Song Club #46: What You Have
Starting with the ordinary things in your attention
Hey everyone!
A brief update first:
For 2025, Song Club is bringing a fresh format. Each week I’ll share five ‘Entry Points’–things like real world side-quests, found objects, and design limitations, as well as your regular writing prompts. In addition, I’ll share a single question aimed at encouraging group discussion or private reflection, depending on your preference.
I have two intentions here: 1) to work with a format that enables more playfulness and flexibility 2) to start bringing the Song Club community to life. As I roll it out, let me know what you think!
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Brian Eno starts each day by doing nothing. This was one of the first things he told us in his opening lecture for School of Song1 last Sunday. He begins each morning this way because (I’m paraphrasing) we’re subject to a relentless clawing for our attention by platforms and advertisers—and as such we feel a near-constant nagging hunger to consume. When we start not by putting something more in, but by making space for what is already there, we are more likely to find inspiration arises from within us.
On a personal level, I find this heartening. I so often feel I have nothing worth saying in a song; that I need to find something momentous to impart before beginning. But! Within this practice is permission to write about whatever is there, whatever insignificant or boring or ugly thing is taking up space in your attention. How freeing!
This week, let’s all experiment by working with what we already have.
Big love and keep going,
Lucy
‘Entry Points’
#1
Silent Walk: Take a walk without any music or podcasts. Pay attention to what thoughts come up. Use one of these thoughts as the seed for your song.
#2
No Instruments: Write a song using only your voice and body (humming, clapping, snapping). Focus on what’s naturally available to you.
#3
Bed Sit: First thing when you wake up, sit silently on the edge of your bed for 15 minutes. Next, write down what you remember thinking. Use this as a starting point for your song.
#4
Window Stare: Find a window. Any window. Spend as long as you can staring out of it. When you simply can’t any longer, start writing a song with whatever is present.
#5
Uncompose: Listen to this song. (Or any other.) Play along. What wants to be added? Add it. Record yourself adding it. Now remove the original song. Work with what is left.
How does silence or stillness influence your creativity? Do you need solitude in order to create, or does empty space fill you with you apprehension. Share your experience in the comments!
I’m not affiliated at all with School of Song, but their courses are wonderful. If you haven’t checked them out, I recommend it.