A Key to Songwriting: Marshmallows in a Field

Over at the Nancyland blog, I discovered some enchanting photos of marshmallow harvesting as well as an insight into what the job of a songwriter is: it's to put two thoughts/pictures/ideas together that don't normally go together...and to have them relate to your life, or life as a whole. To make people go, "Huh. That makes sense." Or at least, as in the case of the marshmallows, be a dang cool image. Some of my favorite images from songwriters I enjoy: "The alarm still rings at 5:15; the day goes off like a rifle." - Kristyn Osborn (Love Goes On) "Trying to make myself breathe, it's an emotional dry heave." - Susan Gibson (Anything to Keep From Crying) "What can I compare you to? A window the sun shines through, or maybe the silver moon. A smile rising. The magic of a fading day, satellites on parade, a toast to the plans we've made to live like kings." - The Weepies (Take It From Me) Tonight Joseph stood out in the yard, as Debussey played from the kitchen Celestial companions 'til morning's first lark, shone overhead and he listened And who was that shadow there by the gate, who was that there standing guard It was only loneliness, and loneliness waits, and ideas are like stars." - Mary Chapin Carpenter (Ideas Are Like Stars) Technorati Tags: marshmallows, songwriting, writing, marychapincarpenter