Song Club #34: Forgotten Places

Songs about old, abandoned, or lost places pack a very particular punch, full of big emotions and nostalgia

Like many, I am drawn to and fascinated by abandoned, old, and forgotten places. Back when I regularly used Tumblr, urban exploration accounts made up a good portion of my feed. I particularly love shopping malls and amusement parks in disrepair.

There’s both a nothingness and an ache to forgotten places—even when they’re not totally abandoned. Melancholy or longing are usually present, and at the same time these places feel blank—ready for projections of your sad stories.

From We Use to Wait by Arcade Fire to Hotel California by Eagles, songs about forgotten places pack a very particular punch, full of big emotions and nostalgia.  I find them moving and wonderful to listen to, and my hunch is they’ll be fun to write. 

So, this week, in our songwriting let’s explore some forgotten places.
 

Big love and keep going,
Lucy 

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SONG PROVOCATIONS

Write a song about a place no-one visits anymore. 

What was the place like when vibrant and alive? What moods lingers in the space? Why did people stop going there? What stories could the place tell if it could?