Songwriter Forum > The Writing Process

How I Write My Songs 2. ‘Fake It’

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Whiskey Club:

Well I did commit that for any song I post on this forum I would post a ‘how it got written’ too.  I think there is an outside chance that exposing my inspirations might help someone else but, regardless, I think I’ll find the process self-helpful so here goes.

I woke restless at silly o’clock and wrote the lyrics to the first verse of ‘Fake It’ word for word onto the notepad on my bedside table.

Well he used to be a fat man
Now he gets to wear his Batman
Like the people from the right part of town
And I guess its not surprising
With the interest rates a’rising
That his little world is tumbling down

When the alarm went off at reasonable o’clock I found the lyric and, as god is my witness, I had no memory of writing them.   But, I did know who they were about:  Bob (not his real name) is a retail salesman in the luxury goods sector, based in a formerly rough, but now gentrified English town.  He used to be unkempt and overweight but as his business exploded during the post-pandemic liquidity boom he lost weight, bought nicer suits, traded his department store watch for a Rolex GMT BLNR (colloquially know to the nouveau rich as a Batman) and looked fantastic for it.

I knew that I couldn’t finish the song and make it all about Bob so I made him American and gave him experiences that would ensure his identity remained concealed .  By the time I stepped out of the shower the whole set of lyrics was finished so I grabbed a Guitar and finger picked the simplest Em Am travis pattern to fit the lyrics to.  Presenting a voice memo recording of that to my wife, I got the thumbs down.  It was country style and, as much as I like country - I can’t carry it off.  So far, not so good.

Same afternoon, in an effort to rescue the song and with my new iPad and Logic pro to explore, I put a quick beat together and some synth lines - still around the same simple chords.  Then I started to layer it up and settled in to put a vocal behind it.  Having no written melody, I improv’d the melody which is how it ended up a kind of half-rap thing.

I grabbed my wife to sit with me and try to mix the song (she has good ears) and she wanted my voice to come through more so we decided to de-layer it and also removed vocal effects until it was a four track dead-simple version.  I still think that a more elaborate mix would have been better but I don’t have the skills to do that yet.  One day maybe.

In summary.  Lyrics came for free based on real character, developed into a fictional character, music is a simple Logic step sequencer thing, melody is improv’d.

simonjol:
@Whiskey Club Absolutely love your lyrics on this, it's another really insightful and intriguing storytelling star. Production-wise I agree with your wife the voice needs to be the focus. You also have a very strong talent for piano, i suspect you are an accomplished pianist? I would play around with a piano accompaniment personally for this, to accentuate some of the wit and observation of the song. Mister Knowitall springs to mind? Just my thoughts discard as you see fit, really keen to hear more from you John :D

Whiskey Club:

--- Quote from: simonjol on January 03, 2024, 10:50:51 PM ---@Whiskey Club Absolutely love your lyrics on this, it's another really insightful and intriguing storytelling star. Production-wise I agree with your wife the voice needs to be the focus. You also have a very strong talent for piano, i suspect you are an accomplished pianist? I would play around with a piano accompaniment personally for this, to accentuate some of the wit and observation of the song. Mister Knowitall springs to mind? Just my thoughts discard as you see fit, really keen to hear more from you John :D

--- End quote ---

Thank you so much @simonjol

I am a half-decent pianist and guitar player but not as good as the recordings might suggest because I nearly never get the playing right on first take.   I really appreciate your input.  Funnily enough, song number 3 which releases tomorrow uses acoustic guitar along with piano and midi synths all at the same time so, although a simple pop song, the soundscape is quite complex if you dig in.  It is a sound that I will play with more.

Unrelated but I have my first singing lesson next week.  I haven’t tried singing before this little project of mine but I can already hear my voice improving with practice.  I’m keen to see what some structured work will do.  I don’t think the vocal coach is expecting a 60 year old to turn up  ;D

Elvis Nash:
I think your more than a half decent pianist Whiskey my man

Whiskey Club:

--- Quote from: Elvis Nash on January 10, 2024, 01:40:25 AM ---I think your more than a half decent pianist Whiskey my man

--- End quote ---

Thank you.  But you should hear the out-takes  :o. Seriously though, I have regretted many times never having had piano lessons but I take comfort in the fact that my arthritic fingers couldn’t cope with them anyway now.

I actually did have my first music lesson a couple of hours ago; a singing lesson.  Well chuffed with it too.  I am feeling quite optimistic about it, albeit exhausted.

Cheers - John.

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