideas for lyrics?

Write about what interests you, what moves you, write about what you know. Maybe ditch the video games, and let some ideas in?

paulo


Today's headline news...........

HERB IN USING WHAT MIGHT AT FIRST GLANCE SEEM TO BE A HELPFUL POST AS AN EXCUSE TO PLUG HIS SONGS SHOCKER !!

;)


As for the OP - I struggle with this too, I suspect that the answer for you as the same as it is for me - get out more ! ;)

Actually, no...... I am to the point where I don't care who listens or not.... unless they are in a publishing company in Nashville, or own a music library. In that case I want them to listen. 


As it turns out both of those songs were inspired by a TAXI listing..... (Rainy Day)  asking for the closing scene in  a movie, and then they described the movie and the closing scene..... and the other a song( Footsteps) about sadness or loneliness for a TV show. Both had extremely short time until they were due so it was a case of if I wanted to try I had to write and record quickly. 


I find that using their listings for ideas is often a way to get new ideas and force me to grow as a writer. It forces you out of the normal box we live in as we try to write about something that we might not consider on any other day. 


If you have never tried it.... go to the TAXI web site and look at the listings in your genre. Read the details and set down and see how close you can come and how well it turns out. It might surprise you what you can do. 

Easy.  Get a divorce, run over your dog, wreck your pickup truck the write a country tune!  Seriously, I have been working on a tune for my wife for about 3 years.  It's a verse away and I think it's kinda nice.  I have an ex from the late 70s that inspired three songs.  What does that mea?  You've got me!  Maybe strife breeds mor lyrics for me than true love.  That girl was a trainwreck for me.  Three pretty good songs.  "Out of Love" will be up this summer.  That's one.  Lyrics are so difficult for me.  That's why Mark and I (Pugtones) go through dry spells.  For me lyrics are cyclical and a pain in the butt.  When you get them, though, it's a beautiful thing!!  Good luck, Skylightron.

Make a list of anything that interests you. 
Make a second list and comment on the first list.
Review it a couple of days later and pick out one idea and start writing anyting that comes to mind.
Then, if you are still interested, start pulling out key words and phrases. 

Just a thought.

Rimshot

You can never go wrong with writing about cars, girls, love (lost/found) or money.

Somebody somewhere wants more of all of those things.