Here’s the 2nd installment. This clip covers Neil Young, Bjork, Elliot Smith and songwriters’ feelings about songwriting. There’s a lot more to come.
Milena Mépris talks about songwriting: Part 2 from Milena Selkirk on Vimeo.
25
Feb
2010
Feb
2010
Hi Milena!
I have question about your opinion of the emotion that goes into songwriting. I remember reading an article a while back in which members of Joy Division admitted they hadn’t truly listened to Ian Curtis’ lyrics until after he pasted away. It was only then that they realized the pain and troubles that Ian had been enduring. As a songwriter, do you think that people view should lyric’s as a true indication of the songwriter’s emotions? Or rather should people only see lyrics in the way that they personally interpret them? In other words, do you think lyrics can raise warning signs as to whether or not a person might be trouble?
Your mentioning of Elliott Smith got me thinking about this.
John
Hey John,
I’d really keep away from generalizing about how listeners should interpret lyrics or even the way the writer intends them to read because every song and writer is different. A lot of my songs are about other people and in those cases, the lyrics will tell a story that likely has little to do with me or my personal life, although it can come from my point of view. Sometimes lyrics can be jokes or can be generated by filler sounds and syllables. They aren’t always serious and coming from the heart, although sometimes lyrics can be like personal journal entries. I like listening to songs and coming away with my own interpretation of the story. Hope this helps?
m x
Last questions:
How do you get out of your head when songwriting?
I always get the sense that I’m writing for an audience rather than myself, and that doesn’t feel very genuine or true. Also, do you write the words then the melodies?
I’m not sure what my writing style is also, but I plan on going in different wild directions with it soon. Thanks again. Also, I attached an interesting article under “website” that I came across today for anyone who’d like an intriguing short article. enjoy.
: ) 
i just realized you have to click my name to access the article. ok, bye!
I usually come up with the music first and then write words to fit the melody but it varies from song to song. It’s probably better not to think about the audience unless you’re writing a song for another artist to sing and just focus on the story you want to tell and the emotions involved- you can describe things linearly, in metaphors, scrambled, in all sorts of ways. Don’t worry about your style – if you write often enough, you will develop one.
m