HW: Lyrics

[Dave Berry]

A common complaint here is that lyrics for new songs aren't as good as the
old ones.  Even allowing for nostalgia, and excluding Bob's songs (as Bob
was clearly a class above most rock lyricists), I think that's true.  And
I've got a couple of ideas about it.

One is that HW have traditionally [1] done very well from links with SF
writers.  Bob considered himself primarily an SF poet, and there's the
Moorcock connection.  (Over on the other side of the list, much of BOC's
last album had lyrics by John Shirley).  So maybe the band should try and
link up with other SF writers out there now.  Assuming UK writers for ease
of contact, Ken MacLeod's world would fit the HW mould very nicely.  Iain
Banks has written lyrics for his own use; maybe he'd be interested in a HW
link?  (He may have different music in mind for the lyrics he's already
written, but might be interested in a collaboration).  Anyone else want to
suggest suitable writers?

Possibly it would just be a good idea for Dave to hang out at an SF
convention for a weekend.  (How many SF writers are likely to be at the
Star Trek con?).

Another idea is to think of particular situations from books that are worth
developing into lyrics.  One that comes to mind is the character from Greg
Egan's "Quarantine", who gets a mind modification that makes him loyal to
an organisation called the Ensemble.  He knows that the Ensemble have
altered his mind to make him loyal, but since he is now loyal to them, he
knows they must have had a good reason for altering his mind...

The whole Alien/X-Files schtick is getting a bit long in the tooth now, so
that's a theme best avoided.  It worked well for the Alien 4 album, but
that was a few years back.

My other idea was a reaction to someone's comment about "generic SF
themes".   I've got no problem with SF themes -- isn't that what it's all
about? -- but I agree that "generic" can be a problem.  You've got to get
specific, to think of particular characters in particular situations, and
to make both the characters and the situations something special.   How
many of HW's recent songs really have been that generic?  "Your Fantasy"
comes to mind, but many others aren't -- e.g. "Blue Skin", "Sputnik Stan".
"Wheels" and "Clouded Vision" off Distant Horizons suffer from being too
over-generic, IMO.

Anyone else got any thoughts on situations that would make a good HW song?

Dave.

Languages Group Manager.
Harlequin Ltd., Lismore House, 127 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 4JN, UK.
Tel: +44 131 240 6106.