What should i write a blues song about

The more you listen, practice and perform, the easier it will get to channel your inner blues. Many people think all blues songs are sad. But there are plenty of blues songs that have happy, or even angry lyrics! It might have more to do with how the lyrics are sung rather than what they say.

In this structure, the first line is sung over the first four bars. The second line then repeats the first line over the next four bars. Finally, the third line is drawn out over the remaining bars. Research should consider the following: How the blues represents an extension of the African American oral tradition How the AAB blues form connects to African music and early African American music The connection between slave music lyrics and blues lyrics The history of the floating verse Because these topics are very large and the focus of many academic studies of the blues , students should be encouraged to view their findings as ideas rather than as definitive answers.

When students have been given adequate research time, the class can hold a forum in which these issues are discussed. Therefore, copyright law should not apply. The U. Extensions Additional Exercise 1. Blues lyrics, in addition to often following the AAB blues format, frequently tell a story. This exercise encourages students to consider the storytelling feature of the blues while allowing them to write their own blues song in AAB blues format. Start by playing B. King's " Three O'Clock Blues.

Next, identify how the song conforms to the AAB blues format, with the first two lines in the verse being the same and the third, different; the A line presents an issue, while the B line presents the conclusion. Give students a few minutes to brainstorm a short story about which to write their own blues song. Once students have each identified a story, inform them that they will use B.

King's song as the base from which to write their own blues song. Record the song's first verses on the board: "Well now, it's three o'clock in the morning And I can't even close my eyes. Three o'clock in the morning And I can't even close my eyes. Can't find my baby And I can't be satisfied. Assign students to change the last line of the verse to a line corresponding with the story they want to tell. A student creation might read: "Well now, it's three o'clock in the morning And I can't even close my eyes.

My computer lost my report And I'm just fit to be tied. My life almost turned out very differently than what it is. Everyone knows about the importance of goal setting.

But if you do. You must be logged in to post a comment. Share 0. Tweet 0. Pin 0. Why Write a Song? Song Topic The first thing you need to do is to pick the song topic. Chord Choice The easiest way to write a song is to limit it to three or four chords.

Recommended for you. Read More. Load More. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. A blues song also typically tells a story. If we examine a bar blues song with the call-and-response lyric pattern described above, you can see how the music and words work together. Take Robert Johnson's signature tune, Crossroads Blues :. The trick is to take an experience about which you can write. Pick a situation where you felt you were unfairly or badly treated.

The blues always works better when you tap into the collective sense of injustice see Cubs, Chicago, for instance. Do some free writing and then start highlighting salient words and phrases. Listen to some blues standards to get a feel for the rhythm, whether it's slow or up-tempo. Then start fitting your lyrics to the melody, looking for ways to rhyme and repeat. Get a few stanzas written, then revise. Just remember, blues is as much about feeling as it is about music.