Explaining that indefinable thing that is essential to great writing.

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30 Replies to “Bruce Springsteen – One Minute of Brilliant Songwriting Advice”

  1. The third thing. Yeah. Hard to get to, but when you get there, there it is. Bruce Springsteen has always had a way with words, both lyrically and explanatory. Thank you!

  2. Ted Koppel once asked him who he wrote for. He laughed and said, "Myself! I write to medicate myself, my soul.  It is soul mining.  If it medicates or helps others, so much the better".

  3. I see it slightly differently. The 1+1 is supplied by the songwriter. The third 1 is supplied by the listener, IF and only if, the songwriter has has made the first two interesting enough to stimulate the listener's interest and drag the listener into the song, too. And that's how 1+1 can equal 3.

  4. ts true what the boss says, it helps if youve been broken hearted or had some bad life experience that makes you reach inside your soul. Alot of the late blues players had this magic factor singing about their experiences of slavery and oppression.

  5. persoanlly never been much of a fan but he definitely knows what he is saying here, so many people miss that the emotional aspect is most important more important than technique even

  6. Heres a helpful tip songs are just poetry. Learn to write poetry and bam you know the basis of songwriting. Also, right about things you know well. Love depression women etc or write about some of your struggles. And one last is think of your chorus first. Verses come easy after you know your chorus. 

  7. I've been struggling with two songs I'm writing, then The Boss goes and sends a ripple through my brain with one sentence.. "one and one makes three." Brilliant!

  8. He's saying artists should be desperate, so I guess by "that thing" he means writing about something that really bothers you or you love wholeheartedly as opposed to merely describing. If you paint the sea it might be nice, but if the sea is really brave with rolling waves and dark clouds above and you paint it because it reflects something you're feeling, then you get a better painting.

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