As a songwriter, I'm often asked where the inspiration comes from for my songs. And while that’s a great question, the truthful answer is, "I don't know".
People ask "What comes first, the music or lyrics"? The melody comes first for me, but often times it's accompanied by a brief lyric. From that one line of lyric and a short melody, a new song is thus born.
And I think for me, it has to be the melody, because if I get a melody I don't like, I simply don't pursue it any further.
Describing the writing process is very difficult. It's like a puzzle in your mind, begging you to explore it more fully, and when you open your mind to the process, all of the answers to the puzzle are revealed to you.
The best songs come startlingly fast. I've written complete songs in less than half an hour. I cannot turn it on or turn it off, though believe me, there have been countless times I wished I could have.
Sometimes a song comes to me as I'm driving, and I have to pull over to write down what I'm hearing in my head.
Other times, the songs may come at night, and I cannot sleep until and unless I write them down. I do not really have a choice in the matter most of the time.
My personal belief is the songs are gifts, and we cannot dictate when gifts are given, can we? I definitely treat each one as a gift.
A recent song which will be on the next Red River album came to me after a co-worker of my wife's passed away suddenly. It practically wrote itself, melody and lyric. It was all consuming, as if the universe needed this song written and I was the closest "conduit" open to receive it.
It's not tangible, like building a wall.......it's very spiritual.
Music is spirit and we are all spiritual beings.
My hope is these "gifts" I receive give you comfort, joy, and spiritual love. Those are the feelings I have when I receive them.
Aloha,
Dale