Grumpyrocker

The title of this blog entry is a play on the title of a song I wrote ten years ago, it was actually the last song that I wrote before leaving university. Since then, although I’ve recorded plenty of songs, I haven’t really written as many, certainly not compared to those years at college and then university.

I did have something of a renaissance in 2002, where I wrote quite a few songs within a short space of time. However right now I can’t remember the last time I wrote a song or at least a song worth remembering. Am I busier than I was in 2002? Not really, so what could the answer be to my lack of song writing these days?

The answer, I believe, comes down to happiness.

I don’t write happy songs, I really struggle to do so. Once before I went on holiday a friend told me to write some happy songs for the band we were in while I was away. And crikey did I struggle with that the week I was away. In the end the frustration resulted in a track called “Happy Song” which I’ve yet to record. The lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek rant about being unable to write happy songs. Here’s the chorus.

But I’d dearly love to write and record some new material. This won’t be easy though. The past year with L has been the happiest time of my life and while I have been playing more guitar recently, there are no lyrics coming to mind. Until today that is, which is the reason for this blog entry.

Why can’t I just pretend to be miserable? I’ve not tried this approach before. Most of my songs are reflections of my mood at the time of writing. Trying to give voice to imaginary moods isn’t something I am really capable of. Yet today I think I’ve cracked it. I was strumming my new 12-string guitar and came up with a mournful little chord sequence that seemed to inspire some lyrics.

So I did what I often do if I’ve got the music pretty much sorted and that’s just improvise lyrics and try different melody lines, then experiment more with the lyrics. And lo and behold today I managed to come up with some really miserable stuff. It made me so happy that I nearly lost the mood and couldn’t write any more.

The next few weeks may now see me write and record a couple of new songs. It’s sad that I can’t really write happy songs, but I don’t like them so much anyway, which is why I probably hate most modern music you hear in church. Well that and the way they seem to be written as though Jesus is the songwriter’s girlfriend. Anyway, here I am about to celebrate Valentine’s day and one full wonderful year with my beloved L, I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life, and yet I’m having a good whinge writing songs.

I just hope the neighbours don’t hear and phone the Samaritans or the police thinking I’m about to top myself. So should you listen to a miserable song on this site in the next few weeks, please don’t worry, it’s all just make believe stuff.

*The “shite” to be sung in the Liam Gallagher nasal style, ie “Sheeeiiiieeeeiiiiite.”