When I first started writing songs, I would begin with the lyrics. I didn’t know the melody usually came first, but I had thumbed through Duran Duran: The Book of Words so much at the time, I thought the way Simon Le Bon wrote lyrics was how all songwriters approached lyrics.
Thing is, I had an easier time setting melody to lyrics than the other way around. In fact, it wasn’t till earlier this year that I managed to write lyrics last.
So this vague notion of writing about string theory that I’ve mentioned in the journal? I think I’m going to go back to that old process.
I’m making my way very slowly through The Elegant Universe, and when something clicks, I’ll write around the ideas in the book. However much inspired by Stephen Sondheim I may be, I’m not fooling myself into thinking The Elegant Universe would make good musical theatre. (Actually, it might — but I’m not the person to write it.)
All this expository to say, I wrote a lyric tonight.
It’s something to do because truthfully, I’m at a block where melody is concerned.
光速
June 1, 2005
When the melody precedes the words
What do you sing?
What do you sing?
When the words precede the story
What do you read?
What do you read?
When the story precedes events
What do you do?
What do you do?
When events precede a thought
What do you say?
What would you say?
‘Cos you can’t pass the speed the light
When thought becomes deed becomes circumstance
‘Cos you can’t pass the speed the light
And I tried and you tried and now here we are
When gravity is not enough
Where do you fall?
Where do you fall?
When nuclear forces fall apart
Where do you run?
Where do you run?
When magnetism draws you in
Where do you hide?
Where do you hide?
When radiation is all that’s left
How’d you survive?
Would you survive?
‘Cos nothing beats the speed of light
When thought becomes deed becomes energy
‘Cos nothing beats the speed of light
And I tried and you tried and now here we are
Duran Duran had a b-side titled “Faster Than Light”. All these years, and I’m still ripping Simon Le Bon off.