Here we go--Weekly discussion topic #2. Don't let the pressure to repeat get to you.

As I've been brainstorming this last week for interesting topics, I thought about how we are inspired to write. Of course many people feel that we need to write often and we do, but it is hard to write if you aren't inspired. So we have to go through our lives with our songwriter glasses on and find inspiration where others do not. It is in this spirit that I pose this question...

What has been your strangest inspiration for a song?

I know there are some great stories out here for this question, so post 'em, please. Maybe it will help us open our minds and find inspiration a little more easily in some unexpected places.

I'll go ahead and post since I have had a bit to think about the topic-one of the perks of coming up with the topic!

I wrote a little song called Loser. My then 2 and half year old son was the inspiration for my chorus and then everything else followed. His sunglasses kept getting lost (very sensitive eyes) and we had to keep going back to Wal-mart, Kmart, or Target to get new pairs. As we were walking into the store I said, "John, Mommy keeps losing your sunglasses, doesn't she?" To which he replied, "Yeah, Mommy, you keep losing my sunglasses. You're a loser." Well, of course, I died laughing and I started thinking about what a funny thing that was--I mean, this was one case where it wasn't bad to be a loser. One thing lead to another and this was the finished Chorus:

Loser
Copyright 2001 Ashleigh Wehmeyer

I'm a loser
I lose control when you walk in the room
I'm a loser
I lose my mind when I look at you
I'm a loser
I lose cool when you get close to me
If being with you makes me loser
I never wanna leave

With inspiration like that we'll never run out of new song ideas.

This came from a conversation about our pet Nanny goat. we were in the car at the time and had about 10 miles to go to home, It was finished by the time we arrived. It is rock and roll in the style of "Shaking all over"

Predator
by Noel Downs

She's got reptilian eyes
Like a dinosaur,
She's got reptilian eyes,
She's a predator,

She's watching you,
Like a snake,
She's watching you,
Make no mistake,

If it's you she wants,
You she gets,
For her to fail,
Hasn't happened yet, happened yet,

She's got reptilian eyes
Like a monitor,
She's got reptilian eyes,
She's a predator,

She'll cover you in kisses,
All peaches and cream,
Possessively jealous,
Homicidal green,

You give her everything,
She just wants more,
She'll squeeze you for love,
And take it all, take it all,

She's got reptilian eyes
Like a dinosaur,
She's got reptilian eyes,
She's a predator,

She's got everything,
You could want,
It will be dangerous,
Don't get me wrong,

It don't matter,
How much you pay,
You'll still lose,
Anyway, anyway

Too funny. You were obviously open to all the possiblities on this one.

I love it! How funny. I clicked over and checked it out (wish I'd thought about doing a link). Obviously from the response, others thought so as well. I once got inspired to write a songs from watching Mr. Rogers on PBS with my son. I think it's really neat to see the inspiration behind someone's words. If you have to write a hundred songs to get a good one like so many say, then you better be open to the muse!

TOMBSTONE MAMA
(c) 1998 Victor Wilburn

Tombstone Mama won't you dig my grave
Tombstone Mama got my soul to save
Tombstone Mama when are you gonna take me down
Everybody says that you're the best gravedigger in town

Tombstone Mama won't you dig my earth
Tombstone Mama don't you leave me hurt
Tombstone Mama when are you gonna set me free
Everybody says that you're the only woman for me

Tombstone Mama got me in this box
Tombstone Mama got my head full of rocks
Tombstone Mama when will you ever let me be
Everybody says that you're gonna be the death of me

Oh Tombstone Mama
Oh Tombstone Mama
Oh Tombstone Mama
Yeah Tombstone Mama
Everybody says that you're gonna be the death of me

I once had to help a friend slaughter a bunch of chickens. By the end of the day I felt like Stalin. I got it out of my system with this:

Dr Doom

Watch our all you chickens,
Here comes Dr Doom,
My hatchet is your guillotine,
My fryin' pan's your tomb,
Who's that slowly creepin' into your room?
Dr Doom

Look out all you catfish,
I am Mr Death,
Once I get you on my hook,
You'll take your last fish breath,
Who's that slowly creepin' into your room?
Dr Doom

Step back all you ladies,
I am Mr Bad,
Just one time and you'll agree,
I'm the best you ever had,
Who's that slowly creepin' into your room?
Dr Doom

vs1
There ain't nothin wrong with you
I just need a change
Marraiges weren't made to last
Just to rearrange
Remember when you marri4d me
We made a pact
To leave while our love was still intact

vs2
It was fun while it lasted
But you knew from day one
You wouldn't be the first or last
You knew one day I'd run
Make our time complete Now Baby
Walk me down the aisle
Then turn away and leave me with a smile

(oh and I'm still married to the first guy, no divorce, no straying to that other. which is what woke me up. it was just too strange)

This is exactly what I'm talking aobut--it's just like one of those writer's nights where all the greats sit around and talk about what inspired them to write their hits--tee...hee...hee

Flammable: Oh my Lord...I read this one to my husband. His response--So did this guy write this before or after he got lit? What a crazy story. I never thought of channeling my dreams before. Of course, mine aren't nearly as interesting as yours!

Randy: TMI (ya know, too much information)-No, just kidding. How hilarious!! I'm sure your song would be right up there with Kumbaya (forgive my spelling), if only you could remember the words!

Mike: The fact that you could work such subject matter into AAA format shows you have real talent. I've been trying to write an AAA for quite some time now, to no avail!

Harriet: You're right...these are priceless! I love your lyric. The chorus is great. I have the same problem. I play my songs for people and they ask me if I plan on getting divorced. Hmmm, go figure!

Thanks for sharing everyone. I know we'll see some more great ones through the course of this week.

What it means I don't know but I did manage to make it into a song. That was about twenty years ago and I can't recall the rest of the song but I don't think I'll ever forget that one segment that the cat sang to me.

Bridge: Beware of who's behind you, Boy,
You'd better take off running--
He'll wring your neck till your head pops off,
Never know how fast he's coming (cumming).

Poor ole monkey, Gets the blues,
Gets used up every day,
Fighting for his dignity,
Even when his hair turns gray,
If he was a beaver,
He would not give a damn (dam?)
Poor ole monkey,
All he wants is a beaver he can slam!

Well...it could be sang at a night club, couldnt it? Along about 1:30a.m. maybe???

Although some people may be just a bit uneasy with this, I think it's absolutely hilarious! I am very open minded as long as things don't get out of hand (whoops freudian slip, I guess!)with crude vulgarities in a public arena. What people do and say in their private moments is their business. I am not offended at all by this, just can't quit laughing long enough to type without repetitive errors. I think I just have an illiterate keyboard!

Thanks for adding your strange inspirations to the discussion. It's amazing how many people get ideas from dreams. I'm really going to have to start paying attention to that. As for the monkey song, let's just be glad the english language has enough words that you can write about such a subject without ever having to come right out and say it. Of course, the veiled comedy is all the fun. This site is full of very clever people. Buzzards and monkeys--who'd a thunk it?

Dixie, I had no idea there was a Fort Bragg, CA. My husband and I were stationed at Fort Bragg, NC. Small world.

I was born at Fort Bragg, NC. = )

When it comes to naming towns it sounds a lot like writing songs--there's only so many names, or in songwriting,subjects, out there. There's bound to be some duplicates. Anyway, welcome to JPF!

Brian, what a small world!

Keep posting,
Ashleigh

We'll be on the look out! I hope the names have been changed to protect the innocent, or are you talking about the guilty?

BLUEBIRD ON MY WINDSHIELD
--J.Wrabek

1.
I ran into a bluebird out on Highway Fifty-eight
And I can't forget the look she gave me 'fore she passed away.
I left her stickin' to the glass as I went down the road
'Cause that bluebird on my windshield makes me feel like I'm at home.

CHORUS
There's a bluebird on my windshield, reminding me of you,
She looks at me accusingly the way you always do;
Watches everywhere I go, and everything I do,
Bluebird on my windshield reminding me of you.

2.
There's a bluebird on my windshield that brightens up my day,
Even though she doesn't hear a single thing I say;
She don't complain about the rain, or potholes in the road,
And she doesn't kick me out of bed the way you do at home.

REPEAT CHORUS

3.
I've got all the truckers jealous of my fantastic luck;
Ain't no one else got bluebirds hangin' lifeless off their truck;
And when we stop for diesel, I'll protect her with my life--
I'll say, "Son, don't scrape that bluebird off--she reminds me of my wife."

REPEAT CHORUS

4.
There's a bluebird on my windshield, but I know that it can't last,
We're droppin' little bluebird parts in ev'ry town we pass;
I know that soon she'll blow away, some field to fertilize--
Leaving me with memories of you in bluebird eyes.

REPEAT CHORUS
REPEAT LAST LINE OF CHORUS & END

(c) 2003 J. Wrabek dba Outside Services Ltd. All the usual rights reserved just in case.

Of course, that only *used* to be the strangest inspiration. Then last week, somebody told me about Jim the Psychic Dog...

Giving up things for Lent inspired one.

My and others dislike for the way the Psalms are sung spawned another.

The insane behavior in our church parking lot produced a song.

The ritual movements in our church liturgy inspired another one.

And accidentally clicking on the wrong button while posting gave me another one.

I don't know if they are strange enough, but that's about it for me.

JeanB

I thought about why women are moved to get drastic haircuts, and I asked my hairstylist about it too.

The guys in the group chose to write about Rogaine!

Ideas used to come freely to me then, these days I'm lucky to get a hook a month.

"'Ho-ed Out, Campfire, Trailerpark, White Trash B****es" came from a gals' camping weekend.

(My imagination can't compete with my reality...)