We are shadows

We Are Shadows is featured this month. But it is not a poem, it is a song. It is one of the songs from the Music Play I am developing, Magpie. To put these lyrics in context, you need to know the character who sings the song is an Owl.

I thought I would discuss this month the way lyrics in a ‘traditional’ song work. Many modern stand-alone songs follow the patterns I shall discuss too.

Songs usually, or often, have two forms; you can see this in Shadows, they are named A and B. In this song, the B form is a Chorus or Refrain, as it is exactly repeated. I have left the letter-numbers in, they are to help the Musical Director (MD) and actor-singers find their place quickly. The rhyming schemes of the A form are always the same and so too for the B form (even if it is not a repeated refrain.) Rhythms must be kept the same in A forms and B forms and so on. You choose the rhyming and rhythm schemes; your composer may have thoughts or requirements in this area too. In this song, there is also a C form, which is different and enables the composer to bring the song to a satisfying end.

In music theatre the general rule (which I like to follow) is that rhymes must always be true rhymes; near rhymes or half rhymes are not acceptable. (Not everyone follows this, but the great Master Stephen Sondheim, always does.)

When we write poems we often anticipate that a reader may need to read the poems several times; a poem can be many layered. Generally speaking, a song should be understood in one ‘listen’. There are layers of meaning in Shadows, but in general, the whole song can be understood immediately (you can’t call out Please sing that again!).

In modern Music Theatre, songs must move the drama along.

These are just some general points about lyrics, you may disagree with some of them, and there are certainly points I have not raised. But lyric writing is a great experience and it is wonderful when your composer (which may be yourself) sets them to music

What I Have Been Working On

Much of this month has been spent on organising the presentation of Magpie songs. The presentation had quite a big team; 7 actor-singers, Composer-MD, Music Consultant-Accompanist, Sound Recordist, Film Recordist. Now we have to consider how best to incorporate learning from the presentation and how best to take the work forward.

More anon . . .