Can An Author Learn About Writing From A Singer?
Writers often learn lessons for their craft in unusual places.
Most songs are story-like; and, since using words to create new realities is, in all but the most tedious editing, much like performing a song, singers might be good writing instructors…
I recently learned, and expect to continue to learn, some subtle aspects of writing from the singer, Annie Lennox.
I've listened to Annie a lot but never before heard her teaching me about writing; though, it has been said, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears."
She has a song called, Why?, which I've listened to countless times; yet, the other day, while listening to two different performances, I learned a few things.
First came the awareness that the lyrics could not only be applied to a romantic relationship but also to the relationship between a writer and their Muse…
Next, comparing the two performances became like looking at two different revisions of a piece of writing.
The words of the song don't change but each word is capable of being expressed with more than one tone, which shifts the meaning a bit. Of course, in writing, a word can be attended by "tone words" that shift meaning…
There are more subtle lessons I haven't yet been able to put in words…
Perhaps you'll watch the two performances and leave your thoughts in the comments?
The first offering is a music video of the song, carefully staged and full of evocative imagery.
The second is a live performance.
What lessons do the two "revisions" reveal to you?
Which do you think express the meaning of the words best?
Why?
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Tagged: Annie Lennox, creative writing, learning, Performance, singer, Why?, Writers Resources, writing
