Comments on: George Orwell’s Rules Of Songwriting

By: Diana Zook

Diana Zook — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:25:38 +0000

Just discovered your blog here, good stuff, nice to read this sort of thing written out so succinctly. I often write whatever pops in my head , but do fine tune lyrics later , and have always been a deep listener of lyrics .I’d like to share some with u sometime ! Thank-you !

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:01:02 +0000

I had almost forgotten that essay until I traipsed over here from one of Miranda’s tweets. Thanks for reminding me about it. I think it should go on the Google Calendar of every writer to review that essay at least once every three months.

By: Mike Wagner

Mike Wagner — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:48:42 +0000

I like our application of Orwell to songwriting.

You have my mind racing.

Keep creating...a song worth humming all day long, Mike

By: Mark Sutherland

Mark Sutherland — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:56:55 +0000

Great, very glad I came across this (from youtube's feature of Twitter song, enjoyed the decoration of the backing tracks there).

Personally, I would prefer 'you are not an undesirable woman'.

Thanks, look forward to reading more, and will read the Orwell essay now.

By: Darrell Rodgers

Darrell Rodgers — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:50:57 +0000

I feel like Rip Van Winkle. I just read this blog for the first time, having found it through connected Wordpress links in my "Tag surfer", and I suddenly realize - I"VE BEEN ASLEEP FOR 20 YEARS! I was so proud of myself just having a blog. But the whole world of music production and promotion technology has been cooking along while I went away and slept on a day job. I like what I see in this new day. I'll be visiting this site to learn from you.
The stuff about good writing however is much more familiar. I've been writing songs and prose a long time and my bride spent twenty years as a newspaper editor (a medium notorious for lazy language). Reading your comments about the Orwell essay brought to mind quotes from two communicators I admire. Abraham Lincoln once wrote in the margin of a letter to a friend "I would have written a shorter letter but I did not have the time". And my own father who told me "anything that can be expressed in a nutshell, should be left there". Thanks for a great blog.

///Darrell Rodgers Singer, Songwriter, Performer, Humorist (and now, "old guy")

By: Tom Slatter

Tom Slatter — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 08:49:20 +0000

Hi Ben, like the new look website.

I’d heard of this essay before, it’s quoted in Jeremy Paxman’s book about politicians (specifically the ‘Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind’ line).

I just printed out and read the essay. It’s useful, and made me think about my own use of language.

Songwriting blogs I’ve enjoyed: http://www.songwritingzen.com/ http://www.songwritingapples.com/