Songwriting as a Senior Citizen
Perspectives from an old timer on starting the art of song creation
The Beatles song, “When I’m Sixty-Four”, is not one of their classics, but it sticks in your mind as a mantra to check your relevance later in life. Here’s the main line:
Will you still need me, will you still feed me
When I'm sixty-four
In 2022, I turn 64. It begs the question: What am I going to do now?
After two years of Covid-19 confusion, lockdowns and life changing alterations, it’s an appropriate time to contemplate the past and future. A year prior to the pandemic, I was already in transition mode from environmental fieldwork to online pursuits in other areas of interest, mainly blogging after dabbling in e-commerce.
I’ve played acoustic guitar since the 1970s. I’m a chord-banger. I never practiced scales or got into riffing hot licks. I spent too many years playing on the same plateau. It satisfied my musical soul but not my creative one.
I’ve been writing essays and articles, from popular science to travel, for decades. Songwriting was only a dream until the lockdowns paused normal life and opened up heaps of time for learning. YouTube became a classroom. Musicians flooded the platform with even more free courses on playing blues guitar to music theory lessons. I dove in and found a new language.
Music theory is a gamechanger. It became a treasure map for writing songs. It set me free to explore chord progressions, different keys and how to understand the structure behind the sound. And it’s not that hard. Coupled with some elementary song construction techniques, I began a new path as a songwriter.
Is this possible at the age of 64? There are always different perspectives to being older or younger. So these are the things I bring to the songwriting table as a senior citizen:
Strong Sense of Self - As an older person, I have strong opinions. I’ve seen the world and listened to the noise. I can make up my own mind. I know what eats at my heart. I know what is important to me and what to reflect in my songs.
Failure is not a Factor - Younger people fear failure, they have more at stake. I’ve already had a few careers and failed a few times. For songwriting, failure is not on the radar. I just move along and feel the urge to create good or bad.
Creativity is Life-saving - Life can suck the creative juice out your soul. Covid-19 is full proof of that. Fighting off mundane living is essential for any artist. Learning a new artform at an older age invigorates your spirit and keeps the brain from shutting down.
Six Decades of Songs - My head is full of rhythms, lyrics, riffs and melodies from a lifetime of listening. Growing up in America from the Sixties is a music education in sound. Traveling abroad for thirty years opens your ears to a multitude of musical alternatives. It’s all inside ready to come out.
Closer to the End - Destiny and legacy are pressure points. At 64, how many good years are left to be creative? If something inside you wants to be expressed, then the time is now.
On the flip side, these are some weak points:
Long Way from Love Songs - I will leave the love songs to younger folks. I am way past my prime to play with my heartstrings. I have a few remnant feelings, but I know my limitations.
Seriousness over Playfulness - Getting older wears you down because you see the bullshit. Youthful minds are more playful. A global perspective inculcates a serious tone to the world. It’s not as easy to tap into the fun.
Mind the Rap Gap - I admire the origins and energy of rap music, I just am not well-versed in the genre. It’s a big gap in my musical knowledge. With such strong cultural influences today, I hope to find a way to infuse some of its power.
Off the Electric Grid - Acoustics ring in my bone marrow; electric guitars feel foreign. Wood tones bring out the inner essence of natural sound, electronics seem too technical. I need to get past this prejudice because my inner Hendrix is getting impatient.
Another snippet from the Beatles’ song says the following:
Send me a postcard, drop me a line
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
That’s the intention of my songwriting starting at the age of 64.
Nice. I dove headlong into music theory when I was a teen (supposed to be studying for my last year of high school, instead got distracted by teaching myself the language of music). You know, when you're a teenager you can focus like no-one else on one thing? I love that you did that in your 60s. I'm in my late 50s, spent a life playing music, recently finding my voice and style with original music. Like your journey!