Songwriting - Recipe for a simple blues song

Song writing Lesson.
Recipe for an easy blues song.


3 lines per verse.  First and second lines are the same words.

The third line ends in a word that is a rhyme or near rhyme for the last word in the first lines.

The third line resolves or answers or somehow completes what was said in the previous 2 lines.

The first line is often about 12 syllables give or take a few syllables. The third line is about the same.

Classic example from John Lee Hooker

The chord structure shown can be used for many songs/
Here, I is a G, IV is a C and V is a D.

I read your (I) add this morning,
you said you want a real good man.

I read your (IV) add this morning,
you said you want a real good (I) man.

Now I’m (V)here for you honey and (IV) I wanna
know your (I) plan. (V)

Near rhyme – different song – same pattern:
If the river was whiskey and I was a diving duck. (x2)
I would swim to the bottom, drink my way back up.

Duck and up are NEAR RHYMES.


2 to 4 verses is a nice length
Songs often end by repeating a verse at the end.

Practice verses- you write the 3rd line:

I got a 3 string, a 4 string,
a deuce and a diddley bow. (x2)
__________________________________________

3rd line has to end in a rhyme or near rhyme for bow.
So: The grass is gittin long, I gotta go out and mow.
Better: I got 4 cbgs and I want to build some more.

I got tuners from Gitty
and a tail piece made of brass. (x2)

______________________________________________

I want to loop like bemuzic and pick like keni lee (x2)

__________________________________________

I want a Brickdust haircut and a hat like Uncle John (x2)

_________________________________________________________

Hope you get the idea, hope you have some fun.

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Comments

  • Back for more as usual... this is just so useful 

  • You are welcome, Tramp and this formula (and some others) truly works.   Also, agree with your bold print.

  • Thanks Uncle John. The one thing I love about the nation is that 99.9% of people are on here to help each other without profit or gain. Thankyou.

    The blues feeling is international and color blind

  • Thanks, Bug.  You write a lot of GOOD songs.

  • My friend uncle john helped me to write a song
    My friend uncle john helped me to write a song
    If I had read it properly I wouldn't keep getting it wrong

    I 'd sing it with feeling but I don't know how
    I'd sing it with feeling but I don't know how
    Maybe I d be better sticking to the buggy time radio show

    I kept buying guitars to better ma playing
    I kept buying guitars to better ma playing
    No money in bank,So a lottery win i'm praying
  • Uncle John this is still one of the best things I have
    Ever read about song writing and I keep coming back for more.
    I think if you feel it ,or write about something
    that moves you,then you add the blues feeling to it.
    As Son House once said "the blues is a feeling"
    Play the same notes till you dont have to think about them
    Then express your feelings through the way you
    Pluck them and bend them,hold them and time them
    to the way you feel about the emotion behind the song.
    Act your song like you are living every word
    Believe what you say and play the part.
    Show the emotion and don't hold back for fear of what other may say.
    Put on that show to your words and then
    you have the blues.

    Great blogg Uncle John
    This helped me lots
  • Thanks UJ, it's lame but thats what ya get for less than 2 minutes thought on an altered mind distrubed by a nearby radiation leak!

  • LOL Jeff.

  •  Sorry folk's can't help myself!

    The feds say it's safe outside

    The feds say it's safe outside

    But Byron's spewing Nuke Iodide

    So share the Potassium Iodine

     So share the Potassium Iodine

    Cuz I don't wanna shine

  •    Bada dinga,

       dinga ding.

       Dinga linga,

       linga ling?

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