Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
“Do you have tips on what to do when you get stuck?” We’ve all been there. You stare at a blank page and can’t come up with any ideas. To help you I’ve compiled a list of 17 songwriting ideas to get you unstuck. Each songwriting idea has a link that leads to an example showing how it works in a real song. Keep reading to get the 17 songwriting ideas.
This article uses literary terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
The 17 Songwriting Ideas to Get You Unstuck
Without further delay, here’s the list of 17 songwriting ideas to get you unstuck. Click on the links to hear songs that demonstrate the concepts.
Write a Song About:
#1 – A breakup: Yesterday
#2 – Love: When a Man Loves a Woman
#3 – Relationship problems: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off
#4 – Someone carrying a torch for someone else: You Were Meant for Me
#5 – Writing or sending a letter, text, or email: Return to Sender
Write a Song Around:
#6 – A metaphor: Life is a Highway
#7 – A particular setting: Knock Three Times
#8 – Someone using dating classifieds: Lonely Hearts
#9 – A phone call: One Phone Call
#10 – A pun: Johnny B. Goode
Write a Song With:
#11 – A question in the title: Why Do Fools Fall in Love
#12 – A color in the title: Yellow Submarine
#13 – A geographical location in the title: Last Train to Clarksville
#14 – A made-up word in the title: MMMBop
#15 – A woman’s name in the title: Michelle
#16 – The word heart in the title: Heart and Soul
#17 – The word if in the title: If I Could Make a Living
More Songwriting Ideas to Get You Unstuck
These links go to posts that’ll give you more songwriting ideas to help get you unstuck:
- Brainstorming Your Song Titles
- Overcoming Writer’s Block in Songwriting
- How to Jumpstart the Creativity in Your Songwriting
- Ten Ways to Spice Up Your Melodies with Melodic Variation
- 7 Songwriting Templates to Get Your Ideas Flowing
- Where Do I Get Inspiration for My Lyrics?
- How to Use Archetypes in Songwriting
Final Thoughts on “17 Songwriting Ideas to Get You Unstuck”
There you have it, that’s the 17 songwriting ideas to get you unstuck.
- When you’ve run out of ideas, try brainstorming using the 17 songwriting concepts to start getting the juices flowing again.
- If you use the 17 songwriting ideas in conjunction with the tips in the last section, you’ll have the tools to break through your writer’s block.
- Then, just start writing because ideas breed ideas.
Have fun writing!
Related Posts:
- Do I Need Talent to Write Music and Compose Lyrics?
- How to Extract a Melody from Your Lyrics
- Writing Well Crafted Songs
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for online or in-person lessons today!
Glossary
Musical Talent and Giftedness
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Singing Lip Vowels
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On the Electric Keyboard Can You Play Dynamics?
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