Sometimes, we just need a kick in the squishy cheeks to get our songwriting ideas off and running from a dead start.
A little jump start to our idea machine.
We tend to over think it. Put too much pressure on it. Forget to have fun.
Here’s three quick ways to come up with title ideas for your songs.
But they aren’t just titles, you need to put an idea behind it, or it won’t be strong enough.
Here we go.
1. Visit the New York Times Best Seller List.
You can come up with some really great song ideas by looking through the best seller list.
Here’s three book titles which jumped out at me just now:
- Troubles in Paradise.
- Leave the World Behind.
- Walk the Wire.
Each one of those likely give you some idea of what a song could be about.
I’m drawn to Walk the Wire.
The song idea coming to mind is a metaphor of a high ware walker being so careful not to fall. So focused. It seems intense to me. So micro-focused.
Maybe it’s time to live even more dangerously. Start dancing on the wire,, without a net below. Take some risk and do what you dare yourself to do. Live your dream with a risk of dying, rather than letting you dream die inside.
The title I think has changed to, Dancing on the Wire.
2. Random Word.
Go to one of those random word generators online, there are many. Set it to generate 5 nouns or verbs, and pick one for a one-word title.
Here’s what came up for me:
- Attention
- Judgment
- Bathroom
- User
- definition
Obviously, some are more usable than others. I’d probably pick “Judgement” as a title.
A message song about not judging others. How it instills lack of confidence and self-esteem in others. To live life without “judgment.”
You might choose “Bathroom” and make it a funny song. Or “User” and make it about drug addiction, or a social climber using people.
The idea is to pick one word and run with it.
3. Ask Almighty Alexa.
Pick a name of an old high-school classmate, or make a name up out of thin air. Tell Alexa to shuffle songs by that person.
Sometimes there actually is an artist by that name, and sometimes Alexa does her best to find a match.
When she says: Okay, shuffling songs by so-and-so, pick a title out of the verse of the first song that plays.
Sometimes you hit it lucky and discover talented artists you never knew existed.
Here’s what I came up with.
Me: Alexa, shuffle songs by Adam Smith.
Alexa: Shuffling songs by Adam Smith on Amazon Music.
“I slept all night
I slept all day
And the hours slipped away
Under a deep spell”
Okay, a half a verse in, my idea is, Under a Deep Spell. A love tune. Possibly a blues tune or swampy southern rock song.
See how easy that was?
So, if you’re looking for an idea to write a song and don’t have a clue what to start with, try using these tips for your next one.