The music question I'm asked most often

What would your answer be?

Like all marriages, the relationship between music and lyrics is intriguing and complicated, mirroring the universal and unique dynamics of every partnership.

I write the music and lyrics of my songs, so people often ask me for insights into a world that is as mysterious as it is vital to the music-lover.

“Which do you write first, the music or the lyrics?”

“Which is more important, the music or the lyrics?”

The first question I can half-answer. For some songs the melody makes the first move, asking a theme, or a phrase on a date. Sometimes it is the other way around. If the first date goes well, music and musings start seeing each other. Most often the connection quickly fizzles out, but sometimes they start building something together. Something pure and perfectly imperfect. Something worth the work.

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The second question floors me.

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This week I came across a Frank Ocean quote that is not a complete answer but makes sense to me.

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The complete answer is, unapologetically, ‘it depends’. It depends on what the listener needs. Because in good songs the words and music can deliver individually and together and will connect with the ears, mind, and heart of the listener to create a single, unrepeatable, moment of sonic magic.  

Frank Ocean can write songs that do this.

Swim Good
"I'm about to drive to the ocean
I'mma try to swim from something bigger than me
Kick off my shoes and swim good, and swim good
Take off this suit and swim good, and swim good, good”

I happened across this lovely cover of ‘Swim Good’ by Sam Wills whilst I was writing this.

Show it some love…..

Yours hopefully,

Nazneen xxx

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Yours Hopefully is an experiment in living hopefully. With music and musings, from a singer-songwriter-scientist. Why not subscribe and get a post every Sunday in your inbox?