Welcome Singer-Songwriter Samuel Jack

I've known Samuel Jack for a few years now. The song we play, Stone Cold, is a little unusual for the Sofa Showcase series because I co-wrote it with him!

⭐️ Samuel Jack has a great voice, is an amazing writer, and works really hard. I see a bright future for him! :) Listen to him on Spotify.

Now let's chat about our song together, Stone Cold, and some advice for writing song lyrics.

Where Did Stone Cold Come From?

We chatted about the origins of Stone Cold (the song we wrote together). We were jamming at a songwriting weekend at Conversion. Samuel wanted to write a vintage love song, and he took his inspiration for lyrics from someone he loved, which helped him out.

We first decided on the tempo and found two lovely chords, then went from there. Though the bridge can be tricky to write, it was ultra quick for this tune. I came up with a bridge, Samuel sang as I played it, and it just worked!

Samuel's Advice For Writing Lyrics

Samuel said that as a vocalist, once you have the sweet spot and a melody you like, it informs the rest of the song. We agreed that being able to connect with the lyrics is vital. Samuel said he needs to be able to truly connect with what he writes. But we also agreed that the lyrics could warp the truth or even completely invent it!

Tips For New Songwriters

He gave some great advice to new songwriters and shared his process for writing tunes. He suggests we keep everything simple, to begin with. He finds some nice chords when writing songs and decides on a theme for the lyrics. He then plays the chords and sings whatever comes to his head. Then, he listens to what he's created and repeats this process until he has a song.

But if you're stuck for words, he says you can even make vocal sounds over the music. That then inspires you to create true lyrics for the song. I also shared my tips. Back in the day, I made a list of the 20 songs that affected me the most and then analyzed the structure and lyrics. I then tried to copy the same ideas in my compositions.

We both agreed that you have to listen to what you like. That's what helps you become YOU – listening to music you don't like, out of obligation, is uninspiring and makes your music inauthentic!

Thanks to Samuel for coming down! Do check him out on the following channels – his music is wicked, and his music could inspire you to write your own. Cheers. :)

📝 Up for more? My Songwriting Course makes it all easy for you! :)