Music Book Review: How to Write a Song That Matters by Dar Williams

How to Write a Song That Matters
by Dar Williams (Music 781.316 Wil)

Author Dar Williams has been a very successful singer-songwriter in the folk, folk-pop, and alt-country genres for decades. With 15 albums and dozens of singles and EPs under her belt, she certainly knows her way around songwriting. The writing style, a mix of practical knowledge and moments of zen-like insight, remind me a lot of the classic “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg, an essential book for aspiring writers. While I’m mentioning it, that book can be useful for songwriters, too — songwriting is a close cousin of literary writing, after all.

 

Williams addresses just about anything an aspiring songwriter might need to consider, including details of working through lyrics verse by verse, basic chords and how to use them, where ideas can come from, and carefully evaluating the little kernels of inspiration that can sometimes become a great new song. Toward the end of the book, the advice extends to reaching out to the world in meaningful local ways, like starting or participating in song circles or open mic nights. Most of her advice comes with personal anecdotes that support how these ideas have worked for her, though she also recognizes that different people sometimes needs different kinds of workflows. So don’t feel like you have to incorporate every idea in this book, or similar books—use what works for you.

 

The only weakness in this book is that it focuses overwhelmingly on lyrics and the big-picture elements of songwriting, rather than chords and harmony, arranging, etc. Considering that Williams has mostly worked in singer-songwriter contexts, this makes sense—she just needs a guitar and her voice to get her songs out to the world. There is a chapter that includes some basic musical concepts around chord structures and voicings, but it doesn’t really get into chord progressions and how basic music theory works. I think that’s okay in this case—there are plenty of other places to dig deeper into that information, and what’s here is incredibly valuable and approachable. It doesn’t really get into the new-fangled ways of marketing your own music, either, but again, there are other places to find that information as well, and what you’ll take away from this book relates directly to nurturing your own relationship with the art and craft of songwriting. You won’t have much to market if you haven’t absorbed the kinds of material in How to Write a Song That Matters first!

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Insider Secrets to Hit Songwriting in the Digital Age by Molly Leikin, Music, Lyrics, and Life: A Field Guide for the Advancing Songwriter by Mike Errico or Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting by Mary Gauthier.)

 

( official Dar Williams web site )

 

Recommended by Scott S.
Polley Music Library

Did you know that the Polley Music Library sponsors a Songwriting Club that meets monthly at the library -- Call us at 402-441-8520 to find out more!

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