Songwriting: To re-write or not to re-write.

[Ryan Silva]

I have found varying different approaches to this question with friends and co-workers. Some like to re-work the song structure till there happy. Maybe they love that bridge so much that they are willing to spend day on adjusting the rest of the song to make it fit.

I prefer to move on when things get frustrating, there is only so much I can do to keep inspiration going.

So...

[Rigsby]

If i get to the point where i'm not enjoying it anymore or it's not turning out well (actually enjoying is the wrong word, more if the piece is progressing or not), i'll get bored and start something else, if i come back to it then great, otherwise i'll have moved on to something more important to me in the here and now and that's just as great. Theres so much music to be made, i've made a hell of a lot and i'll make a hell of a lot more, so why worry about it?

[Everybody's X]

well the old cliche about "whatever works for you" certainly applies.
I've labored for years over certain songs if I know I've got a hook but it needs something else, or a certain harmony occurs to me later on.
Then I've hammered out something in 5 minutes and it was fine. Whatever's right for the song and for you is the right way.

[KennyLusk]

Stuff like that can be worked out by a songwriter outside the studio on their own time.

let the songwriter work it out, present the new arrangement and see if everyone likes it. If not, move on to something else. If everyone likes "the bridge" so much it'll pop up in another song where it's better suited.

the really great stuff always comes back around if you don't use it anyway.

[AdamO]

I would say rewrite that puppy until you enjoy it. Rewrite it everytime you play it. Capture a couple of them on tape and let us hear it.
Usually if a part isn't working its just because it is either too damn long, or it's not really part of that song and should be in some other thing. Most times it's just too long. In face usually if the song is bugging people it's because it's too long in general. You should be able to do anything at all as a bridge, it's the "non" part of the song. If people are noticing enough to comment about it then perhaps they have been sitting around listening to the whole thing a bit longer than they expected.
Look at the bridge of "Hello" by Lionel Richie. Probably one of the funniest bridges of all time, COMPLETELY out in space and sounds like a different session in some other studio... but it gets in and out quickly so voila, another top ten hit for Lionel.
-Adam
P.S. or not.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

Go away and come back to it later. Sometimes you hit the wall and can't do anything. When you go away and come back you'll have fresh ears, and you'll actually hear what song for what it is - not what you think it is or hope it will be.
Also, if you think of a bridge after the song is done record it and splice it in. I do this all the time. as long as you're in key and tempo it usually works.

[wedge]

The best songs -- in my opinion -- are written quickly, with loads o'inspiration. If that inspiration fizzles and the song's not complete, I'd suggest marrying it with another similarly-inspired song-let, assuming of course that the style and tempo, etc. are a good match. I've used that technique a lot to great effect. Also, I've written songs to death, too, and that sucks. Trim, tail, refine -- sure -- but don't belabor the piss out of a song...

[;ivlunsdystf]

Sometimes nice to record a quick demo/scratch version, listen a few times in your car or whatever, and then wait a week or two, then rerecord from memory (without even consulting any written lyrics)

Theory being that anything truly "sticky" will remain in your memory and all the useless extraneous matter will evaporate, leaving only the elements that really matter.

Has worked well for me in past. Probably best as a way to write catchy hooky pop material. Then, it's always fun to go back to the original to mine for more content as you work towards the final product.

David Bowie is a big believer in rewriting things ad nauseum until he feels they are done. I think it shows in his work.

[nicksense15]

I agree that most great songs are written quickly, but I still think its ok to massage the arrangment until its just right.

Nick

[Rigsby]

Look at the bridge of "Hello" by Lionel Richie. Probably one of the funniest bridges of all time, COMPLETELY out in space and sounds like a different session in some other studio... but it gets in and out quickly so voila, another top ten hit for Lionel.
-Adam
P.S. or not.

What's the bridge in Hello? I know the verses and choruses and the sax solo, what's the bridge like, i can't recall.