I don't know, call me strange but I personally don't look at my songs as being either good or bad. They just are.

At the end of the day I put my songs into one of two categories:

1. Songs I perform
2. Songs I don't perform

Of course the songs that I perform are pieces that I am very comfortable with sharing with the listening public and/or other musicians

The songs I don't perform can then go into one of two more categories:

1. Works in progress (to be completed for performance)
2. Archived songwriting ideas (for later)

I never throw anything away. Everything that comes from my head is created into something or recycled to be created into something else.

Lets face it. The more songs you write, the more 'good' songs you write. I reckon that for every good song written there are (at the very least) 10 'bad' ones lurking in the wings.

So, no matter how much you think your songwriting ideas are lame, just write them down. Besides, where is the rule that says you have to pitch or perform every song that you write anyway?

If you want to write 'good' songs then bad songs are inevitable and besides, what makes a song bad? One songwriters bad song could perhaps be another performers treasure. What do you think?

There are going to be some songs that you write that are the equivalent of a singer warming up before a performance. Some songs are meant to be performed and some songs are but stepping stones towards the songs that are meant to be performed.

When you think about it, the concept of a song being 'bad' is created from a subjective opinion and really, is proclaiming one of your songs as being bad your call anyway?

I mean, I know when I finish writing something I have to step away for a bit to get a different perspective because at the point of finishing a song I'm way too close to it to make any judgements on it whatsoever.

We, as songwriters through observation and mindfulness accumulate songwriting ideas and miscellaneous tidbits in our heads but, if we don't empty our minds by writing all of that accumulated stuff down how can we create any more space for new songwriting ideas to enter into?

Here is a songwriting exercise to try on yourself. Try deliberately writing a 'bad' song and see how you go. It would be like asking a seasoned musician to play like a beginner. It's actually harder to do than you think.

Just a thought...

Until next time, happy writing,

Corey Stewart
Singer/Songwriter/Musician
www.coreystewartonline.com
www.orangutangmusic.com
www.myspace.com/coreystewart

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