diff --git a/Books/Condo/ANNETTE DAVIS Case.txt b/Books/Legislative/ANNETTE DAVIS Case.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/ANNETTE DAVIS Case.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/ANNETTE DAVIS Case.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Chapter 718-113.txt b/Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-113.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Chapter 718-113.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-113.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Chapter 718-1265.txt b/Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-1265.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Chapter 718-1265.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-1265.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Chapter 718-303.txt b/Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-303.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Chapter 718-303.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-303.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Chapter 718-501.txt b/Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-501.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Chapter 718-501.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Chapter 718-501.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Defend Your Condo & Homeowner R - Dr. Joyce Starr.txt b/Books/Legislative/Defend Your Condo & Homeowner R - Dr. Joyce Starr.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Defend Your Condo & Homeowner R - Dr. Joyce Starr.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Defend Your Condo & Homeowner R - Dr. Joyce Starr.txt
diff --git a/Books/Legislative/Florida Constitution.txt b/Books/Legislative/Florida Constitution.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15d87da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Books/Legislative/Florida Constitution.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1,1838 @@
+
+	
+
+CONSTITUTION
+
+OF THE
+
+STATE OF FLORIDA
+
+AS REVISED IN 1968 AND SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED
+
+The Constitution of the State of Florida as revised in 1968 consisted of certain revised articles as proposed by three joint resolutions which were adopted during the special session of June 24-July 3, 1968, and ratified by the electorate on November 5, 1968, together with one article carried forward from the Constitution of 1885, as amended. The articles proposed in House Joint Resolution 1-2X constituted the entire revised constitution with the exception of Articles V, VI, and VIII. Senate Joint Resolution 4-2X proposed Article VI, relating to suffrage and elections. Senate Joint Resolution 5-2X proposed a new Article VIII, relating to local government. Article V, relating to the judiciary, was carried forward from the Constitution of 1885, as amended.
+
+Sections composing the 1968 revision have no history notes. Subsequent changes are indicated by notes appended to the affected sections. The indexes appearing at the beginning of each article, notes appearing at the end of various sections, and section and subsection headings are added editorially and are not to be considered as part of the constitution.
+
+PREAMBLE
+
+We, the people of the State of Florida, being grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, in order to secure its benefits, perfect our government, insure domestic tranquility, maintain public order, and guarantee equal civil and political rights to all, do ordain and establish this constitution.
+ARTICLE I
+ DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
+ARTICLE II
+ GENERAL PROVISIONS
+ARTICLE III
+ LEGISLATURE
+ARTICLE IV
+ EXECUTIVE
+ARTICLE V
+ JUDICIARY
+ARTICLE VI
+ SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
+ARTICLE VII
+ FINANCE AND TAXATION
+ARTICLE VIII
+ LOCAL GOVERNMENT
+ARTICLE IX
+ EDUCATION
+ARTICLE X
+ MISCELLANEOUS
+ARTICLE XI
+ AMENDMENTS
+ARTICLE XII
+ SCHEDULE
+ARTICLE I
+DECLARATION OF RIGHTS
+SECTION 1.
+ Political power.
+SECTION 2.
+ Basic rights.
+SECTION 3.
+ Religious freedom.
+SECTION 4.
+ Freedom of speech and press.
+SECTION 5.
+ Right to assemble.
+SECTION 6.
+ Right to work.
+SECTION 7.
+ Military power.
+SECTION 8.
+ Right to bear arms.
+SECTION 9.
+ Due process.
+SECTION 10.
+ Prohibited laws.
+SECTION 11.
+ Imprisonment for debt.
+SECTION 12.
+ Searches and seizures.
+SECTION 13.
+ Habeas corpus.
+SECTION 14.
+ Pretrial release and detention.
+SECTION 15.
+ Prosecution for crime; offenses committed by children.
+SECTION 16.
+ Rights of accused and of victims.
+SECTION 17.
+ Excessive punishments.
+SECTION 18.
+ Administrative penalties.
+SECTION 19.
+ Costs.
+SECTION 20.
+ Treason.
+SECTION 21.
+ Access to courts.
+SECTION 22.
+ Trial by jury.
+SECTION 23.
+ Right of privacy.
+SECTION 24.
+ Access to public records and meetings.
+SECTION 25.
+ Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights.
+SECTION 26.
+ Claimant’s right to fair compensation.
+SECTION 27.
+ Marriage defined.
+SECTION 28.
+ Fishing, hunting, and the taking of fish and wildlife.
+SECTION 1. Political power.—All political power is inherent in the people. The enunciation herein of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or impair others retained by the people.
+SECTION 2. Basic rights.—All natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the law and have inalienable rights, among which are the right to enjoy and defend life and liberty, to pursue happiness, to be rewarded for industry, and to acquire, possess and protect property. No person shall be deprived of any right because of race, religion, national origin, or physical disability.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 917, 1974; adopted 1974; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 9, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 6, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 3. Religious freedom.—There shall be no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting or penalizing the free exercise thereof. Religious freedom shall not justify practices inconsistent with public morals, peace or safety. No revenue of the state or any political subdivision or agency thereof shall ever be taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution.
+SECTION 4. Freedom of speech and press.—Every person may speak, write and publish sentiments on all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions and civil actions for defamation the truth may be given in evidence. If the matter charged as defamatory is true and was published with good motives, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 5. Right to assemble.—The people shall have the right peaceably to assemble, to instruct their representatives, and to petition for redress of grievances.
+SECTION 6. Right to work.—The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike.
+SECTION 7. Military power.—The military power shall be subordinate to the civil.
+SECTION 8. Right to bear arms.—
+(a) The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves and of the lawful authority of the state shall not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may be regulated by law.
+(b) There shall be a mandatory period of three days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, between the purchase and delivery at retail of any handgun. For the purposes of this section, “purchase” means the transfer of money or other valuable consideration to the retailer, and “handgun” means a firearm capable of being carried and used by one hand, such as a pistol or revolver. Holders of a concealed weapon permit as prescribed in Florida law shall not be subject to the provisions of this paragraph.
+(c) The legislature shall enact legislation implementing subsection (b) of this section, effective no later than December 31, 1991, which shall provide that anyone violating the provisions of subsection (b) shall be guilty of a felony.
+(d) This restriction shall not apply to a trade in of another handgun.
+History.—Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 43, 1989; adopted 1990.
+SECTION 9. Due process.—No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, or be twice put in jeopardy for the same offense, or be compelled in any criminal matter to be a witness against oneself.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 10. Prohibited laws.—No bill of attainder, ex post facto law or law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed.
+SECTION 11. Imprisonment for debt.—No person shall be imprisoned for debt, except in cases of fraud.
+SECTION 12. Searches and seizures.—The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, and against the unreasonable interception of private communications by any means, shall not be violated. No warrant shall be issued except upon probable cause, supported by affidavit, particularly describing the place or places to be searched, the person or persons, thing or things to be seized, the communication to be intercepted, and the nature of evidence to be obtained. This right shall be construed in conformity with the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution, as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court. Articles or information obtained in violation of this right shall not be admissible in evidence if such articles or information would be inadmissible under decisions of the United States Supreme Court construing the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 31-H, 1982; adopted 1982.
+SECTION 13. Habeas corpus.—The writ of habeas corpus shall be grantable of right, freely and without cost. It shall be returnable without delay, and shall never be suspended unless, in case of rebellion or invasion, suspension is essential to the public safety.
+SECTION 14. Pretrial release and detention.—Unless charged with a capital offense or an offense punishable by life imprisonment and the proof of guilt is evident or the presumption is great, every person charged with a crime or violation of municipal or county ordinance shall be entitled to pretrial release on reasonable conditions. If no conditions of release can reasonably protect the community from risk of physical harm to persons, assure the presence of the accused at trial, or assure the integrity of the judicial process, the accused may be detained.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 43-H, 1982; adopted 1982.
+SECTION 15. Prosecution for crime; offenses committed by children.—
+(a) No person shall be tried for capital crime without presentment or indictment by a grand jury, or for other felony without such presentment or indictment or an information under oath filed by the prosecuting officer of the court, except persons on active duty in the militia when tried by courts martial.
+(b) When authorized by law, a child as therein defined may be charged with a violation of law as an act of delinquency instead of crime and tried without a jury or other requirements applicable to criminal cases. Any child so charged shall, upon demand made as provided by law before a trial in a juvenile proceeding, be tried in an appropriate court as an adult. A child found delinquent shall be disciplined as provided by law.
+SECTION 16. Rights of accused and of victims.—
+(a) In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall, upon demand, be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, and shall be furnished a copy of the charges, and shall have the right to have compulsory process for witnesses, to confront at trial adverse witnesses, to be heard in person, by counsel or both, and to have a speedy and public trial by impartial jury in the county where the crime was committed. If the county is not known, the indictment or information may charge venue in two or more counties conjunctively and proof that the crime was committed in that area shall be sufficient; but before pleading the accused may elect in which of those counties the trial will take place. Venue for prosecution of crimes committed beyond the boundaries of the state shall be fixed by law.
+(b) To preserve and protect the right of crime victims to achieve justice, ensure a meaningful role throughout the criminal and juvenile justice systems for crime victims, and ensure that crime victims’ rights and interests are respected and protected by law in a manner no less vigorous than protections afforded to criminal defendants and juvenile delinquents, every victim is entitled to the following rights, beginning at the time of his or her victimization:
+(1) The right to due process and to be treated with fairness and respect for the victim’s dignity.
+(2) The right to be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse.
+(3) The right, within the judicial process, to be reasonably protected from the accused and any person acting on behalf of the accused. However, nothing contained herein is intended to create a special relationship between the crime victim and any law enforcement agency or office absent a special relationship or duty as defined by Florida law.
+(4) The right to have the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family considered when setting bail, including setting pretrial release conditions that protect the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family.
+(5) The right to prevent the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim.
+(6) A victim shall have the following specific rights upon request:
+a. The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of, and to be present at, all public proceedings involving the criminal conduct, including, but not limited to, trial, plea, sentencing, or adjudication, even if the victim will be a witness at the proceeding, notwithstanding any rule to the contrary. A victim shall also be provided reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any release or escape of the defendant or delinquent, and any proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated.
+b. The right to be heard in any public proceeding involving pretrial or other release from any form of legal constraint, plea, sentencing, adjudication, or parole, and any proceeding during which a right of the victim is implicated.
+c. The right to confer with the prosecuting attorney concerning any plea agreements, participation in pretrial diversion programs, release, restitution, sentencing, or any other disposition of the case.
+d. The right to provide information regarding the impact of the offender’s conduct on the victim and the victim’s family to the individual responsible for conducting any presentence investigation or compiling any presentence investigation report, and to have any such information considered in any sentencing recommendations submitted to the court.
+e. The right to receive a copy of any presentence report, and any other report or record relevant to the exercise of a victim’s right, except for such portions made confidential or exempt by law.
+f. The right to be informed of the conviction, sentence, adjudication, place and time of incarceration, or other disposition of the convicted offender, any scheduled release date of the offender, and the release of or the escape of the offender from custody.
+g. The right to be informed of all postconviction processes and procedures, to participate in such processes and procedures, to provide information to the release authority to be considered before any release decision is made, and to be notified of any release decision regarding the offender. The parole or early release authority shall extend the right to be heard to any person harmed by the offender.
+h. The right to be informed of clemency and expungement procedures, to provide information to the governor, the court, any clemency board, and other authority in these procedures, and to have that information considered before a clemency or expungement decision is made; and to be notified of such decision in advance of any release of the offender.
+(7) The rights of the victim, as provided in subparagraph (6)a., subparagraph (6)b., or subparagraph (6)c., that apply to any first appearance proceeding are satisfied by a reasonable attempt by the appropriate agency to notify the victim and convey the victim’s views to the court.
+(8) The right to the prompt return of the victim’s property when no longer needed as evidence in the case.
+(9) The right to full and timely restitution in every case and from each convicted offender for all losses suffered, both directly and indirectly, by the victim as a result of the criminal conduct.
+(10) The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay, and to a prompt and final conclusion of the case and any related postjudgment proceedings.
+a. The state attorney may file a good faith demand for a speedy trial and the trial court shall hold a calendar call, with notice, within fifteen days of the filing demand, to schedule a trial to commence on a date at least five days but no more than sixty days after the date of the calendar call unless the trial judge enters an order with specific findings of fact justifying a trial date more than sixty days after the calendar call.
+b. All state-level appeals and collateral attacks on any judgment must be complete within two years from the date of appeal in non-capital cases and within five years from the date of appeal in capital cases, unless a court enters an order with specific findings as to why the court was unable to comply with this subparagraph and the circumstances causing the delay. Each year, the chief judge of any district court of appeal or the chief justice of the supreme court shall report on a case-by-case basis to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate all cases where the court entered an order regarding inability to comply with this subparagraph. The legislature may enact legislation to implement this subparagraph.
+(11) The right to be informed of these rights, and to be informed that victims can seek the advice of an attorney with respect to their rights. This information shall be made available to the general public and provided to all crime victims in the form of a card or by other means intended to effectively advise the victim of their rights under this section.
+(c) The victim, the retained attorney of the victim, a lawful representative of the victim, or the office of the state attorney upon request of the victim, may assert and seek enforcement of the rights enumerated in this section and any other right afforded to a victim by law in any trial or appellate court, or before any other authority with jurisdiction over the case, as a matter of right. The court or other authority with jurisdiction shall act promptly on such a request, affording a remedy by due course of law for the violation of any right. The reasons for any decision regarding the disposition of a victim’s right shall be clearly stated on the record.
+(d) The granting of the rights enumerated in this section to victims may not be construed to deny or impair any other rights possessed by victims. The provisions of this section apply throughout criminal and juvenile justice processes, are self-executing, and do not require implementing legislation. This section may not be construed to create any cause of action for damages against the state or a political subdivision of the state, or any officer, employee, or agent of the state or its political subdivisions.
+(e) As used in this section, a “victim” is a person who suffers direct or threatened physical, psychological, or financial harm as a result of the commission or attempted commission of a crime or delinquent act or against whom the crime or delinquent act is committed. The term “victim” includes the victim’s lawful representative, the parent or guardian of a minor, or the next of kin of a homicide victim, except upon a showing that the interest of such individual would be in actual or potential conflict with the interests of the victim. The term “victim” does not include the accused. The terms “crime” and “criminal” include delinquent acts and conduct.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 135, 1987; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 1, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 17. Excessive punishments.—Excessive fines, cruel and unusual punishment, attainder, forfeiture of estate, indefinite imprisonment, and unreasonable detention of witnesses are forbidden. The death penalty is an authorized punishment for capital crimes designated by the legislature. The prohibition against cruel or unusual punishment, and the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, shall be construed in conformity with decisions of the United States Supreme Court which interpret the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment provided in the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Any method of execution shall be allowed, unless prohibited by the United States Constitution. Methods of execution may be designated by the legislature, and a change in any method of execution may be applied retroactively. A sentence of death shall not be reduced on the basis that a method of execution is invalid. In any case in which an execution method is declared invalid, the death sentence shall remain in force until the sentence can be lawfully executed by any valid method. This section shall apply retroactively.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 3505, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. H.J.R. 951, 2001; adopted 2002.
+SECTION 18. Administrative penalties.—No administrative agency, except the Department of Military Affairs in an appropriately convened court-martial action as provided by law, shall impose a sentence of imprisonment, nor shall it impose any other penalty except as provided by law.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 19. Costs.—No person charged with crime shall be compelled to pay costs before a judgment of conviction has become final.
+SECTION 20. Treason.—Treason against the state shall consist only in levying war against it, adhering to its enemies, or giving them aid and comfort, and no person shall be convicted of treason except on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or on confession in open court.
+SECTION 21. Access to courts.—The courts shall be open to every person for redress of any injury, and justice shall be administered without sale, denial or delay.
+SECTION 22. Trial by jury.—The right of trial by jury shall be secure to all and remain inviolate. The qualifications and the number of jurors, not fewer than six, shall be fixed by law.
+SECTION 23. Right of privacy.—Every natural person has the right to be let alone and free from governmental intrusion into the person’s private life except as otherwise provided herein. This section shall not be construed to limit the public’s right of access to public records and meetings as provided by law.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 387, 1980; adopted 1980; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 24. Access to public records and meetings.—
+(a) Every person has the right to inspect or copy any public record made or received in connection with the official business of any public body, officer, or employee of the state, or persons acting on their behalf, except with respect to records exempted pursuant to this section or specifically made confidential by this Constitution. This section specifically includes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government and each agency or department created thereunder; counties, municipalities, and districts; and each constitutional officer, board, and commission, or entity created pursuant to law or this Constitution.
+(b) All meetings of any collegial public body of the executive branch of state government or of any collegial public body of a county, municipality, school district, or special district, at which official acts are to be taken or at which public business of such body is to be transacted or discussed, shall be open and noticed to the public and meetings of the legislature shall be open and noticed as provided in Article III, Section 4(e), except with respect to meetings exempted pursuant to this section or specifically closed by this Constitution.
+(c) This section shall be self-executing. The legislature, however, may provide by general law passed by a two-thirds vote of each house for the exemption of records from the requirements of subsection (a) and the exemption of meetings from the requirements of subsection (b), provided that such law shall state with specificity the public necessity justifying the exemption and shall be no broader than necessary to accomplish the stated purpose of the law. The legislature shall enact laws governing the enforcement of this section, including the maintenance, control, destruction, disposal, and disposition of records made public by this section, except that each house of the legislature may adopt rules governing the enforcement of this section in relation to records of the legislative branch. Laws enacted pursuant to this subsection shall contain only exemptions from the requirements of subsections (a) or (b) and provisions governing the enforcement of this section, and shall relate to one subject.
+(d) All laws that are in effect on July 1, 1993 that limit public access to records or meetings shall remain in force, and such laws apply to records of the legislative and judicial branches, until they are repealed. Rules of court that are in effect on the date of adoption of this section that limit access to records shall remain in effect until they are repealed.
+History.—Added, C.S. for C.S. for H.J.R.’s 1727, 863, 2035, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. S.J.R. 1284, 2002; adopted 2002.
+1SECTION 25. Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights.—By general law the legislature shall prescribe and adopt a Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights that, in clear and concise language, sets forth taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities and government’s responsibilities to deal fairly with taxpayers under the laws of this state. This section shall be effective July 1, 1993.
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 2, 1992, filed with the Secretary of State May 7, 1992; adopted 1992.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 24 by Revision No. 2 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 1992, was redesignated section 25 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 24 as contained in H.J.R.’s 1727, 863, 2035, 1992.
+SECTION 26. Claimant’s right to fair compensation.—
+(a) Article I, Section 26 is created to read “Claimant’s right to fair compensation.” In any medical liability claim involving a contingency fee, the claimant is entitled to receive no less than 70% of the first $250,000.00 in all damages received by the claimant, exclusive of reasonable and customary costs, whether received by judgment, settlement, or otherwise, and regardless of the number of defendants. The claimant is entitled to 90% of all damages in excess of $250,000.00, exclusive of reasonable and customary costs and regardless of the number of defendants. This provision is self-executing and does not require implementing legislation.
+(b) This Amendment shall take effect on the day following approval by the voters.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 8, 2003; adopted 2004.
+SECTION 27. Marriage defined.—Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State February 9, 2005; adopted 2008.
+SECTION 28. Fishing, hunting, and the taking of fish and wildlife.—Fishing, hunting, and the taking of fish and wildlife, including by the use of traditional methods, shall be preserved forever as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife. This section does not limit the authority granted to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under Section 9 of Article IV.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 1157, 2023; adopted 2024.
+ARTICLE II
+GENERAL PROVISIONS
+SECTION 1.
+ State boundaries.
+SECTION 2.
+ Seat of government.
+SECTION 3.
+ Branches of government.
+SECTION 4.
+ State seal and flag.
+SECTION 5.
+ Public officers.
+SECTION 6.
+ Enemy attack.
+SECTION 7.
+ Natural resources and scenic beauty.
+SECTION 8.
+ Ethics in government.
+SECTION 9.
+ English is the official language of Florida.
+SECTION 1. State boundaries.—
+(a) The state boundaries are: Begin at the mouth of the Perdido River, which for the purposes of this description is defined as the point where latitude 30°16'53" north and longitude 87°31'06" west intersect; thence to the point where latitude 30°17'02" north and longitude 87°31'06" west intersect; thence to the point where latitude 30°18'00" north and longitude 87°27'08" west intersect; thence to the point where the center line of the Intracoastal Canal (as the same existed on June 12, 1953) and longitude 87°27'00" west intersect; the same being in the middle of the Perdido River; thence up the middle of the Perdido River to the point where it intersects the south boundary of the State of Alabama, being also the point of intersection of the middle of the Perdido River with latitude 31°00'00" north; thence east, along the south boundary line of the State of Alabama, the same being latitude 31°00'00" north to the middle of the Chattahoochee River; thence down the middle of said river to its confluence with the Flint River; thence in a straight line to the head of the St. Marys River; thence down the middle of said river to the Atlantic Ocean; thence due east to the edge of the Gulf Stream or a distance of three geographic miles whichever is the greater distance; thence in a southerly direction along the edge of the Gulf Stream or along a line three geographic miles from the Atlantic coastline and three leagues distant from the Gulf of Mexico coastline, whichever is greater, to and through the Straits of Florida and westerly, including the Florida reefs, to a point due south of and three leagues from the southernmost point of the Marquesas Keys; thence westerly along a straight line to a point due south of and three leagues from Loggerhead Key, the westernmost of the Dry Tortugas Islands; thence westerly, northerly and easterly along the arc of a curve three leagues distant from Loggerhead Key to a point due north of Loggerhead Key; thence northeast along a straight line to a point three leagues from the coastline of Florida; thence northerly and westerly three leagues distant from the coastline to a point west of the mouth of the Perdido River three leagues from the coastline as measured on a line bearing south 0°01'00" west from the point of beginning; thence northerly along said line to the point of beginning. The State of Florida shall also include any additional territory within the United States adjacent to the Peninsula of Florida lying south of the St. Marys River, east of the Perdido River, and south of the States of Alabama and Georgia.
+(b) The coastal boundaries may be extended by statute to the limits permitted by the laws of the United States or international law.
+SECTION 2. Seat of government.—The seat of government shall be the City of Tallahassee, in Leon County, where the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, cabinet members and the supreme court shall be maintained and the sessions of the legislature shall be held; provided that, in time of invasion or grave emergency, the governor by proclamation may for the period of the emergency transfer the seat of government to another place.
+SECTION 3. Branches of government.—The powers of the state government shall be divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches. No person belonging to one branch shall exercise any powers appertaining to either of the other branches unless expressly provided herein.
+SECTION 4. State seal and flag.—The design of the great seal and flag of the state shall be prescribed by law.
+SECTION 5. Public officers.—
+(a) No person holding any office of emolument under any foreign government, or civil office of emolument under the United States or any other state, shall hold any office of honor or of emolument under the government of this state. No person shall hold at the same time more than one office under the government of the state and the counties and municipalities therein, except that a notary public or military officer may hold another office, and any officer may be a member of a constitution revision commission, taxation and budget reform commission, constitutional convention, or statutory body having only advisory powers.
+(b) Each state and county officer, before entering upon the duties of the office, shall give bond as required by law, and shall swear or affirm:
+
+“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida; that I am duly qualified to hold office under the Constitution of the state; and that I will well and faithfully perform the duties of   (title of office)   on which I am now about to enter. So help me God.”,
+
+and thereafter shall devote personal attention to the duties of the office, and continue in office until a successor qualifies.
+(c) The powers, duties, compensation and method of payment of state and county officers shall be fixed by law.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1616, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 6. Enemy attack.—In periods of emergency resulting from enemy attack the legislature shall have power to provide for prompt and temporary succession to the powers and duties of all public offices the incumbents of which may become unavailable to execute the functions of their offices, and to adopt such other measures as may be necessary and appropriate to insure the continuity of governmental operations during the emergency. In exercising these powers, the legislature may depart from other requirements of this constitution, but only to the extent necessary to meet the emergency.
+SECTION 7. Natural resources and scenic beauty.—
+(a) It shall be the policy of the state to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty. Adequate provision shall be made by law for the abatement of air and water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise and for the conservation and protection of natural resources.
+(b) Those in the Everglades Agricultural Area who cause water pollution within the Everglades Protection Area or the Everglades Agricultural Area shall be primarily responsible for paying the costs of the abatement of that pollution. For the purposes of this subsection, the terms “Everglades Protection Area” and “Everglades Agricultural Area” shall have the meanings as defined in statutes in effect on January 1, 1996.
+(c) To protect the people of Florida and their environment, drilling for exploration or extraction of oil or natural gas is prohibited on lands beneath all state waters which have not been alienated and that lie between the mean high water line and the outermost boundaries of the state’s territorial seas. This prohibition does not apply to the transportation of oil and gas products produced outside of such waters. This subsection is self-executing.
+History.—Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State March 26, 1996; adopted 1996; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 4, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 8. Ethics in government.—A public office is a public trust. The people shall have the right to secure and sustain that trust against abuse. To assure this right:
+(a) All elected constitutional officers and candidates for such offices and, as may be determined by law, other public officers, candidates, and employees shall file full and public disclosure of their financial interests.
+(b) All elected public officers and candidates for such offices shall file full and public disclosure of their campaign finances.
+(c) Any public officer or employee who breaches the public trust for private gain and any person or entity inducing such breach shall be liable to the state for all financial benefits obtained by such actions. The manner of recovery and additional damages may be provided by law.
+(d) Any public officer or employee who is convicted of a felony involving a breach of public trust shall be subject to forfeiture of rights and privileges under a public retirement system or pension plan in such manner as may be provided by law.
+(e) No member of the legislature or statewide elected officer shall personally represent another person or entity for compensation before the government body or agency of which the individual was an officer or member for a period of two years following vacation of office. No member of the legislature shall personally represent another person or entity for compensation during term of office before any state agency other than judicial tribunals. Similar restrictions on other public officers and employees may be established by law.
+(f)(1) For purposes of this subsection, the term “public officer” means a statewide elected officer, a member of the legislature, a county commissioner, a county officer pursuant to Article VIII or county charter, a school board member, a superintendent of schools, an elected municipal officer, an elected special district officer in a special district with ad valorem taxing authority, or a person serving as a secretary, an executive director, or other agency head of a department of the executive branch of state government.
+(2) A public officer shall not lobby for compensation on issues of policy, appropriations, or procurement before the federal government, the legislature, any state government body or agency, or any political subdivision of this state, during his or her term of office.
+(3) A public officer shall not lobby for compensation on issues of policy, appropriations, or procurement for a period of six years after vacation of public position, as follows:
+a. A statewide elected officer or member of the legislature shall not lobby the legislature or any state government body or agency.
+b. A person serving as a secretary, an executive director, or other agency head of a department of the executive branch of state government shall not lobby the legislature, the governor, the executive office of the governor, members of the cabinet, a department that is headed by a member of the cabinet, or his or her former department.
+c. A county commissioner, a county officer pursuant to Article VIII or county charter, a school board member, a superintendent of schools, an elected municipal officer, or an elected special district officer in a special district with ad valorem taxing authority shall not lobby his or her former agency or governing body.
+(4) This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit a public officer from carrying out the duties of his or her public office.
+(5) The legislature may enact legislation to implement this subsection, including, but not limited to, defining terms and providing penalties for violations. Any such law shall not contain provisions on any other subject.
+(g) There shall be an independent commission to conduct investigations and make public reports on all complaints concerning breach of public trust by public officers or employees not within the jurisdiction of the judicial qualifications commission.
+(h)(1) A code of ethics for all state employees and nonjudicial officers prohibiting conflict between public duty and private interests shall be prescribed by law.
+(2) A public officer or public employee shall not abuse his or her public position in order to obtain a disproportionate benefit for himself or herself; his or her spouse, children, or employer; or for any business with which he or she contracts; in which he or she is an officer, a partner, a director, or a proprietor; or in which he or she owns an interest. The Florida Commission on Ethics shall, by rule in accordance with statutory procedures governing administrative rulemaking, define the term “disproportionate benefit” and prescribe the requisite intent for finding a violation of this prohibition for purposes of enforcing this paragraph. Appropriate penalties shall be prescribed by law.
+(i) This section shall not be construed to limit disclosures and prohibitions which may be established by law to preserve the public trust and avoid conflicts between public duties and private interests.
+(j) Schedule—On the effective date of this amendment and until changed by law:
+(1) Full and public disclosure of financial interests shall mean filing with the custodian of state records by July 1 of each year a sworn statement showing net worth and identifying each asset and liability in excess of $1,000 and its value together with one of the following:
+a. A copy of the person’s most recent federal income tax return; or
+b. A sworn statement which identifies each separate source and amount of income which exceeds $1,000. The forms for such source disclosure and the rules under which they are to be filed shall be prescribed by the independent commission established in subsection (g), and such rules shall include disclosure of secondary sources of income.
+(2) Persons holding statewide elective offices shall also file disclosure of their financial interests pursuant to paragraph (1).
+(3) The independent commission provided for in subsection (g) shall mean the Florida Commission on Ethics.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 29, 1976; adopted 1976; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 9. English is the official language of Florida.—
+(a) English is the official language of the State of Florida.
+(b) The legislature shall have the power to enforce this section by appropriate legislation.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State August 8, 1988; adopted 1988.
+ARTICLE III
+LEGISLATURE
+SECTION 1.
+ Composition.
+SECTION 2.
+ Members; officers.
+SECTION 3.
+ Sessions of the legislature.
+SECTION 4.
+ Quorum and procedure.
+SECTION 5.
+ Investigations; witnesses.
+SECTION 6.
+ Laws.
+SECTION 7.
+ Passage of bills.
+SECTION 8.
+ Executive approval and veto.
+SECTION 9.
+ Effective date of laws.
+SECTION 10.
+ Special laws.
+SECTION 11.
+ Prohibited special laws.
+SECTION 12.
+ Appropriation bills.
+SECTION 13.
+ Term of office.
+SECTION 14.
+ Civil service system.
+SECTION 15.
+ Terms and qualifications of legislators.
+SECTION 16.
+ Legislative apportionment.
+SECTION 17.
+ Impeachment.
+SECTION 18.
+ Conflict of Interest.
+SECTION 19.
+ State Budgeting, Planning and Appropriations Processes.
+SECTION 20.
+ Standards for establishing congressional district boundaries.
+SECTION 21.
+ Standards for establishing legislative district boundaries.
+SECTION 1. Composition.—The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida, consisting of a senate composed of one senator elected from each senatorial district and a house of representatives composed of one member elected from each representative district.
+SECTION 2. Members; officers.—Each house shall be the sole judge of the qualifications, elections, and returns of its members, and shall biennially choose its officers, including a permanent presiding officer selected from its membership, who shall be designated in the senate as President of the Senate, and in the house as Speaker of the House of Representatives. The senate shall designate a Secretary to serve at its pleasure, and the house of representatives shall designate a Clerk to serve at its pleasure. The legislature shall appoint an auditor to serve at its pleasure who shall audit public records and perform related duties as prescribed by law or concurrent resolution.
+SECTION 3. Sessions of the legislature.—
+(a) ORGANIZATION SESSIONS. On the fourteenth day following each general election the legislature shall convene for the exclusive purpose of organization and selection of officers.
+(b) REGULAR SESSIONS. A regular session of the legislature shall convene on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each odd-numbered year, and on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each even-numbered year.
+(c) SPECIAL SESSIONS.
+(1) The governor, by proclamation stating the purpose, may convene the legislature in special session during which only such legislative business may be transacted as is within the purview of the proclamation, or of a communication from the governor, or is introduced by consent of two-thirds of the membership of each house.
+(2) A special session of the legislature may be convened as provided by law.
+(d) LENGTH OF SESSIONS. A regular session of the legislature shall not exceed sixty consecutive days, and a special session shall not exceed twenty consecutive days, unless extended beyond such limit by a three-fifths vote of each house. During such an extension no new business may be taken up in either house without the consent of two-thirds of its membership.
+(e) ADJOURNMENT. Neither house shall adjourn for more than seventy-two consecutive hours except pursuant to concurrent resolution.
+(f) ADJOURNMENT BY GOVERNOR. If, during any regular or special session, the two houses cannot agree upon a time for adjournment, the governor may adjourn the session sine die or to any date within the period authorized for such session; provided that, at least twenty-four hours before adjourning the session, and while neither house is in recess, each house shall be given formal written notice of the governor’s intention to do so, and agreement reached within that period by both houses on a time for adjournment shall prevail.
+History.—Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 380, 1989; adopted 1990; Am. S.J.R. 2606, 1994; adopted 1994; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 4. Quorum and procedure.—
+(a) A majority of the membership of each house shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the presence of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as it may prescribe. Each house shall determine its rules of procedure.
+(b) Sessions of each house shall be public; except sessions of the senate when considering appointment to or removal from public office may be closed.
+(c) Each house shall keep and publish a journal of its proceedings; and upon the request of five members present, the vote of each member voting on any question shall be entered on the journal. In any legislative committee or subcommittee, the vote of each member voting on the final passage of any legislation pending before the committee, and upon the request of any two members of the committee or subcommittee, the vote of each member on any other question, shall be recorded.
+(d) Each house may punish a member for contempt or disorderly conduct and, by a two-thirds vote of its membership, may expel a member.
+(e) The rules of procedure of each house shall provide that all legislative committee and subcommittee meetings of each house, and joint conference committee meetings, shall be open and noticed to the public. The rules of procedure of each house shall further provide that all prearranged gatherings, between more than two members of the legislature, or between the governor, the president of the senate, or the speaker of the house of representatives, the purpose of which is to agree upon formal legislative action that will be taken at a subsequent time, or at which formal legislative action is taken, regarding pending legislation or amendments, shall be reasonably open to the public. All open meetings shall be subject to order and decorum. This section shall be implemented and defined by the rules of each house, and such rules shall control admission to the floor of each legislative chamber and may, where reasonably necessary for security purposes or to protect a witness appearing before a committee, provide for the closure of committee meetings. Each house shall be the sole judge for the interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of this section.
+History.—Am. S.J.R.’s 1990, 2, 1990; adopted 1990.
+SECTION 5. Investigations; witnesses.—Each house, when in session, may compel attendance of witnesses and production of documents and other evidence upon any matter under investigation before it or any of its committees, and may punish by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding ninety days, or both, any person not a member who has been guilty of disorderly or contemptuous conduct in its presence or has refused to obey its lawful summons or to answer lawful questions. Such powers, except the power to punish, may be conferred by law upon committees when the legislature is not in session. Punishment of contempt of an interim legislative committee shall be by judicial proceedings as prescribed by law.
+SECTION 6. Laws.—Every law shall embrace but one subject and matter properly connected therewith, and the subject shall be briefly expressed in the title. No law shall be revised or amended by reference to its title only. Laws to revise or amend shall set out in full the revised or amended act, section, subsection or paragraph of a subsection. The enacting clause of every law shall read: “Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:”.
+SECTION 7. Passage of bills.—Any bill may originate in either house and after passage in one may be amended in the other. It shall be read in each house on three separate days, unless this rule is waived by two-thirds vote; provided the publication of its title in the journal of a house shall satisfy the requirement for the first reading in that house. On each reading, it shall be read by title only, unless one-third of the members present desire it read in full. On final passage, the vote of each member voting shall be entered on the journal. Passage of a bill shall require a majority vote in each house. Each bill and joint resolution passed in both houses shall be signed by the presiding officers of the respective houses and by the secretary of the senate and the clerk of the house of representatives during the session or as soon as practicable after its adjournment sine die.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 1349, 1980; adopted 1980.
+SECTION 8. Executive approval and veto.—
+(a) Every bill passed by the legislature shall be presented to the governor for approval and shall become a law if the governor approves and signs it, or fails to veto it within seven consecutive days after presentation. If during that period or on the seventh day the legislature adjourns sine die or takes a recess of more than thirty days, the governor shall have fifteen consecutive days from the date of presentation to act on the bill. In all cases except general appropriation bills, the veto shall extend to the entire bill. The governor may veto any specific appropriation in a general appropriation bill, but may not veto any qualification or restriction without also vetoing the appropriation to which it relates.
+(b) When a bill or any specific appropriation of a general appropriation bill has been vetoed, the governor shall transmit signed objections thereto to the house in which the bill originated if in session. If that house is not in session, the governor shall file them with the custodian of state records, who shall lay them before that house at its next regular or special session, whichever occurs first, and they shall be entered on its journal. If the originating house votes to re-enact a vetoed measure, whether in a regular or special session, and the other house does not consider or fails to re-enact the vetoed measure, no further consideration by either house at any subsequent session may be taken. If a vetoed measure is presented at a special session and the originating house does not consider it, the measure will be available for consideration at any intervening special session and until the end of the next regular session.
+(c) If each house shall, by a two-thirds vote, re-enact the bill or reinstate the vetoed specific appropriation of a general appropriation bill, the vote of each member voting shall be entered on the respective journals, and the bill shall become law or the specific appropriation reinstated, the veto notwithstanding.
+History.—Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 9. Effective date of laws.—Each law shall take effect on the sixtieth day after adjournment sine die of the session of the legislature in which enacted or as otherwise provided therein. If the law is passed over the veto of the governor it shall take effect on the sixtieth day after adjournment sine die of the session in which the veto is overridden, on a later date fixed in the law, or on a date fixed by resolution passed by both houses of the legislature.
+SECTION 10. Special laws.—No special law shall be passed unless notice of intention to seek enactment thereof has been published in the manner provided by general law. Such notice shall not be necessary when the law, except the provision for referendum, is conditioned to become effective only upon approval by vote of the electors of the area affected.
+SECTION 11. Prohibited special laws.—
+(a) There shall be no special law or general law of local application pertaining to:
+(1) election, jurisdiction or duties of officers, except officers of municipalities, chartered counties, special districts or local governmental agencies;
+(2) assessment or collection of taxes for state or county purposes, including extension of time therefor, relief of tax officers from due performance of their duties, and relief of their sureties from liability;
+(3) rules of evidence in any court;
+(4) punishment for crime;
+(5) petit juries, including compensation of jurors, except establishment of jury commissions;
+(6) change of civil or criminal venue;
+(7) conditions precedent to bringing any civil or criminal proceedings, or limitations of time therefor;
+(8) refund of money legally paid or remission of fines, penalties or forfeitures;
+(9) creation, enforcement, extension or impairment of liens based on private contracts, or fixing of interest rates on private contracts;
+(10) disposal of public property, including any interest therein, for private purposes;
+(11) vacation of roads;
+(12) private incorporation or grant of privilege to a private corporation;
+(13) effectuation of invalid deeds, wills or other instruments, or change in the law of descent;
+(14) change of name of any person;
+(15) divorce;
+(16) legitimation or adoption of persons;
+(17) relief of minors from legal disabilities;
+(18) transfer of any property interest of persons under legal disabilities or of estates of decedents;
+(19) hunting or fresh water fishing;
+(20) regulation of occupations which are regulated by a state agency; or
+1(21) any subject when prohibited by general law passed by a three-fifths vote of the membership of each house. Such law may be amended or repealed by like vote.
+(b) In the enactment of general laws on other subjects, political subdivisions or other governmental entities may be classified only on a basis reasonably related to the subject of the law.
+1Note.—See the following for prohibited subject matters added under the authority of this paragraph:
+
+s. 112.67, F.S. (Pertaining to protection of public employee retirement benefits).
+
+s. 121.191, F.S. (Pertaining to state-administered or supported retirement systems).
+
+s. 145.16, F.S. (Pertaining to compensation of designated county officials).
+
+s. 189.031(2), F.S. (Pertaining to independent special districts).
+
+s. 190.049, F.S. (Pertaining to the creation of independent special districts having the powers enumerated in two or more of the paragraphs of s. 190.012, F.S.).
+
+s. 215.845, F.S. (Pertaining to the maximum rate of interest on bonds).
+
+s. 298.76(1), F.S. (Pertaining to the grant of authority, power, rights, or privileges to a water control district formed pursuant to ch. 298, F.S.).
+
+s. 373.503(2)(b), F.S. (Pertaining to allocation of millage for water management purposes).
+
+s. 1011.77, F.S. (Pertaining to taxation for school purposes and the Florida Education Finance Program).
+
+s. 1013.37(5), F.S. (Pertaining to the “State Uniform Building Code for Public Educational Facilities Construction”).
+SECTION 12. Appropriation bills.—Laws making appropriations for salaries of public officers and other current expenses of the state shall contain provisions on no other subject.
+SECTION 13. Term of office.—No office shall be created the term of which shall exceed four years except as provided herein.
+SECTION 14. Civil service system.—By law there shall be created a civil service system for state employees, except those expressly exempted, and there may be created civil service systems and boards for county, district or municipal employees and for such offices thereof as are not elected or appointed by the governor, and there may be authorized such boards as are necessary to prescribe the qualifications, method of selection and tenure of such employees and officers.
+SECTION 15. Terms and qualifications of legislators.—
+(a) SENATORS. Senators shall be elected for terms of four years, those from odd-numbered districts in the years the numbers of which are multiples of four and those from even-numbered districts in even-numbered years the numbers of which are not multiples of four; except, at the election next following a reapportionment, some senators shall be elected for terms of two years when necessary to maintain staggered terms.
+(b) REPRESENTATIVES. Members of the house of representatives shall be elected for terms of two years in each even-numbered year.
+(c) QUALIFICATIONS. Each legislator shall be at least twenty-one years of age, an elector and resident of the district from which elected and shall have resided in the state for a period of two years prior to election.
+(d) ASSUMING OFFICE; VACANCIES. Members of the legislature shall take office upon election. Vacancies in legislative office shall be filled only by election as provided by law.
+SECTION 16. Legislative apportionment.—
+(a) SENATORIAL AND REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS. The legislature at its regular session in the second year following each decennial census, by joint resolution, shall apportion the state in accordance with the constitution of the state and of the United States into not less than thirty nor more than forty consecutively numbered senatorial districts of either contiguous, overlapping or identical territory, and into not less than eighty nor more than one hundred twenty consecutively numbered representative districts of either contiguous, overlapping or identical territory. Should that session adjourn without adopting such joint resolution, the governor by proclamation shall reconvene the legislature within thirty days in special apportionment session which shall not exceed thirty consecutive days, during which no other business shall be transacted, and it shall be the mandatory duty of the legislature to adopt a joint resolution of apportionment.
+(b) FAILURE OF LEGISLATURE TO APPORTION; JUDICIAL REAPPORTIONMENT. In the event a special apportionment session of the legislature finally adjourns without adopting a joint resolution of apportionment, the attorney general shall, within five days, petition the supreme court of the state to make such apportionment. No later than the sixtieth day after the filing of such petition, the supreme court shall file with the custodian of state records an order making such apportionment.
+(c) JUDICIAL REVIEW OF APPORTIONMENT. Within fifteen days after the passage of the joint resolution of apportionment, the attorney general shall petition the supreme court of the state for a declaratory judgment determining the validity of the apportionment. The supreme court, in accordance with its rules, shall permit adversary interests to present their views and, within thirty days from the filing of the petition, shall enter its judgment.
+(d) EFFECT OF JUDGMENT IN APPORTIONMENT; EXTRAORDINARY APPORTIONMENT SESSION. A judgment of the supreme court of the state determining the apportionment to be valid shall be binding upon all the citizens of the state. Should the supreme court determine that the apportionment made by the legislature is invalid, the governor by proclamation shall reconvene the legislature within five days thereafter in extraordinary apportionment session which shall not exceed fifteen days, during which the legislature shall adopt a joint resolution of apportionment conforming to the judgment of the supreme court.
+(e) EXTRAORDINARY APPORTIONMENT SESSION; REVIEW OF APPORTIONMENT. Within fifteen days after the adjournment of an extraordinary apportionment session, the attorney general shall file a petition in the supreme court of the state setting forth the apportionment resolution adopted by the legislature, or if none has been adopted reporting that fact to the court. Consideration of the validity of a joint resolution of apportionment shall be had as provided for in cases of such joint resolution adopted at a regular or special apportionment session.
+(f) JUDICIAL REAPPORTIONMENT. Should an extraordinary apportionment session fail to adopt a resolution of apportionment or should the supreme court determine that the apportionment made is invalid, the court shall, not later than sixty days after receiving the petition of the attorney general, file with the custodian of state records an order making such apportionment.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 17. Impeachment.—
+(a) The governor, lieutenant governor, members of the cabinet, justices of the supreme court, judges of district courts of appeal, judges of circuit courts, and judges of county courts shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor in office. The house of representatives by two-thirds vote shall have the power to impeach an officer. The speaker of the house of representatives shall have power at any time to appoint a committee to investigate charges against any officer subject to impeachment.
+(b) An officer impeached by the house of representatives shall be disqualified from performing any official duties until acquitted by the senate, and, unless impeached, the governor may by appointment fill the office until completion of the trial.
+(c) All impeachments by the house of representatives shall be tried by the senate. The chief justice of the supreme court, or another justice designated by the chief justice, shall preside at the trial, except in a trial of the chief justice, in which case the governor shall preside. The senate shall determine the time for the trial of any impeachment and may sit for the trial whether the house of representatives be in session or not. The time fixed for trial shall not be more than six months after the impeachment. During an impeachment trial senators shall be upon their oath or affirmation. No officer shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of the senate present. Judgment of conviction in cases of impeachment shall remove the offender from office and, in the discretion of the senate, may include disqualification to hold any office of honor, trust or profit. Conviction or acquittal shall not affect the civil or criminal responsibility of the officer.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 459, 1987; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1SECTION 18. Conflict of Interest.—A code of ethics for all state employees and nonjudicial officers prohibiting conflict between public duty and private interests shall be prescribed by law.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—This section was repealed effective January 5, 1999, by Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998. See s. 5(e), Art. XI, State Constitution, for constitutional effective date. Identical language to s. 18, Art. III, State Constitution, was enacted in s. 8(h), Art. II, State Constitution, by Revision No. 13, 1998.
+SECTION 19. State Budgeting, Planning and Appropriations Processes.—
+(a) ANNUAL BUDGETING.
+(1) General law shall prescribe the adoption of annual state budgetary and planning processes and require that detail reflecting the annualized costs of the state budget and reflecting the nonrecurring costs of the budget requests shall accompany state department and agency legislative budget requests, the governor’s recommended budget, and appropriation bills.
+(2) Unless approved by a three-fifths vote of the membership of each house, appropriations made for recurring purposes from nonrecurring general revenue funds for any fiscal year shall not exceed three percent of the total general revenue funds estimated to be available at the time such appropriation is made.
+(3) As prescribed by general law, each state department and agency shall be required to submit a legislative budget request that is based upon and that reflects the long-range financial outlook adopted by the joint legislative budget commission or that specifically explains any variance from the long-range financial outlook contained in the request.
+(4) For purposes of this section, the terms department and agency shall include the judicial branch.
+(b) APPROPRIATION BILLS FORMAT. Separate sections within the general appropriation bill shall be used for each major program area of the state budget; major program areas shall include: education enhancement “lottery” trust fund items; education (all other funds); human services; criminal justice and corrections; natural resources, environment, growth management, and transportation; general government; and judicial branch. Each major program area shall include an itemization of expenditures for: state operations; state capital outlay; aid to local governments and nonprofit organizations operations; aid to local governments and nonprofit organizations capital outlay; federal funds and the associated state matching funds; spending authorizations for operations; and spending authorizations for capital outlay. Additionally, appropriation bills passed by the legislature shall include an itemization of specific appropriations that exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) in 1992 dollars. For purposes of this subsection, “specific appropriation,” “itemization,” and “major program area” shall be defined by law. This itemization threshold shall be adjusted by general law every four years to reflect the rate of inflation or deflation as indicated in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, All Items, or successor reports as reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics or its successor. Substantive bills containing appropriations shall also be subject to the itemization requirement mandated under this provision and shall be subject to the governor’s specific appropriation veto power described in Article III, Section 8.
+(c) APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS.
+(1) No later than September 15 of each year, the joint legislative budget commission shall issue a long-range financial outlook setting out recommended fiscal strategies for the state and its departments and agencies in order to assist the legislature in making budget decisions. The long-range financial outlook must include major workload and revenue estimates. In order to implement this paragraph, the joint legislative budget commission shall use current official consensus estimates and may request the development of additional official estimates.
+(2) The joint legislative budget commission shall seek input from the public and from the executive and judicial branches when developing and recommending the long-range financial outlook.
+(3) The legislature shall prescribe by general law conditions under which limited adjustments to the budget, as recommended by the governor or the chief justice of the supreme court, may be approved without the concurrence of the full legislature.
+(d) SEVENTY-TWO HOUR PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD. All general appropriation bills shall be furnished to each member of the legislature, each member of the cabinet, the governor, and the chief justice of the supreme court at least seventy-two hours before final passage by either house of the legislature of the bill in the form that will be presented to the governor.
+(e) FINAL BUDGET REPORT. A final budget report shall be prepared as prescribed by general law. The final budget report shall be produced no later than the 120th day after the beginning of the fiscal year, and copies of the report shall be furnished to each member of the legislature, the head of each department and agency of the state, the auditor general, and the chief justice of the supreme court.
+(f) TRUST FUNDS.
+(1) No trust fund of the State of Florida or other public body may be created or re-created by law without a three-fifths vote of the membership of each house of the legislature in a separate bill for that purpose only.
+(2) State trust funds shall terminate not more than four years after the effective date of the act authorizing the initial creation of the trust fund. By law the legislature may set a shorter time period for which any trust fund is authorized.
+(3) Trust funds required by federal programs or mandates; trust funds established for bond covenants, indentures, or resolutions, whose revenues are legally pledged by the state or public body to meet debt service or other financial requirements of any debt obligations of the state or any public body; the state transportation trust fund; the trust fund containing the net annual proceeds from the Florida Education Lotteries; the Florida retirement trust fund; trust funds for institutions under the management of the Board of Governors, where such trust funds are for auxiliary enterprises and contracts, grants, and donations, as those terms are defined by general law; trust funds that serve as clearing funds or accounts for the chief financial officer or state agencies; trust funds that account for assets held by the state in a trustee capacity as an agent or fiduciary for individuals, private organizations, or other governmental units; and other trust funds authorized by this Constitution, are not subject to the requirements set forth in paragraph (2) of this subsection.
+(4) All cash balances and income of any trust funds abolished under this subsection shall be deposited into the general revenue fund.
+(g) BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND. Subject to the provisions of this subsection, an amount equal to at least 5% of the last completed fiscal year’s net revenue collections for the general revenue fund shall be retained in the budget stabilization fund. The budget stabilization fund’s principal balance shall not exceed an amount equal to 10% of the last completed fiscal year’s net revenue collections for the general revenue fund. The legislature shall provide criteria for withdrawing funds from the budget stabilization fund in a separate bill for that purpose only and only for the purpose of covering revenue shortfalls of the general revenue fund or for the purpose of providing funding for an emergency, as defined by general law. General law shall provide for the restoration of this fund. The budget stabilization fund shall be comprised of funds not otherwise obligated or committed for any purpose.
+(h) LONG-RANGE STATE PLANNING DOCUMENT AND DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY PLANNING DOCUMENT PROCESSES. General law shall provide for a long-range state planning document. The governor shall recommend to the legislature biennially any revisions to the long-range state planning document, as defined by law. General law shall require a biennial review and revision of the long-range state planning document and shall require all departments and agencies of state government to develop planning documents that identify statewide strategic goals and objectives, consistent with the long-range state planning document. The long-range state planning document and department and agency planning documents shall remain subject to review and revision by the legislature. The long-range state planning document must include projections of future needs and resources of the state which are consistent with the long-range financial outlook. The department and agency planning documents shall include a prioritized listing of planned expenditures for review and possible reduction in the event of revenue shortfalls, as defined by general law.
+(i) GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE. No later than January of 2007, and each fourth year thereafter, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor shall appoint a government efficiency task force, the membership of which shall be established by general law. The task force shall be composed of members of the legislature and representatives from the private and public sectors who shall develop recommendations for improving governmental operations and reducing costs. Staff to assist the task force in performing its duties shall be assigned by general law, and the task force may obtain assistance from the private sector. The task force shall complete its work within one year and shall submit its recommendations to the joint legislative budget commission, the governor, and the chief justice of the supreme court.
+(j) JOINT LEGISLATIVE BUDGET COMMISSION. There is created within the legislature the joint legislative budget commission composed of equal numbers of senate members appointed by the president of the senate and house members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. Each member shall serve at the pleasure of the officer who appointed the member. A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. From November of each odd-numbered year through October of each even-numbered year, the chairperson of the joint legislative budget commission shall be appointed by the president of the senate and the vice chairperson of the commission shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. From November of each even-numbered year through October of each odd-numbered year, the chairperson of the joint legislative budget commission shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the vice chairperson of the commission shall be appointed by the president of the senate. The joint legislative budget commission shall be governed by the joint rules of the senate and the house of representatives, which shall remain in effect until repealed or amended by concurrent resolution. The commission shall convene at least quarterly and shall convene at the call of the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. A majority of the commission members of each house plus one additional member from either house constitutes a quorum. Action by the commission requires a majority vote of the commission members present of each house. The commission may conduct its meetings through teleconferences or similar means. In addition to the powers and duties specified in this subsection, the joint legislative budget commission shall exercise all other powers and perform any other duties not in conflict with paragraph (c)(3) and as prescribed by general law or joint rule.
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 1, 1992, filed with the Secretary of State May 7, 1992; adopted 1992; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 2144, 2005; adopted 2006.
+SECTION 20. Standards for establishing congressional district boundaries.—In establishing congressional district boundaries:
+(a) No apportionment plan or individual district shall be drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent; and districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice; and districts shall consist of contiguous territory.
+(b) Unless compliance with the standards in this subsection conflicts with the standards in subsection 1(a) or with federal law, districts shall be as nearly equal in population as is practicable; districts shall be compact; and districts shall, where feasible, utilize existing political and geographical boundaries.
+(c) The order in which the standards within subsections 1(a) and (b) of this section are set forth shall not be read to establish any priority of one standard over the other within that subsection.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 28, 2007; adopted 2010.
+1Note.—The subsections of section 20, as it appeared in Amendment No. 6, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 28, 2007, and adopted in 2010, were designated (1)-(3); the editors redesignated them as (a)-(c) to conform to the format of the State Constitution.
+SECTION 21. Standards for establishing legislative district boundaries.—In establishing legislative district boundaries:
+(a) No apportionment plan or district shall be drawn with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or an incumbent; and districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice; and districts shall consist of contiguous territory.
+(b) Unless compliance with the standards in this subsection conflicts with the standards in subsection 1(a) or with federal law, districts shall be as nearly equal in population as is practicable; districts shall be compact; and districts shall, where feasible, utilize existing political and geographical boundaries.
+(c) The order in which the standards within subsections 1(a) and (b) of this section are set forth shall not be read to establish any priority of one standard over the other within that subsection.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 28, 2007; adopted 2010.
+1Note.—The subsections of section 21, as it appeared in Amendment No. 5, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 28, 2007, and adopted in 2010, were designated (1)-(3); the editors redesignated them as (a)-(c) to conform to the format of the State Constitution.
+ARTICLE IV
+EXECUTIVE
+SECTION 1.
+ Governor.
+SECTION 2.
+ Lieutenant governor.
+SECTION 3.
+ Succession to office of governor; acting governor.
+SECTION 4.
+ Cabinet.
+SECTION 5.
+ Election of governor, lieutenant governor and cabinet members; qualifications; terms.
+SECTION 6.
+ Executive departments.
+SECTION 7.
+ Suspensions; filling office during suspensions.
+SECTION 8.
+ Clemency.
+SECTION 9.
+ Fish and wildlife conservation commission.
+SECTION 10.
+ Attorney General.
+SECTION 11.
+ Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
+SECTION 12.
+ Department of Elderly Affairs.
+SECTION 13.
+ Revenue Shortfalls.
+SECTION 1. Governor.—
+(a) The supreme executive power shall be vested in a governor, who shall be commander-in-chief of all military forces of the state not in active service of the United States. The governor shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed, commission all officers of the state and counties, and transact all necessary business with the officers of government. The governor may require information in writing from all executive or administrative state, county or municipal officers upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. The governor shall be the chief administrative officer of the state responsible for the planning and budgeting for the state.
+(b) The governor may initiate judicial proceedings in the name of the state against any executive or administrative state, county or municipal officer to enforce compliance with any duty or restrain any unauthorized act.
+(c) The governor may request in writing the opinion of the justices of the supreme court as to the interpretation of any portion of this constitution upon any question affecting the governor’s executive powers and duties. The justices shall, subject to their rules of procedure, permit interested persons to be heard on the questions presented and shall render their written opinion not earlier than ten days from the filing and docketing of the request, unless in their judgment the delay would cause public injury.
+(d) The governor shall have power to call out the militia to preserve the public peace, execute the laws of the state, suppress insurrection, or repel invasion.
+(e) The governor shall by message at least once in each regular session inform the legislature concerning the condition of the state, propose such reorganization of the executive department as will promote efficiency and economy, and recommend measures in the public interest.
+(f) When not otherwise provided for in this constitution, the governor shall fill by appointment any vacancy in state or county office for the remainder of the term of an appointive office, and for the remainder of the term of an elective office if less than twenty-eight months, otherwise until the first Tuesday after the first Monday following the next general election.
+History.—Am. proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 1, 1992, filed with the Secretary of State May 7, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 2. Lieutenant governor.—There shall be a lieutenant governor, who shall perform such duties pertaining to the office of governor as shall be assigned by the governor, except when otherwise provided by law, and such other duties as may be prescribed by law.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 3. Succession to office of governor; acting governor.—
+(a) Upon vacancy in the office of governor, the lieutenant governor shall become governor. Further succession to the office of governor shall be prescribed by law. A successor shall serve for the remainder of the term.
+(b) Upon impeachment of the governor and until completion of trial thereof, or during the governor’s physical or mental incapacity, the lieutenant governor shall act as governor. Further succession as acting governor shall be prescribed by law. Incapacity to serve as governor may be determined by the supreme court upon due notice after docketing of a written suggestion thereof by three cabinet members, and in such case restoration of capacity shall be similarly determined after docketing of written suggestion thereof by the governor, the legislature or three cabinet members. Incapacity to serve as governor may also be established by certificate filed with the custodian of state records by the governor declaring incapacity for physical reasons to serve as governor, and in such case restoration of capacity shall be similarly established.
+History.—Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 4. Cabinet.—
+(a) There shall be a cabinet composed of an attorney general, a chief financial officer, and a commissioner of agriculture. In addition to the powers and duties specified herein, they shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as may be prescribed by law. In the event of a tie vote of the governor and cabinet, the side on which the governor voted shall be deemed to prevail.
+(b) The attorney general shall be the chief state legal officer. There is created in the office of the attorney general the position of statewide prosecutor. The statewide prosecutor shall have concurrent jurisdiction with the state attorneys to prosecute violations of criminal laws occurring or having occurred, in two or more judicial circuits as part of a related transaction, or when any such offense is affecting or has affected two or more judicial circuits as provided by general law. The statewide prosecutor shall be appointed by the attorney general from not less than three persons nominated by the judicial nominating commission for the supreme court, or as otherwise provided by general law.
+(c) The chief financial officer shall serve as the chief fiscal officer of the state, and shall settle and approve accounts against the state, and shall keep all state funds and securities.
+(d) The commissioner of agriculture shall have supervision of matters pertaining to agriculture except as otherwise provided by law.
+(e) The governor as chair, the chief financial officer, and the attorney general shall constitute the state board of administration, which shall succeed to all the power, control, and authority of the state board of administration established pursuant to Article IX, Section 16 of the Constitution of 1885, and which shall continue as a body at least for the life of Article XII, Section 9(c).
+(f) The governor as chair, the chief financial officer, the attorney general, and the commissioner of agriculture shall constitute the trustees of the internal improvement trust fund and the land acquisition trust fund as provided by law.
+(g) The governor as chair, the chief financial officer, the attorney general, and the commissioner of agriculture shall constitute the agency head of the Department of Law Enforcement. The Office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism is created within the Department of Law Enforcement. The Office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism shall provide support for prosecutors and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that investigate or analyze information relating to attempts or acts of terrorism or that prosecute terrorism, and shall perform any other duties that are provided by law.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 435, 1983; adopted 1984; Am. H.J.R. 386, 1985; adopted 1986; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 5. Election of governor, lieutenant governor and cabinet members; qualifications; terms.—
+(a) At a state-wide general election in each calendar year the number of which is even but not a multiple of four, the electors shall choose a governor and a lieutenant governor and members of the cabinet each for a term of four years beginning on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of the succeeding year. In primary elections, candidates for the office of governor may choose to run without a lieutenant governor candidate. In the general election, all candidates for the offices of governor and lieutenant governor shall form joint candidacies in a manner prescribed by law so that each voter shall cast a single vote for a candidate for governor and a candidate for lieutenant governor running together.
+(b) When elected, the governor, lieutenant governor and each cabinet member must be an elector not less than thirty years of age who has resided in the state for the preceding seven years. The attorney general must have been a member of the bar of Florida for the preceding five years. No person who has, or but for resignation would have, served as governor or acting governor for more than six years in two consecutive terms shall be elected governor for the succeeding term.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 6. Executive departments.—All functions of the executive branch of state government shall be allotted among not more than twenty-five departments, exclusive of those specifically provided for or authorized in this constitution. The administration of each department, unless otherwise provided in this constitution, shall be placed by law under the direct supervision of the governor, the lieutenant governor, the governor and cabinet, a cabinet member, or an officer or board appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the governor, except:
+(a) When provided by law, confirmation by the senate or the approval of three members of the cabinet shall be required for appointment to or removal from any designated statutory office.
+(b) Boards authorized to grant and revoke licenses to engage in regulated occupations shall be assigned to appropriate departments and their members appointed for fixed terms, subject to removal only for cause.
+SECTION 7. Suspensions; filling office during suspensions.—
+(a) By executive order stating the grounds and filed with the custodian of state records, the governor may suspend from office any state officer not subject to impeachment, any officer of the militia not in the active service of the United States, or any county officer, for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony, and may fill the office by appointment for the period of suspension. The suspended officer may at any time before removal be reinstated by the governor.
+(b) The senate may, in proceedings prescribed by law, remove from office or reinstate the suspended official and for such purpose the senate may be convened in special session by its president or by a majority of its membership.
+(c) By order of the governor any elected municipal officer indicted for crime may be suspended from office until acquitted and the office filled by appointment for the period of suspension, not to extend beyond the term, unless these powers are vested elsewhere by law or the municipal charter.
+History.—Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 8. Clemency.—
+(a) Except in cases of treason and in cases where impeachment results in conviction, the governor may, by executive order filed with the custodian of state records, suspend collection of fines and forfeitures, grant reprieves not exceeding sixty days and, with the approval of two members of the cabinet, grant full or conditional pardons, restore civil rights, commute punishment, and remit fines and forfeitures for offenses.
+(b) In cases of treason the governor may grant reprieves until adjournment of the regular session of the legislature convening next after the conviction, at which session the legislature may grant a pardon or further reprieve; otherwise the sentence shall be executed.
+(c) There may be created by law a parole and probation commission with power to supervise persons on probation and to grant paroles or conditional releases to persons under sentences for crime. The qualifications, method of selection and terms, not to exceed six years, of members of the commission shall be prescribed by law.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 9. Fish and wildlife conservation commission.—There shall be a fish and wildlife conservation commission, composed of seven members appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate for staggered terms of five years. The commission shall exercise the regulatory and executive powers of the state with respect to wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life, and shall also exercise regulatory and executive powers of the state with respect to marine life, except that all license fees for taking wild animal life, fresh water aquatic life, and marine life and penalties for violating regulations of the commission shall be prescribed by general law. The commission shall establish procedures to ensure adequate due process in the exercise of its regulatory and executive functions. The legislature may enact laws in aid of the commission, not inconsistent with this section, except that there shall be no special law or general law of local application pertaining to hunting or fishing. The commission’s exercise of executive powers in the area of planning, budgeting, personnel management, and purchasing shall be as provided by law. Revenue derived from license fees for the taking of wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life shall be appropriated to the commission by the legislature for the purposes of management, protection, and conservation of wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life. Revenue derived from license fees relating to marine life shall be appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of management, protection, and conservation of marine life as provided by law. The commission shall not be a unit of any other state agency and shall have its own staff, which includes management, research, and enforcement. Unless provided by general law, the commission shall have no authority to regulate matters relating to air and water pollution.
+History.—Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 637, 1973; adopted 1974; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 10. Attorney General.—The attorney general shall, as directed by general law, request the opinion of the justices of the supreme court as to the validity of any initiative petition circulated pursuant to Section 3 of Article XI. The justices shall, subject to their rules of procedure, permit interested persons to be heard on the questions presented and shall render their written opinion no later than April 1 of the year in which the initiative is to be submitted to the voters pursuant to Section 5 of Article XI.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 71, 1986; adopted 1986; Am. S.J.R. 2394, 2004; adopted 2004.
+SECTION 11. Department of Veterans’ Affairs.—The legislature, by general law, shall provide for a Department of Veterans’ Affairs and prescribe its duties. The head of the department is the governor and cabinet.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 290, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 12. Department of Elderly Affairs.—The legislature may create a Department of Elderly Affairs and prescribe its duties. The provisions governing the administration of the department must comply with Section 6 of Article IV of the State Constitution.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 290, 1988; adopted 1988.
+SECTION 13. Revenue Shortfalls.—In the event of revenue shortfalls, as defined by general law, the governor and cabinet may establish all necessary reductions in the state budget in order to comply with the provisions of Article VII, Section 1(d). The governor and cabinet shall implement all necessary reductions for the executive budget, the chief justice of the supreme court shall implement all necessary reductions for the judicial budget, and the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall implement all necessary reductions for the legislative budget. Budget reductions pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the provisions of Article III, Section 19(h).
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission Revision No. 1, 1992, filed with the Secretary of State May 7, 1992; adopted 1992.
+ARTICLE V
+JUDICIARY
+SECTION 1.
+ Courts.
+SECTION 2.
+ Administration; practice and procedure.
+SECTION 3.
+ Supreme court.
+SECTION 4.
+ District courts of appeal.
+SECTION 5.
+ Circuit courts.
+SECTION 6.
+ County courts.
+SECTION 7.
+ Specialized divisions.
+SECTION 8.
+ Eligibility.
+SECTION 9.
+ Determination of number of judges.
+SECTION 10.
+ Retention; election and terms.
+SECTION 11.
+ Vacancies.
+SECTION 12.
+ Discipline; removal and retirement.
+SECTION 13.
+ Ethics in the judiciary.
+SECTION 14.
+ Funding.
+SECTION 15.
+ Attorneys; admission and discipline.
+SECTION 16.
+ Clerks of the circuit courts.
+SECTION 17.
+ State attorneys.
+SECTION 18.
+ Public defenders.
+SECTION 19.
+ Judicial officers as conservators of the peace.
+SECTION 20.
+ Schedule to Article V.
+SECTION 21.
+ Judicial interpretation of statutes and rules.
+SECTION 1. Courts.—The judicial power shall be vested in a supreme court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts and county courts. No other courts may be established by the state, any political subdivision or any municipality. The legislature shall, by general law, divide the state into appellate court districts and judicial circuits following county lines. Commissions established by law, or administrative officers or bodies may be granted quasi-judicial power in matters connected with the functions of their offices. The legislature may establish by general law a civil traffic hearing officer system for the purpose of hearing civil traffic infractions. The legislature may, by general law, authorize a military court-martial to be conducted by military judges of the Florida National Guard, with direct appeal of a decision to the District Court of Appeal, First District.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. H.J.R. 1608, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 2. Administration; practice and procedure.—
+(a) The supreme court shall adopt rules for the practice and procedure in all courts including the time for seeking appellate review, the administrative supervision of all courts, the transfer to the court having jurisdiction of any proceeding when the jurisdiction of another court has been improvidently invoked, and a requirement that no cause shall be dismissed because an improper remedy has been sought. The supreme court shall adopt rules to allow the court and the district courts of appeal to submit questions relating to military law to the federal Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for an advisory opinion. Rules of court may be repealed by general law enacted by two-thirds vote of the membership of each house of the legislature.
+(b) The chief justice of the supreme court shall be chosen by a majority of the members of the court; shall be the chief administrative officer of the judicial system; and shall have the power to assign justices or judges, including consenting retired justices or judges, to temporary duty in any court for which the judge is qualified and to delegate to a chief judge of a judicial circuit the power to assign judges for duty in that circuit.
+(c) A chief judge for each district court of appeal shall be chosen by a majority of the judges thereof or, if there is no majority, by the chief justice. The chief judge shall be responsible for the administrative supervision of the court.
+(d) A chief judge in each circuit shall be chosen from among the circuit judges as provided by supreme court rule. The chief judge shall be responsible for the administrative supervision of the circuit courts and county courts in his circuit.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 3. Supreme court.—
+(a) ORGANIZATION.—The supreme court shall consist of seven justices. Of the seven justices, each appellate district shall have at least one justice elected or appointed from the district to the supreme court who is a resident of the district at the time of the original appointment or election. Five justices shall constitute a quorum. The concurrence of four justices shall be necessary to a decision. When recusals for cause would prohibit the court from convening because of the requirements of this section, judges assigned to temporary duty may be substituted for justices.
+(b) JURISDICTION.—The supreme court:
+(1) Shall hear appeals from final judgments of trial courts imposing the death penalty and from decisions of district courts of appeal declaring invalid a state statute or a provision of the state constitution.
+(2) When provided by general law, shall hear appeals from final judgments entered in proceedings for the validation of bonds or certificates of indebtedness and shall review action of statewide agencies relating to rates or service of utilities providing electric, gas, or telephone service.
+(3) May review any decision of a district court of appeal that expressly declares valid a state statute, or that expressly construes a provision of the state or federal constitution, or that expressly affects a class of constitutional or state officers, or that expressly and directly conflicts with a decision of another district court of appeal or of the supreme court on the same question of law.
+(4) May review any decision of a district court of appeal that passes upon a question certified by it to be of great public importance, or that is certified by it to be in direct conflict with a decision of another district court of appeal.
+(5) May review any order or judgment of a trial court certified by the district court of appeal in which an appeal is pending to be of great public importance, or to have a great effect on the proper administration of justice throughout the state, and certified to require immediate resolution by the supreme court.
+(6) May review a question of law certified by the Supreme Court of the United States or a United States Court of Appeals which is determinative of the cause and for which there is no controlling precedent of the supreme court of Florida.
+(7) May issue writs of prohibition to courts and all writs necessary to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction.
+(8) May issue writs of mandamus and quo warranto to state officers and state agencies.
+(9) May, or any justice may, issue writs of habeas corpus returnable before the supreme court or any justice, a district court of appeal or any judge thereof, or any circuit judge.
+(10) Shall, when requested by the attorney general pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 of Article IV, render an advisory opinion of the justices, addressing issues as provided by general law.
+(c) CLERK AND MARSHAL.—The supreme court shall appoint a clerk and a marshal who shall hold office during the pleasure of the court and perform such duties as the court directs. Their compensation shall be fixed by general law. The marshal shall have the power to execute the process of the court throughout the state, and in any county may deputize the sheriff or a deputy sheriff for such purpose.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. C.S. for S.J.R.’s 49, 81, 1976; adopted 1976; Am. S.J.R. 20-C, 1979; adopted 1980; Am. H.J.R. 71, 1986; adopted 1986; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 4. District courts of appeal.—
+(a) ORGANIZATION.—There shall be a district court of appeal serving each appellate district. Each district court of appeal shall consist of at least three judges. Three judges shall consider each case and the concurrence of two shall be necessary to a decision.
+(b) JURISDICTION.—
+(1) District courts of appeal shall have jurisdiction to hear appeals, that may be taken as a matter of right, from final judgments or orders of trial courts, including those entered on review of administrative action, not directly appealable to the supreme court or a circuit court. They may review interlocutory orders in such cases to the extent provided by rules adopted by the supreme court.
+(2) District courts of appeal shall have the power of direct review of administrative action, as prescribed by general law.
+(3) A district court of appeal or any judge thereof may issue writs of habeas corpus returnable before the court or any judge thereof or before any circuit judge within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. A district court of appeal may issue writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, quo warranto, and other writs necessary to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction. To the extent necessary to dispose of all issues in a cause properly before it, a district court of appeal may exercise any of the appellate jurisdiction of the circuit courts.
+(c) CLERKS AND MARSHALS.—Each district court of appeal shall appoint a clerk and a marshal who shall hold office during the pleasure of the court and perform such duties as the court directs. Their compensation shall be fixed by general law. The marshal shall have the power to execute the process of the court throughout the territorial jurisdiction of the court, and in any county may deputize the sheriff or a deputy sheriff for such purpose.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 5. Circuit courts.—
+(a) ORGANIZATION.—There shall be a circuit court serving each judicial circuit.
+(b) JURISDICTION.—The circuit courts shall have original jurisdiction not vested in the county courts, and jurisdiction of appeals when provided by general law. They shall have the power to issue writs of mandamus, quo warranto, certiorari, prohibition and habeas corpus, and all writs necessary or proper to the complete exercise of their jurisdiction. Jurisdiction of the circuit court shall be uniform throughout the state. They shall have the power of direct review of administrative action prescribed by general law.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 6. County courts.—
+(a) ORGANIZATION.—There shall be a county court in each county. There shall be one or more judges for each county court as prescribed by general law.
+(b) JURISDICTION.—The county courts shall exercise the jurisdiction prescribed by general law. Such jurisdiction shall be uniform throughout the state.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 7. Specialized divisions.—All courts except the supreme court may sit in divisions as may be established by general law. A circuit or county court may hold civil and criminal trials and hearings in any place within the territorial jurisdiction of the court as designated by the chief judge of the circuit.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 8. Eligibility.—No person shall be eligible for office of justice or judge of any court unless the person is an elector of the state and resides in the territorial jurisdiction of the court. No justice or judge shall serve after attaining the age of seventy-five years except upon temporary assignment. No person is eligible for the office of justice of the supreme court or judge of a district court of appeal unless the person is, and has been for the preceding ten years, a member of the bar of Florida. No person is eligible for the office of circuit judge unless the person is, and has been for the preceding five years, a member of the bar of Florida. Unless otherwise provided by general law, no person is eligible for the office of county court judge unless the person is, and has been for the preceding five years, a member of the bar of Florida. Unless otherwise provided by general law, a person shall be eligible for election or appointment to the office of county court judge in a county having a population of 40,000 or less if the person is a member in good standing of the bar of Florida.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. H.J.R. 37, 1984; adopted 1984 (effective July 1, 1985); Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 1, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 9. Determination of number of judges.—The supreme court shall establish by rule uniform criteria for the determination of the need for additional judges except supreme court justices, the necessity for decreasing the number of judges and for increasing, decreasing or redefining appellate districts and judicial circuits. If the supreme court finds that a need exists for increasing or decreasing the number of judges or increasing, decreasing or redefining appellate districts and judicial circuits, it shall, prior to the next regular session of the legislature, certify to the legislature its findings and recommendations concerning such need. Upon receipt of such certificate, the legislature, at the next regular session, shall consider the findings and recommendations and may reject the recommendations or by law implement the recommendations in whole or in part; provided the legislature may create more judicial offices than are recommended by the supreme court or may decrease the number of judicial offices by a greater number than recommended by the court only upon a finding of two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature, that such a need exists. A decrease in the number of judges shall be effective only after the expiration of a term. If the supreme court fails to make findings as provided above when need exists, the legislature may by concurrent resolution request the court to certify its findings and recommendations and upon the failure of the court to certify its findings for nine consecutive months, the legislature may, upon a finding of two-thirds of the membership of both houses of the legislature that a need exists, increase or decrease the number of judges or increase, decrease or redefine appellate districts and judicial circuits.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 10. Retention; election and terms.—
+(a) Any justice or judge may qualify for retention by a vote of the electors in the general election next preceding the expiration of the justice’s or judge’s term in the manner prescribed by law. If a justice or judge is ineligible or fails to qualify for retention, a vacancy shall exist in that office upon the expiration of the term being served by the justice or judge. When a justice or judge so qualifies, the ballot shall read substantially as follows: “Shall Justice (or Judge)   (name of justice or judge)   of the   (name of the court)   be retained in office?” If a majority of the qualified electors voting within the territorial jurisdiction of the court vote to retain, the justice or judge shall be retained for a term of six years. The term of the justice or judge retained shall commence on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January following the general election. If a majority of the qualified electors voting within the territorial jurisdiction of the court vote to not retain, a vacancy shall exist in that office upon the expiration of the term being served by the justice or judge.
+(b)(1) The election of circuit judges shall be preserved notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) unless a majority of those voting in the jurisdiction of that circuit approves a local option to select circuit judges by merit selection and retention rather than by election. The election of circuit judges shall be by a vote of the qualified electors within the territorial jurisdiction of the court.
+(2) The election of county court judges shall be preserved notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) unless a majority of those voting in the jurisdiction of that county approves a local option to select county judges by merit selection and retention rather than by election. The election of county court judges shall be by a vote of the qualified electors within the territorial jurisdiction of the court.
+(3)a. A vote to exercise a local option to select circuit court judges and county court judges by merit selection and retention rather than by election shall be held in each circuit and county at the general election in the year 2000. If a vote to exercise this local option fails in a vote of the electors, such option shall not again be put to a vote of the electors of that jurisdiction until the expiration of at least two years.
+b. After the year 2000, a circuit may initiate the local option for merit selection and retention or the election of circuit judges, whichever is applicable, by filing with the custodian of state records a petition signed by the number of electors equal to at least ten percent of the votes cast in the circuit in the last preceding election in which presidential electors were chosen.
+c. After the year 2000, a county may initiate the local option for merit selection and retention or the election of county court judges, whichever is applicable, by filing with the supervisor of elections a petition signed by the number of electors equal to at least ten percent of the votes cast in the county in the last preceding election in which presidential electors were chosen. The terms of circuit judges and judges of county courts shall be for six years.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. C.S. for S.J.R.’s 49, 81, 1976; adopted 1976; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 7 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 11. Vacancies.—
+(a) Whenever a vacancy occurs in a judicial office to which election for retention applies, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointing for a term ending on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of the year following the next general election occurring at least one year after the date of appointment, one of not fewer than three persons nor more than six persons nominated by the appropriate judicial nominating commission.
+(b) The governor shall fill each vacancy on a circuit court or on a county court, wherein the judges are elected by a majority vote of the electors, by appointing for a term ending on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of the year following the next primary and general election occurring at least one year after the date of appointment, one of not fewer than three persons nor more than six persons nominated by the appropriate judicial nominating commission. An election shall be held to fill that judicial office for the term of the office beginning at the end of the appointed term.
+(c) The nominations shall be made within thirty days from the occurrence of a vacancy unless the period is extended by the governor for a time not to exceed thirty days. The governor shall make the appointment within sixty days after the nominations have been certified to the governor.
+(d) There shall be a separate judicial nominating commission as provided by general law for the supreme court, each district court of appeal, and each judicial circuit for all trial courts within the circuit. Uniform rules of procedure shall be established by the judicial nominating commissions at each level of the court system. Such rules, or any part thereof, may be repealed by general law enacted by a majority vote of the membership of each house of the legislature, or by the supreme court, five justices concurring. Except for deliberations of the judicial nominating commissions, the proceedings of the commissions and their records shall be open to the public.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. C.S. for S.J.R.’s 49, 81, 1976; adopted 1976; Am. H.J.R. 1160, 1984; adopted 1984; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 978, 1996; adopted 1996; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 7 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 12. Discipline; removal and retirement.—
+(a) JUDICIAL QUALIFICATIONS COMMISSION.—A judicial qualifications commission is created.
+(1) There shall be a judicial qualifications commission vested with jurisdiction to investigate and recommend to the Supreme Court of Florida the removal from office of any justice or judge whose conduct, during term of office or otherwise occurring on or after November 1, 1966, (without regard to the effective date of this section) demonstrates a present unfitness to hold office, and to investigate and recommend the discipline of a justice or judge whose conduct, during term of office or otherwise occurring on or after November 1, 1966 (without regard to the effective date of this section), warrants such discipline. For purposes of this section, discipline is defined as any or all of the following: reprimand, fine, suspension with or without pay, or lawyer discipline. The commission shall have jurisdiction over justices and judges regarding allegations that misconduct occurred before or during service as a justice or judge if a complaint is made no later than one year following service as a justice or judge. The commission shall have jurisdiction regarding allegations of incapacity during service as a justice or judge. The commission shall be composed of:
+a. Two judges of district courts of appeal selected by the judges of those courts, two circuit judges selected by the judges of the circuit courts and two judges of county courts selected by the judges of those courts;
+b. Four electors who reside in the state, who are members of the bar of Florida, and who shall be chosen by the governing body of the bar of Florida; and
+c. Five electors who reside in the state, who have never held judicial office or been members of the bar of Florida, and who shall be appointed by the governor.
+(2) The members of the judicial qualifications commission shall serve staggered terms, not to exceed six years, as prescribed by general law. No member of the commission except a judge shall be eligible for state judicial office while acting as a member of the commission and for a period of two years thereafter. No member of the commission shall hold office in a political party or participate in any campaign for judicial office or hold public office; provided that a judge may campaign for judicial office and hold that office. The commission shall elect one of its members as its chairperson.
+(3) Members of the judicial qualifications commission not subject to impeachment shall be subject to removal from the commission pursuant to the provisions of Article IV, Section 7, Florida Constitution.
+(4) The commission shall adopt rules regulating its proceedings, the filling of vacancies by the appointing authorities, the disqualification of members, the rotation of members between the panels, and the temporary replacement of disqualified or incapacitated members. The commission’s rules, or any part thereof, may be repealed by general law enacted by a majority vote of the membership of each house of the legislature, or by the supreme court, five justices concurring. The commission shall have power to issue subpoenas. Until formal charges against a justice or judge are filed by the investigative panel with the clerk of the supreme court of Florida all proceedings by or before the commission shall be confidential; provided, however, upon a finding of probable cause and the filing by the investigative panel with said clerk of such formal charges against a justice or judge such charges and all further proceedings before the commission shall be public.
+(5) The commission shall have access to all information from all executive, legislative and judicial agencies, including grand juries, subject to the rules of the commission. At any time, on request of the speaker of the house of representatives or the governor, the commission shall make available all information in the possession of the commission for use in consideration of impeachment or suspension, respectively.
+(b) PANELS.—The commission shall be divided into an investigative panel and a hearing panel as established by rule of the commission. The investigative panel is vested with the jurisdiction to receive or initiate complaints, conduct investigations, dismiss complaints, and upon a vote of a simple majority of the panel submit formal charges to the hearing panel. The hearing panel is vested with the authority to receive and hear formal charges from the investigative panel and upon a two-thirds vote of the panel recommend to the supreme court the removal of a justice or judge or the involuntary retirement of a justice or judge for any permanent disability that seriously interferes with the performance of judicial duties. Upon a simple majority vote of the membership of the hearing panel, the panel may recommend to the supreme court that the justice or judge be subject to appropriate discipline.
+(c) SUPREME COURT.—The supreme court shall receive recommendations from the judicial qualifications commission’s hearing panel.
+(1) The supreme court may accept, reject, or modify in whole or in part the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the commission and it may order that the justice or judge be subjected to appropriate discipline, or be removed from office with termination of compensation for willful or persistent failure to perform judicial duties or for other conduct unbecoming a member of the judiciary demonstrating a present unfitness to hold office, or be involuntarily retired for any permanent disability that seriously interferes with the performance of judicial duties. Malafides, scienter or moral turpitude on the part of a justice or judge shall not be required for removal from office of a justice or judge whose conduct demonstrates a present unfitness to hold office. After the filing of a formal proceeding and upon request of the investigative panel, the supreme court may suspend the justice or judge from office, with or without compensation, pending final determination of the inquiry.
+(2) The supreme court may award costs to the prevailing party.
+(d) The power of removal conferred by this section shall be both alternative and cumulative to the power of impeachment.
+(e) Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this section, if the person who is the subject of proceedings by the judicial qualifications commission is a justice of the supreme court of Florida all justices of such court automatically shall be disqualified to sit as justices of such court with respect to all proceedings therein concerning such person and the supreme court for such purposes shall be composed of a panel consisting of the seven chief judges of the judicial circuits of the state of Florida most senior in tenure of judicial office as circuit judge. For purposes of determining seniority of such circuit judges in the event there be judges of equal tenure in judicial office as circuit judge the judge or judges from the lower numbered circuit or circuits shall be deemed senior. In the event any such chief circuit judge is under investigation by the judicial qualifications commission or is otherwise disqualified or unable to serve on the panel, the next most senior chief circuit judge or judges shall serve in place of such disqualified or disabled chief circuit judge.
+(f) SCHEDULE TO SECTION 12.—
+(1) Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this section, all provisions of law and rules of court in force on the effective date of this article shall continue in effect until superseded in the manner authorized by the constitution.
+(2) After this section becomes effective and until adopted by rule of the commission consistent with it:
+a. The commission shall be divided, as determined by the chairperson, into one investigative panel and one hearing panel to meet the responsibilities set forth in this section.
+b. The investigative panel shall be composed of:
+1. Four judges,
+2. Two members of the bar of Florida, and
+3. Three non-lawyers.
+c. The hearing panel shall be composed of:
+1. Two judges,
+2. Two members of the bar of Florida, and
+3. Two non-lawyers.
+d. Membership on the panels may rotate in a manner determined by the rules of the commission provided that no member shall vote as a member of the investigative and hearing panel on the same proceeding.
+e. The commission shall hire separate staff for each panel.
+f. The members of the commission shall serve for staggered terms of six years.
+g. The terms of office of the present members of the judicial qualifications commission shall expire upon the effective date of the amendments to this section approved by the legislature during the regular session of the legislature in 1996 and new members shall be appointed to serve the following staggered terms:
+1. Group I.—The terms of five members, composed of two electors as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)c. of Article V, one member of the bar of Florida as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)b. of Article V, one judge from the district courts of appeal and one circuit judge as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)a. of Article V, shall expire on December 31, 1998.
+2. Group II.—The terms of five members, composed of one elector as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)c. of Article V, two members of the bar of Florida as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)b. of Article V, one circuit judge and one county judge as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)a. of Article V shall expire on December 31, 2000.
+3. Group III.—The terms of five members, composed of two electors as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)c. of Article V, one member of the bar of Florida as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)b., one judge from the district courts of appeal and one county judge as set forth in s. 12(a)(1)a. of Article V, shall expire on December 31, 2002.
+h. An appointment to fill a vacancy of the commission shall be for the remainder of the term.
+i. Selection of members by district courts of appeal judges, circuit judges, and county court judges, shall be by no less than a majority of the members voting at the respective courts’ conferences. Selection of members by the board of governors of the bar of Florida shall be by no less than a majority of the board.
+j. The commission shall be entitled to recover the costs of investigation and prosecution, in addition to any penalty levied by the supreme court.
+k. The compensation of members and referees shall be the travel expenses or transportation and per diem allowance as provided by general law.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. H.J.R. 3911, 1974; adopted 1974; Am. H.J.R. 1709, 1975; adopted 1976; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 978, 1996; adopted 1996; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 13. Ethics in the judiciary.—
+(a) All justices and judges shall devote full time to their judicial duties. A justice or judge shall not engage in the practice of law or hold office in any political party.
+(b) A former justice or former judge shall not lobby for compensation on issues of policy, appropriations, or procurement before the legislative or executive branches of state government for a period of six years after he or she vacates his or her judicial position. The legislature may enact legislation to implement this subsection, including, but not limited to, defining terms and providing penalties for violations. Any such law shall not contain provisions on any other subject.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 14. Funding.—
+(a) All justices and judges shall be compensated only by state salaries fixed by general law. Funding for the state courts system, state attorneys’ offices, public defenders’ offices, and court-appointed counsel, except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), shall be provided from state revenues appropriated by general law.
+(b) All funding for the offices of the clerks of the circuit and county courts performing court-related functions, except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsection (c), shall be provided by adequate and appropriate filing fees for judicial proceedings and service charges and costs for performing court-related functions as required by general law. Selected salaries, costs, and expenses of the state courts system may be funded from appropriate filing fees for judicial proceedings and service charges and costs for performing court-related functions, as provided by general law. Where the requirements of either the United States Constitution or the Constitution of the State of Florida preclude the imposition of filing fees for judicial proceedings and service charges and costs for performing court-related functions sufficient to fund the court-related functions of the offices of the clerks of the circuit and county courts, the state shall provide, as determined by the legislature, adequate and appropriate supplemental funding from state revenues appropriated by general law.
+(c) No county or municipality, except as provided in this subsection, shall be required to provide any funding for the state courts system, state attorneys’ offices, public defenders’ offices, court-appointed counsel or the offices of the clerks of the circuit and county courts performing court-related functions. Counties shall be required to fund the cost of communications services, existing radio systems, existing multi-agency criminal justice information systems, and the cost of construction or lease, maintenance, utilities, and security of facilities for the trial courts, public defenders’ offices, state attorneys’ offices, and the offices of the clerks of the circuit and county courts performing court-related functions. Counties shall also pay reasonable and necessary salaries, costs, and expenses of the state courts system to meet local requirements as determined by general law.
+(d) The judiciary shall have no power to fix appropriations.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 15. Attorneys; admission and discipline.—The supreme court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to regulate the admission of persons to the practice of law and the discipline of persons admitted.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 16. Clerks of the circuit courts.—There shall be in each county a clerk of the circuit court who shall be selected pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of the constitution, the duties of the clerk of the circuit court may be divided by special or general law between two officers, one serving as clerk of court and one serving as ex officio clerk of the board of county commissioners, auditor, recorder, and custodian of all county funds. There may be a clerk of the county court if authorized by general or special law.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 17. State attorneys.—In each judicial circuit a state attorney shall be elected for a term of four years. Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, the state attorney shall be the prosecuting officer of all trial courts in that circuit and shall perform other duties prescribed by general law; provided, however, when authorized by general law, the violations of all municipal ordinances may be prosecuted by municipal prosecutors. A state attorney shall be an elector of the state and reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit; shall be and have been a member of the bar of Florida for the preceding five years; shall devote full time to the duties of the office; and shall not engage in the private practice of law. State attorneys shall appoint such assistant state attorneys as may be authorized by law.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. H.J.R. 386, 1985; adopted 1986; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 18. Public defenders.—In each judicial circuit a public defender shall be elected for a term of four years, who shall perform duties prescribed by general law. A public defender shall be an elector of the state and reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the circuit and shall be and have been a member of the Bar of Florida for the preceding five years. Public defenders shall appoint such assistant public defenders as may be authorized by law.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 19. Judicial officers as conservators of the peace.—All judicial officers in this state shall be conservators of the peace.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 20. Schedule to Article V.—
+(a) This article shall replace all of Article V of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, which shall then stand repealed.
+(b) Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this article, all provisions of law and rules of court in force on the effective date of this article shall continue in effect until superseded in the manner authorized by the constitution.
+(c) After this article becomes effective, and until changed by general law consistent with sections 1 through 19 of this article:
+(1) The supreme court shall have the jurisdiction immediately theretofore exercised by it, and it shall determine all proceedings pending before it on the effective date of this article.
+(2) The appellate districts shall be those in existence on the date of adoption of this article. There shall be a district court of appeal in each district. The district courts of appeal shall have the jurisdiction immediately theretofore exercised by the district courts of appeal and shall determine all proceedings pending before them on the effective date of this article.
+(3) Circuit courts shall have jurisdiction of appeals from county courts and municipal courts, except those appeals which may be taken directly to the supreme court; and they shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in all actions at law not cognizable by the county courts; of proceedings relating to the settlement of the estate of decedents and minors, the granting of letters testamentary, guardianship, involuntary hospitalization, the determination of incompetency, and other jurisdiction usually pertaining to courts of probate; in all cases in equity including all cases relating to juveniles; of all felonies and of all misdemeanors arising out of the same circumstances as a felony which is also charged; in all cases involving legality of any tax assessment or toll; in the action of ejectment; and in all actions involving the titles or boundaries or right of possession of real property. The circuit court may issue injunctions. There shall be judicial circuits which shall be the judicial circuits in existence on the date of adoption of this article. The chief judge of a circuit may authorize a county court judge to order emergency hospitalizations pursuant to Chapter 71-131, Laws of Florida, in the absence from the county of the circuit judge and the county court judge shall have the power to issue all temporary orders and temporary injunctions necessary or proper to the complete exercise of such jurisdiction.
+(4) County courts shall have original jurisdiction in all criminal misdemeanor cases not cognizable by the circuit courts, of all violations of municipal and county ordinances, and of all actions at law in which the matter in controversy does not exceed the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) exclusive of interest and costs, except those within the exclusive jurisdiction of the circuit courts. Judges of county courts shall be committing magistrates. The county courts shall have jurisdiction now exercised by the county judge’s courts other than that vested in the circuit court by subsection (c)(3) hereof, the jurisdiction now exercised by the county courts, the claims court, the small claims courts, the small claims magistrates courts, magistrates courts, justice of the peace courts, municipal courts and courts of chartered counties, including but not limited to the counties referred to in Article VIII, sections 9, 10, 11 and 24 of the Constitution of 1885.
+(5) Each judicial nominating commission shall be composed of the following:
+a. Three members appointed by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar from among The Florida Bar members who are actively engaged in the practice of law with offices within the territorial jurisdiction of the affected court, district or circuit;
+b. Three electors who reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the court or circuit appointed by the governor; and
+c. Three electors who reside in the territorial jurisdiction of the court or circuit and who are not members of the bar of Florida, selected and appointed by a majority vote of the other six members of the commission.
+(6) No justice or judge shall be a member of a judicial nominating commission. A member of a judicial nominating commission may hold public office other than judicial office. No member shall be eligible for appointment to state judicial office so long as that person is a member of a judicial nominating commission and for a period of two years thereafter. All acts of a judicial nominating commission shall be made with a concurrence of a majority of its members.
+(7) The members of a judicial nominating commission shall serve for a term of four years except the terms of the initial members of the judicial nominating commissions shall expire as follows:
+a. The terms of one member of category a. b. and c. in subsection (c)(5) hereof shall expire on July 1, 1974;
+b. The terms of one member of category a. b. and c. in subsection (c)(5) hereof shall expire on July 1, 1975;
+c. The terms of one member of category a. b. and c. in subsection (c)(5) hereof shall expire on July 1, 1976;
+(8) All fines and forfeitures arising from offenses tried in the county court shall be collected, and accounted for by clerk of the court, and deposited in a special trust account. All fines and forfeitures received from violations of ordinances or misdemeanors committed within a county or municipal ordinances committed within a municipality within the territorial jurisdiction of the county court shall be paid monthly to the county or municipality respectively. If any costs are assessed and collected in connection with offenses tried in county court, all court costs shall be paid into the general revenue fund of the state of Florida and such other funds as prescribed by general law.
+(9) Any municipality or county may apply to the chief judge of the circuit in which that municipality or county is situated for the county court to sit in a location suitable to the municipality or county and convenient in time and place to its citizens and police officers and upon such application said chief judge shall direct the court to sit in the location unless the chief judge shall determine the request is not justified. If the chief judge does not authorize the county court to sit in the location requested, the county or municipality may apply to the supreme court for an order directing the county court to sit in the location. Any municipality or county which so applies shall be required to provide the appropriate physical facilities in which the county court may hold court.
+(10) All courts except the supreme court may sit in divisions as may be established by local rule approved by the supreme court.
+(11) A county court judge in any county having a population of 40,000 or less according to the last decennial census, shall not be required to be a member of the bar of Florida.
+(12) Municipal prosecutors may prosecute violations of municipal ordinances.
+(13) Justice shall mean a justice elected or appointed to the supreme court and shall not include any judge assigned from any court.
+(d) When this article becomes effective:
+(1) All courts not herein authorized, except as provided by subsection (d)(4) of this section shall cease to exist and jurisdiction to conclude all pending cases and enforce all prior orders and judgments shall vest in the court that would have jurisdiction of the cause if thereafter instituted. All records of and property held by courts abolished hereby shall be transferred to the proper office of the appropriate court under this article.
+(2) Judges of the following courts, if their terms do not expire in 1973 and if they are eligible under subsection (d)(8) hereof, shall become additional judges of the circuit court for each of the counties of their respective circuits, and shall serve as such circuit judges for the remainder of the terms to which they were elected and shall be eligible for election as circuit judges thereafter. These courts are: civil court of record of Dade county, all criminal courts of record, the felony courts of record of Alachua, Leon and Volusia Counties, the courts of record of Broward, Brevard, Escambia, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota Counties, the civil and criminal court of record of Pinellas County, and county judge’s courts and separate juvenile courts in counties having a population in excess of 100,000 according to the 1970 federal census. On the effective date of this article, there shall be an additional number of positions of circuit judges equal to the number of existing circuit judges and the number of judges of the above named courts whose term expires in 1973. Elections to such offices shall take place at the same time and manner as elections to other state judicial offices in 1972 and the terms of such offices shall be for a term of six years. Unless changed pursuant to section nine of this article, the number of circuit judges presently existing and created by this subsection shall not be changed.
+(3) In all counties having a population of less than 100,000 according to the 1970 federal census and having more than one county judge on the date of the adoption of this article, there shall be the same number of judges of the county court as there are county judges existing on that date unless changed pursuant to section 9 of this article.
+(4) Municipal courts shall continue with their same jurisdiction until amended or terminated in a manner prescribed by special or general law or ordinances, or until January 3, 1977, whichever occurs first. On that date all municipal courts not previously abolished shall cease to exist. Judges of municipal courts shall remain in office and be subject to reappointment or reelection in the manner prescribed by law until said courts are terminated pursuant to the provisions of this subsection. Upon municipal courts being terminated or abolished in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, the judges thereof who are not members of the bar of Florida, shall be eligible to seek election as judges of county courts of their respective counties.
+(5) Judges, holding elective office in all other courts abolished by this article, whose terms do not expire in 1973 including judges established pursuant to Article VIII, sections 9 and 11 of the Constitution of 1885 shall serve as judges of the county court for the remainder of the term to which they were elected. Unless created pursuant to section 9, of this Article V such judicial office shall not continue to exist thereafter.
+(6) By March 21, 1972, the supreme court shall certify the need for additional circuit and county judges. The legislature in the 1972 regular session may by general law create additional offices of judge, the terms of which shall begin on the effective date of this article. Elections to such offices shall take place at the same time and manner as election to other state judicial offices in 1972.
+(7) County judges of existing county judge’s courts and justices of the peace and magistrates’ court who are not members of bar of Florida shall be eligible to seek election as county court judges of their respective counties.
+(8) No judge of a court abolished by this article shall become or be eligible to become a judge of the circuit court unless the judge has been a member of bar of Florida for the preceding five years.
+(9) The office of judges of all other courts abolished by this article shall be abolished as of the effective date of this article.
+(10) The offices of county solicitor and prosecuting attorney shall stand abolished, and all county solicitors and prosecuting attorneys holding such offices upon the effective date of this article shall become and serve as assistant state attorneys for the circuits in which their counties are situate for the remainder of their terms, with compensation not less than that received immediately before the effective date of this article.
+(e) LIMITED OPERATION OF SOME PROVISIONS.—
+(1) All justices of the supreme court, judges of the district courts of appeal and circuit judges in office upon the effective date of this article shall retain their offices for the remainder of their respective terms. All members of the judicial qualifications commission in office upon the effective date of this article shall retain their offices for the remainder of their respective terms. Each state attorney in office on the effective date of this article shall retain the office for the remainder of the term.
+(2) No justice or judge holding office immediately after this article becomes effective who held judicial office on July 1, 1957, shall be subject to retirement from judicial office because of age pursuant to section 8 of this article.
+(f) Until otherwise provided by law, the nonjudicial duties required of county judges shall be performed by the judges of the county court.
+1(g) All provisions of Article V of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, not embraced herein which are not inconsistent with this revision shall become statutes subject to modification or repeal as are other statutes.
+(h) The requirements of section 14 relative to all county court judges or any judge of a municipal court who continues to hold office pursuant to subsection (d)(4) hereof being compensated by state salaries shall not apply prior to January 3, 1977, unless otherwise provided by general law.
+(i) DELETION OF OBSOLETE SCHEDULE ITEMS.—The legislature shall have power, by concurrent resolution, to delete from this article any subsection of this section 20 including this subsection, when all events to which the subsection to be deleted is or could become applicable have occurred. A legislative determination of fact made as a basis for application of this subsection shall be subject to judicial review.
+(j) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Unless otherwise provided herein, this article shall become effective at 11:59 o’clock P.M., Eastern Standard Time, January 1, 1973.
+History.—S.J.R. 52-D, 1971; adopted 1972; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—All provisions of Art. V of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, considered as statutory law, were repealed by ch. 73-303, Laws of Florida.
+SECTION 21. Judicial interpretation of statutes and rules.—In interpreting a state statute or rule, a state court or an officer hearing an administrative action pursuant to general law may not defer to an administrative agency’s interpretation of such statute or rule, and must instead interpret such statute or rule de novo.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 1, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+ARTICLE VI
+SUFFRAGE AND ELECTIONS
+SECTION 1.
+ Regulation of elections.
+SECTION 2.
+ Electors.
+SECTION 3.
+ Oath.
+SECTION 4.
+ Disqualifications.
+SECTION 5.
+ Primary, general, and special elections.
+SECTION 6.
+ Municipal and district elections.
+SECTION 7.
+ Campaign spending limits and funding of campaigns for elective state-wide office.
+SECTION 1. Regulation of elections.—All elections by the people shall be by direct and secret vote. General elections shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast. Registration and elections shall, and political party functions may, be regulated by law; however, the requirements for a candidate with no party affiliation or for a candidate of a minor party for placement of the candidate’s name on the ballot shall be no greater than the requirements for a candidate of the party having the largest number of registered voters.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 2. Electors.—Only a citizen of the United States who is at least eighteen years of age and who is a permanent resident of the state, if registered as provided by law, shall be an elector of the county where registered.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State November 28, 2018; adopted 2020.
+SECTION 3. Oath.—Each eligible citizen upon registering shall subscribe the following: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida, and that I am qualified to register as an elector under the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida.”
+SECTION 4. Disqualifications.—
+(a) No person convicted of a felony, or adjudicated in this or any other state to be mentally incompetent, shall be qualified to vote or hold office until restoration of civil rights or removal of disability. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any disqualification from voting arising from a felony conviction shall terminate and voting rights shall be restored upon completion of all terms of sentence including parole or probation.
+(b) No person convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense shall be qualified to vote until restoration of civil rights.
+(c) No person may appear on the ballot for re-election to any of the following offices:
+(1) Florida representative,
+(2) Florida senator,
+(3) Florida Lieutenant governor,
+(4) any office of the Florida cabinet,
+(5) U.S. Representative from Florida, or
+(6) U.S. Senator from Florida
+
+if, by the end of the current term of office, the person will have served (or, but for resignation, would have served) in that office for eight consecutive years.
+History.—Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 23, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 31, 2014; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 5. Primary, general, and special elections.—
+(a) A general election shall be held in each county on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year to choose a successor to each elective state and county officer whose term will expire before the next general election and, except as provided herein, to fill each vacancy in elective office for the unexpired portion of the term. A general election may be suspended or delayed due to a state of emergency or impending emergency pursuant to general law. Special elections and referenda shall be held as provided by law.
+(b) If all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general election, all qualified electors, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary elections for that office.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 162, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 6. Municipal and district elections.—Registration and elections in municipalities shall, and in other governmental entities created by statute may, be provided by law.
+SECTION 7. Campaign spending limits and funding of campaigns for elective state-wide office.—It is the policy of this state to provide for state-wide elections in which all qualified candidates may compete effectively. A method of public financing for campaigns for state-wide office shall be established by law. Spending limits shall be established for such campaigns for candidates who use public funds in their campaigns. The legislature shall provide funding for this provision. General law implementing this paragraph shall be at least as protective of effective competition by a candidate who uses public funds as the general law in effect on January 1, 1998.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+ARTICLE VII
+FINANCE AND TAXATION
+SECTION 1.
+ Taxation; appropriations; state expenses; state revenue limitation.
+SECTION 2.
+ Taxes; rate.
+SECTION 3.
+ Taxes; exemptions.
+SECTION 4.
+ Taxation; assessments.
+SECTION 5.
+ Estate, inheritance and income taxes.
+SECTION 6.
+ Homestead exemptions.
+SECTION 7.
+ Allocation of pari-mutuel taxes.
+SECTION 8.
+ Aid to local governments.
+SECTION 9.
+ Local taxes.
+SECTION 10.
+ Pledging credit.
+SECTION 11.
+ State bonds; revenue bonds.
+SECTION 12.
+ Local bonds.
+SECTION 13.
+ Relief from illegal taxes.
+SECTION 14.
+ Bonds for pollution control and abatement and other water facilities.
+SECTION 15.
+ Revenue bonds for scholarship loans.
+SECTION 16.
+ Bonds for housing and related facilities.
+SECTION 17.
+ Bonds for acquiring transportation right-of-way or for constructing bridges.
+SECTION 18.
+ Laws requiring counties or municipalities to spend funds or limiting their ability to raise revenue or receive state tax revenue.
+SECTION 19.
+ Supermajority vote required to impose, authorize, or raise state taxes or fees.
+SECTION 1. Taxation; appropriations; state expenses; state revenue limitation.—
+(a) No tax shall be levied except in pursuance of law. No state ad valorem taxes shall be levied upon real estate or tangible personal property. All other forms of taxation shall be preempted to the state except as provided by general law.
+(b) Motor vehicles, boats, airplanes, trailers, trailer coaches and mobile homes, as defined by law, shall be subject to a license tax for their operation in the amounts and for the purposes prescribed by law, but shall not be subject to ad valorem taxes.
+(c) No money shall be drawn from the treasury except in pursuance of appropriation made by law.
+(d) Provision shall be made by law for raising sufficient revenue to defray the expenses of the state for each fiscal period.
+(e) Except as provided herein, state revenues collected for any fiscal year shall be limited to state revenues allowed under this subsection for the prior fiscal year plus an adjustment for growth. As used in this subsection, “growth” means an amount equal to the average annual rate of growth in Florida personal income over the most recent twenty quarters times the state revenues allowed under this subsection for the prior fiscal year. For the 1995-1996 fiscal year, the state revenues allowed under this subsection for the prior fiscal year shall equal the state revenues collected for the 1994-1995 fiscal year. Florida personal income shall be determined by the legislature, from information available from the United States Department of Commerce or its successor on the first day of February prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. State revenues collected for any fiscal year in excess of this limitation shall be transferred to the budget stabilization fund until the fund reaches the maximum balance specified in Section 19(g) of Article III, and thereafter shall be refunded to taxpayers as provided by general law. State revenues allowed under this subsection for any fiscal year may be increased by a two-thirds vote of the membership of each house of the legislature in a separate bill that contains no other subject and that sets forth the dollar amount by which the state revenues allowed will be increased. The vote may not be taken less than seventy-two hours after the third reading of the bill. For purposes of this subsection, “state revenues” means taxes, fees, licenses, and charges for services imposed by the legislature on individuals, businesses, or agencies outside state government. However, “state revenues” does not include: revenues that are necessary to meet the requirements set forth in documents authorizing the issuance of bonds by the state; revenues that are used to provide matching funds for the federal Medicaid program with the exception of the revenues used to support the Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund or its successor program and with the exception of state matching funds used to fund elective expansions made after July 1, 1994; proceeds from the state lottery returned as prizes; receipts of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund; balances carried forward from prior fiscal years; taxes, licenses, fees, and charges for services imposed by local, regional, or school district governing bodies; or revenue from taxes, licenses, fees, and charges for services required to be imposed by any amendment or revision to this constitution after July 1, 1994. An adjustment to the revenue limitation shall be made by general law to reflect the fiscal impact of transfers of responsibility for the funding of governmental functions between the state and other levels of government. The legislature shall, by general law, prescribe procedures necessary to administer this subsection.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 2053, 1994; adopted 1994.
+SECTION 2. Taxes; rate.—All ad valorem taxation shall be at a uniform rate within each taxing unit, except the taxes on intangible personal property may be at different rates but shall never exceed two mills on the dollar of assessed value; provided, as to any obligations secured by mortgage, deed of trust, or other lien on real estate wherever located, an intangible tax of not more than two mills on the dollar may be levied by law to be in lieu of all other intangible assessments on such obligations.
+SECTION 3. Taxes; exemptions.—
+(a) All property owned by a municipality and used exclusively by it for municipal or public purposes shall be exempt from taxation. A municipality, owning property outside the municipality, may be required by general law to make payment to the taxing unit in which the property is located. Such portions of property as are used predominantly for educational, literary, scientific, religious or charitable purposes may be exempted by general law from taxation.
+(b) There shall be exempt from taxation, cumulatively, to every head of a family residing in this state, household goods and personal effects to the value fixed by general law, not less than one thousand dollars, and to every widow or widower or person who is blind or totally and permanently disabled, property to the value fixed by general law not less than five hundred dollars.
+(c) Any county or municipality may, for the purpose of its respective tax levy and subject to the provisions of this subsection and general law, grant community and economic development ad valorem tax exemptions to new businesses and expansions of existing businesses, as defined by general law. Such an exemption may be granted only by ordinance of the county or municipality, and only after the electors of the county or municipality voting on such question in a referendum authorize the county or municipality to adopt such ordinances. An exemption so granted shall apply to improvements to real property made by or for the use of a new business and improvements to real property related to the expansion of an existing business and shall also apply to tangible personal property of such new business and tangible personal property related to the expansion of an existing business. The amount or limits of the amount of such exemption shall be specified by general law. The period of time for which such exemption may be granted to a new business or expansion of an existing business shall be determined by general law. The authority to grant such exemption shall expire ten years from the date of approval by the electors of the county or municipality, and may be renewable by referendum as provided by general law.
+(d) Any county or municipality may, for the purpose of its respective tax levy and subject to the provisions of this subsection and general law, grant historic preservation ad valorem tax exemptions to owners of historic properties. This exemption may be granted only by ordinance of the county or municipality. The amount or limits of the amount of this exemption and the requirements for eligible properties must be specified by general law. The period of time for which this exemption may be granted to a property owner shall be determined by general law.
+1(e) By general law and subject to conditions specified therein:
+(1) Twenty-five thousand dollars of the assessed value of property subject to tangible personal property tax shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation.
+(2) The assessed value of solar devices or renewable energy source devices subject to tangible personal property tax may be exempt from ad valorem taxation, subject to limitations provided by general law.
+2(f) There shall be granted an ad valorem tax exemption for real property dedicated in perpetuity for conservation purposes, including real property encumbered by perpetual conservation easements or by other perpetual conservation protections, as defined by general law.
+(g) By general law and subject to the conditions specified therein, each person who receives a homestead exemption as provided in section 6 of this article; who was a member of the United States military or military reserves, the United States Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard; and who was deployed during the preceding calendar year on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the legislature shall receive an additional exemption equal to a percentage of the taxable value of his or her homestead property. The applicable percentage shall be calculated as the number of days during the preceding calendar year the person was deployed on active duty outside the continental United States, Alaska, or Hawaii in support of military operations designated by the legislature divided by the number of days in that year.
+History.—Am. S.J.R.’s 9-E, 15-E, 1980; adopted 1980; Am. C.S. for S.J.R.’s 318, 356, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. S.J.R. 152, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. H.J.R. 969, 1997; adopted 1998; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 2-D, 2007; adopted 2008; Ams. proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision Nos. 3 and 4, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008; Am. H.J.R. 833, 2009; adopted 2010; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 193, 2016; adopted 2016.
+1Note.—Section 34, Art. XII, State Constitution, provides in part that “the amendment to subsection (e) of Section 3 of Article VII authorizing the legislature, subject to limitations set forth in general law, to exempt the assessed value of solar devices or renewable energy source devices subject to tangible personal property tax from ad valorem taxation . . . shall take effect on January 1, 2018, and shall expire on December 31, 2037. Upon expiration, this section shall be repealed and the text of subsection (e) of Section 3 of Article VII . . . shall revert to that in existence on December 31, 2017, except that any amendments to such text otherwise adopted shall be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.” Effective December 31, 2037, s. 3(e), Art. VII, State Constitution, will read:
+
+(e) By general law and subject to conditions specified therein, twenty-five thousand dollars of the assessed value of property subject to tangible personal property tax shall be exempt from ad valorem taxation.
+2Note.—This subsection, originally designated (g) by Revision No. 4 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008, was redesignated (f) by the editors to conform to the redesignation of subsections by Revision No. 3 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008.
+SECTION 4. Taxation; assessments.—By general law regulations shall be prescribed which shall secure a just valuation of all property for ad valorem taxation, provided:
+(a) Agricultural land, land producing high water recharge to Florida’s aquifers, or land used exclusively for noncommercial recreational purposes may be classified by general law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use.
+(b) As provided by general law and subject to conditions, limitations, and reasonable definitions specified therein, land used for conservation purposes shall be classified by general law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use.
+(c) Pursuant to general law tangible personal property held for sale as stock in trade and livestock may be valued for taxation at a specified percentage of its value, may be classified for tax purposes, or may be exempted from taxation.
+(d) All persons entitled to a homestead exemption under Section 6 of this Article shall have their homestead assessed at just value as of January 1 of the year following the effective date of this amendment. This assessment shall change only as provided in this subsection.
+(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed annually on January 1st of each year; but those changes in assessments shall not exceed the lower of the following:
+a. Three percent (3%) of the assessment for the prior year.
+b. The percent change in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
+(2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
+(3) After any change of ownership, as provided by general law, homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year, unless the provisions of paragraph (8) apply. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(4) New homestead property shall be assessed at just value as of January 1st of the year following the establishment of the homestead, unless the provisions of paragraph (8) apply. That assessment shall only change as provided in this subsection.
+(5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to homestead property shall be assessed as provided for by general law; provided, however, after the adjustment for any change, addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(6) In the event of a termination of homestead status, the property shall be assessed as provided by general law.
+(7) The provisions of this amendment are severable. If any of the provisions of this amendment shall be held unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of such court shall not affect or impair any remaining provisions of this amendment.
+(8)a. A person who establishes a new homestead as of January 1 and who has received a homestead exemption pursuant to Section 6 of this Article as of January 1 of any of the three years immediately preceding the establishment of the new homestead is entitled to have the new homestead assessed at less than just value. The assessed value of the newly established homestead shall be determined as follows:
+1. If the just value of the new homestead is greater than or equal to the just value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the year in which the prior homestead was abandoned, the assessed value of the new homestead shall be the just value of the new homestead minus an amount equal to the lesser of $500,000 or the difference between the just value and the assessed value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the year in which the prior homestead was abandoned. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+2. If the just value of the new homestead is less than the just value of the prior homestead as of January 1 of the year in which the prior homestead was abandoned, the assessed value of the new homestead shall be equal to the just value of the new homestead divided by the just value of the prior homestead and multiplied by the assessed value of the prior homestead. However, if the difference between the just value of the new homestead and the assessed value of the new homestead calculated pursuant to this sub-subparagraph is greater than $500,000, the assessed value of the new homestead shall be increased so that the difference between the just value and the assessed value equals $500,000. Thereafter, the homestead shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+b. By general law and subject to conditions specified therein, the legislature shall provide for application of this paragraph to property owned by more than one person.
+(e) The legislature may, by general law, for assessment purposes and subject to the provisions of this subsection, allow counties and municipalities to authorize by ordinance that historic property may be assessed solely on the basis of character or use. Such character or use assessment shall apply only to the jurisdiction adopting the ordinance. The requirements for eligible properties must be specified by general law.
+(f) A county may, in the manner prescribed by general law, provide for a reduction in the assessed value of homestead property to the extent of any increase in the assessed value of that property which results from the construction or reconstruction of the property for the purpose of providing living quarters for one or more natural or adoptive grandparents or parents of the owner of the property or of the owner’s spouse if at least one of the grandparents or parents for whom the living quarters are provided is 62 years of age or older. Such a reduction may not exceed the lesser of the following:
+(1) The increase in assessed value resulting from construction or reconstruction of the property.
+(2) Twenty percent of the total assessed value of the property as improved.
+(g) For all levies other than school district levies, assessments of residential real property, as defined by general law, which contains nine units or fewer and which is not subject to the assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a) through (d) shall change only as provided in this subsection.
+(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but those changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the assessment for the prior year.
+(2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
+(3) After a change of ownership or control, as defined by general law, including any change of ownership of a legal entity that owns the property, such property shall be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(4) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to such property shall be assessed as provided for by general law; however, after the adjustment for any change, addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(h) For all levies other than school district levies, assessments of real property that is not subject to the assessment limitations set forth in subsections (a) through (d) and (g) shall change only as provided in this subsection.
+(1) Assessments subject to this subsection shall be changed annually on the date of assessment provided by law; but those changes in assessments shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the assessment for the prior year.
+(2) No assessment shall exceed just value.
+(3) The legislature must provide that such property shall be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a qualifying improvement, as defined by general law, is made to such property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(4) The legislature may provide that such property shall be assessed at just value as of the next assessment date after a change of ownership or control, as defined by general law, including any change of ownership of the legal entity that owns the property. Thereafter, such property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+(5) Changes, additions, reductions, or improvements to such property shall be assessed as provided for by general law; however, after the adjustment for any change, addition, reduction, or improvement, the property shall be assessed as provided in this subsection.
+1(i) The legislature, by general law and subject to conditions specified therein, may prohibit the consideration of the following in the determination of the assessed value of real property:
+(1) Any change or improvement to real property used for residential purposes made to improve the property’s resistance to wind damage.
+(2) The installation of a solar or renewable energy source device.
+2(j) 
+(1) The assessment of the following working waterfront properties shall be based upon the current use of the property:
+a. Land used predominantly for commercial fishing purposes.
+b. Land that is accessible to the public and used for vessel launches into waters that are navigable.
+c. Marinas and drystacks that are open to the public.
+d. Water-dependent marine manufacturing facilities, commercial fishing facilities, and marine vessel construction and repair facilities and their support activities.
+(2) The assessment benefit provided by this subsection is subject to conditions and limitations and reasonable definitions as specified by the legislature by general law.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 12-E, 1980; adopted 1980; Am. H.J.R. 214, 1987; adopted 1988; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State August 3, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. H.J.R. 969, 1997; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 317, 2002; adopted 2002; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 2-D, 2007; adopted 2008; Ams. Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision Nos. 3, 4, and 6, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 193, 2016; adopted 2016; Am. H.J.R. 369, 2020; adopted 2020.
+1Note.—
+
+A. This subsection, originally designated (h) by Revision No. 3 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008, was redesignated (i) by the editors to conform to the redesignation of subsections by Revision No. 4 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008.
+
+B. Section 34, Art. XII, State Constitution, provides in part that “the amendment to subsection (i) of Section 4 of Article VII authorizing the legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of the installation of a solar device or a renewable energy source device in determining the assessed value of real property for the purpose of ad valorem taxation shall take effect on January 1, 2018, and shall expire on December 31, 2037. Upon expiration, this section shall be repealed and the text of . . . subsection (i) of Section 4 of Article VII shall revert to that in existence on December 31, 2017, except that any amendments to such text otherwise adopted shall be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.” Effective December 31, 2037, s. 4(i), Art. VII, State Constitution, will read:
+
+(i) The legislature, by general law and subject to conditions specified therein, may prohibit the consideration of the following in the determination of the assessed value of real property used for residential purposes:
+
+(1) Any change or improvement made for the purpose of improving the property’s resistance to wind damage.
+
+(2) The installation of a renewable energy source device.
+2Note.—This subsection, originally designated (h) by Revision No. 6 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008, was redesignated (j) by the editors to conform to the redesignation of subsections by Revision No. 4 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008, and the creation of a new (h) by Revision No. 3 of the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, 2008.
+SECTION 5. Estate, inheritance and income taxes.—
+(a) NATURAL PERSONS. No tax upon estates or inheritances or upon the income of natural persons who are residents or citizens of the state shall be levied by the state, or under its authority, in excess of the aggregate of amounts which may be allowed to be credited upon or deducted from any similar tax levied by the United States or any state.
+(b) OTHERS. No tax upon the income of residents and citizens other than natural persons shall be levied by the state, or under its authority, in excess of 5% of net income, as defined by law, or at such greater rate as is authorized by a three-fifths (3/5) vote of the membership of each house of the legislature or as will provide for the state the maximum amount which may be allowed to be credited against income taxes levied by the United States and other states. There shall be exempt from taxation not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) of the excess of net income subject to tax over the maximum amount allowed to be credited against income taxes levied by the United States and other states.
+(c) EFFECTIVE DATE. This section shall become effective immediately upon approval by the electors of Florida.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 7-B, 1971; adopted 1971.
+SECTION 6. Homestead exemptions.—
+(a)(1) Every person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, shall be exempt from taxation thereon, except assessments for special benefits, as follows:
+a. Up to the assessed valuation of twenty-five thousand dollars; and
+b. For all levies other than school district levies, on the assessed valuation greater than fifty thousand dollars and up to seventy-five thousand dollars,
+
+upon establishment of right thereto in the manner prescribed by law. The real estate may be held by legal or equitable title, by the entireties, jointly, in common, as a condominium, or indirectly by stock ownership or membership representing the owner’s or member’s proprietary interest in a corporation owning a fee or a leasehold initially in excess of ninety-eight years. The exemption shall not apply with respect to any assessment roll until such roll is first determined to be in compliance with the provisions of section 4 by a state agency designated by general law. This exemption is repealed on the effective date of any amendment to this Article which provides for the assessment of homestead property at less than just value.
+(2) The twenty-five thousand dollar amount of assessed valuation exempt from taxation provided in subparagraph (a)(1)b. shall be adjusted annually on January 1 of each year for inflation using the percent change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, if such percent change is positive.
+(3) The amount of assessed valuation exempt from taxation for which every person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another person legally or naturally dependent upon the owner, is eligible, and which applies solely to levies other than school district levies, that is added to this constitution after January 1, 2025, shall be adjusted annually on January 1 of each year for inflation using the percent change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, U.S. City Average, all items 1967=100, or successor reports for the preceding calendar year as initially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, if such percent change is positive, beginning the year following the effective date of such exemption.
+(b) Not more than one exemption shall be allowed any individual or family unit or with respect to any residential unit. No exemption shall exceed the value of the real estate assessable to the owner or, in case of ownership through stock or membership in a corporation, the value of the proportion which the interest in the corporation bears to the assessed value of the property.
+(c) By general law and subject to conditions specified therein, the Legislature may provide to renters, who are permanent residents, ad valorem tax relief on all ad valorem tax levies. Such ad valorem tax relief shall be in the form and amount established by general law.
+(d) The legislature may, by general law, allow counties or municipalities, for the purpose of their respective tax levies and subject to the provisions of general law, to grant either or both of the following additional homestead tax exemptions:
+(1) An exemption not exceeding fifty thousand dollars to a person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, who has attained age sixty-five, and whose household income, as defined by general law, does not exceed twenty thousand dollars; or
+(2) An exemption equal to the assessed value of the property to a person who has the legal or equitable title to real estate with a just value less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, as determined in the first tax year that the owner applies and is eligible for the exemption, and who has maintained thereon the permanent residence of the owner for not less than twenty-five years, who has attained age sixty-five, and whose household income does not exceed the income limitation prescribed in paragraph (1).
+
+The general law must allow counties and municipalities to grant these additional exemptions, within the limits prescribed in this subsection, by ordinance adopted in the manner prescribed by general law, and must provide for the periodic adjustment of the income limitation prescribed in this subsection for changes in the cost of living.
+(e)(1) Each veteran who is age 65 or older who is partially or totally permanently disabled shall receive a discount from the amount of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead property the veteran owns and resides in if the disability was combat related and the veteran was honorably discharged upon separation from military service. The discount shall be in a percentage equal to the percentage of the veteran’s permanent, service-connected disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. To qualify for the discount granted by this paragraph, an applicant must submit to the county property appraiser, by March 1, an official letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs stating the percentage of the veteran’s service-connected disability and such evidence that reasonably identifies the disability as combat related and a copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge. If the property appraiser denies the request for a discount, the appraiser must notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the denial, and the veteran may reapply. The Legislature may, by general law, waive the annual application requirement in subsequent years.
+(2) If a veteran who receives the discount described in paragraph (1) predeceases his or her spouse, and if, upon the death of the veteran, the surviving spouse holds the legal or beneficial title to the homestead property and permanently resides thereon, the discount carries over to the surviving spouse until he or she remarries or sells or otherwise disposes of the homestead property. If the surviving spouse sells or otherwise disposes of the property, a discount not to exceed the dollar amount granted from the most recent ad valorem tax roll may be transferred to the surviving spouse’s new homestead property, if used as his or her permanent residence and he or she has not remarried.
+(3) This subsection is self-executing and does not require implementing legislation.
+(f) By general law and subject to conditions and limitations specified therein, the Legislature may provide ad valorem tax relief equal to the total amount or a portion of the ad valorem tax otherwise owed on homestead property to:
+(1) The surviving spouse of a veteran who died from service-connected causes while on active duty as a member of the United States Armed Forces.
+(2) The surviving spouse of a first responder who died in the line of duty.
+(3) A first responder who is totally and permanently disabled as a result of an injury or injuries sustained in the line of duty. Causal connection between a disability and service in the line of duty shall not be presumed but must be determined as provided by general law. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “disability” does not include a chronic condition or chronic disease, unless the injury sustained in the line of duty was the sole cause of the chronic condition or chronic disease.
+
+As used in this subsection and as further defined by general law, the term “first responder” means a law enforcement officer, a correctional officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical technician, or a paramedic, and the term “in the line of duty” means arising out of and in the actual performance of duty required by employment as a first responder.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 1-B, 1979; adopted 1980; Am. S.J.R. 4-E, 1980; adopted 1980; Am. H.J.R. 3151, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. H.J.R. 353, 2006; adopted 2006; Am. H.J.R. 631, 2006; adopted 2006; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 2-D, 2007; adopted 2008; Am. S.J.R. 592, 2011; adopted 2012; Am. H.J.R. 93, 2012; adopted 2012; Am. H.J.R. 169, 2012; adopted 2012; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 275, 2016; adopted 2016; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 1009, 2016; adopted 2016; Am. H.J.R. 877, 2020; adopted 2020; Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 7017, 2024; adopted 2024.
+SECTION 7. Allocation of pari-mutuel taxes.—Taxes upon the operation of pari-mutuel pools may be preempted to the state or allocated in whole or in part to the counties. When allocated to the counties, the distribution shall be in equal amounts to the several counties.
+SECTION 8. Aid to local governments.—State funds may be appropriated to the several counties, school districts, municipalities or special districts upon such conditions as may be provided by general law. These conditions may include the use of relative ad valorem assessment levels determined by a state agency designated by general law.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 4-E, 1980; adopted 1980.
+SECTION 9. Local taxes.—
+(a) Counties, school districts, and municipalities shall, and special districts may, be authorized by law to levy ad valorem taxes and may be authorized by general law to levy other taxes, for their respective purposes, except ad valorem taxes on intangible personal property and taxes prohibited by this constitution.
+(b) Ad valorem taxes, exclusive of taxes levied for the payment of bonds and taxes levied for periods not longer than two years when authorized by vote of the electors who are the owners of freeholds therein not wholly exempt from taxation, shall not be levied in excess of the following millages upon the assessed value of real estate and tangible personal property: for all county purposes, ten mills; for all municipal purposes, ten mills; for all school purposes, ten mills; for water management purposes for the northwest portion of the state lying west of the line between ranges two and three east, 0.05 mill; for water management purposes for the remaining portions of the state, 1.0 mill; and for all other special districts a millage authorized by law approved by vote of the electors who are owners of freeholds therein not wholly exempt from taxation. A county furnishing municipal services may, to the extent authorized by law, levy additional taxes within the limits fixed for municipal purposes.
+History.—Am. S.J.R. 1061, 1975; adopted 1976.
+SECTION 10. Pledging credit.—Neither the state nor any county, school district, municipality, special district, or agency of any of them, shall become a joint owner with, or stockholder of, or give, lend or use its taxing power or credit to aid any corporation, association, partnership or person; but this shall not prohibit laws authorizing:
+(a) the investment of public trust funds;
+(b) the investment of other public funds in obligations of, or insured by, the United States or any of its instrumentalities;
+(c) the issuance and sale by any county, municipality, special district or other local governmental body of (1) revenue bonds to finance or refinance the cost of capital projects for airports or port facilities, or (2) revenue bonds to finance or refinance the cost of capital projects for industrial or manufacturing plants to the extent that the interest thereon is exempt from income taxes under the then existing laws of the United States, when, in either case, the revenue bonds are payable solely from revenue derived from the sale, operation or leasing of the projects. If any project so financed, or any part thereof, is occupied or operated by any private corporation, association, partnership or person pursuant to contract or lease with the issuing body, the property interest created by such contract or lease shall be subject to taxation to the same extent as other privately owned property.
+(d) a municipality, county, special district, or agency of any of them, being a joint owner of, giving, or lending or using its taxing power or credit for the joint ownership, construction and operation of electrical energy generating or transmission facilities with any corporation, association, partnership or person.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1424, 1973; adopted 1974.
+SECTION 11. State bonds; revenue bonds.—
+(a) State bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state may be issued only to finance or refinance the cost of state fixed capital outlay projects authorized by law, and purposes incidental thereto, upon approval by a vote of the electors; provided state bonds issued pursuant to this subsection may be refunded without a vote of the electors at a lower net average interest cost rate. The total outstanding principal of state bonds issued pursuant to this subsection shall never exceed fifty percent of the total tax revenues of the state for the two preceding fiscal years, excluding any tax revenues held in trust under the provisions of this constitution.
+(b) Moneys sufficient to pay debt service on state bonds as the same becomes due shall be appropriated by law.
+(c) Any state bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state issued under this section or any other section of this constitution may be combined for the purposes of sale.
+(d) Revenue bonds may be issued by the state or its agencies without a vote of the electors to finance or refinance the cost of state fixed capital outlay projects authorized by law, and purposes incidental thereto, and shall be payable solely from funds derived directly from sources other than state tax revenues.
+(e) Bonds pledging all or part of a dedicated state tax revenue may be issued by the state in the manner provided by general law to finance or refinance the acquisition and improvement of land, water areas, and related property interests and resources for the purposes of conservation, outdoor recreation, water resource development, restoration of natural systems, and historic preservation.
+(f) Each project, building, or facility to be financed or refinanced with revenue bonds issued under this section shall first be approved by the Legislature by an act relating to appropriations or by general law.
+History.—Am. C.S. for C.S. for S.J.R. 612, 1984; adopted 1984; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 12. Local bonds.—Counties, school districts, municipalities, special districts and local governmental bodies with taxing powers may issue bonds, certificates of indebtedness or any form of tax anticipation certificates, payable from ad valorem taxation and maturing more than twelve months after issuance only:
+(a) to finance or refinance capital projects authorized by law and only when approved by vote of the electors who are owners of freeholds therein not wholly exempt from taxation; or
+(b) to refund outstanding bonds and interest and redemption premium thereon at a lower net average interest cost rate.
+SECTION 13. Relief from illegal taxes.—Until payment of all taxes which have been legally assessed upon the property of the same owner, no court shall grant relief from the payment of any tax that may be illegal or illegally assessed.
+SECTION 14. Bonds for pollution control and abatement and other water facilities.—
+(a) When authorized by law, state bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state may be issued without an election to finance the construction of air and water pollution control and abatement and solid waste disposal facilities and other water facilities authorized by general law (herein referred to as “facilities”) to be operated by any municipality, county, district or authority, or any agency thereof (herein referred to as “local governmental agencies”), or by any agency of the State of Florida. Such bonds shall be secured by a pledge of and shall be payable primarily from all or any part of revenues to be derived from operation of such facilities, special assessments, rentals to be received under lease-purchase agreements herein provided for, any other revenues that may be legally available for such purpose, including revenues from other facilities, or any combination thereof (herein collectively referred to as “pledged revenues”), and shall be additionally secured by the full faith and credit of the State of Florida.
+(b) No such bonds shall be issued unless a state fiscal agency, created by law, has made a determination that in no state fiscal year will the debt service requirements of the bonds proposed to be issued and all other bonds secured by the pledged revenues exceed seventy-five per cent of the pledged revenues.
+(c) The state may lease any of such facilities to any local governmental agency, under lease-purchase agreements for such periods and under such other terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed upon. The local governmental agencies may pledge the revenues derived from such leased facilities or any other available funds for the payment of rentals thereunder; and, in addition, the full faith and credit and taxing power of such local governmental agencies may be pledged for the payment of such rentals without any election of freeholder electors or qualified electors.
+(d) The state may also issue such bonds for the purpose of loaning money to local governmental agencies, for the construction of such facilities to be owned or operated by any of such local governmental agencies. Such loans shall bear interest at not more than one-half of one per cent per annum greater than the last preceding issue of state bonds pursuant to this section, shall be secured by the pledged revenues, and may be additionally secured by the full faith and credit of the local governmental agencies.
+(e) The total outstanding principal of state bonds issued pursuant to this section 14 shall never exceed fifty per cent of the total tax revenues of the state for the two preceding fiscal years.
+History.—C.S. for H.J.R.’s 3853, 4040, 1970; adopted 1970; Am. H.J.R. 1471, 1980; adopted 1980.
+SECTION 15. Revenue bonds for scholarship loans.—
+(a) When authorized by law, revenue bonds may be issued to establish a fund to make loans to students determined eligible as prescribed by law and who have been admitted to attend any public or private institutions of higher learning, junior colleges, health related training institutions, or vocational training centers, which are recognized or accredited under terms and conditions prescribed by law. Revenue bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be secured by a pledge of and shall be payable primarily from payments of interest, principal, and handling charges to such fund from the recipients of the loans and, if authorized by law, may be additionally secured by student fees and by any other moneys in such fund. There shall be established from the proceeds of each issue of revenue bonds a reserve account in an amount equal to and sufficient to pay the greatest amount of principal, interest, and handling charges to become due on such issue in any ensuing state fiscal year.
+(b) Interest moneys in the fund established pursuant to this section, not required in any fiscal year for payment of debt service on then outstanding revenue bonds or for maintenance of the reserve account, may be used for educational loans to students determined to be eligible therefor in the manner provided by law, or for such other related purposes as may be provided by law.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 46-D, 1971; adopted 1972.
+SECTION 16. Bonds for housing and related facilities.—
+(a) When authorized by law, revenue bonds may be issued without an election to finance or refinance housing and related facilities in Florida, herein referred to as “facilities.”
+(b) The bonds shall be secured by a pledge of and shall be payable primarily from all or any part of revenues to be derived from the financing, operation or sale of such facilities, mortgage or loan payments, and any other revenues or assets that may be legally available for such purposes derived from sources other than ad valorem taxation, including revenues from other facilities, or any combination thereof, herein collectively referred to as “pledged revenues,” provided that in no event shall the full faith and credit of the state be pledged to secure such revenue bonds.
+(c) No bonds shall be issued unless a state fiscal agency, created by law, has made a determination that in no state fiscal year will the debt service requirements of the bonds proposed to be issued and all other bonds secured by the same pledged revenues exceed the pledged revenues available for payment of such debt service requirements, as defined by law.
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 6-E, 1980; adopted 1980.
+SECTION 17. Bonds for acquiring transportation right-of-way or for constructing bridges.—
+(a) When authorized by law, state bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state may be issued, without a vote of the electors, to finance or refinance the cost of acquiring real property or the rights to real property for state roads as defined by law, or to finance or refinance the cost of state bridge construction, and purposes incidental to such property acquisition or state bridge construction.
+(b) Bonds issued under this section shall be secured by a pledge of and shall be payable primarily from motor fuel or special fuel taxes, except those defined in Section 9(c) of Article XII, as provided by law, and shall additionally be secured by the full faith and credit of the state.
+(c) No bonds shall be issued under this section unless a state fiscal agency, created by law, has made a determination that in no state fiscal year will the debt service requirements of the bonds proposed to be issued and all other bonds secured by the same pledged revenues exceed ninety percent of the pledged revenues available for payment of such debt service requirements, as defined by law. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “pledged revenues” means all revenues pledged to the payment of debt service, excluding any pledge of the full faith and credit of the state.
+History.—Added, C.S. for C.S. for S.J.R. 391, 1988; adopted 1988.
+SECTION 18. Laws requiring counties or municipalities to spend funds or limiting their ability to raise revenue or receive state tax revenue.—
+(a) No county or municipality shall be bound by any general law requiring such county or municipality to spend funds or to take an action requiring the expenditure of funds unless the legislature has determined that such law fulfills an important state interest and unless: funds have been appropriated that have been estimated at the time of enactment to be sufficient to fund such expenditure; the legislature authorizes or has authorized a county or municipality to enact a funding source not available for such county or municipality on February 1, 1989, that can be used to generate the amount of funds estimated to be sufficient to fund such expenditure by a simple majority vote of the governing body of such county or municipality; the law requiring such expenditure is approved by two-thirds of the membership in each house of the legislature; the expenditure is required to comply with a law that applies to all persons similarly situated, including the state and local governments; or the law is either required to comply with a federal requirement or required for eligibility for a federal entitlement, which federal requirement specifically contemplates actions by counties or municipalities for compliance.
+(b) Except upon approval of each house of the legislature by two-thirds of the membership, the legislature may not enact, amend, or repeal any general law if the anticipated effect of doing so would be to reduce the authority that municipalities or counties have to raise revenues in the aggregate, as such authority exists on February 1, 1989.
+(c) Except upon approval of each house of the legislature by two-thirds of the membership, the legislature may not enact, amend, or repeal any general law if the anticipated effect of doing so would be to reduce the percentage of a state tax shared with counties and municipalities as an aggregate on February 1, 1989. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to enhancements enacted after February 1, 1989, to state tax sources, or during a fiscal emergency declared in a written joint proclamation issued by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, or where the legislature provides additional state-shared revenues which are anticipated to be sufficient to replace the anticipated aggregate loss of state-shared revenues resulting from the reduction of the percentage of the state tax shared with counties and municipalities, which source of replacement revenues shall be subject to the same requirements for repeal or modification as provided herein for a state-shared tax source existing on February 1, 1989.
+(d) Laws adopted to require funding of pension benefits existing on the effective date of this section, criminal laws, election laws, the general appropriations act, special appropriations acts, laws reauthorizing but not expanding then-existing statutory authority, laws having insignificant fiscal impact, and laws creating, modifying, or repealing noncriminal infractions, are exempt from the requirements of this section.
+(e) The legislature may enact laws to assist in the implementation and enforcement of this section.
+History.—Added, C.S. for C.S. for C.S. for C.S. for H.J.R.’s 139, 40, 1989; adopted 1990.
+SECTION 19. Supermajority vote required to impose, authorize, or raise state taxes or fees.—
+(a) SUPERMAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED TO IMPOSE OR AUTHORIZE NEW STATE TAX OR FEE. No new state tax or fee may be imposed or authorized by the legislature except through legislation approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature and presented to the Governor for approval pursuant to Article III, Section 8.
+(b) SUPERMAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED TO RAISE STATE TAXES OR FEES. No state tax or fee may be raised by the legislature except through legislation approved by two-thirds of the membership of each house of the legislature and presented to the Governor for approval pursuant to Article III, Section 8.
+(c) APPLICABILITY. This section does not authorize the imposition of any state tax or fee otherwise prohibited by this Constitution, and does not apply to any tax or fee imposed by, or authorized to be imposed by, a county, municipality, school board, or special district.
+(d) DEFINITIONS. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
+(1) “Fee” means any charge or payment required by law, including any fee for service, fee or cost for licenses, and charge for service.
+(2) “Raise” means:
+a. To increase or authorize an increase in the rate of a state tax or fee imposed on a percentage or per mill basis;
+b. To increase or authorize an increase in the amount of a state tax or fee imposed on a flat or fixed amount basis; or
+c. To decrease or eliminate a state tax or fee exemption or credit.
+(e) SINGLE-SUBJECT. A state tax or fee imposed, authorized, or raised under this section must be contained in a separate bill that contains no other subject.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 7001, 2018; adopted 2018.
+ARTICLE VIII
+LOCAL GOVERNMENT
+SECTION 1.
+ Counties.
+SECTION 2.
+ Municipalities.
+SECTION 3.
+ Consolidation.
+SECTION 4.
+ Transfer of powers.
+SECTION 5.
+ Local option.
+SECTION 6.
+ Schedule to Article VIII.
+SECTION 1. Counties.—
+(a) POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. The state shall be divided by law into political subdivisions called counties. Counties may be created, abolished or changed by law, with provision for payment or apportionment of the public debt.
+(b) COUNTY FUNDS. The care, custody and method of disbursing county funds shall be provided by general law.
+(c) GOVERNMENT. Pursuant to general or special law, a county government may be established by charter which shall be adopted, amended or repealed only upon vote of the electors of the county in a special election called for that purpose.
+(d) COUNTY OFFICERS. There shall be elected by the electors of each county, for terms of four years, a sheriff, a tax collector, a property appraiser, a supervisor of elections, and a clerk of the circuit court. Unless otherwise provided by special law approved by vote of the electors or pursuant to Article V, section 16, the clerk of the circuit court shall be ex officio clerk of the board of county commissioners, auditor, recorder and custodian of all county funds. Notwithstanding subsection 6(e) of this article, a county charter may not abolish the office of a sheriff, a tax collector, a property appraiser, a supervisor of elections, or a clerk of the circuit court; transfer the duties of those officers to another officer or office; change the length of the four-year term of office; or establish any manner of selection other than by election by the electors of the county.
+(e) COMMISSIONERS. Except when otherwise provided by county charter, the governing body of each county shall be a board of county commissioners composed of five or seven members serving staggered terms of four years. After each decennial census the board of county commissioners shall divide the county into districts of contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable. One commissioner residing in each district shall be elected as provided by law.
+(f) NON-CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties not operating under county charters shall have such power of self-government as is provided by general or special law. The board of county commissioners of a county not operating under a charter may enact, in a manner prescribed by general law, county ordinances not inconsistent with general or special law, but an ordinance in conflict with a municipal ordinance shall not be effective within the municipality to the extent of such conflict.
+(g) CHARTER GOVERNMENT. Counties operating under county charters shall have all powers of local self-government not inconsistent with general law, or with special law approved by vote of the electors. The governing body of a county operating under a charter may enact county ordinances not inconsistent with general law. The charter shall provide which shall prevail in the event of conflict between county and municipal ordinances.
+(h) TAXES; LIMITATION. Property situate within municipalities shall not be subject to taxation for services rendered by the county exclusively for the benefit of the property or residents in unincorporated areas.
+(i) COUNTY ORDINANCES. Each county ordinance shall be filed with the custodian of state records and shall become effective at such time thereafter as is provided by general law.
+(j) VIOLATION OF ORDINANCES. Persons violating county ordinances shall be prosecuted and punished as provided by law.
+(k) COUNTY SEAT. In every county there shall be a county seat at which shall be located the principal offices and permanent records of all county officers. The county seat may not be moved except as provided by general law. Branch offices for the conduct of county business may be established elsewhere in the county by resolution of the governing body of the county in the manner prescribed by law. No instrument shall be deemed recorded until filed at the county seat, or a branch office designated by the governing body of the county for the recording of instruments, according to law.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1907, 1973; adopted 1974; Am. H.J.R. 452, 1984; adopted 1984; Am. H.J.R. 125, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 2. Municipalities.—
+(a) ESTABLISHMENT. Municipalities may be established or abolished and their charters amended pursuant to general or special law. When any municipality is abolished, provision shall be made for the protection of its creditors.
+(b) POWERS. Municipalities shall have governmental, corporate and proprietary powers to enable them to conduct municipal government, perform municipal functions and render municipal services, and may exercise any power for municipal purposes except as otherwise provided by law. Each municipal legislative body shall be elective.
+(c) ANNEXATION. Municipal annexation of unincorporated territory, merger of municipalities, and exercise of extra-territorial powers by municipalities shall be as provided by general or special law.
+SECTION 3. Consolidation.—The government of a county and the government of one or more municipalities located therein may be consolidated into a single government which may exercise any and all powers of the county and the several municipalities. The consolidation plan may be proposed only by special law, which shall become effective if approved by vote of the electors of the county, or of the county and municipalities affected, as may be provided in the plan. Consolidation shall not extend the territorial scope of taxation for the payment of pre-existing debt except to areas whose residents receive a benefit from the facility or service for which the indebtedness was incurred.
+SECTION 4. Transfer of powers.—By law or by resolution of the governing bodies of each of the governments affected, any function or power of a county, municipality or special district may be transferred to or contracted to be performed by another county, municipality or special district, after approval by vote of the electors of the transferor and approval by vote of the electors of the transferee, or as otherwise provided by law.
+SECTION 5. Local option.—
+(a) Local option on the legality or prohibition of the sale of intoxicating liquors, wines or beers shall be preserved to each county. The status of a county with respect thereto shall be changed only by vote of the electors in a special election called upon the petition of twenty-five per cent of the electors of the county, and not sooner than two years after an earlier election on the same question. Where legal, the sale of intoxicating liquors, wines and beers shall be regulated by law.
+(b) Each county shall have the authority to require a criminal history records check and a 3 to 5-day waiting period, excluding weekends and legal holidays, in connection with the sale of any firearm occurring within such county. For purposes of this subsection, the term “sale” means the transfer of money or other valuable consideration for any firearm when any part of the transaction is conducted on property to which the public has the right of access. Holders of a concealed weapons permit as prescribed by general law shall not be subject to the provisions of this subsection when purchasing a firearm.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 12, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 6. Schedule to Article VIII.—
+(a) This article shall replace all of Article VIII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, except those sections expressly retained and made a part of this article by reference.
+(b) COUNTIES; COUNTY SEATS; MUNICIPALITIES; DISTRICTS. The status of the following items as they exist on the date this article becomes effective is recognized and shall be continued until changed in accordance with law: the counties of the state; their status with respect to the legality of the sale of intoxicating liquors, wines and beers; the method of selection of county officers; the performance of municipal functions by county officers; the county seats; and the municipalities and special districts of the state, their powers, jurisdiction and government.
+(c) OFFICERS TO CONTINUE IN OFFICE. Every person holding office when this article becomes effective shall continue in office for the remainder of the term if that office is not abolished. If the office is abolished the incumbent shall be paid adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, for the loss of emoluments for the remainder of the term.
+(d) ORDINANCES. Local laws relating only to unincorporated areas of a county on the effective date of this article may be amended or repealed by county ordinance.
+(e) CONSOLIDATION AND HOME RULE. Article VIII, Sections 19, 210, 311 and 424, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall remain in full force and effect as to each county affected, as if this article had not been adopted, until that county shall expressly adopt a charter or home rule plan pursuant to this article. All provisions of the Metropolitan Dade County Home Rule Charter, heretofore or hereafter adopted by the electors of Dade County pursuant to 3Article VIII, Section 11, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall be valid, and any amendments to such charter shall be valid; provided that the said provisions of such charter and the said amendments thereto are authorized under said 3Article VIII, Section 11, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended.
+(f) DADE COUNTY; POWERS CONFERRED UPON MUNICIPALITIES. To the extent not inconsistent with the powers of existing municipalities or general law, the Metropolitan Government of Dade County may exercise all the powers conferred now or hereafter by general law upon municipalities.
+(g) SELECTION AND DUTIES OF COUNTY OFFICERS.—
+(1) Except as provided in this subsection, the amendment to Section 1 of this article, relating to the selection and duties of county officers, shall take effect January 5, 2021, but shall govern with respect to the qualifying for and the holding of the primary and general elections for county constitutional officers in 2020.
+(2) For Miami-Dade County and Broward County, the amendment to Section 1 of this article, relating to the selection and duties of county officers, shall take effect January 7, 2025, but shall govern with respect to the qualifying for and the holding of the primary and general elections for county constitutional officers in 2024.
+(h) DELETION OF OBSOLETE SCHEDULE ITEMS. The legislature shall have power, by joint resolution, to delete from this article any subsection of this Section 6, including this subsection, when all events to which the subsection to be deleted is or could become applicable have occurred. A legislative determination of fact made as a basis for application of this subsection shall be subject to judicial review.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+1Note.—Section 9 of Art. VIII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 9. Legislative power over city of Jacksonville and Duval County.—The Legislature shall have power to establish, alter or abolish, a Municipal corporation to be known as the City of Jacksonville, extending territorially throughout the present limits of Duval County, in the place of any or all county, district, municipal and local governments, boards, bodies and officers, constitutional or statutory, legislative, executive, judicial, or administrative, and shall prescribe the jurisdiction, powers, duties and functions of such municipal corporation, its legislative, executive, judicial and administrative departments and its boards, bodies and officers; to divide the territory included in such municipality into subordinate districts, and to prescribe a just and reasonable system of taxation for such municipality and districts; and to fix the liability of such municipality and districts. Bonded and other indebtedness, existing at the time of the establishment of such municipality, shall be enforceable only against property theretofore taxable therefor. The Legislature shall, from time to time, determine what portion of said municipality is a rural area, and a homestead in such rural area shall not be limited as if in a city or town. Such municipality may exercise all the powers of a municipal corporation and shall also be recognized as one of the legal political divisions of the State with the duties and obligations of a county and shall be entitled to all the powers, rights and privileges, including representation in the State Legislature, which would accrue to it if it were a county. All property of Duval County and of the municipalities in said county shall vest in such municipal corporation when established as herein provided. The offices of Clerk of the Circuit Court and Sheriff shall not be abolished but the Legislature may prescribe the time when, and the method by which, such offices shall be filled and the compensation to be paid to such officers and may vest in them additional powers and duties. No county office shall be abolished or consolidated with another office without making provision for the performance of all State duties now or hereafter prescribed by law to be performed by such county officer. Nothing contained herein shall affect Section 20 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Florida, except as to such provisions therein as relate to regulating the jurisdiction and duties of any class of officers, to summoning and impanelling grand and petit jurors, to assessing and collecting taxes for county purposes and to regulating the fees and compensation of county officers. No law authorizing the establishing or abolishing of such Municipal corporation pursuant to this Section, shall become operative or effective until approved by a majority of the qualified electors participating in an election held in said County, but so long as such Municipal corporation exists under this Section the Legislature may amend or extend the law authorizing the same without referendum to the qualified voters unless the Legislative act providing for such amendment or extension shall provide for such referendum.
+
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 113, 1933; adopted 1934.
+2Note.—Section 10, Art. VIII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 10. Legislative power over city of Key West and Monroe county.—The Legislature shall have power to establish, alter or abolish, a Municipal corporation to be known as the City of Key West, extending territorially throughout the present limits of Monroe County, in the place of any or all county, district, municipal and local governments, boards, bodies and officers, constitutional or statutory, legislative, executive, judicial, or administrative, and shall prescribe the jurisdiction, powers, duties and functions of such municipal corporation, its legislative, executive, judicial and administrative departments and its boards, bodies and officers; to divide the territory included in such municipality into subordinate districts, and to prescribe a just and reasonable system of taxation for such municipality and districts; and to fix the liability of such municipality and districts. Bonded and other indebtedness, existing at the time of the establishment of such municipality, shall be enforceable only against property theretofore taxable therefor. The Legislature shall, from time to time, determine what portion of said municipality is a rural area, and a homestead in such rural area shall not be limited as if in a city or town. Such municipality may exercise all the powers of a municipal corporation and shall also be recognized as one of the legal political divisions of the State with the duties and obligations of a county and shall be entitled to all the powers, rights and privileges, including representation in the State Legislature, which would accrue to it if it were a county. All property of Monroe County and of the municipality in said county shall vest in such municipal corporation when established as herein provided. The offices of Clerk of the Circuit Court and Sheriff shall not be abolished but the Legislature may prescribe the time when, and the method by which, such offices shall be filled and the compensation to be paid to such officers and may vest in them additional powers and duties. No county office shall be abolished or consolidated with another office without making provision for the performance of all State duties now or hereafter prescribed by law to be performed by such county officer. Nothing contained herein shall affect Section 20 of Article III of the Constitution of the State of Florida, except as to such provisions therein as relate to regulating the jurisdiction and duties of any class of officers, to summoning and impanelling grand and petit juries, to assessing and collecting taxes for county purposes and to regulating the fees and compensation of county officers. No law authorizing the establishing or abolishing of such Municipal corporation pursuant to this Section shall become operative or effective until approved by a majority of the qualified electors participating in an election held in said County, but so long as such Municipal corporation exists under this Section the Legislature may amend or extend the law authorizing the same without referendum to the qualified voters unless the Legislative Act providing for such amendment or extension shall provide for such referendum.
+
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 429, 1935; adopted 1936.
+3Note.—Section 11 of Art. VIII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 11. Dade County, home rule charter.—(1) The electors of Dade County, Florida, are granted power to adopt, revise, and amend from time to time a home rule charter of government for Dade County, Florida, under which the Board of County Commissioners of Dade County shall be the governing body. This charter:
+
+(a) Shall fix the boundaries of each county commission district, provide a method for changing them from time to time, and fix the number, terms and compensation of the commissioners, and their method of election.
+
+(b) May grant full power and authority to the Board of County Commissioners of Dade County to pass ordinances relating to the affairs, property and government of Dade County and provide suitable penalties for the violation thereof; to levy and collect such taxes as may be authorized by general law and no other taxes, and to do everything necessary to carry on a central metropolitan government in Dade County.
+
+(c) May change the boundaries of, merge, consolidate, and abolish and may provide a method for changing the boundaries of, merging, consolidating and abolishing from time to time all municipal corporations, county or district governments, special taxing districts, authorities, boards, or other governmental units whose jurisdiction lies wholly within Dade County, whether such governmental units are created by the Constitution or the Legislature or otherwise, except the Dade County Board of County Commissioners as it may be provided for from time to time by this home rule charter and the Board of Public Instruction of Dade County.
+
+(d) May provide a method by which any and all of the functions or powers of any municipal corporation or other governmental unit in Dade County may be transferred to the Board of County Commissioners of Dade County.
+
+(e) May provide a method for establishing new municipal corporations, special taxing districts, and other governmental units in Dade County from time to time and provide for their government and prescribe their jurisdiction and powers.
+
+(f) May abolish and may provide a method for abolishing from time to time all offices provided for by Article VIII, Section 6, of the Constitution or by the Legislature, except the Superintendent of Public Instruction and may provide for the consolidation and transfer of the functions of such offices, provided, however, that there shall be no power to abolish or impair the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court or to abolish any other court provided for by this Constitution or by general law, or the judges or clerks thereof although such charter may create new courts and judges and clerks thereof with jurisdiction to try all offenses against ordinances passed by the Board of County Commissioners of Dade County and none of the other courts provided for by this Constitution or by general law shall have original jurisdiction to try such offenses, although the charter may confer appellate jurisdiction on such courts, and provided further that if said home rule charter shall abolish any county office or offices as authorized herein, that said charter shall contain adequate provision for the carrying on of all functions of said office or offices as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by general law.
+
+(g) Shall provide a method by which each municipal corporation in Dade County shall have the power to make, amend or repeal its own charter. Upon adoption of this home rule charter by the electors this method shall be exclusive and the Legislature shall have no power to amend or repeal the charter of any municipal corporation in Dade County.
+
+(h) May change the name of Dade County.
+
+(i) Shall provide a method for the recall of any commissioner and a method for initiative and referendum, including the initiation of and referendum on ordinances and the amendment or revision of the home rule charter, provided, however, that the power of the Governor and Senate relating to the suspension and removal of officers provided for in this Constitution shall not be impaired, but shall extend to all officers provided for in said home rule charter.
+
+(2) Provision shall be made for the protection of the creditors of any governmental unit which is merged, consolidated, or abolished or whose boundaries are changed or functions or powers transferred.
+
+(3) This home rule charter shall be prepared by a Metropolitan Charter Board created by the Legislature and shall be presented to the electors of Dade County for ratification or rejection in the manner provided by the Legislature. Until a home rule charter is adopted the Legislature may from time to time create additional Charter Boards to prepare charters to be presented to the electors of Dade County for ratification or rejection in the manner provided by the Legislature. Such Charter, once adopted by the electors, may be amended only by the electors of Dade County and this charter shall provide a method for submitting future charter revisions and amendments to the electors of Dade County.
+
+(4) The County Commission shall continue to receive its pro rata share of all revenues payable by the state from whatever source to the several counties and the state of Florida shall pay to the Commission all revenues which would have been paid to any municipality in Dade County which may be abolished by or in the method provided by this home rule charter; provided, however, the Commission shall reimburse the comptroller of Florida for the expense incurred if any, in the keeping of separate records to determine the amounts of money which would have been payable to any such municipality.
+
+(5) Nothing in this section shall limit or restrict the power of the Legislature to enact general laws which shall relate to Dade County and any other one or more counties in the state of Florida or to any municipality in Dade County and any other one or more municipalities of the State of Florida, and the home rule charter provided for herein shall not conflict with any provision of this Constitution nor of any applicable general laws now applying to Dade County and any other one or more counties of the State of Florida except as expressly authorized in this section nor shall any ordinance enacted in pursuance to said home rule charter conflict with this Constitution or any such applicable general law except as expressly authorized herein, nor shall the charter of any municipality in Dade County conflict with this Constitution or any such applicable general law except as expressly authorized herein, provided however that said charter and said ordinances enacted in pursuance thereof may conflict with, modify or nullify any existing local, special or general law applicable only to Dade County.
+
+(6) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict the power of the Legislature to enact general laws which shall relate to Dade County and any other one or more counties of the state of Florida or to any municipality in Dade County and any other one or more municipalities of the State of Florida relating to county or municipal affairs and all such general laws shall apply to Dade County and to all municipalities therein to the same extent as if this section had not been adopted and such general laws shall supersede any part or portion of the home rule charter provided for herein in conflict therewith and shall supersede any provision of any ordinance enacted pursuant to said charter and in conflict therewith, and shall supersede any provision of any charter of any municipality in Dade County in conflict therewith.
+
+(7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict the power and jurisdiction of the Railroad and Public Utilities Commission or of any other state agency, bureau or commission now or hereafter provided for in this Constitution or by general law and said state agencies, bureaus and commissions shall have the same powers in Dade County as shall be conferred upon them in regard to other counties.
+
+(8) If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or provisions of this section is held invalid as violative of the provisions of Section 1 Article XVII of this Constitution the remainder of this section shall not be affected by such invalidity.
+
+(9) It is declared to be the intent of the Legislature and of the electors of the State of Florida to provide by this section home rule for the people of Dade County in local affairs and this section shall be liberally construed to carry out such purpose, and it is further declared to be the intent of the Legislature and of the electors of the State of Florida that the provisions of this Constitution and general laws which shall relate to Dade County and any other one or more counties of the State of Florida or to any municipality in Dade County and any other one or more municipalities of the State of Florida enacted pursuant thereto by the Legislature shall be the supreme law in Dade County, Florida, except as expressly provided herein and this section shall be strictly construed to maintain such supremacy of this Constitution and of the Legislature in the enactment of general laws pursuant to this Constitution.
+
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 858, 1941; adopted 1942; Am. S.J.R. 1046, 1955; adopted 1956.
+4Note.—Section 24 of Art. VIII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 24. Hillsborough County, home rule charter.—
+
+(1) The electors of Hillsborough county are hereby granted the power to adopt a charter for a government which shall exercise any and all powers for county and municipal purposes which this constitution or the legislature, by general, special or local law, has conferred upon Hillsborough county or any municipality therein. Such government shall exercise these powers by the enactment of ordinances which relate to government of Hillsborough county and provide suitable penalties for the violation thereof. Such government shall have no power to create or abolish any municipality, except as otherwise provided herein.
+
+(2) The method and manner by which the electors of Hillsborough county shall exercise this power shall be set forth in a charter for the government of Hillsborough county which charter shall be presented to said electors by any charter commission established by the legislature. The legislature may provide for the continuing existence of any charter commission or may establish a charter commission or commissions subsequent to any initial commission without regard to any election or elections held upon any charter or charters theretofore presented. A charter shall become effective only upon ratification by a majority of the electors of Hillsborough county voting in a general or special election as provided by law.
+
+(3) The number, qualifications, terms of office and method of filling vacancies in the membership of any charter commission established pursuant to this section and the powers, functions and duties of any such commission shall be provided by law.
+
+(4) A charter prepared by any commission established pursuant to this section shall provide that:
+
+(a) The governments of the city of Tampa and the county of Hillsborough shall be consolidated, and the structure of the new local government shall include:
+
+1. An executive branch, the chief officer of which shall be responsible for the administration of government.
+
+2. An elected legislative branch, the election to membership, powers and duties of which shall be as provided by the charter.
+
+3. A judicial branch, which shall only have jurisdiction in the enforcement of ordinances enacted by the legislative branch created by this section.
+
+(b) Should the electors of the municipalities of Plant City or Temple Terrace wish to consolidate their governments with the government hereinabove created, they may do so by majority vote of the electors of said municipality voting in an election upon said issue.
+
+(c) The creditors of any governmental unit consolidated or abolished under this section shall be protected. Bonded or other indebtedness existing at the effective date of any government established hereunder shall be enforceable only against the real and personal property theretofore taxable for such purposes.
+
+(d) Such other provisions as might be required by law.
+
+(5) The provisions of such charter and ordinances enacted pursuant thereto shall not conflict with any provision of this constitution nor with general, special or local laws now or hereafter applying to Hillsborough county.
+
+(6) The government established hereunder shall be recognized as a county, that is one of the legal political subdivisions of the state with the powers, rights, privileges, duties and obligations of a county, and may also exercise all the powers of a municipality. Said government shall have the right to sue and be sued.
+
+(7) Any government established hereunder shall be entitled to receive from the state of Florida or from the United States or from any other agency, public or private, funds and revenues to which a county is, or may hereafter be entitled, and also all funds and revenues to which an incorporated municipality is or may hereafter be entitled, and to receive the same without diminution or loss by reason of any such government as may be established. Nothing herein contained shall preclude such government as may be established hereunder from receiving all funds and revenues from whatever source now received, or hereinafter received provided by law.
+
+(8) The board of county commissioners of Hillsborough county shall be abolished when the functions, duties, powers and responsibilities of said board shall be transferred in the manner to be provided by the charter to the government established pursuant to this section. No other office provided for by this constitution shall be abolished by or pursuant to this section.
+
+(9) This section shall not restrict or limit the legislature in the enactment of general, special or local laws as otherwise provided in this constitution.
+
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 1987, 1965; adopted 1966.
+ARTICLE IX
+EDUCATION
+SECTION 1.
+ Public education.
+SECTION 2.
+ State board of education.
+SECTION 3.
+ Terms of appointive board members.
+SECTION 4.
+ School districts; school boards.
+SECTION 5.
+ Superintendent of schools.
+SECTION 6.
+ State school fund.
+SECTION 7.
+ State University System.
+SECTION 8.
+ State College System.
+SECTION 1. Public education.—
+(a) The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders. Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education and for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions of higher learning and other public education programs that the needs of the people may require. To assure that children attending public schools obtain a high quality education, the legislature shall make adequate provision to ensure that, by the beginning of the 2010 school year, there are a sufficient number of classrooms so that:
+(1) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 does not exceed 18 students;
+(2) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 does not exceed 22 students; and
+(3) The maximum number of students who are assigned to each teacher who is teaching in public school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 does not exceed 25 students.
+
+The class size requirements of this subsection do not apply to extracurricular classes. Payment of the costs associated with reducing class size to meet these requirements is the responsibility of the state and not of local schools districts. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the legislature shall provide sufficient funds to reduce the average number of students in each classroom by at least two students per year until the maximum number of students per classroom does not exceed the requirements of this subsection.
+(b) Every four-year old child in Florida shall be provided by the State a high quality pre-kindergarten learning opportunity in the form of an early childhood development and education program which shall be voluntary, high quality, free, and delivered according to professionally accepted standards. An early childhood development and education program means an organized program designed to address and enhance each child’s ability to make age appropriate progress in an appropriate range of settings in the development of language and cognitive capabilities and emotional, social, regulatory and moral capacities through education in basic skills and such other skills as the Legislature may determine to be appropriate.
+(c) The early childhood education and development programs provided by reason of subparagraph (b) shall be implemented no later than the beginning of the 2005 school year through funds generated in addition to those used for existing education, health, and development programs. Existing education, health, and development programs are those funded by the State as of January 1, 2002 that provided for child or adult education, health care, or development.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 6, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Ams. by Initiative Petitions filed with the Secretary of State April 13, 2001, and January 25, 2002; adopted 2002.
+SECTION 2. State board of education.—The state board of education shall be a body corporate and have such supervision of the system of free public education as is provided by law. The state board of education shall consist of seven members appointed by the governor to staggered 4-year terms, subject to confirmation by the senate. The state board of education shall appoint the commissioner of education.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 3. Terms of appointive board members.—Members of any appointive board dealing with education may serve terms in excess of four years as provided by law.
+SECTION 4. School districts; school boards.—
+(a) Each county shall constitute a school district; provided, two or more contiguous counties, upon vote of the electors of each county pursuant to law, may be combined into one school district. In each school district there shall be a school board composed of five or more members chosen by vote of the electors in a nonpartisan election for appropriately staggered terms of four years, as provided by law.
+(b) The school board shall operate, control and supervise all free public schools within the school district and determine the rate of school district taxes within the limits prescribed herein. Two or more school districts may operate and finance joint educational programs.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 11, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 5. Superintendent of schools.—In each school district there shall be a superintendent of schools who shall be elected at the general election in each year the number of which is a multiple of four for a term of four years; or, when provided by resolution of the district school board, or by special law, approved by vote of the electors, the district school superintendent in any school district shall be employed by the district school board as provided by general law. The resolution or special law may be rescinded or repealed by either procedure after four years.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 6. State school fund.—The income derived from the state school fund shall, and the principal of the fund may, be appropriated, but only to the support and maintenance of free public schools.
+SECTION 7. State University System.—
+(a) PURPOSES. In order to achieve excellence through teaching students, advancing research and providing public service for the benefit of Florida’s citizens, their communities and economies, the people hereby establish a system of governance for the state university system of Florida.
+(b) STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. There shall be a single state university system comprised of all public universities. A board of trustees shall administer each public university and a board of governors shall govern the state university system.
+(c) LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES. Each local constituent university shall be administered by a board of trustees consisting of thirteen members dedicated to the purposes of the state university system. The board of governors shall establish the powers and duties of the boards of trustees. Each board of trustees shall consist of six citizen members appointed by the governor and five citizen members appointed by the board of governors. The appointed members shall be confirmed by the senate and serve staggered terms of five years as provided by law. The chair of the faculty senate, or the equivalent, and the president of the student body of the university shall also be members.
+(d) STATEWIDE BOARD OF GOVERNORS. The board of governors shall be a body corporate consisting of seventeen members. The board shall operate, regulate, control, and be fully responsible for the management of the whole university system. These responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, defining the distinctive mission of each constituent university and its articulation with free public schools and community colleges, ensuring the well-planned coordination and operation of the system, and avoiding wasteful duplication of facilities or programs. The board’s management shall be subject to the powers of the legislature to appropriate for the expenditure of funds, and the board shall account for such expenditures as provided by law. The governor shall appoint to the board fourteen citizens dedicated to the purposes of the state university system. The appointed members shall be confirmed by the senate and serve staggered terms of seven years as provided by law. The commissioner of education, the chair of the advisory council of faculty senates, or the equivalent, and the president of the Florida student association, or the equivalent, shall also be members of the board.
+(e) FEES. Any proposal or action of a constituent university to raise, impose, or authorize any fee, as authorized by law, must be approved by at least nine affirmative votes of the members of the board of trustees of the constituent university, if approval by the board of trustees is required by general law, and at least twelve affirmative votes of the members of the board of governors, if approval by the board of governors is required by general law, in order to take effect. A fee under this subsection shall not include tuition.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 28, 2001; adopted 2002; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 2, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 8. State College System.—
+(a) PURPOSES. In order to achieve excellence and to provide access to undergraduate education to the students of this state; to originate articulated pathways to a baccalaureate degree; to ensure superior commitment to teaching and learning; and to respond quickly and efficiently to meet the demand of communities by aligning certificate and degree programs with local and regional workforce needs, the people hereby establish a system of governance for the state college system of Florida.
+(b) STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM. There shall be a single state college system comprised of all public community and state colleges. A local board of trustees shall govern each state college system institution and the state board of education shall supervise the state college system.
+(c) LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES. Each state college system institution shall be governed by a local board of trustees dedicated to the purposes of the state college system. A member of a board of trustees must be a resident of the service delivery area of the college. The powers and duties of the boards of trustees shall be provided by law. Each member shall be appointed by the governor to staggered 4-year terms, subject to confirmation by the senate.
+(d) ROLE OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The state board of education shall supervise the state college system as provided by law.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 2, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+ARTICLE X
+MISCELLANEOUS
+SECTION 1.
+ Amendments to United States Constitution.
+SECTION 2.
+ Militia.
+SECTION 3.
+ Vacancy in office.
+SECTION 4.
+ Homestead; exemptions.
+SECTION 5.
+ Coverture and property.
+SECTION 6.
+ Eminent domain.
+SECTION 7.
+ Lotteries.
+SECTION 8.
+ Census.
+SECTION 9.
+ Repeal of criminal statutes.
+SECTION 10.
+ Felony; definition.
+SECTION 11.
+ Sovereignty lands.
+SECTION 12.
+ Rules of construction.
+SECTION 13.
+ Suits against the state.
+SECTION 14.
+ State retirement systems benefit changes.
+SECTION 15.
+ State operated lotteries.
+SECTION 16.
+ Limiting marine net fishing.
+SECTION 17.
+ Everglades Trust Fund.
+SECTION 18.
+ Disposition of conservation lands.
+SECTION 19.
+ [Repealed]
+SECTION 20.
+ Workplaces without tobacco smoke or vapor.
+SECTION 21.
+ Limiting cruel and inhumane confinement of pigs during pregnancy.
+SECTION 22.
+ Parental notice of termination of a minor’s pregnancy.
+SECTION 23.
+ Slot machines.
+SECTION 24.
+ Florida minimum wage.
+SECTION 25.
+ Patients’ right to know about adverse medical incidents.
+SECTION 26.
+ Prohibition of medical license after repeated medical malpractice.
+SECTION 27.
+ Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Education And Prevention Program.
+SECTION 28.
+ Land Acquisition Trust Fund.
+SECTION 29.
+ Medical marijuana production, possession and use.
+SECTION 30.
+ Voter control of gambling in Florida.
+SECTION 31.
+ Death benefits for survivors of first responders and military members.
+SECTION 32.
+ Prohibition on racing of and wagering on greyhounds or other dogs.
+SECTION 1. Amendments to United States Constitution.—The legislature shall not take action on any proposed amendment to the constitution of the United States unless a majority of the members thereof have been elected after the proposed amendment has been submitted for ratification.
+SECTION 2. Militia.—
+(a) The militia shall be composed of all ablebodied inhabitants of the state who are or have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States; and no person because of religious creed or opinion shall be exempted from military duty except upon conditions provided by law.
+(b) The organizing, equipping, housing, maintaining, and disciplining of the militia, and the safekeeping of public arms may be provided for by law.
+(c) The governor shall appoint all commissioned officers of the militia, including an adjutant general who shall be chief of staff. The appointment of all general officers shall be subject to confirmation by the senate.
+(d) The qualifications of personnel and officers of the federally recognized national guard, including the adjutant general, and the grounds and proceedings for their discipline and removal shall conform to the appropriate United States army or air force regulations and usages.
+SECTION 3. Vacancy in office.—Vacancy in office shall occur upon the creation of an office, upon the death, removal from office, or resignation of the incumbent or the incumbent’s succession to another office, unexplained absence for sixty consecutive days, or failure to maintain the residence required when elected or appointed, and upon failure of one elected or appointed to office to qualify within thirty days from the commencement of the term.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 4. Homestead; exemptions.—
+(a) There shall be exempt from forced sale under process of any court, and no judgment, decree or execution shall be a lien thereon, except for the payment of taxes and assessments thereon, obligations contracted for the purchase, improvement or repair thereof, or obligations contracted for house, field or other labor performed on the realty, the following property owned by a natural person:
+(1) a homestead, if located outside a municipality, to the extent of one hundred sixty acres of contiguous land and improvements thereon, which shall not be reduced without the owner’s consent by reason of subsequent inclusion in a municipality; or if located within a municipality, to the extent of one-half acre of contiguous land, upon which the exemption shall be limited to the residence of the owner or the owner’s family;
+(2) personal property to the value of one thousand dollars.
+(b) These exemptions shall inure to the surviving spouse or heirs of the owner.
+(c) The homestead shall not be subject to devise if the owner is survived by spouse or minor child, except the homestead may be devised to the owner’s spouse if there be no minor child. The owner of homestead real estate, joined by the spouse if married, may alienate the homestead by mortgage, sale or gift and, if married, may by deed transfer the title to an estate by the entirety with the spouse. If the owner or spouse is incompetent, the method of alienation or encumbrance shall be as provided by law.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 4324, 1972; adopted 1972; Am. H.J.R. 40, 1983; adopted 1984; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 5. Coverture and property.—There shall be no distinction between married women and married men in the holding, control, disposition, or encumbering of their property, both real and personal; except that dower or curtesy may be established and regulated by law.
+SECTION 6. Eminent domain.—
+(a) No private property shall be taken except for a public purpose and with full compensation therefor paid to each owner or secured by deposit in the registry of the court and available to the owner.
+(b) Provision may be made by law for the taking of easements, by like proceedings, for the drainage of the land of one person over or through the land of another.
+(c) Private property taken by eminent domain pursuant to a petition to initiate condemnation proceedings filed on or after January 2, 2007, may not be conveyed to a natural person or private entity except as provided by general law passed by a three-fifths vote of the membership of each house of the Legislature.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1569, 2006; adopted 2006.
+SECTION 7. Lotteries.—Lotteries, other than the types of pari-mutuel pools authorized by law as of the effective date of this constitution, are hereby prohibited in this state.
+SECTION 8. Census.—
+(a) Each decennial census of the state taken by the United States shall be an official census of the state.
+(b) Each decennial census, for the purpose of classifications based upon population, shall become effective on the thirtieth day after the final adjournment of the regular session of the legislature convened next after certification of the census.
+SECTION 9. Repeal of criminal statutes.—Repeal of a criminal statute shall not affect prosecution for any crime committed before such repeal.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 6, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 10. Felony; definition.—The term “felony” as used herein and in the laws of this state shall mean any criminal offense that is punishable under the laws of this state, or that would be punishable if committed in this state, by death or by imprisonment in the state penitentiary.
+SECTION 11. Sovereignty lands.—The title to lands under navigable waters, within the boundaries of the state, which have not been alienated, including beaches below mean high water lines, is held by the state, by virtue of its sovereignty, in trust for all the people. Sale of such lands may be authorized by law, but only when in the public interest. Private use of portions of such lands may be authorized by law, but only when not contrary to the public interest.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 792, 1970; adopted 1970.
+SECTION 12. Rules of construction.—Unless qualified in the text the following rules of construction shall apply to this constitution.
+(a) “Herein” refers to the entire constitution.
+(b) The singular includes the plural.
+(c) The masculine includes the feminine.
+(d) “Vote of the electors” means the vote of the majority of those voting on the matter in an election, general or special, in which those participating are limited to the electors of the governmental unit referred to in the text.
+(e) Vote or other action of a legislative house or other governmental body means the vote or action of a majority or other specified percentage of those members voting on the matter. “Of the membership” means “of all members thereof.”
+(f) The terms “judicial office,” “justices” and “judges” shall not include judges of courts established solely for the trial of violations of ordinances.
+(g) “Special law” means a special or local law.
+(h) Titles and subtitles shall not be used in construction.
+SECTION 13. Suits against the state.—Provision may be made by general law for bringing suit against the state as to all liabilities now existing or hereafter originating.
+SECTION 14. State retirement systems benefit changes.—A governmental unit responsible for any retirement or pension system supported in whole or in part by public funds shall not after January 1, 1977, provide any increase in the benefits to the members or beneficiaries of such system unless such unit has made or concurrently makes provision for the funding of the increase in benefits on a sound actuarial basis.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 291, 1975; adopted 1976.
+SECTION 15. State operated lotteries.—
+(a) Lotteries may be operated by the state.
+(b) If any subsection or subsections of the amendment to the Florida Constitution are held unconstitutional for containing more than one subject, this amendment shall be limited to subsection (a) above.
+(c) This amendment shall be implemented as follows:
+(1) Schedule—On the effective date of this amendment, the lotteries shall be known as the Florida Education Lotteries. Net proceeds derived from the lotteries shall be deposited to a state trust fund, to be designated The State Education Lotteries Trust Fund, to be appropriated by the Legislature. The schedule may be amended by general law.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State June 10, 1985; adopted 1986.
+SECTION 16. Limiting marine net fishing.—
+(a) The marine resources of the State of Florida belong to all of the people of the state and should be conserved and managed for the benefit of the state, its people, and future generations. To this end the people hereby enact limitations on marine net fishing in Florida waters to protect saltwater finfish, shellfish, and other marine animals from unnecessary killing, overfishing and waste.
+(b) For the purpose of catching or taking any saltwater finfish, shellfish or other marine animals in Florida waters:
+(1) No gill nets or other entangling nets shall be used in any Florida waters; and
+(2) In addition to the prohibition set forth in (1), no other type of net containing more than 500 square feet of mesh area shall be used in nearshore and inshore Florida waters. Additionally, no more than two such nets, which shall not be connected, shall be used from any vessel, and no person not on a vessel shall use more than one such net in nearshore and inshore Florida waters.
+(c) For purposes of this section:
+(1) “gill net” means one or more walls of netting which captures saltwater finfish by ensnaring or entangling them in the meshes of the net by the gills, and “entangling net” means a drift net, trammell net, stab net, or any other net which captures saltwater finfish, shellfish, or other marine animals by causing all or part of heads, fins, legs, or other body parts to become entangled or ensnared in the meshes of the net, but a hand thrown cast net is not a gill net or an entangling net;
+(2) “mesh area” of a net means the total area of netting with the meshes open to comprise the maximum square footage. The square footage shall be calculated using standard mathematical formulas for geometric shapes. Seines and other rectangular nets shall be calculated using the maximum length and maximum width of the netting. Trawls and other bag type nets shall be calculated as a cone using the maximum circumference of the net mouth to derive the radius, and the maximum length from the net mouth to the tail end of the net to derive the slant height. Calculations for any other nets or combination type nets shall be based on the shapes of the individual components;
+(3) “coastline” means the territorial sea base line for the State of Florida established pursuant to the laws of the United States of America;
+(4) “Florida waters” means the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and any other bodies of water under the jurisdiction of the State of Florida, whether coastal, intracoastal or inland, and any part thereof; and
+(5) “nearshore and inshore Florida waters” means all Florida waters inside a line three miles seaward of the coastline along the Gulf of Mexico and inside a line one mile seaward of the coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.
+(d) This section shall not apply to the use of nets for scientific research or governmental purposes.
+(e) Persons violating this section shall be prosecuted and punished pursuant to the penalties provided in section 370.021(2)(a), (b), (c)6. and 7., and (e), Florida Statutes (1991), unless and until the legislature enacts more stringent penalties for violations hereof. On and after the effective date of this section, law enforcement officers in the state are authorized to enforce the provisions of this section in the same manner and authority as if a violation of this section constituted a violation of Chapter 370, Florida Statutes (1991).
+(f) It is the intent of this section that implementing legislation is not required for enforcing any violations hereof, but nothing in this section prohibits the establishment by law or pursuant to law of more restrictions on the use of nets for the purpose of catching or taking any saltwater finfish, shellfish, or other marine animals.
+(g) If any portion of this section is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion of this section, to the fullest extent possible, shall be severed from the void portion and given the fullest possible force and application.
+(h) This section shall take effect on the July 1 next occurring after approval hereof by vote of the electors.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 2, 1992; adopted 1994.
+SECTION 17. Everglades Trust Fund.—
+(a) There is hereby established the Everglades Trust Fund, which shall not be subject to termination pursuant to Article III, Section 19(f). The purpose of the Everglades Trust Fund is to make funds available to assist in conservation and protection of natural resources and abatement of water pollution in the Everglades Protection Area and the Everglades Agricultural Area. The trust fund shall be administered by the South Florida Water Management District, or its successor agency, consistent with statutory law.
+(b) The Everglades Trust Fund may receive funds from any source, including gifts from individuals, corporations or other entities; funds from general revenue as determined by the Legislature; and any other funds so designated by the Legislature, by the United States Congress or by any other governmental entity.
+(c) Funds deposited to the Everglades Trust Fund shall be expended for purposes of conservation and protection of natural resources and abatement of water pollution in the Everglades Protection Area and Everglades Agricultural Area.
+(d) For purposes of this subsection, the terms “Everglades Protection Area,” “Everglades Agricultural Area” and “South Florida Water Management District” shall have the meanings as defined in statutes in effect on January 1, 1996.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State March 26, 1996; adopted 1996.
+SECTION 18. Disposition of conservation lands.—The fee interest in real property held by an entity of the state and designated for natural resources conservation purposes as provided by general law shall be managed for the benefit of the citizens of this state and may be disposed of only if the members of the governing board of the entity holding title determine the property is no longer needed for conservation purposes and only upon a vote of two-thirds of the governing board.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 19. [Repealed]— 
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State August 25, 1999; adopted 2000; Am. proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State February 18, 2004; adopted 2004; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 6, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 20. Workplaces without tobacco smoke or vapor.—
+(a) PROHIBITION. As a Florida health initiative to protect people from the health hazards of second-hand tobacco smoke and vapor, tobacco smoking and the use of vapor-generating electronic devices are prohibited in enclosed indoor workplaces. This section does not preclude the adoption of ordinances that impose more restrictive regulation on the use of vapor-generating electronic devices than is provided in this section.
+(b) EXCEPTIONS. As further explained in the definitions below, tobacco smoking and the use of vapor-generating electronic devices may be permitted in private residences whenever they are not being used commercially to provide child care, adult care, or health care, or any combination thereof; and further may be permitted in retail tobacco shops, vapor-generating electronic device retailers, designated smoking guest rooms at hotels and other public lodging establishments; and stand-alone bars. However, nothing in this section or in its implementing legislation or regulations shall prohibit the owner, lessee, or other person in control of the use of an enclosed indoor workplace from further prohibiting or limiting smoking or the use of vapor-generating electronic devices therein.
+(c) DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this section, the following words and terms shall have the stated meanings:
+(1) “Smoking” means inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, or possessing any lighted tobacco product, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and any other lighted tobacco product.
+(2) “Second-hand smoke,” also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), means smoke emitted from lighted, smoldering, or burning tobacco when the smoker is not inhaling; smoke emitted at the mouthpiece during puff drawing; and smoke exhaled by the smoker.
+(3) “Work” means any person’s providing any employment or employment-type service for or at the request of another individual or individuals or any public or private entity, whether for compensation or not, whether full or part-time, whether legally or not. “Work” includes, without limitation, any such service performed by an employee, independent contractor, agent, partner, proprietor, manager, officer, director, apprentice, trainee, associate, servant, volunteer, and the like.
+(4) “Enclosed indoor workplace” means any place where one or more persons engages in work, and which place is predominantly or totally bounded on all sides and above by physical barriers, regardless of whether such barriers consist of or include uncovered openings, screened or otherwise partially covered openings; or open or closed windows, jalousies, doors, or the like. This section applies to all such enclosed indoor workplaces without regard to whether work is occurring at any given time.
+(5) “Commercial” use of a private residence means any time during which the owner, lessee, or other person occupying or controlling the use of the private residence is furnishing in the private residence, or causing or allowing to be furnished in the private residence, child care, adult care, or health care, or any combination thereof, and receiving or expecting to receive compensation therefor.
+(6) “Retail tobacco shop” means any enclosed indoor workplace dedicated to or predominantly for the retail sale of tobacco, tobacco products, and accessories for such products, in which the sale of other products or services is merely incidental.
+(7) “Designated smoking guest rooms at public lodging establishments” means the sleeping rooms and directly associated private areas, such as bathrooms, living rooms, and kitchen areas, if any, rented to guests for their exclusive transient occupancy in public lodging establishments including hotels, motels, resort condominiums, transient apartments, transient lodging establishments, rooming houses, boarding houses, resort dwellings, bed and breakfast inns, and the like; and designated by the person or persons having management authority over such public lodging establishment as rooms in which smoking may be permitted.
+(8) “Stand-alone bar” means any place of business devoted during any time of operation predominantly or totally to serving alcoholic beverages, intoxicating beverages, or intoxicating liquors, or any combination thereof, for consumption on the licensed premises; in which the serving of food, if any, is merely incidental to the consumption of any such beverage; and that is not located within, and does not share any common entryway or common indoor area with, any other enclosed indoor workplace including any business for which the sale of food or any other product or service is more than an incidental source of gross revenue.
+(9) “Vapor-generating electronic device” means any product that employs an electronic, a chemical, or a mechanical means capable of producing vapor or aerosol from a nicotine product or any other substance, including, but not limited to, an electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic pipe, or other similar device or product, any replacement cartridge for such device, and any other container of a solution or other substance intended to be used with or within an electronic cigarette, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic pipe, or other similar device or product.
+(10) “Vapor-generating electronic device retailer” means any enclosed indoor workplace dedicated to or predominantly for the retail sale of vapor-generating electronic devices and components, parts, and accessories for such products, in which the sale of other products or services is merely incidental.
+(d) LEGISLATION. In the next regular legislative session occurring after voter approval of this section or any amendment to this section, the legislature shall adopt legislation to implement this section and any amendment to this section in a manner consistent with its broad purpose and stated terms, and having an effective date no later than July 1 of the year following voter approval. Such legislation shall include, without limitation, civil penalties for violations of this section; provisions for administrative enforcement; and the requirement and authorization of agency rules for implementation and enforcement. This section does not preclude the legislature from enacting any law constituting or allowing a more restrictive regulation of tobacco smoking or the use of vapor-generating electronic devices than is provided in this section.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 16, 2001; adopted 2002; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 4, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+1SECTION 21. Limiting cruel and inhumane confinement of pigs during pregnancy.—Inhumane treatment of animals is a concern of Florida citizens. To prevent cruelty to certain animals and as recommended by The Humane Society of the United States, the people of the State of Florida hereby limit the cruel and inhumane confinement of pigs during pregnancy as provided herein.
+(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to confine a pig during pregnancy in an enclosure, or to tether a pig during pregnancy, on a farm in such a way that she is prevented from turning around freely.
+(b) This section shall not apply:
+(1) when a pig is undergoing an examination, test, treatment or operation carried out for veterinary purposes, provided the period during which the animal is confined or tethered is not longer than reasonably necessary.
+(2) during the prebirthing period.
+(c) For purposes of this section:
+(1) “enclosure” means any cage, crate or other enclosure in which a pig is kept for all or the majority of any day, including what is commonly described as the “gestation crate.”
+(2) “farm” means the land, buildings, support facilities, and other appurtenances used in the production of animals for food or fiber.
+(3) “person” means any natural person, corporation and/or business entity.
+(4) “pig” means any animal of the porcine species.
+(5) “turning around freely” means turning around without having to touch any side of the pig’s enclosure.
+(6) “prebirthing period” means the seven day period prior to a pig’s expected date of giving birth.
+(d) A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082(4)(a), Florida Statutes (1999), as amended, or by a fine of not more than $5000, or by both imprisonment and a fine, unless and until the legislature enacts more stringent penalties for violations hereof. On and after the effective date of this section, law enforcement officers in the state are authorized to enforce the provisions of this section in the same manner and authority as if a violation of this section constituted a violation of Section 828.13, Florida Statutes (1999). The confinement or tethering of each pig shall constitute a separate offense. The knowledge or acts of agents and employees of a person in regard to a pig owned, farmed or in the custody of a person, shall be held to be the knowledge or act of such person.
+(e) It is the intent of this section that implementing legislation is not required for enforcing any violations hereof.
+(f) If any portion of this section is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion of this section, to the fullest extent possible, shall be severed from the void portion and given the fullest possible force and application.
+(g) This section shall take effect six years after approval by the electors.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 27, 2000; adopted 2002.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 19 by Amendment No. 10, 2002, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 27, 2000, adopted 2002, was redesignated section 21 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with already existing section 19, relating to the high speed ground transportation system, and section 20, relating to prohibiting workplace smoking, as contained in Amendment No. 6, 2002, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 16, 2001, adopted 2002.
+SECTION 22. Parental notice of termination of a minor’s pregnancy.—The Legislature shall not limit or deny the privacy right guaranteed to a minor under the United States Constitution as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court. Notwithstanding a minor’s right of privacy provided in Section 23 of Article I, the Legislature is authorized to require by general law for notification to a parent or guardian of a minor before the termination of the minor’s pregnancy. The Legislature shall provide exceptions to such requirement for notification and shall create a process for judicial waiver of the notification.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 1, 2004; adopted 2004.
+1SECTION 23. Slot machines.—
+(a) After voter approval of this constitutional amendment, the governing bodies of Miami-Dade and Broward Counties each may hold a county-wide referendum in their respective counties on whether to authorize slot machines within existing, licensed parimutuel facilities (thoroughbred and harness racing, greyhound racing, and jai-alai) that have conducted live racing or games in that county during each of the last two calendar years before the effective date of this amendment. If the voters of such county approve the referendum question by majority vote, slot machines shall be authorized in such parimutuel facilities. If the voters of such county by majority vote disapprove the referendum question, slot machines shall not be so authorized, and the question shall not be presented in another referendum in that county for at least two years.
+(b) In the next regular Legislative session occurring after voter approval of this constitutional amendment, the Legislature shall adopt legislation implementing this section and having an effective date no later than July 1 of the year following voter approval of this amendment. Such legislation shall authorize agency rules for implementation, and may include provisions for the licensure and regulation of slot machines. The Legislature may tax slot machine revenues, and any such taxes must supplement public education funding statewide.
+(c) If any part of this section is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion or portions shall be severed from the invalid portion and given the fullest possible force and effect.
+(d) This amendment shall become effective when approved by vote of the electors of the state.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State May 28, 2002; adopted 2004.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 19 by Amendment No. 4, 2004, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State May 28, 2002, adopted 2004, was redesignated section 23 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with already existing section 19, relating to the high speed ground transportation system.
+SECTION 24. Florida minimum wage.—
+(a) PUBLIC POLICY. All working Floridians are entitled to be paid a minimum wage that is sufficient to provide a decent and healthy life for them and their families, that protects their employers from unfair low-wage competition, and that does not force them to rely on taxpayer-funded public services in order to avoid economic hardship.
+(b) DEFINITIONS. As used in this amendment, the terms “Employer,” “Employee” and “Wage” shall have the meanings established under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and its implementing regulations.
+(c) MINIMUM WAGE. Employers shall pay Employees Wages no less than the Minimum Wage for all hours worked in Florida. Six months after enactment, the Minimum Wage shall be established at an hourly rate of $6.15. Effective September 30th, 2021, the existing state Minimum Wage shall increase to $10.00 per hour, and then increase each September 30th thereafter by $1.00 per hour, until the Minimum Wage reaches $15.00 per hour on September 30th, 2026. On September 30th of 2027 and on each following September 30th, the state Agency for Workforce Innovation shall calculate an adjusted Minimum Wage rate by increasing the current Minimum Wage rate by the rate of inflation during the twelve months prior to each September 1st using the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, CPI-W, or a successor index as calculated by the United States Department of Labor. Each adjusted Minimum Wage rate calculated shall be published and take effect on the following January 1st. For tipped Employees meeting eligibility requirements for the tip credit under the FLSA, Employers may credit towards satisfaction of the Minimum Wage tips up to the amount of the allowable FLSA tip credit in 2003.
+(d) RETALIATION PROHIBITED. It shall be unlawful for an Employer or any other party to discriminate in any manner or take adverse action against any person in retaliation for exercising rights protected under this amendment. Rights protected under this amendment include, but are not limited to, the right to file a complaint or inform any person about any party’s alleged noncompliance with this amendment, and the right to inform any person of his or her potential rights under this amendment and to assist him or her in asserting such rights.
+(e) ENFORCEMENT. Persons aggrieved by a violation of this amendment may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against an Employer or person violating this amendment and, upon prevailing, shall recover the full amount of any back wages unlawfully withheld plus the same amount as liquidated damages, and shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. In addition, they shall be entitled to such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to remedy the violation including, without limitation, reinstatement in employment and/or injunctive relief. Any Employer or other person found liable for willfully violating this amendment shall also be subject to a fine payable to the state in the amount of $1000.00 for each violation. The state attorney general or other official designated by the state legislature may also bring a civil action to enforce this amendment. Actions to enforce this amendment shall be subject to a statute of limitations of four years or, in the case of willful violations, five years. Such actions may be brought as a class action pursuant to Rule 1.220 of the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure.
+(f) ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND CONSTRUCTION. Implementing legislation is not required in order to enforce this amendment. The state legislature may by statute establish additional remedies or fines for violations of this amendment, raise the applicable Minimum Wage rate, reduce the tip credit, or extend coverage of the Minimum Wage to employers or employees not covered by this amendment. The state legislature may by statute or the state Agency for Workforce Innovation may by regulation adopt any measures appropriate for the implementation of this amendment. This amendment provides for payment of a minimum wage and shall not be construed to preempt or otherwise limit the authority of the state legislature or any other public body to adopt or enforce any other law, regulation, requirement, policy or standard that provides for payment of higher or supplemental wages or benefits, or that extends such protections to employers or employees not covered by this amendment. It is intended that case law, administrative interpretations, and other guiding standards developed under the federal FLSA shall guide the construction of this amendment and any implementing statutes or regulations.
+(g) SEVERABILITY. If any part of this amendment, or the application of this amendment to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this amendment, including the application of such part to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected by such a holding and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the parts of this amendment are severable.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State August 7, 2003; adopted 2004; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State January 10, 2018; adopted 2020.
+1SECTION 25. Patients’ right to know about adverse medical incidents.—
+(a) In addition to any other similar rights provided herein or by general law, patients have a right to have access to any records made or received in the course of business by a health care facility or provider relating to any adverse medical incident.
+(b) In providing such access, the identity of patients involved in the incidents shall not be disclosed, and any privacy restrictions imposed by federal law shall be maintained.
+(c) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
+(1) The phrases “health care facility” and “health care provider” have the meaning given in general law related to a patient’s rights and responsibilities.
+(2) The term “patient” means an individual who has sought, is seeking, is undergoing, or has undergone care or treatment in a health care facility or by a health care provider.
+(3) The phrase “adverse medical incident” means medical negligence, intentional misconduct, and any other act, neglect, or default of a health care facility or health care provider that caused or could have caused injury to or death of a patient, including, but not limited to, those incidents that are required by state or federal law to be reported to any governmental agency or body, and incidents that are reported to or reviewed by any health care facility peer review, risk management, quality assurance, credentials, or similar committee, or any representative of any such committees.
+(4) The phrase “have access to any records” means, in addition to any other procedure for producing such records provided by general law, making the records available for inspection and copying upon formal or informal request by the patient or a representative of the patient, provided that current records which have been made publicly available by publication or on the Internet may be “provided” by reference to the location at which the records are publicly available.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 1, 2003; adopted 2004.
+1Note.—
+
+A. This section, originally designated section 22 by Amendment No. 7, 2004, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 1, 2003, adopted 2004, was redesignated section 25 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 22, relating to parental notice of termination of a minor’s pregnancy, as contained in Amendment No. 1, 2004, added by H.J.R. 1, 2004, adopted 2004.
+
+B. Amendment No. 7, 2004, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 1, 2003, adopted 2004, published “[f]ull [t]ext” consisting of a statement and purpose, the actual amendment “inserting the following new section at the end [of Art. X],” and an effective date and severability provision not specifically included in the amendment text. The effective date and severability provision reads:
+
+3) Effective Date and Severability:
+
+This amendment shall be effective on the date it is approved by the electorate. If any portion of this measure is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion of this measure, to the fullest extent possible, shall be severed from the void portion and given the fullest possible force and application.
+1SECTION 26. Prohibition of medical license after repeated medical malpractice.—
+(a) No person who has been found to have committed three or more incidents of medical malpractice shall be licensed or continue to be licensed by the State of Florida to provide health care services as a medical doctor.
+(b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
+(1) The phrase “medical malpractice” means both the failure to practice medicine in Florida with that level of care, skill, and treatment recognized in general law related to health care providers’ licensure, and any similar wrongful act, neglect, or default in other states or countries which, if committed in Florida, would have been considered medical malpractice.
+(2) The phrase “found to have committed” means that the malpractice has been found in a final judgment of a court of law, final administrative agency decision, or decision of binding arbitration.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 7, 2003; adopted 2004.
+1Note.—
+
+A. This section, originally designated section 20 by Amendment No. 8, 2004, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 7, 2003, adopted 2004, was redesignated section 26 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with already existing section 20, relating to prohibiting workplace smoking.
+
+B. Amendment No. 8, 2004, proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State April 7, 2003, adopted 2004, published “[f]ull [t]ext” consisting of a statement and purpose, the actual amendment “inserting the following new section at the end [of Art. X],” and an effective date and severability provision not specifically included in the amendment text. The effective date and severability provision reads:
+
+c) Effective Date and Severability:
+
+This amendment shall be effective on the date it is approved by the electorate. If any portion of this measure is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion of this measure, to the fullest extent possible, shall be severed from the void portion and given the fullest possible force and application.
+SECTION 27. Comprehensive Statewide Tobacco Education And Prevention Program.—In order to protect people, especially youth, from health hazards of using tobacco, including addictive disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and lung diseases; and to discourage use of tobacco, particularly among youth, a portion of the money that tobacco companies pay to the State of Florida under the Tobacco Settlement each year shall be used to fund a comprehensive statewide tobacco education and prevention program consistent with recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as follows:
+(a) PROGRAM. The money appropriated pursuant to this section shall be used to fund a comprehensive statewide tobacco education and prevention program consistent with the recommendations for effective program components in the 1999 Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs of the CDC, as such Best Practices may be amended by the CDC. This program shall include, at a minimum, the following components, and may include additional components that are also contained within the CDC Best Practices, as periodically amended, and that are effective at accomplishing the purpose of this section, and that do not undermine the effectiveness of these required minimum components:
+(1) an advertising campaign to discourage the use of tobacco and to educate people, especially youth, about the health hazards of tobacco, which shall be designed to be effective at achieving these goals and shall include, but need not be limited to, television, radio, and print advertising, with no limitations on any individual advertising medium utilized; and which shall be funded at a level equivalent to one-third of each total annual appropriation required by this section;
+(2) evidence-based curricula and programs to educate youth about tobacco and to discourage their use of it, including, but not limited to, programs that involve youth, educate youth about the health hazards of tobacco, help youth develop skills to refuse tobacco, and demonstrate to youth how to stop using tobacco;
+(3) programs of local community-based partnerships that discourage the use of tobacco and work to educate people, especially youth, about the health hazards of tobacco, with an emphasis on programs that involve youth and emphasize the prevention and cessation of tobacco use;
+(4) enforcement of laws, regulations, and policies against the sale or other provision of tobacco to minors, and the possession of tobacco by minors; and
+(5) publicly-reported annual evaluations to ensure that moneys appropriated pursuant to this section are spent properly, which shall include evaluation of the program’s effectiveness in reducing and preventing tobacco use, and annual recommendations for improvements to enhance the program’s effectiveness, which are to include comparisons to similar programs proven to be effective in other states, as well as comparisons to CDC Best Practices, including amendments thereto.
+(b) FUNDING. In every year beginning with the calendar year after voters approve this amendment, the Florida Legislature shall appropriate, for the purpose expressed herein, from the total gross funds that tobacco companies pay to the State of Florida under the Tobacco Settlement, an amount equal to fifteen percent of such funds paid to the State in 2005; and the appropriation required by this section shall be adjusted annually for inflation, using the Consumer Price Index as published by the United States Department of Labor.
+(c) DEFINITIONS. “Tobacco” includes, without limitation, tobacco itself and tobacco products that include tobacco and are intended or expected for human use or consumption, including, but not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. The “Tobacco Settlement” means that certain Settlement Agreement dated August 25, 1997, entered into in settlement of the case styled as State of Florida, et al. v. American Tobacco Company, et al., Case No. 95-1466 AH (Fla. 15th Cir. Ct.), as amended by Stipulation of Amendment dated September 11, 1998; and includes any subsequent amendments and successor agreements. “Youth” includes minors and young adults.
+(d) EFFECTIVE DATE. This amendment shall become effective immediately upon approval by the voters.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State July 20, 2005; adopted 2006.
+SECTION 28. Land Acquisition Trust Fund.—
+(a) Effective on July 1 of the year following passage of this amendment by the voters, and for a period of 20 years after that effective date, the Land Acquisition Trust Fund shall receive no less than 33 percent of net revenues derived from the existing excise tax on documents, as defined in the statutes in effect on January 1, 2012, as amended from time to time, or any successor or replacement tax, after the Department of Revenue first deducts a service charge to pay the costs of the collection and enforcement of the excise tax on documents.
+(b) Funds in the Land Acquisition Trust Fund shall be expended only for the following purposes:
+(1) As provided by law, to finance or refinance: the acquisition and improvement of land, water areas, and related property interests, including conservation easements, and resources for conservation lands including wetlands, forests, and fish and wildlife habitat; wildlife management areas; lands that protect water resources and drinking water sources, including lands protecting the water quality and quantity of rivers, lakes, streams, springsheds, and lands providing recharge for groundwater and aquifer systems; lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area and the Everglades Protection Area, as defined in Article II, Section 7(b); beaches and shores; outdoor recreation lands, including recreational trails, parks, and urban open space; rural landscapes; working farms and ranches; historic or geologic sites; together with management, restoration of natural systems, and the enhancement of public access or recreational enjoyment of conservation lands.
+(2) To pay the debt service on bonds issued pursuant to Article VII, Section 11(e).
+(c) The moneys deposited into the Land Acquisition Trust Fund, as defined by the statutes in effect on January 1, 2012, shall not be or become commingled with the general revenue fund of the state.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State September 17, 2012; adopted 2014.
+SECTION 29. Medical marijuana production, possession and use.—
+(a) PUBLIC POLICY.
+(1) The medical use of marijuana by a qualifying patient or caregiver in compliance with this section is not subject to criminal or civil liability or sanctions under Florida law.
+(2) A physician shall not be subject to criminal or civil liability or sanctions under Florida law solely for issuing a physician certification with reasonable care to a person diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition in compliance with this section.
+(3) Actions and conduct by a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center registered with the Department, or its agents or employees, and in compliance with this section and Department regulations, shall not be subject to criminal or civil liability or sanctions under Florida law.
+(b) DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:
+(1) “Debilitating Medical Condition” means cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.
+(2) “Department” means the Department of Health or its successor agency.
+(3) “Identification card” means a document issued by the Department that identifies a qualifying patient or a caregiver.
+(4) “Marijuana” has the meaning given cannabis in Section 893.02(3), Florida Statutes (2014), and, in addition, “Low-THC cannabis” as defined in Section 381.986(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2014), shall also be included in the meaning of the term “marijuana.”
+(5) “Medical Marijuana Treatment Center” (MMTC) means an entity that acquires, cultivates, possesses, processes (including development of related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments), transfers, transports, sells, distributes, dispenses, or administers marijuana, products containing marijuana, related supplies, or educational materials to qualifying patients or their caregivers and is registered by the Department.
+(6) “Medical use” means the acquisition, possession, use, delivery, transfer, or administration of an amount of marijuana not in conflict with Department rules, or of related supplies by a qualifying patient or caregiver for use by the caregiver’s designated qualifying patient for the treatment of a debilitating medical condition.
+(7) “Caregiver” means a person who is at least twenty-one (21) years old who has agreed to assist with a qualifying patient’s medical use of marijuana and has qualified for and obtained a caregiver identification card issued by the Department. The Department may limit the number of qualifying patients a caregiver may assist at one time and the number of caregivers that a qualifying patient may have at one time. Caregivers are prohibited from consuming marijuana obtained for medical use by the qualifying patient.
+(8) “Physician” means a person who is licensed to practice medicine in Florida.
+(9) “Physician certification” means a written document signed by a physician, stating that in the physician’s professional opinion, the patient suffers from a debilitating medical condition, that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for the patient, and for how long the physician recommends the medical use of marijuana for the patient. A physician certification may only be provided after the physician has conducted a physical examination and a full assessment of the medical history of the patient. In order for a physician certification to be issued to a minor, a parent or legal guardian of the minor must consent in writing.
+(10) “Qualifying patient” means a person who has been diagnosed to have a debilitating medical condition, who has a physician certification and a valid qualifying patient identification card. If the Department does not begin issuing identification cards within nine (9) months after the effective date of this section, then a valid physician certification will serve as a patient identification card in order to allow a person to become a “qualifying patient” until the Department begins issuing identification cards.
+(c) LIMITATIONS.
+(1) Nothing in this section allows for a violation of any law other than for conduct in compliance with the provisions of this section.
+(2) Nothing in this section shall affect or repeal laws relating to non-medical use, possession, production, or sale of marijuana.
+(3) Nothing in this section authorizes the use of medical marijuana by anyone other than a qualifying patient.
+(4) Nothing in this section shall permit the operation of any vehicle, aircraft, train or boat while under the influence of marijuana.
+(5) Nothing in this section requires the violation of federal law or purports to give immunity under federal law.
+(6) Nothing in this section shall require any accommodation of any on-site medical use of marijuana in any correctional institution or detention facility or place of education or employment, or of smoking medical marijuana in any public place.
+(7) Nothing in this section shall require any health insurance provider or any government agency or authority to reimburse any person for expenses related to the medical use of marijuana.
+(8) Nothing in this section shall affect or repeal laws relating to negligence or professional malpractice on the part of a qualified patient, caregiver, physician, MMTC, or its agents or employees.
+(d) DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT. The Department shall issue reasonable regulations necessary for the implementation and enforcement of this section. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure the availability and safe use of medical marijuana by qualifying patients. It is the duty of the Department to promulgate regulations in a timely fashion.
+(1) Implementing Regulations. In order to allow the Department sufficient time after passage of this section, the following regulations shall be promulgated no later than six (6) months after the effective date of this section:
+a. Procedures for the issuance and annual renewal of qualifying patient identification cards to people with physician certifications and standards for renewal of such identification cards. Before issuing an identification card to a minor, the Department must receive written consent from the minor’s parent or legal guardian, in addition to the physician certification.
+b. Procedures establishing qualifications and standards for caregivers, including conducting appropriate background checks, and procedures for the issuance and annual renewal of caregiver identification cards.
+c. Procedures for the registration of MMTCs that include procedures for the issuance, renewal, suspension and revocation of registration, and standards to ensure proper security, record keeping, testing, labeling, inspection, and safety.
+d. A regulation that defines the amount of marijuana that could reasonably be presumed to be an adequate supply for qualifying patients’ medical use, based on the best available evidence. This presumption as to quantity may be overcome with evidence of a particular qualifying patient’s appropriate medical use.
+(2) Identification cards and registrations. The Department shall begin issuing qualifying patient and caregiver identification cards, and registering MMTCs no later than nine (9) months after the effective date of this section.
+(3) If the Department does not issue regulations, or if the Department does not begin issuing identification cards and registering MMTCs within the time limits set in this section, any Florida citizen shall have standing to seek judicial relief to compel compliance with the Department’s constitutional duties.
+(4) The Department shall protect the confidentiality of all qualifying patients. All records containing the identity of qualifying patients shall be confidential and kept from public disclosure other than for valid medical or law enforcement purposes.
+(e) LEGISLATION. Nothing in this section shall limit the legislature from enacting laws consistent with this section.
+(f) SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this section are severable and if any clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this measure, or an application thereof, is adjudged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction other provisions shall continue to be in effect to the fullest extent possible.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State January 9, 2015; adopted 2016.
+SECTION 30. Voter control of gambling in Florida.—
+(a) This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling in the State of Florida. This amendment requires a vote by citizens’ initiative pursuant to Article XI, section 3, in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law. This section amends this Article; and also affects Article XI, by making citizens’ initiatives the exclusive method of authorizing casino gambling.
+(b) As used in this section, “casino gambling” means any of the types of games typically found in casinos and that are within the definition of Class III gaming in the Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. ss. 2701 et seq. (“IGRA”), and in 25 C.F.R. s. 502.4, upon adoption of this amendment, and any that are added to such definition of Class III gaming in the future. This includes, but is not limited to, any house banking game, including but not limited to card games such as baccarat, chemin de fer, blackjack (21), and pai gow (if played as house banking games); any player-banked game that simulates a house banking game, such as California black jack; casino games such as roulette, craps, and keno; any slot machines as defined in 15 U.S.C. s. 1171(a)(1); and any other game not authorized by Article X, section 15, whether or not defined as a slot machine, in which outcomes are determined by random number generator or are similarly assigned randomly, such as instant or historical racing. As used herein, “casino gambling” includes any electronic gambling devices, simulated gambling devices, video lottery devices, internet sweepstakes devices, and any other form of electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance, slot machine, or casino-style game, regardless of how such devices are defined under IGRA. As used herein, “casino gambling” does not include pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing, dog racing, or jai alai exhibitions. For purposes of this section, “gambling” and “gaming” are synonymous.
+(c) Nothing herein shall be deemed to limit the right of the Legislature to exercise its authority through general law to restrict, regulate, or tax any gaming or gambling activities. In addition, nothing herein shall be construed to limit the ability of the state or Native American tribes to negotiate gaming compacts pursuant to the Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act for the conduct of casino gambling on tribal lands, or to affect any existing gambling on tribal lands pursuant to compacts executed by the state and Native American tribes pursuant to IGRA.
+(d) This section is effective upon approval by the voters, is self-executing, and no Legislative implementation is required.
+(e) If any part of this section is held invalid for any reason, the remaining portion or portions shall be severed from the invalid portion and given the fullest possible force and effect.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State October 26, 2015; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 31. Death benefits for survivors of first responders and military members.—
+(a) A death benefit shall be paid by the employing agency when a firefighter; a paramedic; an emergency medical technician; a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation officer; or a member of the Florida National Guard, while engaged in the performance of their official duties, is:
+(1) Accidentally killed or receives accidental bodily injury which results in the loss of the individual’s life, provided that such killing is not the result of suicide and that such bodily injury is not intentionally self-inflicted; or
+(2) Unlawfully and intentionally killed or dies as a result of such unlawful and intentional act or is killed during active duty.
+(b) A death benefit shall be paid by funds from general revenue when an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces is:
+(1) Accidentally killed or receives accidental bodily injury which results in the loss of the individual’s life, provided that such killing is not the result of suicide and that such bodily injury is not intentionally self-inflicted; or
+(2) Unlawfully and intentionally killed or dies as a result of such unlawful and intentional act or is killed during active duty.
+(c) If a firefighter; a paramedic; an emergency medical technician; a law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation officer; or an active duty member of the Florida National Guard or United States Armed Forces is accidentally killed as specified in paragraphs (a)(1) and (b)(1), or unlawfully and intentionally killed as specified in paragraphs (a)(2) and (b)(2), the state shall waive certain educational expenses that the child or spouse of the deceased first responder or military member incurs while obtaining a career certificate, an undergraduate education, or a postgraduate education.
+(d) An eligible first responder must have been working for the State of Florida or any of its political subdivisions or agencies at the time of death. An eligible military member must have been a resident of this state or his or her duty post must have been within this state at the time of death.
+(e) The legislature shall implement this section by general law.
+(f) This section shall take effect on July 1, 2019.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 2, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 32. Prohibition on racing of and wagering on greyhounds or other dogs.—The humane treatment of animals is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. After December 31, 2020, a person authorized to conduct gaming or pari-mutuel operations may not race greyhounds or any member of the Canis Familiaris subspecies in connection with any wager for money or any other thing of value in this state, and persons in this state may not wager money or any other thing of value on the outcome of a live dog race occurring in this state. The failure to conduct greyhound racing or wagering on greyhound racing after December 31, 2018, does not constitute grounds to revoke or deny renewal of other related gaming licenses held by a person who is a licensed greyhound permitholder on January 1, 2018, and does not affect the eligibility of such permitholder, or such permitholder’s facility, to conduct other pari-mutuel activities authorized by general law. By general law, the legislature shall specify civil or criminal penalties for violations of this section and for activities that aid or abet violations of this section.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+ARTICLE XI
+AMENDMENTS
+SECTION 1.
+ Proposal by legislature.
+SECTION 2.
+ Revision commission.
+SECTION 3.
+ Initiative.
+SECTION 4.
+ Constitutional convention.
+SECTION 5.
+ Amendment or revision election.
+SECTION 6.
+ Taxation and budget reform commission.
+SECTION 7.
+ Tax or fee limitation.
+SECTION 1. Proposal by legislature.—Amendment of a section or revision of one or more articles, or the whole, of this constitution may be proposed by joint resolution agreed to by three-fifths of the membership of each house of the legislature. The full text of the joint resolution and the vote of each member voting shall be entered on the journal of each house.
+SECTION 2. Revision commission.—
+(a) Within thirty days before the convening of the 2017 regular session of the legislature, and each twentieth year thereafter, there shall be established a constitution revision commission composed of the following thirty-seven members:
+(1) the attorney general of the state;
+(2) fifteen members selected by the governor;
+(3) nine members selected by the speaker of the house of representatives and nine members selected by the president of the senate; and
+(4) three members selected by the chief justice of the supreme court of Florida with the advice of the justices.
+(b) The governor shall designate one member of the commission as its chair. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
+(c) Each constitution revision commission shall convene at the call of its chair, adopt its rules of procedure, examine the constitution of the state, hold public hearings, and, not later than one hundred eighty days prior to the next general election, file with the custodian of state records its proposal, if any, of a revision of this constitution or any part of it.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1616, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. S.J.R. 210, 1996; adopted 1996; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 3. Initiative.—The power to propose the revision or amendment of any portion or portions of this constitution by initiative is reserved to the people, provided that, any such revision or amendment, except for those limiting the power of government to raise revenue, shall embrace but one subject and matter directly connected therewith. It may be invoked by filing with the custodian of state records a petition containing a copy of the proposed revision or amendment, signed by a number of electors in each of one half of the congressional districts of the state, and of the state as a whole, equal to eight percent of the votes cast in each of such districts respectively and in the state as a whole in the last preceding election in which presidential electors were chosen.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 2835, 1972; adopted 1972; Am. by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State August 3, 1993; adopted 1994; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 4. Constitutional convention.—
+(a) The power to call a convention to consider a revision of the entire constitution is reserved to the people. It may be invoked by filing with the custodian of state records a petition, containing a declaration that a constitutional convention is desired, signed by a number of electors in each of one half of the congressional districts of the state, and of the state as a whole, equal to fifteen per cent of the votes cast in each such district respectively and in the state as a whole in the last preceding election of presidential electors.
+(b) At the next general election held more than ninety days after the filing of such petition there shall be submitted to the electors of the state the question: “Shall a constitutional convention be held?” If a majority voting on the question votes in the affirmative, at the next succeeding general election there shall be elected from each representative district a member of a constitutional convention. On the twenty-first day following that election, the convention shall sit at the capital, elect officers, adopt rules of procedure, judge the election of its membership, and fix a time and place for its future meetings. Not later than ninety days before the next succeeding general election, the convention shall cause to be filed with the custodian of state records any revision of this constitution proposed by it.
+History.—Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 5. Amendment or revision election.—
+(a) A proposed amendment to or revision of this constitution, or any part of it, shall be submitted to the electors at the next general election held more than ninety days after the joint resolution or report of revision commission, constitutional convention or taxation and budget reform commission proposing it is filed with the custodian of state records, unless, pursuant to law enacted by the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the membership of each house of the legislature and limited to a single amendment or revision, it is submitted at an earlier special election held more than ninety days after such filing.
+(b) A proposed amendment or revision of this constitution, or any part of it, by initiative shall be submitted to the electors at the general election provided the initiative petition is filed with the custodian of state records no later than February 1 of the year in which the general election is held.
+(c) The legislature shall provide by general law, prior to the holding of an election pursuant to this section, for the provision of a statement to the public regarding the probable financial impact of any amendment proposed by initiative pursuant to section 3.
+(d) Once in the tenth week, and once in the sixth week immediately preceding the week in which the election is held, the proposed amendment or revision, with notice of the date of election at which it will be submitted to the electors, shall be published in one newspaper of general circulation in each county in which a newspaper is published.
+(e) Unless otherwise specifically provided for elsewhere in this constitution, if the proposed amendment or revision is approved by vote of at least sixty percent of the electors voting on the measure, it shall be effective as an amendment to or revision of the constitution of the state on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January following the election, or on such other date as may be specified in the amendment or revision.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1616, 1988; adopted 1988; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998; Am. H.J.R. 571, 2001; adopted 2002; Am. S.J.R. 2394, 2004; adopted 2004; Am. H.J.R. 1723, 2005; adopted 2006.
+SECTION 6. Taxation and budget reform commission.—
+(a) Beginning in 2007 and each twentieth year thereafter, there shall be established a taxation and budget reform commission composed of the following members:
+(1) eleven members selected by the governor, none of whom shall be a member of the legislature at the time of appointment.
+(2) seven members selected by the speaker of the house of representatives and seven members selected by the president of the senate, none of whom shall be a member of the legislature at the time of appointment.
+(3) four non-voting ex officio members, all of whom shall be members of the legislature at the time of appointment. Two of these members, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party in the house of representatives, shall be selected by the speaker of the house of representatives, and two of these members, one of whom shall be a member of the minority party in the senate, shall be selected by the president of the senate.
+(b) Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
+(c) At its initial meeting, the members of the commission shall elect a member who is not a member of the legislature to serve as chair and the commission shall adopt its rules of procedure. Thereafter, the commission shall convene at the call of the chair. An affirmative vote of two thirds of the full commission shall be necessary for any revision of this constitution or any part of it to be proposed by the commission.
+(d) The commission shall examine the state budgetary process, the revenue needs and expenditure processes of the state, the appropriateness of the tax structure of the state, and governmental productivity and efficiency; review policy as it relates to the ability of state and local government to tax and adequately fund governmental operations and capital facilities required to meet the state’s needs during the next twenty year period; determine methods favored by the citizens of the state to fund the needs of the state, including alternative methods for raising sufficient revenues for the needs of the state; determine measures that could be instituted to effectively gather funds from existing tax sources; examine constitutional limitations on taxation and expenditures at the state and local level; and review the state’s comprehensive planning, budgeting and needs assessment processes to determine whether the resulting information adequately supports a strategic decisionmaking process.
+(e) The commission shall hold public hearings as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this section. The commission shall issue a report of the results of the review carried out, and propose to the legislature any recommended statutory changes related to the taxation or budgetary laws of the state. Not later than one hundred eighty days prior to the general election in the second year following the year in which the commission is established, the commission shall file with the custodian of state records its proposal, if any, of a revision of this constitution or any part of it dealing with taxation or the state budgetary process.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 1616, 1988; adopted 1988; Ams. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision Nos. 8 and 13, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+SECTION 7. Tax or fee limitation.—Notwithstanding Article X, Section 12(d) of this constitution, no new State tax or fee shall be imposed on or after November 8, 1994 by any amendment to this constitution unless the proposed amendment is approved by not fewer than two-thirds of the voters voting in the election in which such proposed amendment is considered. For purposes of this section, the phrase “new State tax or fee” shall mean any tax or fee which would produce revenue subject to lump sum or other appropriation by the Legislature, either for the State general revenue fund or any trust fund, which tax or fee is not in effect on November 7, 1994 including without limitation such taxes and fees as are the subject of proposed constitutional amendments appearing on the ballot on November 8, 1994. This section shall apply to proposed constitutional amendments relating to State taxes or fees which appear on the November 8, 1994 ballot, or later ballots, and any such proposed amendment which fails to gain the two-thirds vote required hereby shall be null, void and without effect.
+History.—Proposed by Initiative Petition filed with the Secretary of State March 11, 1994; adopted 1996.
+ARTICLE XII
+SCHEDULE
+SECTION 1.
+ Constitution of 1885 superseded.
+SECTION 2.
+ Property taxes; millages.
+SECTION 3.
+ Officers to continue in office.
+SECTION 4.
+ State commissioner of education.
+SECTION 5.
+ Superintendent of schools.
+SECTION 6.
+ Laws preserved.
+SECTION 7.
+ Rights reserved.
+SECTION 8.
+ Public debts recognized.
+SECTION 9.
+ Bonds.
+SECTION 10.
+ Preservation of existing government.
+SECTION 11.
+ Deletion of obsolete schedule items.
+SECTION 12.
+ Senators.
+SECTION 13.
+ Legislative apportionment.
+SECTION 14.
+ Representatives; terms.
+SECTION 15.
+ Special district taxes.
+SECTION 16.
+ Reorganization.
+SECTION 17.
+ Conflicting provisions.
+SECTION 18.
+ Bonds for housing and related facilities.
+SECTION 19.
+ Renewable energy source property.
+SECTION 20.
+ Access to public records.
+SECTION 21.
+ State revenue limitation.
+SECTION 22.
+ Historic property exemption and assessment.
+SECTION 23.
+ Fish and wildlife conservation commission.
+SECTION 24.
+ Executive branch reform.
+SECTION 25.
+ Schedule to Article V amendment.
+SECTION 26.
+ Increased homestead exemption.
+SECTION 27.
+ Property tax exemptions and limitations on property tax assessments.
+SECTION 28.
+ Property tax exemption and classification and assessment of land used for conservation purposes.
+SECTION 29.
+ Limitation on the assessed value of real property used for residential purposes.
+SECTION 30.
+ Assessment of working waterfront property.
+SECTION 31.
+ Additional ad valorem tax exemption for certain members of the armed forces deployed on active duty outside of the United States.
+SECTION 32.
+ Veterans disabled due to combat injury; homestead property tax discount.
+SECTION 33.
+ Ad valorem tax relief for surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-connected causes and first responders who died in the line of duty.
+SECTION 34.
+ Solar devices or renewable energy source devices; exemption from certain taxation and assessment.
+SECTION 35.
+ Tax exemption for totally and permanently disabled first responders.
+SECTION 36.
+ Additional ad valorem exemption for persons age sixty-five or older.
+SECTION 37.
+ Eligibility of justices and judges.
+SECTION 38.
+ Prohibitions regarding lobbying for compensation and abuse of public position by public officers and public employees.
+SECTION 39.
+ Prohibition on racing of or wagering on greyhounds or other dogs.
+SECTION 40.
+ Transfer of the accrued benefit from specified limitations on homestead property tax assessments; increased portability period.
+SECTION 41.
+ Ad valorem tax discount for surviving spouses of certain permanently disabled veterans.
+SECTION 42.
+ Annual adjustment to homestead exemption value.
+SECTION 1. Constitution of 1885 superseded.—Articles I through IV, VII, and IX through XX of the Constitution of Florida adopted in 1885, as amended from time to time, are superseded by this revision except those sections expressly retained and made a part of this revision by reference.
+SECTION 2. Property taxes; millages.—Tax millages authorized in counties, municipalities and special districts, on the date this revision becomes effective, may be continued until reduced by law.
+SECTION 3. Officers to continue in office.—Every person holding office when this revision becomes effective shall continue in office for the remainder of the term if that office is not abolished. If the office is abolished the incumbent shall be paid adequate compensation, to be fixed by law, for the loss of emoluments for the remainder of the term.
+SECTION 4. State commissioner of education.—The state superintendent of public instruction in office on the effective date of this revision shall become and, for the remainder of the term being served, shall be the commissioner of education.
+SECTION 5. Superintendent of schools.—
+(a) On the effective date of this revision the county superintendent of public instruction of each county shall become and, for the remainder of the term being served, shall be the superintendent of schools of that district.
+(b) The method of selection of the county superintendent of public instruction of each county, as provided by or under the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall apply to the selection of the district superintendent of schools until changed as herein provided.
+SECTION 6. Laws preserved.—
+(a) All laws in effect upon the adoption of this revision, to the extent not inconsistent with it, shall remain in force until they expire by their terms or are repealed.
+(b) All statutes which, under the Constitution of 1885, as amended, apply to the state superintendent of public instruction and those which apply to the county superintendent of public instruction shall under this revision apply, respectively, to the state commissioner of education and the district superintendent of schools.
+SECTION 7. Rights reserved.—
+(a) All actions, rights of action, claims, contracts and obligations of individuals, corporations and public bodies or agencies existing on the date this revision becomes effective shall continue to be valid as if this revision had not been adopted. All taxes, penalties, fines and forfeitures owing to the state under the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall inure to the state under this revision, and all sentences as punishment for crime shall be executed according to their terms.
+(b) This revision shall not be retroactive so as to create any right or liability which did not exist under the Constitution of 1885, as amended, based upon matters occurring prior to the adoption of this revision.
+SECTION 8. Public debts recognized.—All bonds, revenue certificates, revenue bonds and tax anticipation certificates issued pursuant to the Constitution of 1885, as amended by the state, any agency, political subdivision or public corporation of the state shall remain in full force and effect and shall be secured by the same sources of revenue as before the adoption of this revision, and, to the extent necessary to effectuate this section, the applicable provisions of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, are retained as a part of this revision until payment in full of these public securities.
+SECTION 9. Bonds.—
+(a) ADDITIONAL SECURITIES.
+(1) 1Article IX, Section 17, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, as it existed immediately before this Constitution, as revised in 1968, became effective, is adopted by this reference as a part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, except revenue bonds, revenue certificates or other evidences of indebtedness hereafter issued thereunder may be issued by the agency of the state so authorized by law.
+(2) That portion of 2Article XII, Section 9, Subsection (a) of this Constitution, as amended, which by reference adopted 3Article XII, Section 19 of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, as the same existed immediately before the effective date of this amendment is adopted by this reference as part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, for the purpose of providing that after the effective date of this amendment all of the proceeds of the revenues derived from the gross receipts taxes, as therein defined, collected in each year shall be applied as provided therein to the extent necessary to comply with all obligations to or for the benefit of holders of bonds or certificates issued before the effective date of this amendment or any refundings thereof which are secured by such gross receipts taxes. No bonds or other obligations may be issued pursuant to the provisions of 3Article XII, Section 19, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, but this provision shall not be construed to prevent the refunding of any such outstanding bonds or obligations pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (a)(2).
+
+Subject to the requirements of the first paragraph of this subsection (a)(2), beginning July 1, 1975, all of the proceeds of the revenues derived from the gross receipts taxes collected from every person, including municipalities, as provided and levied pursuant to the provisions of chapter 203, Florida Statutes, as such chapter is amended from time to time, shall, as collected, be placed in a trust fund to be known as the “public education capital outlay and debt service trust fund” in the state treasury (hereinafter referred to as “capital outlay fund”), and used only as provided herein.
+
+The capital outlay fund shall be administered by the state board of education as created and constituted by Section 2 of Article IX of the Constitution of Florida as revised in 1968 (hereinafter referred to as “state board”), or by such other instrumentality of the state which shall hereafter succeed by law to the powers, duties and functions of the state board, including the powers, duties and functions of the state board provided in this subsection (a)(2). The state board shall be a body corporate and shall have all the powers provided herein in addition to all other constitutional and statutory powers related to the purposes of this subsection (a)(2) heretofore or hereafter conferred by law upon the state board, or its predecessor created by the Constitution of 1885, as amended.
+
+State bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state may be issued, without a vote of the electors, by the state board pursuant to law to finance or refinance capital projects theretofore authorized by the legislature, and any purposes appurtenant or incidental thereto, for the state system of public education provided for in Section 1 of Article IX of this Constitution (hereinafter referred to as “state system”), including but not limited to institutions of higher learning, community colleges, vocational technical schools, or public schools, as now defined or as may hereafter be defined by law. All such bonds shall mature not later than thirty years after the date of issuance thereof. All other details of such bonds shall be as provided by law or by the proceedings authorizing such bonds; provided, however, that no bonds, except refunding bonds, shall be issued, and no proceeds shall be expended for the cost of any capital project, unless such project has been authorized by the legislature.
+
+Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (a)(2) shall be primarily payable from such revenues derived from gross receipts taxes, and shall be additionally secured by the full faith and credit of the state. No such bonds shall ever be issued in an amount exceeding ninety percent of the amount which the state board determines can be serviced by the revenues derived from the gross receipts taxes accruing thereafter under the provisions of this subsection (a)(2), and such determination shall be conclusive.
+
+The moneys in the capital outlay fund in each fiscal year shall be used only for the following purposes and in the following order of priority:
+a. For the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds due in such fiscal year;
+b. For the deposit into any reserve funds provided for in the proceedings authorizing the issuance of bonds of any amounts required to be deposited in such reserve funds in such fiscal year;
+c. For direct payment of the cost or any part of the cost of any capital project for the state system theretofore authorized by the legislature, or for the purchase or redemption of outstanding bonds in accordance with the provisions of the proceedings which authorized the issuance of such bonds, or for the purpose of maintaining, restoring, or repairing existing public educational facilities.
+(b) REFUNDING BONDS. Revenue bonds to finance the cost of state capital projects issued prior to the date this revision becomes effective, including projects of the Florida state turnpike authority or its successor but excluding all portions of the state highway system, may be refunded as provided by law without vote of the electors at a lower net average interest cost rate by the issuance of bonds maturing not later than the obligations refunded, secured by the same revenues only.
+(c) MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL TAXES.
+(1) A state tax, designated “second gas tax,” of two cents per gallon upon gasoline and other like products of petroleum and an equivalent tax upon other sources of energy used to propel motor vehicles as levied by 4Article IX, Section 16, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, is hereby continued. The proceeds of said tax shall be placed monthly in the state roads distribution fund in the state treasury.
+(2) 4Article IX, Section 16, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, is adopted by this reference as a part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim for the purpose of providing that after the effective date of this revision the proceeds of the “second gas tax” as referred to therein shall be allocated among the several counties in accordance with the formula stated therein to the extent necessary to comply with all obligations to or for the benefit of holders of bonds, revenue certificates and tax anticipation certificates or any refundings thereof secured by any portion of the “second gas tax.”
+(3) No funds anticipated to be allocated under the formula stated in 4Article IX, Section 16, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, shall be pledged as security for any obligation hereafter issued or entered into, except that any outstanding obligations previously issued pledging revenues allocated under said 4Article IX, Section 16, may be refunded at a lower average net interest cost rate by the issuance of refunding bonds, maturing not later than the obligations refunded, secured by the same revenues and any other security authorized in paragraph (5) of this subsection.
+(4) Subject to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection and after payment of administrative expenses, the “second gas tax” shall be allocated to the account of each of the several counties in the amounts to be determined as follows: There shall be an initial allocation of one-fourth in the ratio of county area to state area, one-fourth in the ratio of the total county population to the total population of the state in accordance with the latest available federal census, and one-half in the ratio of the total “second gas tax” collected on retail sales or use in each county to the total collected in all counties of the state during the previous fiscal year. If the annual debt service requirements of any obligations issued for any county, including any deficiencies for prior years, secured under paragraph (2) of this subsection, exceeds the amount which would be allocated to that county under the formula set out in this paragraph, the amounts allocated to other counties shall be reduced proportionately.
+(5) Funds allocated under paragraphs (2) and (4) of this subsection shall be administered by the state board of administration created under Article IV, Section 4. The board shall remit the proceeds of the “second gas tax” in each county account for use in said county as follows: eighty per cent to the state agency supervising the state road system and twenty per cent to the governing body of the county. The percentage allocated to the county may be increased by general law. The proceeds of the “second gas tax” subject to allocation to the several counties under this paragraph (5) shall be used first, for the payment of obligations pledging revenues allocated pursuant to 4Article IX, Section 16, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, and any refundings thereof; second, for the payment of debt service on bonds issued as provided by this paragraph (5) to finance the acquisition and construction of roads as defined by law; and third, for the acquisition and construction of roads and for road maintenance as authorized by law. When authorized by law, state bonds pledging the full faith and credit of the state may be issued without any election: (i) to refund obligations secured by any portion of the “second gas tax” allocated to a county under 4Article IX, Section 16, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended; (ii) to finance the acquisition and construction of roads in a county when approved by the governing body of the county and the state agency supervising the state road system; and (iii) to refund obligations secured by any portion of the “second gas tax” allocated under paragraph 9(c)(4). No such bonds shall be issued unless a state fiscal agency created by law has made a determination that in no state fiscal year will the debt service requirements of the bonds and all other bonds secured by the pledged portion of the “second gas tax” allocated to the county exceed seventy-five per cent of the pledged portion of the “second gas tax” allocated to that county for the preceding state fiscal year, of the pledged net tolls from existing facilities collected in the preceding state fiscal year, and of the annual average net tolls anticipated during the first five state fiscal years of operation of new projects to be financed, and of any other legally available pledged revenues collected in the preceding state fiscal year. Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection shall be payable primarily from the pledged tolls, the pledged portions of the “second gas tax” allocated to that county, and any other pledged revenue, and shall mature not later than forty years from the date of issuance.
+(d) SCHOOL BONDS.
+(1) 5Article XII, Section 9, Subsection (d) of this constitution, as amended, (which, by reference, adopted 6Article XII, Section 18, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended) as the same existed immediately before the effective date of this amendment is adopted by this reference as part of this amendment as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, for the purpose of providing that after the effective date of this amendment the first proceeds of the revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles as referred to therein shall be distributed annually among the several counties in the ratio of the number of instruction units in each county, the same being coterminus with the school district of each county as provided in Article IX, Section 4, Subsection (a) of this constitution, in each year computed as provided therein to the extent necessary to comply with all obligations to or for the benefit of holders of bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates issued before the effective date of this amendment or any refundings thereof which are secured by any portion of such revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles.
+(2) No funds anticipated to be distributed annually among the several counties under the formula stated in 5Article XII, Section 9, Subsection (d) of this constitution, as amended, as the same existed immediately before the effective date of this amendment shall be pledged as security for any obligations hereafter issued or entered into, except that any outstanding obligations previously issued pledging such funds may be refunded by the issuance of refunding bonds.
+(3) Subject to the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection (d) beginning July 1, 1973, the first proceeds of the revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles (hereinafter called “motor vehicle license revenues”) to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of this amendment, shall, as collected, be placed monthly in the school district and community college district capital outlay and debt service fund in the state treasury and used only as provided in this amendment. Such revenue shall be distributed annually among the several school districts and community college districts in the ratio of the number of instruction units in each school district or community college district in each year computed as provided herein. The amount of the first motor vehicle license revenues to be so set aside in each year and distributed as provided herein shall be an amount equal in the aggregate to the product of six hundred dollars ($600) multiplied by the total number of instruction units in all the school districts of Florida for the school fiscal year 1967-68, plus an amount equal in the aggregate to the product of eight hundred dollars ($800) multiplied by the total number of instruction units in all the school districts of Florida for the school fiscal year 1972-73 and for each school fiscal year thereafter which is in excess of the total number of such instruction units in all the school districts of Florida for the school fiscal year 1967-68, such excess units being designated “growth units.” The amount of the first motor vehicle license revenues to be so set aside in each year and distributed as provided herein shall additionally be an amount equal in the aggregate to the product of four hundred dollars ($400) multiplied by the total number of instruction units in all community college districts of Florida. The number of instruction units in each school district or community college district in each year for the purposes of this amendment shall be the greater of (1) the number of instruction units in each school district for the school fiscal year 1967-68 or community college district for the school fiscal year 1968-69 computed in the manner heretofore provided by general law, or (2) the number of instruction units in such school district, including growth units, or community college district for the school fiscal year computed in the manner heretofore or hereafter provided by general law and approved by the state board of education (hereinafter called the state board), or (3) the number of instruction units in each school district, including growth units, or community college district on behalf of which the state board has issued bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates under this amendment which will produce sufficient revenues under this amendment to equal one and twelve-hundredths (1.12) times the aggregate amount of principal of and interest on all bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates issued under this amendment which will mature and become due in such year, computed in the manner heretofore or hereafter provided by general law and approved by the state board.
+(4) Such funds so distributed shall be administered by the state board as now created and constituted by Section 2 of Article IX of the State Constitution as revised in 1968, or by such other instrumentality of the state which shall hereafter succeed by law to the powers, duties and functions of the state board, including the powers, duties and functions of the state board provided in this amendment. For the purposes of this amendment, said state board shall be a body corporate and shall have all the powers provided in this amendment in addition to all other constitutional and statutory powers related to the purposes of this amendment heretofore or hereafter conferred upon said state board.
+(5) The state board shall, in addition to its other constitutional and statutory powers, have the management, control and supervision of the proceeds of the first motor vehicle license revenues provided for in this subsection (d). The state board shall also have power, for the purpose of obtaining funds for the use of any school board of any school district or board of trustees of any community college district in acquiring, building, constructing, altering, remodeling, improving, enlarging, furnishing, equipping, maintaining, renovating, or repairing of capital outlay projects for school purposes to issue bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, and also to issue such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates to pay, fund or refund any bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates theretofore issued by said state board. All such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates shall bear interest at not exceeding the rate provided by general law and shall mature not later than thirty years after the date of issuance thereof. The state board shall have power to determine all other details of the bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates and to sell in the manner provided by general law, or exchange the bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, upon such terms and conditions as the state board shall provide.
+(6) The state board shall also have power to pledge for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, including refunding bonds or refunding motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, all or any part from the motor vehicle license revenues provided for in this amendment and to enter into any covenants and other agreements with the holders of such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates at the time of the issuance thereof concerning the security thereof and the rights of the holders thereof, all of which covenants and agreements shall constitute legally binding and irrevocable contracts with such holders and shall be fully enforceable by such holders in any court of competent jurisdiction.
+(7) No such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates shall ever be issued by the state board, except to refund outstanding bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, until after the adoption of a resolution requesting the issuance thereof by the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district on behalf of which the obligations are to be issued. The state board of education shall limit the amount of such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates which can be issued on behalf of any school district or community college district to ninety percent (90%) of the amount which it determines can be serviced by the revenue accruing to the school district or community college district under the provisions of this amendment, and shall determine the reasonable allocation of the interest savings from the issuance of refunding bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, and such determinations shall be conclusive. All such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates shall be issued in the name of the state board of education but shall be issued for and on behalf of the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district requesting the issuance thereof, and no election or approval of qualified electors shall be required for the issuance thereof.
+(8) The state board shall in each year use the funds distributable pursuant to this amendment to the credit of each school district or community college district only in the following manner and in order of priority:
+a. To comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection (d).
+b. To pay all amounts of principal and interest due in such year on any bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates issued under the authority hereof, including refunding bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, issued on behalf of the school board of such school district or board of trustees of such community college district; subject, however, to any covenants or agreements made by the state board concerning the rights between holders of different issues of such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, as herein authorized.
+c. To establish and maintain a sinking fund or funds to meet future requirements for debt service or reserves therefor, on bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates issued on behalf of the school board of such school district or board of trustees of such community college district under the authority hereof, whenever the state board shall deem it necessary or advisable, and in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the state board shall in its discretion determine.
+d. To distribute annually to the several school boards of the school districts or the boards of trustees of the community college districts for use in payment of debt service on bonds heretofore or hereafter issued by any such school boards of the school districts or boards of trustees of the community college districts where the proceeds of the bonds were used, or are to be used, in the acquiring, building, constructing, altering, remodeling, improving, enlarging, furnishing, equipping, maintaining, renovating, or repairing of capital outlay projects in such school districts or community college districts and which capital outlay projects have been approved by the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district, pursuant to the most recent survey or surveys conducted under regulations prescribed by the state board to determine the capital outlay needs of the school district or community college district. The state board shall have power at the time of issuance of any bonds by any school board of any school district or board of trustees of any community college district to covenant and agree with such school board or board of trustees as to the rank and priority of payments to be made for different issues of bonds under this subparagraph d., and may further agree that any amounts to be distributed under this subparagraph d. may be pledged for the debt service on bonds issued by any school board of any school district or board of trustees of any community college district and for the rank and priority of such pledge. Any such covenants or agreements of the state board may be enforced by any holders of such bonds in any court of competent jurisdiction.
+e. To pay the expenses of the state board in administering this subsection (d), which shall be prorated among the various school districts and community college districts and paid out of the proceeds of the bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates or from the funds distributable to each school district and community college district on the same basis as such motor vehicle license revenues are distributable to the various school districts and community college districts.
+f. To distribute annually to the several school boards of the school districts or boards of trustees of the community college districts for the payment of the cost of acquiring, building, constructing, altering, remodeling, improving, enlarging, furnishing, equipping, maintaining, renovating, or repairing of capital outlay projects for school purposes in such school district or community college district as shall be requested by resolution of the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district.
+g. When all major capital outlay needs of a school district or community college district have been met as determined by the state board, on the basis of a survey made pursuant to regulations of the state board and approved by the state board, all such funds remaining shall be distributed annually and used for such school purposes in such school district or community college district as the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district shall determine, or as may be provided by general law.
+(9) Capital outlay projects of a school district or community college district shall be eligible to participate in the funds accruing under this amendment and derived from the proceeds of bonds and motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates and from the motor vehicle license revenues, only in the order of priority of needs, as shown by a survey or surveys conducted in the school district or community college district under regulations prescribed by the state board, to determine the capital outlay needs of the school district or community college district and approved by the state board; provided that the priority of such projects may be changed from time to time upon the request of the school board of the school district or board of trustees of the community college district and with the approval of the state board; and provided, further, that this paragraph (9) shall not in any manner affect any covenant, agreement or pledge made by the state board in the issuance by said state board of any bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates, or in connection with the issuance of any bonds of any school board of any school district or board of trustees of any community college district.
+(10) The state board shall have power to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary to the full exercise of the powers herein granted and no legislation shall be required to render this amendment of full force and operating effect. The legislature shall not reduce the levies of said motor vehicle license revenues during the life of this amendment to any degree which will fail to provide the full amount necessary to comply with the provisions of this amendment and pay the necessary expenses of administering the laws relating to the licensing of motor vehicles, and shall not enact any law having the effect of withdrawing the proceeds of such motor vehicle license revenues from the operation of this amendment and shall not enact any law impairing or materially altering the rights of the holders of any bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates issued pursuant to this amendment or impairing or altering any covenant or agreement of the state board, as provided in such bonds or motor vehicle license revenue anticipation certificates.
+(11) Bonds issued by the state board pursuant to this subsection (d) shall be payable primarily from said motor vehicle license revenues as provided herein, and if heretofore or hereafter authorized by law, may be additionally secured by pledging the full faith and credit of the state without an election. When heretofore or hereafter authorized by law, bonds issued pursuant to 6Article XII, Section 18 of the Constitution of 1885, as amended prior to 1968, and bonds issued pursuant to Article XII, Section 9, subsection (d) of the Constitution as revised in 1968, and bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (d), may be refunded by the issuance of bonds additionally secured by the full faith and credit of the state.
+(e) DEBT LIMITATION. Bonds issued pursuant to this Section 9 of Article XII which are payable primarily from revenues pledged pursuant to this section shall not be included in applying the limits upon the amount of state bonds contained in Section 11, Article VII, of this revision.
+History.—Am. H.J.R. 1851, 1969; adopted 1969; Am. C.S. for S.J.R. 292, 1972, and Am. C.S. for H.J.R. 3576, 1972; adopted 1972; Am. C.S. for H.J.R.’s 2289, 2984, 1974; adopted 1974; Am. S.J.R. 824, 1980; adopted 1980; Am. S.J.R. 1157, 1984; adopted 1984; Am. proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 1, 1992, filed with the Secretary of State May 7, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. S.J.R. 2-H, 1992; adopted 1992; Am. proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—Section 17 of Art. IX of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 17. Bonds; land acquisition for outdoor recreation development.—The outdoor recreational development council, as created by the 1963 legislature, may issue revenue bonds, revenue certificates or other evidences of indebtedness to acquire lands, water areas and related resources and to construct, improve, enlarge and extend capital improvements and facilities thereon in furtherance of outdoor recreation, natural resources conservation and related facilities in this state; provided, however, the legislature with respect to such revenue bonds, revenue certificates or other evidences of indebtedness shall designate the revenue or tax sources to be deposited in or credited to the land acquisition trust fund for their repayment and may impose restrictions on their issuance, including the fixing of maximum interest rates and discounts.
+
+The land acquisition trust fund, created by the 1963 legislature for these multiple public purposes, shall continue from the date of the adoption of this amendment for a period of fifty years.
+
+In the event the outdoor recreational development council shall determine to issue bonds for financing acquisition of sites for multiple purposes the state board of administration shall act as fiscal agent, and the attorney general shall handle the validation proceedings.
+
+All bonds issued under this amendment shall be sold at public sale after public advertisement upon such terms and conditions as the outdoor recreational development council shall provide and as otherwise provided by law and subject to the limitations herein imposed.
+
+History.—S.J.R. 727, 1963; adopted 1963.
+2Note.—Prior to its amendment by C.S. for H.J.R.’s 2289, 2984, 1974, subsection (a) read as follows:
+
+(a) ADDITIONAL SECURITIES. Article IX, Section 17, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, as it existed immediately before this Constitution, as revised in 1968, became effective, is adopted by this reference as a part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, except revenue bonds, revenue certificates or other evidences of indebtedness hereafter issued thereunder may be issued by the agency of the state so authorized by law.
+
+Article XII, Section 19, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, as it existed immediately before this revision becomes effective, is adopted by this reference as a part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, except bonds or tax anticipation certificates hereafter issued thereunder may bear interest not in excess of five percent (5%) per annum or such higher interest as may be authorized by statute passed by a three-fifths (3/5) vote of each house of the legislature. No revenue bonds or tax anticipation certificates shall be issued pursuant thereto after June 30, 1975.
+3Note.—Section 19 of Art. XII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 19. Institutions of higher learning and junior college capital outlay trust fund bonds.—(a) That beginning January 1, 1964, and for fifty years thereafter, all of the proceeds of the revenues derived from the gross receipts taxes collected from every person, including municipalities, receiving payment for electricity for light, heat or power, for natural or manufactured gas for light, heat or power, for use of telephones and for the sending of telegrams and telegraph messages, as now provided and levied as of the time of adoption of this amendment in Chapter 203, Florida Statutes (hereinafter called “Gross Receipts Taxes”), shall, as collected be placed in a trust fund to be known as the “Institutions of Higher Learning and Junior Colleges Capital Outlay and Debt Service Trust Fund” in the State Treasury (hereinafter referred to as “Capital Outlay Fund”), and used only as provided in this Amendment.
+
+Said fund shall be administered by the State Board of Education, as now created and constituted by Section 3 of Article XII [now s. 2, Article IX] of the Constitution of Florida (hereinafter referred to as “State Board”). For the purpose of this Amendment, said State Board, as now constituted, shall continue as a body corporate during the life of this Amendment and shall have all the powers provided in this Amendment in addition to all other constitutional and statutory powers related to the purposes of this Amendment heretofore or hereafter conferred by law upon said State Board.
+
+(b) The State Board shall have power, for the purpose of obtaining funds for acquiring, building, constructing, altering, improving, enlarging, furnishing or equipping capital outlay projects theretofore authorized by the legislature and any purposes appurtenant or incidental thereto, for Institutions of Higher Learning or Junior Colleges, as now defined or as may be hereafter defined by law, and for the purpose of constructing buildings and other permanent facilities for vocational technical schools as provided in chapter 230 Florida Statutes, to issue bonds or certificates, including refunding bonds or certificates to fund or refund any bonds or certificates theretofore issued. All such bonds or certificates shall bear interest at not exceeding four and one-half per centum per annum, and shall mature at such time or times as the State Board shall determine not exceeding, in any event, however, thirty years from the date of issuance thereof. The State Board shall have power to determine all other details of such bonds or certificates and to sell at public sale, after public advertisement, such bonds or certificates, provided, however, that no bonds or certificates shall ever be issued hereunder to finance, or the proceeds thereof expended for, any part of the cost of any capital outlay project unless the construction or acquisition of such capital outlay project has been theretofore authorized by the Legislature of Florida. None of said bonds or certificates shall be sold at less than ninety-eight per centum of the par value thereof, plus accrued interest, and said bonds or certificates shall be awarded at the public sale thereof to the bidder offering the lowest net interest cost for such bonds or certificates in the manner to be determined by the State Board.
+
+The State Board shall also have power to pledge for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds or certificates, and reserves therefor, including refunding bonds or certificates, all or any part of the revenue to be derived from the said Gross Receipts Taxes provided for in this Amendment, and to enter into any covenants and other agreements with the holders of such bonds or certificates concerning the security thereof and the rights of the holders thereof, all of which covenants and agreements shall constitute legally binding and irrevocable contracts with such holders and shall be fully enforceable by such holders in any court of competent jurisdiction.
+
+No such bonds or certificates shall ever be issued by the State Board in an amount exceeding seventy-five per centum of the amount which it determines, based upon the average annual amount of the revenues derived from said Gross Receipts Taxes during the immediately preceding two fiscal years, or the amount of the revenues derived from said Gross Receipts Taxes during the immediately preceding fiscal year, as shown in a certificate filed by the State Comptroller with the State Board prior to the issuance of such bonds or certificates, whichever is the lesser, can be serviced by the revenues accruing thereafter under the provisions of this Amendment; nor shall the State Board, during the first year following the ratification of this amendment, issue bonds or certificates in excess of seven times the anticipated revenue from said Gross Receipts Taxes during said year, nor during each succeeding year, more than four times the anticipated revenue from said Gross Receipts Taxes during such year. No election or approval of qualified electors or freeholder electors shall be required for the issuance of bonds or certificates hereunder.
+
+After the initial issuance of any bonds or certificates pursuant to this Amendment, the State Board may thereafter issue additional bonds or certificates which will rank equally and on a parity, as to lien on and source of security for payment from said Gross Receipts Taxes, with any bonds or certificates theretofore issued pursuant to this Amendment, but such additional parity bonds or certificates shall not be issued unless the average annual amount of the revenues derived from said Gross Receipts Taxes during the immediately preceding two fiscal years, or the amount of the revenues derived from said Gross Receipts Taxes during the immediately preceding fiscal year, as shown in a certificate filed by the State Comptroller with the State Board prior to the issuance of such bonds or certificates, whichever is the lesser, shall have been equal to one and one-third times the aggregate amount of principal and interest which will become due in any succeeding fiscal year on all bonds or certificates theretofore issued pursuant to this Amendment and then outstanding, and the additional parity bonds or certificates then proposed to be issued. No bonds, certificates or other obligations whatsoever shall at any time be issued under the provisions of this Amendment, except such bonds or certificates initially issued hereunder, and such additional parity bonds or certificates as provided in this paragraph. Notwithstanding any other provision herein no such bonds or certificates shall be authorized or validated during any biennium in excess of fifty million dollars, except by two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house of the legislature; provided further that during the biennium 1963-1965 seventy-five million dollars may be authorized and validated pursuant hereto.
+
+(c) Capital outlay projects theretofore authorized by the legislature for any Institution of Higher Learning or Junior College shall be eligible to participate in the funds accruing under this Amendment derived from the proceeds of bonds or certificates and said Gross Receipts Taxes under such regulations and in such manner as shall be determined by the State Board, and the State Board shall use or transmit to the State Board of Control or to the Board of Public Instruction of any County authorized by law to construct or acquire such capital outlay projects, the amount of the proceeds of such bonds or certificates or Gross Receipts Taxes to be applied to or used for such capital outlay projects. If for any reason any of the proceeds of any bonds or certificates issued for any capital outlay project shall not be expended for such capital outlay project, the State Board may use such unexpended proceeds for any other capital outlay project for Institutions of Higher Learning or Junior Colleges and vocational technical schools, as defined herein, as now defined or as may be hereafter defined by law, theretofore authorized by the State Legislature. The holders of bonds or certificates issued hereunder shall not have any responsibility whatsoever for the application or use of any of the proceeds derived from the sale of said bonds or certificates, and the rights and remedies of the holders of such bonds or certificates and their right to payment from said Gross Receipts Taxes in the manner provided herein shall not be affected or impaired by the application or use of such proceeds.
+
+The State Board shall use the moneys in said Capital Outlay Fund in each fiscal year only for the following purposes and in the following order of priority:
+
+(1) For the payment of the principal of and interest on any bonds or certificates maturing in such fiscal year.
+
+(2) For the deposit into any reserve funds provided for in the proceedings authorizing the issuance of said bonds or certificates, of any amounts required to be deposited in such reserve funds in such fiscal year.
+
+(3) After all payments required in such fiscal year for the purposes provided for in (1) and (2) above, including any deficiencies for required payments in prior fiscal years, any moneys remaining in said Capital Outlay Fund at the end of such fiscal year may be used by the State Board for direct payment of the cost or any part of the cost of any capital outlay project theretofore authorized by the legislature or for the purchase of any bonds or certificates issued hereunder then outstanding upon such terms and conditions as the State Board shall deem proper, or for the prior redemption of outstanding bonds or certificates in accordance with the provisions of the proceedings which authorized the issuance of such bonds or certificates.
+
+The State Board may invest the moneys in said Capital Outlay Fund or in any sinking fund or other funds created for any issue of bonds or certificates, in direct obligations of the United States of America or in the other securities referred to in Section 344.27, Florida Statutes.
+
+(d) The State Board shall have the power to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary to the full exercise of the powers herein granted and no legislation shall be required to render this Amendment of full force and operating effect on and after January 1, 1964. The Legislature, during the period this Amendment is in effect, shall not reduce the rate of said Gross Receipts Taxes now provided in said Chapter 203, Florida Statutes, or eliminate, exempt or remove any of the persons, firms or corporations, including municipal corporations, or any of the utilities, businesses or services now or hereafter subject to said Gross Receipts Taxes, from the levy and collection of said Gross Receipts Taxes as now provided in said Chapter 203, Florida Statutes, and shall not enact any law impairing or materially altering the rights of the holders of any bonds or certificates issued pursuant to this Amendment or impairing or altering any covenants or agreements of the State Board made hereunder, or having the effect of withdrawing the proceeds of said Gross Receipts Taxes from the operation of this Amendment.
+
+The State Board of Administration shall be and is hereby constituted as the Fiscal Agent of the State Board to perform such duties and assume such responsibilities under this Amendment as shall be agreed upon between the State Board and such State Board of Administration. The State Board shall also have power to appoint such other persons and fix their compensation for the administration of the provisions of this Amendment as it shall deem necessary, and the expenses of the State Board in administering the provisions of this Amendment shall be paid out of the proceeds of bonds or certificates issued hereunder or from said Gross Receipts Taxes deposited in said Capital Outlay Fund.
+
+(e) No capital outlay project or any part thereof shall be financed hereunder unless the bill authorizing such project shall specify it is financed hereunder and shall be approved by a vote of three-fifths of the elected members of each house.
+
+History.—S.J.R. 264, 1963; adopted 1963.
+4Note.—Section 16 of Art. IX of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 16. Board of administration; gasoline and like taxes, distribution and use; etc.—(a) That beginning January 1st, 1943, and for fifty (50) years thereafter, the proceeds of two (2ą) cents per gallon of the total tax levied by state law upon gasoline and other like products of petroleum, now known as the Second Gas Tax, and upon other fuels used to propel motor vehicles, shall as collected be placed monthly in the ‘State Roads Distribution Fund’ in the State Treasury and divided into three (3) equal parts which shall be distributed monthly among the several counties as follows: one part according to area, one part according to population, and one part according to the counties’ contributions to the cost of state road construction in the ratio of distribution as provided in Chapter 15659, Laws of Florida, Acts of 1931, and for the purposes of the apportionment based on the counties’ contributions for the cost of state road construction, the amount of the contributions established by the certificates made in 1931 pursuant to said Chapter 15659, shall be taken and deemed conclusive in computing the monthly amounts distributable according to said contributions. Such funds so distributed shall be administered by the State Board of Administration as hereinafter provided.
+
+(b) The Governor as chairman, the State Treasurer, and the State Comptroller shall constitute a body corporate to be known as the ‘State Board of Administration,’ which board shall succeed to all the power, control and authority of the statutory Board of Administration. Said Board shall have, in addition to such powers as may be conferred upon it by law, the management, control and supervision of the proceeds of said two (2ą) cents of said taxes and all moneys and other assets which on the effective date of this amendment are applicable or may become applicable to the bonds of the several counties of this state, or any special road and bridge district, or other special taxing district thereof, issued prior to July 1st, 1931, for road and bridge purposes. The word ‘bonds’ as used herein shall include bonds, time warrants, notes and other forms of indebtedness issued for road and bridge purposes by any county or special road and bridge district or other special taxing district, outstanding on July 1st, 1931, or any refunding issues thereof. Said Board shall have the statutory powers of Boards of County Commissioners and Bond Trustees and of any other authority of special road and bridge districts, and other special taxing districts thereof with regard to said bonds, (except that the power to levy ad valorem taxes is expressly withheld from said Board), and shall take over all papers, documents and records concerning the same. Said Board shall have the power from time to time to issue refunding bonds to mature within the said fifty (50) year period, for any of said outstanding bonds or interest thereon, and to secure them by a pledge of anticipated receipts from such gasoline or other fuel taxes to be distributed to such county as herein provided, but not at a greater rate of interest than said bonds now bear; and to issue, sell or exchange on behalf of any county or unit for the sole purpose of retiring said bonds issued by such county, or special road and bridge district, or other special taxing district thereof, gasoline or other fuel tax anticipation certificates bearing interest at not more than three (3) per cent per annum in such denominations and maturing at such time within the fifty (50) year period as the board may determine. In addition to exercising the powers now provided by statute for the investment of sinking funds, said Board may use the sinking funds created for said bonds of any county or special road and bridge district, or other unit hereunder, to purchase the matured or maturing bonds participating herein of any other county or any other special road and bridge district, or other special taxing district thereof, provided that as to said matured bonds, the value thereof as an investment shall be the price paid therefor, which shall not exceed the par value plus accrued interest, and that said investment shall bear interest at the rate of three (3) per cent per annum.
+
+(c) The said board shall annually use said funds in each county account, first, to pay current principal and interest maturing, if any, of said bonds and gasoline or other fuel tax anticipation certificates of such county or special road and bridge district, or other special taxing district thereof; second, to establish a sinking fund account to meet future requirements of said bonds and gasoline or other fuel tax anticipation certificates where it appears the anticipated income for any year or years will not equal scheduled payments thereon; and third, any remaining balance out of the proceeds of said two (2ą) cents of said taxes shall monthly during the year be remitted by said board as follows: Eighty (80%) per cent to the State Road Department for the construction or reconstruction of state roads and bridges within the county, or for the lease or purchase of bridges connecting state highways within the county, and twenty (20%) per cent to the Board of County Commissioners of such county for use on roads and bridges therein.
+
+(d) Said board shall have the power to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary to the full exercise of the powers hereby granted and no legislation shall be required to render this amendment of full force and operating effect from and after January 1st, 1943. The Legislature shall continue the levies of said taxes during the life of this Amendment, and shall not enact any law having the effect of withdrawing the proceeds of said two (2ą) cents of said taxes from the operation of this amendment. The board shall pay refunding expenses and other expenses for services rendered specifically for, or which are properly chargeable to, the account of any county from funds distributed to such county; but general expenses of the board for services rendered all the counties alike shall be prorated among them and paid out of said funds on the same basis said tax proceeds are distributed among the several counties; provided, report of said expenses shall be made to each Regular Session of the Legislature, and the Legislature may limit the expenses of the board.
+
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 324, 1941; adopted 1942.
+5Note.—Prior to its amendment by C.S. for H.J.R. 3576, 1972, subsection (d) read as follows:
+
+(d) SCHOOL BONDS. Article XII, Section 18, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, as it existed immediately before this revision becomes effective is adopted by this reference as part of this revision as completely as though incorporated herein verbatim, except bonds or tax anticipation certificates hereafter issued thereunder may bear interest not in excess of five per cent per annum or such higher interest as may be authorized by statute passed by a three-fifths vote of each house of the legislature. Bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (d) shall be payable primarily from revenues as provided in Article XII, Section 18, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, and if authorized by law, may be additionally secured by pledging the full faith and credit of the state without an election. When authorized by law, bonds issued pursuant to Article XII, Section 18, of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, and bonds issued pursuant to this subsection (d), may be refunded by the issuance of bonds additionally secured by the full faith and credit of the state only at a lower net average interest cost rate.
+6Note.—Section 18, Art. XII of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, reads as follows:
+
+SECTION 18. School bonds for capital outlay, issuance.—
+
+(a) Beginning January 1, 1965 and for thirty-five years thereafter, the first proceeds of the revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of this amendment, shall, as collected, be placed monthly in the county capital outlay and debt service school fund in the state treasury, and used only as provided in this amendment. Such revenue shall be distributed annually among the several counties in the ratio of the number of instruction units in each county in each year computed as provided herein. The amount of the first revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles to be so set aside in each year and distributed as provided herein shall be an amount equal in the aggregate to the product of four hundred dollars multiplied by the total number of instruction units in all the counties of Florida. The number of instruction units in each county in each year for the purposes of this amendment shall be the greater of (1) the number of instruction units in each county for the school fiscal year 1951-52 computed in the manner heretofore provided by general law, or (2) the number of instruction units in such county for the school fiscal year computed in the manner heretofore or hereafter provided by general law and approved by the state board of education (hereinafter called the state board), or (3) the number of instruction units in each county on behalf of which the state board of education has issued bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates under this amendment which will produce sufficient revenues under this amendment to equal one and one-third times the aggregate amount of principal of and interest on such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates which will mature and become due in such year, computed in the manner heretofore or hereafter provided by general law and approved by the state board.
+
+Such funds so distributed shall be administered by the state board as now created and constituted by Section 3 of Article XII [now s. 2, Article IX] of the Constitution of Florida. For the purposes of this amendment, said state board, as now constituted, shall continue as a body corporate during the life of this amendment and shall have all the powers provided in this amendment in addition to all other constitutional and statutory powers related to the purposes of this amendment heretofore or hereafter conferred upon said board.
+
+(b) The state board shall, in addition to its other constitutional and statutory powers, have the management, control and supervision of the proceeds of the first part of the revenues derived from the licensing of motor vehicles provided for in subsection (a). The state board shall also have power, for the purpose of obtaining funds for the use of any county board of public instruction in acquiring, building, constructing, altering, improving, enlarging, furnishing, or equipping capital outlay projects for school purposes, to issue bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, and also to issue such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates to pay, fund or refund any bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates theretofore issued by said state board. All such bonds shall bear interest at not exceeding four and one-half per centum per annum and shall mature serially in annual installments commencing not more than three years from the date of issuance thereof and ending not later than thirty years from the date of issuance or January 1, 2000, A.D., whichever is earlier. All such motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates shall bear interest at not exceeding four and one-half per centum per annum and shall mature prior to January 1, 2000, A.D. The state board shall have power to determine all other details of said bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates and to sell at public sale after public advertisement, or exchange said bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, upon such terms and conditions as the state board shall provide.
+
+The state board shall also have power to pledge for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, including refunding bonds or refunding motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, all or any part from the anticipated revenues to be derived from the licensing of motor vehicles provided for in this amendment and to enter into any covenants and other agreements with the holders of such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates at the time of the issuance thereof concerning the security thereof and the rights of the holders thereof, all of which covenants and agreements shall constitute legally binding and irrevocable contracts with such holders and shall be fully enforceable by such holders in any court of competent jurisdiction.
+
+No such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates shall ever be issued by the state board until after the adoption of a resolution requesting the issuance thereof by the county board of public instruction of the county on behalf of which such obligations are to be issued. The state board of education shall limit the amount of such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates which can be issued on behalf of any county to seventy-five per cent of the amount which it determines can be serviced by the revenue accruing to the county under the provisions of this amendment, and such determination shall be conclusive. All such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates shall be issued in the name of the state board of education but shall be issued for and on behalf of the county board of public instruction requesting the issuance thereof, and no election or approval of qualified electors or freeholders shall be required for the issuance thereof.
+
+(c) The State Board shall in each year use the funds distributable pursuant to this Amendment to the credit of each county only in the following manner and order of priority:
+
+(1) To pay all amounts of principal and interest maturing in such year on any bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates issued under the authority hereof, including refunding bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, issued on behalf of the Board of Public Instruction of such county; subject, however, to any covenants or agreements made by the State Board concerning the rights between holders of different issues of such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, as herein authorized.
+
+(2) To establish and maintain a sinking fund or funds to meet future requirements for debt service, or reserves therefor, on bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates issued on behalf of the Board of Public Instruction of such county, under the authority hereof, whenever the State Board shall deem it necessary or advisable, and in such amounts and under such terms and conditions as the State Board shall in its discretion determine.
+
+(3) To distribute annually to the several Boards of Public Instruction of the counties for use in payment of debt service on bonds heretofore or hereafter issued by any such Board where the proceeds of the bonds were used, or are to be used, in the construction, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, furnishing, or equipping of capital outlay projects in such county, and which capital outlay projects have been approved by the Board of Public Instruction of the county, pursuant to a survey or surveys conducted subsequent to July 1, 1947 in the county, under regulations prescribed by the State Board to determine the capital outlay needs of the county.
+
+The State Board shall have power at the time of issuance of any bonds by any Board of Public Instruction to covenant and agree with such Board as to the rank and priority of payments to be made for different issues of bonds under this Subsection (3), and may further agree that any amounts to be distributed under this Subsection (3) may be pledged for the debt service on bonds issued by any Board of Public Instruction and for the rank and priority of such pledge. Any such covenants or agreements of the State Board may be enforced by any holders of such bonds in any court of competent jurisdiction.
+
+(4) To distribute annually to the several Boards of Public Instruction of the counties for the payment of the cost of the construction, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, furnishing, or equipping of capital outlay projects for school purposes in such county as shall be requested by resolution of the County Board of Public Instruction of such county.
+
+(5) When all major capital outlay needs of a county have been met as determined by the State Board, on the basis of a survey made pursuant to regulations of the State Board and approved by the State Board, all such funds remaining shall be distributed annually and used for such school purposes in such county as the Board of Public Instruction of the county shall determine, or as may be provided by general law.
+
+(d) Capital outlay projects of a county shall be eligible to participate in the funds accruing under this Amendment and derived from the proceeds of bonds and motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates and from the motor vehicle license taxes, only in the order of priority of needs, as shown by a survey or surveys conducted in the county under regulations prescribed by the State Board, to determine the capital outlay needs of the county and approved by the State Board; provided, that the priority of such projects may be changed from time to time upon the request of the Board of Public Instruction of the county and with the approval of the State Board; and provided further, that this Subsection (d) shall not in any manner affect any covenant, agreement, or pledge made by the State Board in the issuance by said State Board of any bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, or in connection with the issuance of any bonds of any Board of Public Instruction of any county.
+
+(e) The State Board may invest any sinking fund or funds created pursuant to this Amendment in direct obligations of the United States of America or in the bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates, matured or to mature, issued by the State Board on behalf of the Board of Public Instruction of any county.
+
+(f) The State Board shall have power to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary to the full exercise of the powers herein granted and no legislation shall be required to render this Amendment of full force and operating effect from and after January 1, 1953. The Legislature shall not reduce the levies of said motor vehicle license taxes during the life of this Amendment to any degree which will fail to provide the full amount necessary to comply with the provisions of this Amendment and pay the necessary expenses of administering the laws relating to the licensing of motor vehicles, and shall not enact any law having the effect of withdrawing the proceeds of such motor vehicle license taxes from the operation of this Amendment and shall not enact any law impairing or materially altering the rights of the holders of any bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates issued pursuant to this Amendment or impairing or altering any covenant or agreement of the State Board, as provided in such bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates.
+
+The State Board shall have power to appoint such persons and fix their compensation for the administration of the provisions of this Amendment as it shall deem necessary, and the expenses of the State Board in administering the provisions of this Amendment shall be prorated among the various counties and paid out of the proceeds of the bonds or motor vehicle tax anticipation certificates or from the funds distributable to each county on the same basis as such motor vehicle license taxes are distributable to the various counties under the provisions of this Amendment. Interest or profit on sinking fund investments shall accrue to the counties in proportion to their respective equities in the sinking fund or funds.
+
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 106, 1951; adopted 1952; (a), (b) Am. S.J.R. 218, 1963; adopted 1964.
+1SECTION 10. Preservation of existing government.—All provisions of Articles I through IV, VII and IX through XX of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, not embraced herein which are not inconsistent with this revision shall become statutes subject to modification or repeal as are other statutes.
+1Note.—See table in Volume 6 of the Florida Statutes tracing various provisions of the Constitution of 1885, as amended, into the Florida Statutes.
+SECTION 11. Deletion of obsolete schedule items.—The legislature shall have power, by joint resolution, to delete from this revision any section of this Article XII, including this section, when all events to which the section to be deleted is or could become applicable have occurred. A legislative determination of fact made as a basis for application of this section shall be subject to judicial review.
+SECTION 12. Senators.—The requirements of staggered terms of senators in Section 15(a), of Article III of this revision shall apply only to senators elected in November, 1972, and thereafter.
+SECTION 13. Legislative apportionment.—The requirements of legislative apportionment in Section 16 of Article III of this revision shall apply only to the apportionment of the legislature following the decennial census of 1970, and thereafter.
+SECTION 14. Representatives; terms.—The legislature at its first regular session following the ratification of this revision, by joint resolution, shall propose to the electors of the state for ratification or rejection in the general election of 1970 an amendment to Article III, Section 15(b), of the constitution providing staggered terms of four years for members of the house of representatives.
+SECTION 15. Special district taxes.—Ad valorem taxing power vested by law in special districts existing when this revision becomes effective shall not be abrogated by Section 9(b) of Article VII herein, but such powers, except to the extent necessary to pay outstanding debts, may be restricted or withdrawn by law.
+SECTION 16. Reorganization.—The requirement of Section 6, Article IV of this revision shall not apply until July 1, 1969.
+SECTION 17. Conflicting provisions.—This schedule is designed to effect the orderly transition of government from the Constitution of 1885, as amended, to this revision and shall control in all cases of conflict with any part of Article I through IV, VII, and IX through XI herein.
+SECTION 18. Bonds for housing and related facilities.—Section 16 of Article VII, providing for bonds for housing and related facilities, shall take effect upon approval by the electors.
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 6-E, 1980; adopted 1980.
+1SECTION 19. Renewable energy source property.—The amendment to Section 3 of Article VII, relating to an exemption for a renewable energy source device and real property on which such device is installed, if adopted at the special election in October 1980, shall take effect January 1, 1981.
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 15-E, 1980; adopted 1980.
+1Note.—
+
+A. This section, originally designated section 18 by S.J.R. 15-E, 1980, was redesignated section 19 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 18 as contained in S.J.R. 6-E, 1980.
+
+B. The amendment to section 3 of Article VII, relating to an exemption for renewable energy source property, was repealed effective November 4, 2008, by Am. proposed by the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 3, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008.
+SECTION 20. Access to public records.—Section 24 of Article I, relating to access to public records, shall take effect July 1, 1993.
+History.—Added, C.S. for C.S. for H.J.R.’s 1727, 863, 2035, 1992; adopted 1992.
+SECTION 21. State revenue limitation.—The amendment to Section 1 of Article VII limiting state revenues shall take effect January 1, 1995, and shall first be applicable to state fiscal year 1995-1996.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 2053, 1994; adopted 1994.
+SECTION 22. Historic property exemption and assessment.—The amendments to Sections 3 and 4 of Article VII relating to ad valorem tax exemption for, and assessment of, historic property shall take effect January 1, 1999.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 969, 1997; adopted 1998.
+1SECTION 23. Fish and wildlife conservation commission.—
+(a) The initial members of the commission shall be the members of the game and fresh water fish commission and the marine fisheries commission who are serving on those commissions on the effective date of this amendment, who may serve the remainder of their respective terms. New appointments to the commission shall not be made until the retirement, resignation, removal, or expiration of the terms of the initial members results in fewer than seven members remaining.
+(b) The jurisdiction of the marine fisheries commission as set forth in statutes in effect on March 1, 1998, shall be transferred to the fish and wildlife conservation commission. The jurisdiction of the marine fisheries commission transferred to the commission shall not be expanded except as provided by general law. All rules of the marine fisheries commission and game and fresh water fish commission in effect on the effective date of this amendment shall become rules of the fish and wildlife conservation commission until superseded or amended by the commission.
+(c) On the effective date of this amendment, the marine fisheries commission and game and fresh water fish commission shall be abolished.
+(d) This amendment shall take effect July 1, 1999.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 5, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 22 by Revision No. 5 of the Constitution Revision Commission, 1998, was redesignated section 23 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 22 as created in H.J.R. 969, 1997.
+1SECTION 24. Executive branch reform.—
+(a) The amendments contained in this revision shall take effect January 7, 2003, but shall govern with respect to the qualifying for and the holding of primary elections in 2002. The office of chief financial officer shall be a new office as a result of this revision.
+(b) In the event the secretary of state is removed as a cabinet office in the 1998 general election, the term “custodian of state records” shall be substituted for the term “secretary of state” throughout the constitution and the duties previously performed by the secretary of state shall be as provided by law.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 22 by Revision No. 8 of the Constitution Revision Commission, 1998, was redesignated section 24 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 22 as created in H.J.R. 969, 1997.
+1SECTION 25. Schedule to Article V amendment.—
+(a) Commencing with fiscal year 2000-2001, the legislature shall appropriate funds to pay for the salaries, costs, and expenses set forth in the amendment to Section 14 of Article V pursuant to a phase-in schedule established by general law.
+(b) Unless otherwise provided herein, the amendment to Section 14 shall be fully effectuated by July 1, 2004.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 1998, filed with the Secretary of State May 5, 1998; adopted 1998.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 22 by Revision No. 7 of the Constitution Revision Commission, 1998, was redesignated section 25 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 22 as created in H.J.R. 969, 1997.
+SECTION 26. Increased homestead exemption.—The amendment to Section 6 of Article VII increasing the maximum additional amount of the homestead exemption for low-income seniors shall take effect January 1, 2007.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 353, 2006; adopted 2006.
+SECTION 27. Property tax exemptions and limitations on property tax assessments.—
+(a) The amendments to Sections 3, 4, and 6 of Article VII, providing a $25,000 exemption for tangible personal property, providing an additional $25,000 homestead exemption, authorizing transfer of the accrued benefit from the limitations on the assessment of homestead property, and this section, if submitted to the electors of this state for approval or rejection at a special election authorized by law to be held on January 29, 2008, shall take effect upon approval by the electors and shall operate retroactively to January 1, 2008, or, if submitted to the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next general election, shall take effect January 1 of the year following such general election. The amendments to Section 4 of Article VII creating subsections (g) and (h) of that section, creating a limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property, shall take effect upon approval of the electors and shall first limit assessments beginning January 1, 2009, if approved at a special election held on January 29, 2008, or shall first limit assessments beginning January 1, 2010, if approved at the general election held in November of 2008.
+(b) The amendment to subsection (a) abrogating the scheduled repeal of subsections (g) and (h) of Section 4 of Article VII of the State Constitution as it existed in 2017, shall take effect January 1, 2019.
+History.—Added, C.S. for S.J.R. 2-D, 2007; adopted 2008; Am., C.S. for H.J.R. 21, 2017; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 28. Property tax exemption and classification and assessment of land used for conservation purposes.—The amendment to Section 3 of Article VII requiring the creation of an ad valorem tax exemption for real property dedicated in perpetuity for conservation purposes, and the amendment to Section 4 of Article VII requiring land used for conservation purposes to be classified by general law and assessed solely on the basis of character or use for purposes of ad valorem taxation, shall take effect upon approval by the electors and shall be implemented by January 1, 2010. This section shall take effect upon approval of the electors.
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 4, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008.
+SECTION 29. Limitation on the assessed value of real property used for residential purposes.—
+(a) The repeal of the renewable energy source property tax exemption in Section 3 of Article VII shall take effect upon approval by the voters.
+(b) The amendment to Section 4 of Article VII authorizing the legislature to prohibit an increase in the assessed value of real property used for residential purposes as the result of improving the property’s resistance to wind damage or installing a renewable energy source device shall take effect January 1, 2009.
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 3, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008.
+SECTION 30. Assessment of working waterfront property.—The amendment to Section 4 of Article VII providing for the assessment of working waterfront property based on current use, and this section, shall take effect upon approval by the electors and shall first apply to assessments for tax years beginning January 1, 2010.
+History.—Proposed by Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, Revision No. 6, 2008, filed with the Secretary of State April 28, 2008; adopted 2008.
+SECTION 31. Additional ad valorem tax exemption for certain members of the armed forces deployed on active duty outside of the United States.—The amendment to Section 3 of Article VII providing for an additional ad valorem tax exemption for members of the United States military or military reserves, the United States Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard deployed on active duty outside of the United States in support of military operations designated by the legislature and this section shall take effect January 1, 2011.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 833, 2009; adopted 2010.
+SECTION 32. Veterans disabled due to combat injury; homestead property tax discount.—The amendment to subsection (e) of Section 6 of Article VII relating to the homestead property tax discount for veterans who became disabled as the result of a combat injury shall take effect January 1, 2013.
+History.—Added, S.J.R. 592, 2011; adopted 2012.
+1SECTION 33. Ad valorem tax relief for surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-connected causes and first responders who died in the line of duty.—This section and the amendment to Section 6 of Article VII permitting the legislature to provide ad valorem tax relief to surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-connected causes and first responders who died in the line of duty shall take effect January 1, 2013.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 93, 2012; adopted 2012.
+1Note.—This section, originally designated section 32 by H.J.R. 93, 2012, was redesignated section 33 by the editors in order to avoid confusion with section 32 as created in S.J.R. 592, 2011.
+SECTION 34. Solar devices or renewable energy source devices; exemption from certain taxation and assessment.—This section, the amendment to subsection (e) of Section 3 of Article VII authorizing the legislature, subject to limitations set forth in general law, to exempt the assessed value of solar devices or renewable energy source devices subject to tangible personal property tax from ad valorem taxation, and the amendment to subsection (i) of Section 4 of Article VII authorizing the legislature, by general law, to prohibit the consideration of the installation of a solar device or a renewable energy source device in determining the assessed value of real property for the purpose of ad valorem taxation shall take effect on January 1, 2018, and shall expire on December 31, 2037. Upon expiration, this section shall be repealed and the text of subsection (e) of Section 3 of Article VII and subsection (i) of Section 4 of Article VII shall revert to that in existence on December 31, 2017, except that any amendments to such text otherwise adopted shall be preserved and continue to operate to the extent that such amendments are not dependent upon the portions of text which expire pursuant to this section.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 193, 2016; adopted 2016.
+SECTION 35. Tax exemption for totally and permanently disabled first responders.—The amendment to Section 6 of Article VII relating to relief from ad valorem taxes assessed on homestead property for first responders, who are totally and permanently disabled as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty, takes effect January 1, 2017.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 1009, 2016; adopted 2016.
+SECTION 36. Additional ad valorem exemption for persons age sixty-five or older.—This section and the amendment to Section 6 of Article VII revising the just value determination for the additional ad valorem tax exemption for persons age sixty-five or older shall take effect January 1, 2017, following approval by the electors, and shall operate retroactively to January 1, 2013, for any person who received the exemption under paragraph (2) of Section 6(d) of Article VII before January 1, 2017.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 275, 2016; adopted 2016.
+SECTION 37. Eligibility of justices and judges.—The amendment to Section 8 of Article V, which increases the age at which a justice or judge is no longer eligible to serve in judicial office except upon temporary assignment, shall take effect July 1, 2019.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 1, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 38. Prohibitions regarding lobbying for compensation and abuse of public position by public officers and public employees.—The amendments to Section 8 of Article II and Section 13 of Article V shall take effect December 31, 2022; except that the amendments to Section 8(h) of Article II shall take effect December 31, 2020, and:
+(a) The Florida Commission on Ethics shall, by rule, define the term “disproportionate benefit” and prescribe the requisite intent for finding a violation of the prohibition against abuse of public position by October 1, 2019, as specified in Section 8(h) of Article II.
+(b) Following the adoption of rules pursuant to subsection (a), the legislature shall enact implementing legislation establishing penalties for violations of the prohibition against abuse of public position to take effect December 31, 2020.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 7, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 39. Prohibition on racing of or wagering on greyhounds or other dogs.—The amendment to Article X, which prohibits the racing of or wagering on greyhound and other dogs, and the creation of this section, shall take effect upon the approval of the electors.
+History.—Proposed by Constitution Revision Commission, Revision No. 8, 2018, filed with the Secretary of State May 9, 2018; adopted 2018.
+SECTION 40. Transfer of the accrued benefit from specified limitations on homestead property tax assessments; increased portability period.—This section and the amendment to Section 4 of Article VII, which extends to three years the time period during which the accrued benefit from specified limitations on homestead property tax assessments may be transferred from a prior homestead to a new homestead, shall take effect January 1, 2021.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 369, 2020; adopted 2020.
+SECTION 41. Ad valorem tax discount for surviving spouses of certain permanently disabled veterans.—The amendment to Section 6 of Article VII, relating to the ad valorem tax discount for spouses of certain deceased veterans who had permanent, combat-related disabilities, and this section shall take effect January 1, 2021.
+History.—Added, H.J.R. 877, 2020; adopted 2020.
+SECTION 42. Annual adjustment to homestead exemption value.—This section and the amendment to Section 6 of Article VII requiring an annual adjustment for inflation of specified homestead exemptions shall take effect January 1, 2025.
+History.—Added, C.S. for H.J.R. 7017, 2024; adopted 2024.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Florida Probate.txt b/Books/Legislative/Florida Probate Rules and Statutes.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Florida Probate.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Florida Probate Rules and Statutes.txt
diff --git a/Books/Condo/Patrick HAYES and Carmen Pacheco, Plaintiffs, v. AKAM ASSOCIATES, INC.txt b/Books/Legislative/Patrick HAYES and Carmen Pacheco, Plaintiffs, v. AKAM ASSOCIATES, INC.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from Books/Condo/Patrick HAYES and Carmen Pacheco, Plaintiffs, v. AKAM ASSOCIATES, INC.txt
rename to Books/Legislative/Patrick HAYES and Carmen Pacheco, Plaintiffs, v. AKAM ASSOCIATES, INC.txt
diff --git a/Books/SongWriting/Songwriting - Bernstein, Samuel.txt b/Books/SongWriting/Songwriting - Bernstein, Samuel.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41ee1ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Books/SongWriting/Songwriting - Bernstein, Samuel.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1,3226 @@
+SONGWRITING
+
+
+
+
+
+Essential Guide to Song Structure, Lyrics Form and Melodic Progressions
+
+
+
+~
+
+
+
+Samuel Bernstein
+
+
+
+
+
+© Copyright 2020 by Samuel Bernstein
+
+All rights reserved.
+
+
+
+This document is geared towards providing exact and reliable information with regards to the topic and issue covered. The publication is sold with the idea that the publisher is not required to render accounting, officially permitted, or otherwise, qualified services. If advice is necessary, legal or professional, a practiced individual in the profession should be ordered.
+
+
+
+From a Declaration of Principles which was accepted and approved equally by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations.
+
+
+
+In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
+
+
+
+The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that any liability, in terms of inattention or otherwise, by any usage or abuse of any policies, processes, or directions contained within is the solitary and utter responsibility of the recipient reader. Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly.
+
+
+
+Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
+
+The information herein is offered for informational purposes solely, and is universal as so. The presentation of the information is without contract or any type of guarantee assurance.
+
+
+
+The trademarks that are used are without any consent, and the publication of the trademark is without permission or backing by the trademark owner. All trademarks and brands within this book are for clarifying purposes only and are the owned by the owners themselves, not affiliated with this document
+
+
+
+
+
+Table of Contents
+
+Songwriting
+
+Introduction
+
+Lyricist's Privileged Insights: Prologue to Songwriting
+
+What is Songwriting?
+
+Why Songwriting?
+
+Various Techniques
+
+Step by step instructions to Compose A Pop music
+
+14 Basic Guidelines for Composing a Nation Hit
+
+24 lyric-composing tips
+
+10 Hints to Figure out How to Play the Guitar with Great Strategy during the songwriting
+
+Step by step instructions to write a Song
+
+10 SONGWRITING TIPS FROM THE Stars
+
+The most effective method to Begin a Melody: Titles, Subjects, Harmonies and More
+
+Song
+
+Extreme Manual for Songwriting and Music Piece
+
+The most effective method to Modify Your Song
+
+Become a songwriter: Bit by bit Profession Guide
+
+200 Things to Compose a Song About Lyric Thoughts and Motivation
+
+The most effective method to Think of Song Thoughts
+
+How to Turn Songwriting Into a Business
+
+Introduction to Songwriters
+
+Instruction and Preparing Necessities
+
+Sound Designing Specialist
+
+Vocalist
+
+Staff writers
+
+Profession Way
+
+How Lyricists Can Discover Musicians to Work together On Their Melodies
+
+Maker/lyricists
+
+Songwriter-Maker Initially
+
+LYRICIST Versus SONGWRITER
+
+Am I a Songwriter or a Lyricist?
+
+Vocalist musicians
+
+Lyric and Lyric Work Routines
+
+Co-composing
+
+Melodic structure
+
+Compositional instrumentation
+
+Top-liners
+
+
+
+
+
+DID YOU KNOW THAT CAN DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF THIS BOOK FOR FREE?
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE US
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE UK
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE FR
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE DE
+
+
+
+
+
+Songwriting
+
+
+Introduction
+
+
+Each time you make something, in the case of composing a song, painting a scene, or writing a novel, you are arranging two crucial parts of aesthetic creation:
+
+Your specialized capacities and information, and
+
+Your innovative, creative mind.
+
+
+
+In songwriting, we allude to functional capacities by utilizing the word strategy, and we abridge the expression inventive, creative mind by just alluding to one's musicality or musicianship. Musicality is the thing that gets taken advantage of when you concoct a luring bit of lyrics, an extraordinary snare, a well-shaped song, etc. Musicality is fundamental to the last item (a song) since great songs require smart thoughts to work with.
+
+The procedure is the thing that gets taken advantage of when you collect bits of songs into something complete. The system doesn't work if it's not cooperated emphatically with musicianship, however. That association may be thought of as a creative vision. The strategy is itself upgraded by musicianship.
+
+The melodic procedure is melodic comprehension. Where you see functional capacities in plain view the most is in any melodic undertaking that requires loads of composing. Film scoring is a genuine model. Because of time limitations, a film author needs to write rapidly, realizing that the music should be produced (and to work) in a brief timeframe.
+
+The speed with which a film arranger composes is progressively a worthy representative for their functional capacities as an author than it is an affirmation of their melodic sizes. Yet, what is a songwriting system, and is there anything you can do to improve it?
+
+Specialized capacity implies knowing the stray pieces of songwriting. An individual with substantial specialized sizes realizes how great music functions, and in particular, what is probably going to work even before the composing starts.
+
+That implies numerous things, including:
+
+Realizing that ensemble songs will, in general, sit higher than refrain songs in pitch.
+
+I realize that stanza rhythms are regularly snappier and shorter than melody rhythms.
+
+I realize that the theme melody movement is shorter and tonally more grounded than refrain and scaffold harmonies.
+
+I realize that melodic vitality will increase in general increment as a song's segment (and the song itself) continues.
+
+
+
+I realize that a melodic thought should be stood out and joined forces from different ideas all together for a melodic work to succeed.
+
+As it were, functional capacities are improved by understanding the essential standards of songwriting.
+
+A decent representation of the songwriting strategy is to consider a decent guitarist. You may hear somebody who can play scales so rapidly that their fingers are a haze. They may be able to play several harmonies in endless voicings. Their method may shimmer.
+
+
+
+In any case, in spite of that shimmering system, their melodic capacity might be deficient. Maybe they can't intuitively determine what sort of playing strategy to use for a particular circumstance. It may be that their feeling of mood is inadequate.
+
+What's more, there could very well be something about the manner in which they add to an exhibition that sounds frail. As it were, notwithstanding the shining system, the musicality is feeble.
+
+This doesn't at all imply that strategy is irrelevant. Actually, nothing more than a bad memory guitarist needs functional capacity. The best guitarists have both musicianship and procedure.
+
+As a lyricist, you likewise need both. Musicianship originates from doing bunches of tuning in and loads of composing. To improve your songwriting method, you have to:
+
+Peruse books from both dynamic musicians and great educators that portray songwriting standards.
+
+Practice your songwriting. For instance, pick one part of your system (verse composing, maybe), and work on forming sets of lines that work together to portray a feeling or circumstance.
+
+Keep a songwriting diary. Mention objective facts about what you like and don't care for, about what works and what doesn't work, about the songs you're hearing.
+
+Functional capacities will take you far in songwriting on the grounds that its a strategy that encourages you to create something that your crowd will comprehend.
+
+Another similarity to help? Specialized capacity will enable an architect to construct a scaffold that will securely ship all the vehicles it can hold. In any case, creative vision will mention too that designer what the extension ought to resemble.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyricist's Privileged Insights: Prologue to Songwriting
+
+
+Is it true that you are continually writing down lyrics and arbitrary songs in a worn-out diary? Or then again wish that you could place your considerations into song? Maybe you have consistently been the foundation lyric however are currently prepared to step into songwriting. You may find even a song into the radio and miracle in the event that you would ever compose a song as famous as Taylor Quick or in the fact that it takes a tad of advanced science and enchantment to make that hit melody.
+
+In Musician's Privileged insights, you will get the opportunity to pull back the drape on songwriting and take in crucial tips and insider facts from music experts. It doesn't make a difference that you don't play an instrument or have just an essential comprehension of music hypothesis. I'll give you how you can compose a song, even without a Julliard foundation.
+
+
+
+
+
+What is Songwriting?
+
+
+Your ordinary musician accomplishes more than jot down a couple of rhymes and slap on a beat or concordance. Songwriting includes composing meaningful lyrics, building up a decent song, and masterminding those words to a particular melodic style, consonant structure, and beat.
+
+A few musicians may represent considerable authority in one viewpoint, like lyrics or orchestrating, and afterward, work with a cowriter that adjusts their own qualities and shortcomings. Not all lyricists are entertainers, and a significant number of the Best 40 melodies that we hear again and again on Spotify or Pandora are composed by an accomplished musician who, at that point, gives their song to superior ability to record it.
+
+Each jingle that you hear and kids' melody that you recollect had a unique musician, regardless of whether they have been overlooked for ages. The equivalent can be said for musicals, sacred music, and shows. Whenever lyrics are put to a song, you can wager that a lyricist assumed a critical job.
+
+
+
+
+
+Why Songwriting?
+
+
+People have been sharing their delights, distresses, expectations, love, and dream through melody for a large number of years. In our present-day society we overlook how rich and loved songwriting can be for anybody, paying little mind to their melodic foundation.
+
+At the point when you compose another song, you:
+
+Express your feelings
+
+Offer your message with the world
+
+Grow great musicianship aptitudes
+
+Increase a more noteworthy comprehension of execution
+
+Challenge your melodic keenness
+
+Have a great time!
+
+
+
+Great melody composing cleaves can prompt vocation openings like composing jingles, making hit songs for your band, creating sacred music played by millions each Sunday, or producing instructive songs for youngsters. With moment input accessible by means of YouTube, you may even discover that you have an ability to compose particular melodies that make you a viral sensation.
+
+
+
+
+
+Various Techniques
+
+
+As it may imagine a procedure in which you don't play an instrument. Or then again can't sing in order? Imagine a situation where you have never recorded a note in your life or just learn by ear.
+
+Right now, I will address various methods for composing a song. Each lyric from beginner to master utilizes an assortment of strategies to make a song. Nobody technique works inevitably. Try not to feel like your degree of musicianship will hamper your capacity to compose a song. Discover the way that works for you, where you are at this moment. You don't have to hold up one more day to begin composing incredible music. So, get your preferred diary, an instrument, or your creative mind and prepare.
+
+
+
+
+
+Where to begin?
+
+
+To begin with, don't get overpowered by all the different parts of composing a song. In the articles ahead, you will learn essential musicianship abilities that will support you:
+
+Figure out how to begin writing a melody
+
+
+
+Find melodic motivation
+
+Compose the correct lyrics
+
+Make snappy songs and snares
+
+Make mood with simple activities
+
+Create fascinating harmonies
+
+Investigate an assortment of styles for your songs
+
+
+
+Regardless of whether you need to compose songs to pitch to music distributors, Network programs and advertisements, or record them yourself as a craftsman, here's a songwriting strategy that will assist you with communicating as the need should arise and ensure your audience members remain included from start to finish. Obviously, this is only one way to deal with songwriting, yet it's utilized by numerous songwriting experts, and it works.
+
+
+
+
+
+Make the crude material for your lyrics
+
+
+1. Start with the title. Beginning with a claim will assist you with remaining concentrated on a single thought in your melody. Make an expression of six words that summarizes the core of what you need to state. Or then again search for an intriguing phrase that recommends a circumstance or feeling to you. Have a go at utilizing a picture in your title to give it more intrigue or an activity word to provide it with vitality.
+
+2. Make a rundown of inquiries recommended by the title. Start by asking yourself what you need to state about your claim and what you figure your audience members should know. What is your opinion about it? What happened to cause this? What do you think or expectations will occur straightaway? You'll require three to four inquiries.
+
+3. Pick a melody structure. A significant number of the present greatest hits depend on a song structure this way: Stanza/Chorale/Section/Theme/Scaffold/Melody. Some include a small area called a "pre-melody" or "lift" between the section and ensemble to fabricate expectations. The stanza, pre-ensemble, and chorale each have a recognizable song, one that the audience can perceive when it comes around. Here's a tip that will disclose to you progressively about song structure.
+
+4. Pick one inquiry to reply in the melody and one for each stanza. We'll concentrate on the theme first since it's the most significant piece of your song. Select the inquiry you need to reply to your song. Record a short expression that communicates your answer. Search for pictures, what's more, activity words to breathe life into your answers. What is the lyric feeling, thinking, or saying? What feeling is the lyric feeling, and how might you depict it? Is it warm or cold? Dull or light?
+
+
+
+
+
+Get down to business on your song and harmonies
+
+
+5. Discover the song in your lyrics. Pick a couple of the expressions you concocted in Stage 4. Let's assume them so anyone can hear. Presently state them again with Heaps of feeling. Overstate the excitement in the lines. Notice the natural musicality and song of your discourse when you say the lines with heaps of attitude. This is the start of your ensemble song. Play with it until it feels great.
+
+6. Start to add harmonies to your theme song. Attempt a basic, rehashed melody design. You'll locate a few melody movements you can use here. (Look down to the segment on Melody Movements.) Play with the song and harmonies until you discover something you like. Record yourself singing and playing (or merely singing) – regardless of whether it's just on your cell phone.
+
+
+
+
+
+Build up your song in areas
+
+
+7. Work on the lyrics in your first section. Concentrate on the inquiry you picked in Stage 4. Make your opening line something that will get audience members intrigued: a fascinating explanation, a question, or a portrayal of the circumstance. In your subsequent line, consider repeating the mainline in an alternate manner or including more data. Try not to proceed onward too rapidly; your audience members need time to comprehend what's going on in the melody. In Section 1, make sure to give the audience members enough data so they can understand the song when you arrive. Experience Stages 5 and 6 with your section song and harmonies.
+
+8. Interface your section and chorale. After you have a refrain and melody, make a change between them, so they usually stream. You need to raise or lower your stanza song or change the last line to find a good pace easily. TIP: Chorale songs are, for the most part, in a higher note go than stanzas since they're progressively passionate, and when we get enthusiastic, our voices will result in general ascent.
+
+9. Fabricate your subsequent stanza and scaffold. Pick another of your inquiries to reply in your following verse. Use Stage 7 to work through the lyrics. Your subsequent chorale will have a similar song and words as your first melody, so you are presently nearly completed with your song. You simply need to include a scaffold.
+
+The scaffold segment adds a pinnacle enthusiastic minute to your melody, an acknowledgment, or an "aha!" minute. Attempt a few lyrics lines that give the audience the best understanding you can into the circumstance or feeling the vocalist is feeling. The song ought to be unique in relation to both sections and melody. Take a stab at utilizing a theme you haven't used previously or changing the expression lengths or movement of the song. An extension isn't a necessity; however, it can add a great deal of solidarity to your song.
+
+
+
+
+
+Record an unpleasant thought of your melody
+
+
+10. Record your melody. A basic piano/vocal or guitar/vocal can regularly be the best enthusiastic explanation of your theme. In the event that you composed a Stone melody, do an "unplugged" variant. You needn't bother with loads of strings or drums – truth be told, these can diminish. Practice both the instrumental and vocals until you are alright with them. The less you need to concentrate on when playing or singing, the more you can give up and feel the feeling in the melody. Take a stab at singing it as though you are taking it to somebody. Record for brief periods at that point enjoys a reprieve. Keep the melody and the feeling new.
+
+
+
+
+
+What Is song Structure?
+
+
+The more significant part of the present hit melody structures is comprised of three unique segments: Refrain, Theme, and Extension.
+
+Theme: The ensemble has a similar song AND the same lyric each time we hear it. The lyrics summarize the enthusiastic heart of the melody. The segment audience members will recall and need to hear over and over. Make sure to remember your title for your theme, so audience members realize what to call your song. The title is regularly in the first or last line, some of the time both.
+
+Section: The stanzas all have a similar song; however, various lyric. Apart takes us more profound into the sentiments or circumstances that made the emotions in the melody. Since the tune is rehashed at least multiple times, you can keep it intriguing by giving audience members more data in each stanza – something that uncovers progressively about the theme and develops our sentiments or comprehension of it.
+
+Scaffold: The extension has an alternate song and lyrics from some other segment. It frequently gives a pinnacle minute or a defining moment in the melody. You can utilize the scaffold to uncover something covered up or include a contort or simply come right out and state what you feel as opposed to communicating it in pictures.
+
+PRE-Song: In certain melodies, there's a short segment between the stanza and chorale, which makes expectation developing to the song. You're well on the way to hear this area in the modern Pop and Nation hits, particularly hit with massive, infectious ensembles.
+
+Snare: The "snare" is the most paramount line in the melody. It's in the ensemble, and it's frequently the line with the title in it – the first and additionally last line of the chorale.
+
+
+
+
+
+Assembling the segments
+
+
+It's a smart thought to utilize a demonstrated song structure like this one.
+
+Stanza/Ensemble
+
+Stanza/Ensemble
+
+Extension/Ensemble
+
+
+
+You don't need to, yet audience members have communicated a solid inclination for songs right now. A melody structure like this gives enough variety and new data to keep audience members intrigued, and enough redundancy to cause them to feel moored in the song.
+
+We depend basically on the song to tell audience members whether they're tuning in to a refrain, chorale, or scaffold. Regularly, we move the song to a higher note run than the section or change the pace of the notes/words or change the melodic musicality designs. This not just tells the audience which segment they're in; it likewise grabs their eye when parts turn, keeping them keen on your song.
+
+
+
+
+
+Attempt it now
+
+
+Song into melodies you like and check whether you can distinguish the theme and section; at that point, notice how they're assembled to shape a structure. Notice how the thesis summarizes the enthusiastic message, the core of the song, while the sections give data and clarifications. At that point, look at how the song characterizes each area, so you know where you are. Take a stab at composing a melody that uses a similar structure. It's extraordinary compared to other songwriting practices you'll ever do!
+
+
+
+
+
+Reveal the Song in Your lyrics
+
+
+Got a thought for a poem yet no song? Do you have a sonnet you'd prefer to transform into a melody? Have a go at utilizing the song that is as of now in your words. Here's the secret

+
+The time when you open your mouth to talk, you begin singing! Try not to trust me? Simply take a stab at talking without cadence or pitch. You can't do it. At the point when we talk, we use tone, volume, pace, musicality, and words – all the components of a song. The main distinction is in a melody. These components are overstated. Obviously, we likewise include some redundancy and a couple of different things yet to get your crude song moving; discourse is all you need.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Song of Discourse
+
+
+It's the song a bit of discourse that conveys a feeling. Actually, just by changing the song, you can give similar words a totally unique, passionate importance. Attempt this: state the expression "Gracious, no?" as though you're posing an inquiry. Presently, say a similar phrase – "Goodness!"- as though you're on edge and alarmed. Notice the distinction in the song. Overstate the feeling in the subsequent appearance, and you'll truly hear it. In the first appearance, the "no" has a slightly rising song. In the following appearance, the "no" has a small descending song; words were shriller, the pace was quicker, the volume stronger. Presently take a stab at saying, "God help us." with a mocking, distrusting, 'you must child' tone. It's an entirely amazing song from the other two.
+
+
+
+
+
+Stanza and Chorale songs
+
+
+To accomplish the conversational tone of a large number of the present song refrains, have a go at talking your stanza lyrics in a conversational manner; at that point, overstate it a little to start making your section song. Keep the delays that usually happen and exaggerate the small high points and low points in your talking voice. You'll need to make changes later at the same time, until further notice, this will give you a decent spot to begin. Keep in mind; this is your crude material, not the completed song.
+
+Themes frequently have more vitality and direness, passing on a higher amount of the song's passionate heart. As we saw with the "Gracious, no!" express, the more critical and enthusiastic vitality there is, the more the song of discourse will, in general, ascent. That is the reason excited Pop and Rock themes function admirably in a higher note run. Talk the ensemble lyrics with as a lot of feeling as you can place into it. Presently, misrepresent the pitches, keeping the mood of the words and any delays that happen usually. This will kick you off on your ensemble song.
+
+
+
+
+
+Record your crude song thoughts
+
+
+When the lyrics have driven you into some songlines, record a brisk vocal to save your unique view. At that point, plunk down with your guitar or console and beginning roughing out the harmonies. For the people of you who don't play an instrument or write a song, attempt a music program like Band in a Crate, which will make a music track for you. You can change the harmonies until you get something you like. Revise the song as you come to give it a more definite shape (a great blend of redundancy and variety) while saving your unique thought.
+
+
+
+
+
+Step by step instructions to Compose A Pop music
+
+
+Audience members love a decent Pop song, and radio loves to play them. Regardless of whether you need to pitch your melodies to build up specialists in the Pop field or sing them yourself, composing a contemporary, business Pop song with hit-single intrigue implies writing a song that audience members can relate to, and radio will need to play.
+
+Today's Best 40 music diagrams and Grown-up Contemporary outlines highlight a full scope of melody styles and specialists from Kelly Clarkson to Robin Thicke to Ingrid Michaelson to Foo Contenders. So, it very well may be challenging to nail down a particular sound as being "pop."
+
+Essentially, a Pop song is one that many individuals right now appreciate tuning in to and need to hear once more. It's genuinely famous. To arrive at a ton of audience members – to be celebrated – a melody needs to:
+
+Contact audience members on an enthusiastic level or cause them to feel like moving.
+
+Have a legit, centered message to convey.
+
+Do it such that moves audience members and keeps them included and intrigued.
+
+
+
+On the off chance that a melody does these three things, at that point, audience members will, as a rule, need to hear it again, and that is the thing that drives a song's prosperity. Keep in mind; a Pop song is a mix of something you need to state and something audience members need to hear. Along these lines, we should compose a Pop melody!
+
+Here's a rundown of 10 hints with connections to more information on the off chance that you need it. There are four plans to begin, three tips for expanding on your melody's establishment, and three hints for revising and cleaning. Make an effort not to be incredulous of work in progress. Simply let it stream and see what occurs.
+
+
+
+
+
+1. Instructions to Begin WITH A lyrics Thought
+
+
+Audience members like melodies they can comprehend and relate to. Songs about affection connections (firing up or self-destructing), significant occasions, dreams and wants, going up against issues, finding out about what our identity is
 these are things that we all arrangement with.
+
+Whatever your subject, ensure it's one you need to expound on. Your message will genuinely associate with audience members on the off chance that you handle it with genuineness and understanding.
+
+Here's an enjoyment thought: In the event that you don't have a topic helpful and need to begin composing, you can search for thoughts in Programs and films. They highlight similar sorts of significant issues that work for melodies. Here's a post with more information on the most proficient method to discover melody topics in Network programs. Simply get a pencil and a piece of paper and begin viewing your preferred Television programs.
+
+When you settle on the essential thought for your melody, work out three or four lines that portray who's included, what's going on, and how it feels. Have a go at composing from the perspective of one of the individuals in the circumstance. It could be something that transpired or, in the event that you put together your thought with respect to a scene, envision you're one of the characters. Most hit Pop songs rotate around the lyric or the lyric and someone else. So, use "I" and "you."
+
+
+
+
+
+2. The most effective method to Begin WITH A Beat Score
+
+
+Practically all Pop hits highlight a robust and consistent cadence groove. This is the manner by which melodies associate with audience members in a sensible way. A cadenced depression additionally communicates the frame of mind or vitality of your song. There are move grooves, swaggering depressions, soul-filled furrows, miserable scores, upbeat ones. Let the section control you into your song by proposing words that match the state of mind or mentality.
+
+In the event that you play acoustic mood guitar, the song into guitar-driven hits by John Mayer, The Content, or Phillip Phillips. Play alongside the chronicle until you can easily play the beat without anyone else; at that point, keep in touch with it. Or then again look at the modern Top 20 pop hits or Top 20 Grown-up Contemporary hits for grooves you can reproduce on guitar or console.
+
+On the off chance that you don't play an instrument, don't let that stop you! Attempt these assets for furrows, harmonies, and tracks. You professional players can utilize a portion of these plans to begin on a melody, at that point, follow up without anyone else gear.
+
+When you have a furrow, take a stab at making a rundown of short expressions, pictures, and thoughts that the beat recommends to you. How can it cause you to feel? Glad? Dismal? Prepared for a gathering? Sorrowful? Longing? Furious? What sort of circumstance or relationship does the mood propose? Keep in mind, the music resembles underscore for your lyrics. Lyrics and music need to help one another. Utilize the words composing tips above to kick your songs off.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. The most effective method to Begin WITH A Song OR INSTRUMENTAL Snare
+
+
+Hearing a song line in your mind yet lyrics yet? You can begin in that spot. The most important thing to recall is that hit song songs have a blend of redundancy and variety that makes them simple to recollect yet keeps them sufficiently new to be intriguing.
+
+On the chance that you have the first line of a song, have a go at rehashing it for the subsequent line. At that point, head off to someplace else for the third line and return to your unique to wrap it up. You can hear this example in the stanza song of "Each Breath You Take" purchase the Police.
+
+The following thing to recollect is that you'll require one song for your section and another for your theme. Pop radio hits will, in general, have amazing choral songs that let the lyric genuinely loosen up and get enthusiastic. Have a go at setting off to a higher note run for the chorale and give it a pinnacle note – the most noteworthy of the melody – before returning and settling toward the end.
+
+Here's a useful hint: Look at some ongoing Pop hits that you like and notice the example of redundancy and variety in the ensemble song. Think about utilizing that example in your own ensemble. Simply see which song lines rehash and where, and which routes are extraordinary. NOTE: The lyrics will regularly change despite the fact that the song repeats. It's an Incredible system to learn, and it will be fundamental when composing Pop songs.
+
+Beginning with a snare: A cool piano riff or guitar groove has motivated numerous a hit song. Play around on guitar or console until you locate a short expression that proposes a mentality or feeling. For instance, the Drifters' "Fulfillment" begins with a famous guitar riff that has a lot of character and frame of mind.
+
+When you discover an expression you like, have a go at playing it to a beat section and let that recommend the topic and substance of the lyrics as above. Peruse this to find out additional: How Would You Compose words to a Song.
+
+
+
+
+
+4. The most effective method to Begin WITH A Melody Movement
+
+
+Many hit melodies utilize regular, nonexclusive three-and four-melody movements. You're allowed to use these harmonies in themes of your own. Simply be sure you don't use any of the vocal songs or lyrics, just the harmonies.
+
+You can discover the harmonies to your main songs in melody books and on the web. Simply scan for the name of the melody followed by "harmonies." Look into the harmonies to one of your preferred Pop songs now and record them.
+
+Here are a couple of melody movements dependent on late hit songs to kick you off. These are simply recommendations. You can change the harmonies, erase a few, rework, or play them any way you need to.
+
+
+
+Melody Movement #1
+
+Section:
+
+| C G | F | F G | Am |
+
+| C G | F | F G | C |
+
+Theme:
+
+| Am G | F | F G | C | – rehash varying
+
+
+
+Melody Movement #2
+
+Section:
+
+| G | C G | Bm | C D | – rehash varying
+
+Theme:
+
+| G Em | C D | – rehash changing and end song with

+
+| C D | G |
+
+
+
+Melody Movement #3
+
+(This is the melody movement to Katy Perry's "Firecracker." Section, pre-song, and melody all have a similar four harmonies. The chronicle is a half advance up on the off chance that you need to cooperate with the theme.)
+
+| G | Am | Em | C | – rehash varying
+
+You'll discover more melody starters and melody movements through exercise.
+
+At the point when you have a melody movement you like, have a go at playing it with a beat section, at that point build up a lyric thought as I depicted previously.
+
+
+
+
+
+5. Breathe life into YOUR lyrics Subject
+
+
+Use exchange, activities, feelings, and character to make your words wake up. When you have thought about what you need to expound on, have a go at portraying it so audience members can see and hear it. Try not to consider rhyming yet.
+
+Use discourse. Compose your lyrics like content for a film.
+
+Compose short expressions of the utilization of pictures and activity words to depict an inclination.
+
+
+
+Make sure to remember your audience members as you compose. Keep in mind; a Pop melody needs to interface with them so as to succeed. Envision you're enlightening somebody concerning your topic, somebody who doesn't have any acquaintance with you well indeed. What might be interested about? What sorts of inquiries would they need to pose? On a bit of paper, make a rundown of those inquiries and record some short responses to use in your melody.
+
+
+
+
+
+6. GIVE YOUR Song AN Additional PUSH
+
+
+Is your song feeling somewhat stable? Do you have a decent stanza song, however, can't discover an ensemble that works? Utilize the characteristic song of discourse to get moving once more. At this point, you have a lyrics topic and some thought of your theme lyrics. Have a go at taking a line or two with a ton of feeling; at that point, rehash it a few times with considerably more feeling. Notice the common here, and their movement and the mood of your verbally expressed words. Overstate those until you have a song, at that point, explore until it feels significant to you.
+
+
+
+
+
+7. Expand ON A Melody STRUCTURE (What is the song structure?)
+
+
+The most well-known structure for the present hit melodies is:
+
+Stanza/Chorale
+
+Stanza/Chorale
+
+Extension/Chorale
+
+
+
+You can utilize the song and lyrics you made in the past area as your melody; at that point, fabricate your refrains and scaffold around it. Here and there, we include an area between the stanza and theme, called the PRE-Song. We use it to fabricate expectations and energy, paving the way to the melody.
+
+In case you're curious about hit melody structure, this is a decent time to the song into a couple of Pop songs and figure out how to recognize the areas. Here's a rundown of ongoing hit songs I've examined for you. Pick a Pop song and read about the song's structure as you hear it out.
+
+Take a stab at roughing out lyrics dependent on the hit melody structure above. Compose a first section word that acquaints audience members with the vocalist or the circumstance. End your stanza on a line that leads the audience into your chorale.
+
+Utilize your generally passionate or most grounded lyrics line to begin your theme. Play your melody. Play your theme harmonies and sing the lyrics as you stir up a song. Or then again, you can take a shot at song first, singing sham hymns or just "la" and fill in the lyrics later. At that point, associate your refrain and song areas.
+
+You can continue taking a shot at your stanzas and theme along these lines until your melody starts to take on a general shape. By utilizing the song structure over, your song will be going in business, radio-prepared heading directly from the beginning.
+
+On the chance that you began your song with a song, have a go at composing a refrain song in a conversational note run, someplace that is agreeable to sing without stressing. For your song, utilize a higher note range to include feeling. Have sure there's a reasonable effect between your stanza song and your chorale song.
+
+Proposal: As you chip away at your melody, don't let yourself get hindered. On the off chance that you go to a spot where you stall out, simply fill in an impermanent song and lyrics and continue going.
+
+Record your disturbing thoughts as you go on a mobile phone, PC, or tape deck – whatever you have close by will do fine and dandy. At the point when you get worn out or lose viewpoint, leave and return later. Song into your account and get back on track.
+
+Modify AND rewrite
+
+Modifying can be a genuine torment in some cases, yet it doesn't need to be. Here's the secret to making it tolerable. Try not to discard anything until you have something you like better! Make it a challenge with yourself. Attempt to beat what you as of now have.
+
+
+
+
+
+8. Supplant "BLAH” lyrics WITH Energizing ONES
+
+
+Experience your songs and search for words and pictures that have lost their passionate effect through abuse. Take a stab at supplanting these with words and images that have a lot of enthusiastic affiliations that fit your subject. In the event that the lyric feels caught in a relationship, consider utilizing words like jail, iron bars, confined, modest room, locks, dim, airless, chains. You get the thought. Do likewise, with activity words. Rather than "walk," attempt "skip," "walk," "surge," "sneak," or "dissolve away." Ensure the word underscores the character or feeling tone of your subject.
+
+Play your ensemble harmonies and sing the lyrics as you stir up a song. Or on the other hand, you can take a shot at song first, singing sham hymns or just "la" and fill in the words later. At that point, interface your refrain and song segments.
+
+You can continue dealing with your refrains and chorale along these lines until your melody starts to take on a general shape. By utilizing the song structure over, your song will be going in business, radio-prepared bearing right from the beginning.
+
+On the chance that you began your song with a song, have a go at composing a stanza song in a conversational note extend, someplace that is agreeable to sing without stressing. For your melody, utilize a higher note range to include feeling. Have sure there's a reasonable effect between your refrain song and your theme song.
+
+Recommendation: As you chip away at your song, don't let yourself get hindered. On the off chance that you go to a spot where you stall out, simply fill in an impermanent melody and lyrics and continue going.
+
+Record your unpleasant thoughts as you go on a wireless, PC, or tape deck – whatever you have nearby will do fine and dandy. At the point when you get worn out or lose viewpoint, leave and return later. Song into your chronicle and get back on track.
+
+
+
+
+
+9. Spruce UP A POP Song
+
+
+Keep your song intriguing by playing with the mood of the notes and lengths of the expressions. Is each line beginning a similar beat? Consider moving them, so they start somewhat prior or later. Or on the other hand, change the length of lines by including a couple of words and notes toward the finish of a string, so it runs directly into the following. Or on the other hand, break a line into two short expressions.
+
+
+
+
+
+10. Reinforce YOUR SONG'S STRUCTURE
+
+
+Audience members like to feel that a melody isn't meandering around erratically, so explain your song structure by utilizing a lot of complexity between areas.
+
+On the off chance that your stanza has ton words and an occupied, rough song, consider smoothing and loosening up the song in your chorale so audience members can genuinely hear the distinction. Consider beginning your ensemble by hopping up to a higher note than the refrains. Provide your crowd some insight – something they can truly understand – that tells them where they are in the melody.
+
+
+
+
+
+Reward TIP: Make sure TO Song in
+
+
+Make certain to the song into popular hit melodies you like. These are the sorts of songs the music business is searching for. Experience the diagrams at Billboard.com or BDSradio.com and make a rundown of melody titles and craftsmen; at that point, look at them any place you like to purchase or stream music.
+
+At the point when you discover a Pop song you like – and there will be bounty you DON'T care for – figure out how to play and sing it, or simply chime in with the record. This is the best and fastest approach to start learning new songwriting propensities and giving yourself crisp decisions when you're composing.
+
+You won't duplicate these melodies. Instead, you'll be mixing these new methods with your own style to make something crisp and unique that, despite everything, works for the present radio and a group of people that adores current Pop hits!
+
+
+
+
+
+14 Basic Guidelines for Composing a Nation Hit
+
+
+Nation has never been as open to testing as it is at the present time. Be that as it may, the Nashville songwriting complex, despite everything, works on a progression of codes and conventions you won't discover in rock, pop, or some other kind. We conversed with four of the business' hitmakers – an astounding 34 Number One songs between them — who have figured out how to locate the correct parity. So far, they've yielded victors for Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Woman Before the war, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Jewel Rio, Cole Swindell, the pair of Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, and some more. Here's some guidance on the off chance that you'd prefer to attempt, as well.
+
+
+
+
+
+1. Nothing Is A higher priority Than Song
+
+
+I used to believe that lyrics were the primary impetus in a decent song. However, I locate that over my years composing these songs, that it's most certainly not. You found a good pace song; on the off chance that you don't, no one cares the slightest bit. You can be riding' not far off, and you hear something that feels so great, and you need to chime into it. At that point, they gain proficiency with the words to your melody.
+
+Shane Minor, 4 Number One Hits: I realize Nashville is so lyrics drove, which is incredible, however now they're turning out to be increasingly similar to it was the point at which I was in Los Angeles. Working there, it was all section and song-driven.
+
+I think one about the reason's nation is so well known presently is on the grounds that that piece of pop songwriting has come into it. You hear that dull snare in songs by Florida Georgia Line, by Luke Bryan. It very well may be so straightforward, thus fun. It isn't godforsaken' rocket medical procedure, man, it's merely well-known music!
+
+
+
+
+
+2. Work in Gatherings
+
+
+Wiseman: Co-composing goes on a great deal in Nashville. For a great many people, songwriting is an alone world. They'll come to town and need to learn the specialty of co-composing. It's sort of like the hobby of figuring out how to date. Co-composing resembles moderate movement speed-dating. You have these different individuals opposite you in the journalists' room; thus, you have a ton of loathsomeness stories. In any case, much the same as dating, you look over the table at that young lady, and it very well may be unexplainable adoration. When it clicks, it resembles "alright, presently I get it."
+
+
+
+
+
+3. Think Summer. Not Bummer
+
+
+We're in a spot where feel-great songs are extremely fruitful on the radio at the present time, and I believe this is on the grounds that the economy the previous not many years, individuals simply need to escape in music for some time. We will arrive at a spot where individuals will be making a smidgen of a more profound thing, yet I certainly think we got a couple of long stretches of the sort of pocket we're at this moment.
+
+Wiseman: At the present time, everybody is stating, "Stopped composing these melodies about being from the nation and riding in pickup trucks," however, that is the thing that individuals are out doing. You have more youthful individuals getting a charge out of the nation, and the melodies that impact them are that way. On the chance that you are 22 years of age, it is essentially it is possible that "Me and my better half separated" or "I'm out celebrating to meet a sweetheart so she can say a final farewell to me and I'll be grief-stricken." For reasons unknown, right now, don't recoil coming to it and saying, "For what reason aren't you all expounding on this? You ought to do either." No other organization is held to that standard. Yet, for what reason is it our gig to check each case of life? Melodies about mothers, and this major trouble, are put out constantly. However, they're merely kicking the bucket on the diagrams since that is not where the crowd is. All music that covers a wide range of stuff is turning out consistently, and I'm sure there is a fantastic polka collection turning out the present moment, yet you and I both expertise well that is going to sell.
+
+
+
+
+
+4. Nation Will, in general, Follow Pop Patterns — Only a Couple of Years Behind
+
+
+Wiseman: 40% of the dynamic stone guys have surrendered that organization and approach nation.
+
+Robbins: On the off chance that your song into mid-2000 pop radio, there was still a lot of native instruments on there – acoustic guitars and drum circles were colossal in those days. Furthermore, that is somewhat what we're doing now. There are not many guitars on pop radio. I really think EDM, being such a large amount of popular music at the present time, is a significant piece of why bluegrass music has progressed. We're doing what pop radio was doing. Individuals like those melodies, and we're filling that void at this point.
+
+Minor: The center bluegrass music audience is most likely the folks that lost a stone and moved before Nirvana tagged along, and the hair groups [died out]. In this way, we're most likely the nearest things they have.
+
+
+
+
+
+5. Practice Your – Ella, - Ella, - Ella
+
+
+Robbins: I feel like down-home music is simply getting amped up for post-ensembles at this moment. Pop got truly amped up for that around eight years prior. Sort of the impetus in popular music was most likely "Umbrella," that huge Rihanna hit – you have your theme, however then a minute after the song is the genuine hooky part.
+
+
+
+
+
+6. Try not to Beat around the bush
+
+
+Wiseman: As different types have affected nations, the lyrics have gotten somewhat more beautiful; however, the sign of a democracy is that it discusses life plainly. I'll always remember when I was a child, I was a drummer playing in musical gangs, and I headed toward a person's home one time, and he was playing Johnny Money's "Sunday Early daytime Descending," the Kris Kristofferson melody. I'll always remember when he hit that line in the first refrain: "The brew I had for breakfast wasn't awful, so I had one more for dessert/I staggered to my wardrobe, experienced my garments and found my cleanest messy shirt." I resembled, "Goodness my God, I'm wearing my cleanest grimy shirt at this moment." The nation is somewhat strict, yet I like that since it isolates the horse crap from the genuine article.
+
+
+
+
+
+7. Unload Your Descriptive words
+
+
+Robbins: Downhome music adores modifiers. They love fascinating, peculiar descriptors. I composed a song called "Sure Be Cool In the event that You Did," that Blake Shelton did. "You don't need to toss back your quite pink lemonade shooter," rather than saying, "You don't need to drink your beverage." Four words to portray that drink rather than one.
+
+
+
+
+
+8. Song into Music Other than Nation
+
+
+Minor: Bruno Mars, that is huge here. Colossal among authors. What's more, I'm an immense fan. He's one of the greats. On the off chance that I can return, I'd want to be Bruno Mars.
+
+Robbins: I have a melody on the radio right presently called "Beaching'," the Jake Owen cut. That morning [that we composed it], we were all tuning in to "Second-hand store," that Macklemore record, thus what enlivened "Beaching'" was we took the drum design from "Second-hand store" and just backed it off and composed over it.
+
+Taylor: No one says, "I sing into the nation, and that is it." I song into a ton of pop radio, where you probably won't hear the words, yet you hear the song. That will, in general, sparkle [ideas] for me. I love the songs behind pop, rock, and R&B music.
+
+
+
+
+
+9. Focus on Words Occurring Around You
+
+
+Davidson: I've generally been an OK audience, however now I see myself as a vast audience since no one can tell what you will hear. Luke Bryan and I experienced childhood in Albany, Georgia, which is a genuine rural-focused town where they genuinely appeal to God for a downpour. It was the job of that town. I was riding not far off, and I heard the meteorologist making the little 30-second climate projection on the radio broadcast, and the meteorologist stated, "Sorry Nashville, yet it's going to be a stormy end of the week." And I contemplated internally, "Well, Hang on a moment – it's mid-year. We need some downpour! What is this person discussing?" So, I called Luke, and I stated, "We have to compose a melody called, 'Downpour Is Something to be thankful for.'"
+
+
+
+
+
+10. Compose What You Know
+
+
+Wiseman: All I need to do is catch one minute, some cut of life, regardless of whether it's riding around in a pickup truck. Streams and Dunn's "Hillbilly Exclusive" originated from me hanging tight for my significant other in the market and viewing a nation town pass by on a Friday night, understanding that it hasn't changed a piece since I was a child. Whatever I'm taking a gander at, in the event that I can get that windowpane sufficiently clear to where I'm merely demonstrating the image, that is the ballgame for me.
+
+Davidson: [Luke Bryan's "That is My Sort of Night"] is the thing that my sort of night would have been in the event that I was in secondary school or school heck, even now, frankly with you, I despise everything like to party. "Gliding down the Rock Stream"; that is the waterway I experienced childhood with. "Catch us up a little catfish supper"; obviously, it rhymes genuinely well, yet honestly, we'd go angling.
+
+
+
+
+
+11. Calm Section, Hazardous Chorale Despite Everything Wears the pants
+
+
+Robbins: Popular music at this moment, the theme separates. Like, your stanza is significant, and afterward, the ensemble really sucks down and gets little. It's something contrary to what your cerebrum thinks. I've composed a few songs like that for this nation market, and we're not correctly prepared for that yet. I've attempted it many times, and they haven't bit on any of the songs, along these lines, I don't believe we're permitted to do it yet.
+
+
+
+
+
+12. Try not to Fear Hip-Bounce
+
+
+Davidson: As nation kid as I am, a great deal of those hip-bounce folks are nation young men, as well. T-Torment being from Tallahassee, which is just an hour from where I grew up, man, he communicates in a similar language as me. In the chance that you go to a bar in Albany, Georgia, where I'm from, and there's a nation band playing when that band enjoys a reprieve, it's 100 percent hip-bounce playing at the break. And all the young ladies get out and begin shaking their rear ends. That is in each community in America. So, nation audience members are, in reality, exceptionally taught on hip-jump.
+
+
+
+
+
+13. Disrupt All the Norms!
+
+
+Minor: Songs are somewhat taking on a temporary structure, and at times change is acceptable. I like songs beginning with the theme – that was unfathomable. What difference does it make? Who made those principles? It's been around since time started, yet does it make it right? Here's a genuine model: [Florida Georgia Line's] "Journey." It begins with the song. That is a standard breaker. Be that as it may, look how enormous it was. The most magnificent down-home melody ever, or near it? It set all sorts of records. Another was Luke Bryan, "Kiss Tomorrow Farewell." That is the briefest refrain in the historical backdrop of songwriting humanity. Monstrous hit. It had like a two-line stanza and a massive chorale. That one disrupted guidelines. There's a lot of authors around composing those melodies where they're switching the structure up.
+
+
+
+
+
+14. Try not to Say the F-Word
+
+
+Minor: No, you can't drop an F-bomb. The fact that we do about at regular intervals in the composing room.
+
+Davidson: You can't state "fuck" in a down-home melody. You can discuss sex – they've been discussing sex in bluegrass melodies since the Sixties and Seventies. You can do now like never before; you can do about anything. However, the cuss words, on the radio, the soccer mothers driving around with their children in the vehicle, they don't need their children hearing the offensive language. Ideally, at some point, we can say anything we desire.
+
+
+
+
+
+24 lyric-composing tips
+
+
+The way toward composing lyrics, maybe more than some other control in music, is extremely close to home to the essayist. Everybody has an alternate methodology, and what will function admirably for one lyricist won't really work for another. A few people can compose an entire melody in a short time; for specific individuals, it can take months.
+
+Anyway, you compose, however, and whatever your style, we've assembled a few pointers that we expect will demonstrate valuable. Some of them are general guidelines; others are thoughts to assist you with escaping any imaginative trench. The primary concern to recollect is that likewise, with some other music expression, there is no set-in-stone approach to do it. Investigation with the tips, stunts, rules, and regulations underneath, yet recall that right now, rules can, in some cases, be broken. In the event that you like the tips beneath, there's a lyric-composing blog entry with a couple of more considerations regarding the matter.
+
+
+
+1. Practice. Like some other innovative procedure, for example, playing guitar or programming synth sounds, lyric-composing is an ability that can be learned and enhanced.
+
+2. Try not to be dampened if your lyrics aren't impeccable on the primary draft. Numerous expert essayists will rework a melody's songs on many occasions before they make it onto the record.
+
+3. Drive forward. As a rule, songs aren't conceived, they're made and etched. Try not to anticipate that a melody should show up full-fledged; they once in a while require significant investment, and you'll have to work at it.
+
+4. In the event that you can't exactly make sense of how to state what you need inside a specific line, write down its substance and proceed onward to another piece of the song - you can return to it later. That way, you won't go through hours grappling with one little line that may end up being immaterial in the more extensive setting of the melody.
+
+5. Attempt to have an away from what the song is about. You ought to have the option to summarize the pith of the song in one sentence.
+
+6. Dissect different songs. Attempt to select the distinctions in lyrics between your main songs and your own, and apply any lyrical methods you figure out how to your own work.
+
+7. Ensure the melody has a reasonable structure and movement. This is especially significant in account melodies (songs that recount to a story). A fast test is to peruse the completed song from beginning to end, asking yourself, "does this bode well?"
+
+8. Use setting. Adding a back-story to clarify the circumstance (for instance) can include intrigue, and can change the whole importance of any lyrics tailing it.
+
+9. Utilize point of view. For instance, an excellent songwriting stunt is to depict an occasion in the main section, and include end of view by portraying how it influenced you or caused you to feel in the subsequent stanza. Another perspective can put an intriguing twist on an in any case clear point.
+
+10. Melodies require an alternate way to deal with stanzas, particularly in case you're composing pop. They frequently should be increasingly 'plain' and simple to recollect. A typical stunt is to write the 'arrangement' during the section, and the passionate 'result' in the ensemble.
+
+11. Examination with cadence inside a line. A line can have its own musical bob or pizazz and still fit inside the general rhyming plan.
+
+12. Utilize light and shade. Differentiating the glad and positive with the miserable and downbeat inside a song can be incredibly ground-breaking. The setting is everything: a glad chorale after a progressively severe refrain can make the song significantly all the more elevating.
+
+13. Try not to utilize an abundance of modifiers, or depicting words. While they are unmistakably essential to a musician, including too many, they can make a lyric-less brief.
+
+14. Try not to feel that utilizing symbolism will make your lyrics excessively dilettantish or extravagant. Used well, it can bring out feelings or states of mind that can't be made by using obtuse portrayal alone.
+
+15. Be cautious when utilizing the enthusiastic dynamic, for instance, making statements like "I need to feel free." Complicated feelings are regularly hard to depict; it's occasionally progressively successful in utilizing symbolism (see tip 14) or setting (see tip 8) to pass on a feeling as opposed to just expressing it.
+
+16. Investigation with tense. It very well may be intriguing to expound on the past, present, and future, here and there all inside a similar melody.
+
+17. Be clear. Recollect that the audience members may miss a word, or a line, or three. Try not to depend on only one little line to place the entire song in the setting.
+
+18. Analysis with a frame of mind. Songs can be unassuming, haughty, confident, dismal, forceful, and the sky is the limit from there. Innovative dry seasons can regularly be handled by fundamentally changing the viewpoint of your lyrics. It is not necessarily the case that you shouldn't act naturally. However, a touch of experimentation won't hurt.
+
+19. Test with pronouns. Melodies don't generally need to be composed utilizing 'you' or 'I.' Lyrics with plural pronouns, for example, 'we' and 'they,' for instance, can give a totally different feel to a melody. Abstain from utilizing an excessive number of various pronouns in a similar theme, however, as this might be befuddling.
+
+20. Try not to use an excessive number of words. Packing a line loaded with words where they obviously won't fit may make each word lose its effect; it's typically savvier to re-compose the line totally instead of attempting to play scholarly Tetris.
+
+21. Know about the 'hints' of words. Words have a characteristic sound to them, which turns out to be considerably more articulated when sung instead of spoken. A few words sound spikey, some stodgy, some open, some dull, some move off the tongue. Accept the sound also the importance of the name into account when composing.
+
+22. Be mindful when utilizing 'sharp' or excessively expand language. These words frequently look fine on paper, yet they typically don't make an interpretation of well into the song. You likewise risk estranging audience members that don't have a clue what a word implies.
+
+23. Think about the rhyming plan, if there is one. Remember that how 'snappy' your song is in not only a result of the music and song; it likewise originates from the lyrics, particularly the musicality and rhyming plan.
+
+24. In the event that conceivable, abstain from composing filler lines so as to make rhymes work. It's fine to utilize filler when mapping out the structure of the song, yet you should use any ensuing re-writes to attempt to make the most of each line in claims right.
+
+
+
+
+
+10 Hints to Figure out How to Play the Guitar with Great Strategy during the songwriting
+
+
+I showed myself how to play the guitar, and I'll concede this brought about learning some extremely negative behavior patterns that are demonstrating hard to shake off. I didn't have marvelous applications to control me. The regular issue with beginner guitar players is anxiety those how-to books and sites demand that you take things gradually, center around the fundamentals, and get ideas directly from the beginning, though you need to start destroying performances and be jumping from a heap of Marshalls with each force melody inside
 gracious, half a month would be pleasant.
+
+In the chance that you observe any of the best players on the planet, whether or not they play old-style songs or overwhelming stone, they all make them thing in like manner great strategy, which means they're appropriately applying every one of those essential necessities for playing incredible guitar. Examine somebody like John Petrucci (Dream Theater). Of course, on initial introductions, he will alarm the damnation out of your grandma, yet look at his left hand as he performs. Those rankling performances and melody movements have accomplished no sweat and insignificant development, all in light of the fact that Petrucci aced how to play the guitar with the great system from the beginning. Excellent method, in the last examination, is the demonstrated best and most capable approach to play, placing your hands and fingers in the ideal spot at the perfect time.
+
+Here are my best ten hints for figuring out how to play the guitar with an excellent method. Some of them are somewhat self-evident, while others are the consequence of deep understanding. I trust their help. Incidentally, we should accept that your correct given player. Lefties can make a critical change.
+
+
+
+
+
+1. Keep away from The Left-Hand Firm grip
+
+
+At the point when you are first being playing, straight away, you'll find that squeezing the strings against the worry board is difficult to work, harms your fingers and makes your wrist hurt. The appropriate method to battle this is by snaring your thumb over the highest point of the worry board to get influence, which coincidentally makes you press the strings more with the level cushion of your finger (where your unique mark is) instead of the real fingertip.
+
+This is some of the time called the "firm grip" since you do wind up with a genuinely furious grasp on your neck, and it confines the span of your fingers. The best possible method is to have your thumb on the rear of the guitar's neck. This pressures you into taking a potentially rash action to utilize the fingertips, which is much better and increasingly precise with regards to playing only the notes you need without inadvertently quieting contiguous strings. The difficulty is it feels sort of odd and troublesome from the outset, and your wrist will need quality. Stick with it, and you'll welcome the advantages further down the track. Keep in mind, thumb on the rear of the neck.
+
+
+
+
+
+2. Practice Standing Up and Plunking Down
+
+
+Alright, things are hard enough for what it's worth without anticipating that you should waltz around the room while you're playing. The significant thing is, in case you're going to take this fantasy as far as possible, one day, you'll be standing up before swarm. Playing with your guitar a totally different stance to plunking down.
+
+On a seat, you will, in general, slouch over and attempt to perceive what your hands are doing (another negative behavior pattern you need to keep away from). Ensure you have a decent guitar lash, change it to an agreeable length (overlook throwing it down around your knees looks cool. However, it's a poop playing position) and usually work on playing while you're holding up.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. No Requirement of speed
+
+
+Never try to conclude how to play quickly. Honestly, don't do it. A great system is about precise fingering and hitting the right notes unfailingly, particularly with regards to scales and playing dubious bar harmonies. Focus on exact fingering. Honestly, figure out how to play appropriately, and speed will happen independently from anyone else. The greatest hindrance to quick playing is a poor procedure. Learn the great system, and fast fingering will be tossed in without for reward. It continuously takes much time to play gradually. Use a Guitar Application that songs into you while you practice the guitar and revises when you play wrong.
+
+
+
+
+
+4. Continuously Utilize Right Fingering
+
+
+Throughout the time of guitar playing, the specialists have since quite a while ago made sense of the ideal approach to play precise harmonies and scales, which means which fingers ought to play individual notes on the fret load up.
+
+Sometimes, you may find a more straightforward method for playing these. You're a melodic virtuoso and never knew it. Try not to be enticed. Correct fingering isn't just about playing that melody or scale appropriately. Including varieties is considered as well, for example, sevenths and ninths, and your custom style of fingering a theme may demonstrate that those varieties can't be played (that's right, this is something I took in the most challenging way possible). Give careful consideration to the correct fingering of a melody and your hand's situation on the fuss board for scales. A specific application will tell you precisely the best way to do it.
+
+
+
+
+
+5. Quiet Practicing
+
+
+Do you need to watch your preferred Network program when you should practice? Try not to freeze; a great deal can be accomplished by holding your guitar and continually swapping, starting with one melody, then onto the next or playing scales without culling the strings with your right hand. What you're doing is as yet preparing your left hand to play; it's everything active practice. A great strategy is secured propensities when you're playing. With your thumb on the rear of the neck, recall?
+
+
+
+
+
+6. Use a metronome!
+
+
+Playing to a tick track is extremely hard from the outset, yet the focal points, later on, are unlimited. Your feeling of cadence and timing will get a new lift-up, in the chance that you have a go at using a metronome soon in your profession. Notwithstanding, don't worry about it to an extreme and ensure you set the beats-per-minute (BPM) to something moderate. The thought is to become accustomed to playing in time and at a relentless beat, however, don't surge this to the detriment of the learning procedure. Incidentally, you'll discover loads of metronome applications on the web. Furthermore, here are five different ways you can utilize a metronome to improve your guitar playing.
+
+
+
+
+
+7. Try not to Avoid Troublesome Harmonies
+
+
+Half a month back in my studio, I was recording a companion called Mary, a vocalist-guitarist, who might move paradise and earth to abstain from playing a B minor melody. She saw the fingering as too troublesome and utilized capos and all way of transpositions to evade the feared bar melody. In the event that anything, you should search out these disturbing bits and invest additional time and vitality on consummating precarious harmonies; else, you'll see them a psychological obstruction to your playing for the remainder of your life.
+
+
+
+
+
+8. Be Taught with Your Training
+
+
+Nothing beats you, putting your hands on the guitar and rehearsing the most exercises. Regardless of whether it's only for ten minutes on a day when you're in any case excessively occupied. A great strategy originates from your brain and your fingers, recalling how it's everything expected to function, especially with regards to those precarious fingerings. Attempt to put aside some time each day and grow great playing propensities. It'll additionally assist with working up those calluses on your fingertips.
+
+With any guitar application, you can make your profile and set day by day objectives. It keeps tabs on your development and sends you updates, on the off chance that you are getting apathetic and losing center.
+
+
+
+
+
+9. Offer Yourself A Reprieve and Song into Music
+
+
+The opposite side of the condition isn't to propel yourself excessively hard to start with. At the point when your muscles begin to squeak, and the fingertips are stinging, enjoy a reprieve and unwind for some time. You can without much of a stretch strain something and harm ligaments and tendons on the off chance that you overlook the threat signs that you need a rest.
+
+
+
+
+
+10. Remember You're Correct Hand Practice
+
+
+Once in a while, it's acceptable to just quiet the strings with your left hand and work on making a percussive mood with your right-hand strumming. A guitar application can include a strummer mentor to improve your cadence and timings.
+
+Then again, pick a simple melody (or no melody by any means) and spotlight for some time on any finger-picking and plectrum style that you're learning. The matter of the fact is that your right-hand system is frequently disregarded in the push to get the fingers on your left hand doing the right thing. Remember that figuring out how to play the guitar is a two-gave bargain.
+
+There you have it. Like I said before, a ton of these tips are evident and sound judgment. However, numerous new players, despite everything, commit basic errors in their excitement to start playing energizing stuff. Get the nuts and bolts right, the best possible strategy occurring from the earliest starting point when figuring out how to play the guitar, and you can be an incredible player instead of only a decent one.
+
+
+
+
+
+Step by step instructions to write a Song
+
+
+Anybody can compose a song! All you truly need is some basic information on a song instrument like a guitar or a piano, a thought, and the best possible strategy. For the length of time that you realize how to conceptualize ideas for your melody, how to compose lyrics, and how to assemble a song, you can consider yourself a musician. Before you know it, you may even be up in front of an audience singing your melody for a thundering group!
+
+
+
+
+
+Part 1. Writing the Music
+
+
+Choose what class you need to work inside for your song. Distinctive melodic kinds have great explicit highlights that you might need to use in your song. In case you're composing a down-home song, you might need to utilize a steel guitar and construct your songs and lyrics around the topic of mis for song and hardship. In case you're composing a stone melody, you may utilize power harmonies and write poems about resistance.
+
+Pick a musicality and beat that matches your melody's temperament and sort. Quicker rhythms and beats work best for perky or turbulent themes, similar to techno and underground rock music. Dismal or passionate songs, similar to pop and down-home songs, as a rule, have more slow rhythms and beats. In the event that your melody doesn't fit into any of those classifications, you can attempt a mid-beat approach, which is run of the mill for exemplary exciting music.
+
+For instance, an underground rock song typically has a quick, driving mood and utilizations a 4/4-time signature (the beat is a quarter note enduring 1 second, and there are four beats for every measure).
+
+Reggae music regularly utilizes syncopated beats, which are beats played off the musicality, to pass on an unpredictable vibe.
+
+Give looking through online to locate a shot that cadence and beats the specific sort of music you need to play employments.
+
+Work out the first song on a piano or guitar. Regardless of whether you don't mean to utilize these instruments in your song, they are anything but difficult to try different things with regards to building up a song. Start by messing with primary keys, for example, G, A, C, D, E, and F. Remember your song's proposed topic and choose a key that you feel can pass on that.
+
+Build up the song utilizing major and minor scales. Use scales in the key you decided to pass on the mind-set you're attempting to communicate. Analysis with various songs until you hit on something that sounds and feels directly for your melody. Essential keys are generally viewed as glad, playful, or vivacious. Minor scales are usually considered as despairing or enthusiastic.
+
+For instance, D minor is frequently referred to just like the saddest key.
+
+C major is one of the most joyful sounding keys.
+
+Contingent upon your melody's subject, you can likewise switch back and forth among major and minor keys to pass on an assortment of sentiments.
+
+Take guitar exercises on the off chance that you need assistance composing songs. You don't need to ace the guitar to write a melody, yet it truly assists with knowing the essentials, similar to how to make various notes, play harmonies, and examination with tunings. You can search for a neighborhood guitar instructor at a close-by music shop, or check Craigslist for potential outcomes.
+
+You can likewise consider utilizing video instructional exercises online to hone your abilities.
+
+When you have the rudiments down, begin exploring different avenues regarding songs for your melody, and utilize your guitar to assist you with creating thoughts.
+
+Enroll the assistance of a co-author on the off chance that you need help composing the music. On the chance that you imagine components for your song that you realize you can't make yourself, consider asking a musically capable companion to go along with you in the composing procedure. You can clarify the topic, tone, and lyrics you have as a main priority for the melody, and afterward, work with your companion to make an interpretation of those thoughts into music.
+
+In the chance that you don't know somebody who can help you with this, consider putting an advertisement up on Craigslist or presenting on message sheets to discover somebody to work together with on the web.
+
+Trial with music programming to make music. On the off chance that you can't play an instrument, don't let that prevent you from composing melodies! Numerous individuals use music programming like Ableton, to make their music, mainly electronic music craftsmen. The product accompanies a large number of pre-recorded sounds for drums, bass, harmonies, and songs, permitting you to control and consolidate them in unlimited manners to make your own melodies.
+
+You can investigate synth sounds, guitar impacts, channels, thus significantly more with this product. You can likewise purchase separate modules to include whole libraries of new sounds to your product's stock sounds. The conceivable outcomes indeed are boundless.
+
+
+
+
+
+Part 2. Adding Lyrics
+
+
+Pick a title for your melody. It may sound strange. However, perhaps the most straightforward approach to concoct song thoughts is to consider potential claims. Song in and search for uniquely snappy or succinct expressions in Television programs, motion pictures, books, and regular discussion and record them in a scratchpad or on your telephone. You can likewise stand by to title the song until after you've composed the melody and lyrics. One approach isn't superior to anything the other with regards to titles, so do what feels the most normal for you.
+
+It may assist with making a rundown of inquiries recommended by your title. At that point, your lyrics can address those inquiries before the finish of the melody.
+
+For instance, the title "Awfulness Lodging" poses the inquiries, "What is a Misforsong Inn?" "What occurs there?" and "Where is it?" Elvis responds to these inquiries in his lyrics.
+
+Concoct a snare for your melody. The trap in a song is the infectious expression that worms its way into your mind and never leaves and is as often as possible utilized as the title of the song. Play around with thoughts and songs until you hit on something that feels right. If you have a working rundown of title thoughts as of now, trial to check whether any work exceptionally well as a snare by singing them to different songs. The trap of Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Perhaps" is "Hello, I just met you, and this is insane/Yet here's my number, so call me possibly." The snare of Neil Precious stone's song "Sweet Caroline" is "Sweet Caroline.
+
+Construct a chorale around your snare. Once in a while, your trap can fill in as your whole song. Different occasions, it's only a piece of your chorale, ordinarily toward the start or end. Notwithstanding, your ensemble ought to, for the most part, be vaguer than your sections. Utilize your song as a method for condensing the subjects of your song without getting into points of interest.
+
+For instance, the chorale of "That is no joke" via Carly Simon presents the vanity of her subject as the topic of the melody, yet doesn't explicitly clarify why the item is vain.
+
+Compose a section that expands on the subjects presented by your melody. Your stanzas should utilize sound, substantial symbolism, and explicit guides to develop on the more unclear topics offered by your chorale.
+
+For instance, in the first refrain of "That is no joke," Carly Simon sings, "You had an eye in the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte" to set up her subject's vanity with a particular model.
+
+Compose two new refrains that follow a similar example as your first. When you've composed the first song, the following two be genuinely simple to write in a brief timeframe. The other two sections ought to follow indistinguishable lyrical and melodic examples from your first while giving new data.
+
+
+
+
+
+Part 3. Finalizing Your Melody
+
+
+Choose whether or not you need to add an extension to your song. An extension resembles another ensemble that is just sung once and presents the subjects of your song in another manner. Go through your scaffold to flavor your song by singing new lyrics and in another key or with various harmonies in a similar key.
+
+Ensure the lyrics of your extension are unclear, as the lyrics of your theme. Try not to present new particulars.
+
+You could likewise consider utilizing your scaffold as an open door for an instrumental performance on the chance that you need to include your expertise with a specific instrument.
+
+Nail down the last structure of your melody. The most widely recognized song structure utilized today is Stanza/Ensemble/Refrain/Melody/Scaffold/Theme. Be that as it may, you can don't hesitate to mess with this structure depends on what works best for your song. Take the components you've just made and try by moving them around, rehashing some of them, etc. until the structure feels right. A few kinds utilize explicit song structures. For instance, EDM frequently utilizes Introduction/Stanza/Theme/Breakdown/Section/Ensemble/Refrain/Chorale/Scaffold/Melody/Outro.
+
+
+
+
+
+Part 4. Settling Your Song
+
+
+Add different instruments to make a fuller stable. When you've wrapped up your song, you can include devices like the drums, low register guitar, and console to drive and highlight the song. Your different devices ought to be played in a similar key and time signature you chose already.
+
+On the chance that you don't have the foggiest idea of how to play different instruments, take a stab at recording the establishment of the melody utilizing your PC. At that point, use music programming like Ableton or GarageBand to add new components to the song.
+
+Practice your melody until you have it retained. Start by rehearsing the pieces of your theme independently until you have them each remembered. At that point, proceed onward to repeating every one of them together in the right request until you can change easily starting with one component then onto the next without pondering it.
+
+Record your song. When you have your melody retained, you should record it. Utilize your telephone, a digital recorder, a PC and programming, or a camcorder. When you have your chronicle, make a point to make a duplicate of it or transfer it to the cloud. That way, you'll always remember your melody or lose it.
+
+
+
+
+
+10 SONGWRITING TIPS FROM THE Stars
+
+
+Composing a song with life-changing songs and inventive lyrics can be testing. Indeed, even the most experienced musicians experience an inability to write sooner or later in their profession, and there is a wide range of ways to deal with songwriting. Here are ten useful songwriting tips, each upheld up by cites from a portion of the world's best lyricists.
+
+
+
+
+
+1. WHERE TO Begin Composing YOUR Melody
+
+
+The beginning is frequently the hardest piece of the songwriting procedure. Building up your song's principle melody or central topic is considered by some to be the best spot to begin creating your next track. At the point when you have your catch or significant song development, you can build the rest of your tune around it. Regardless, don't worry in the event that you're doing combating to find the perfect tune straight away, this strategy isn't for everyone.
+
+Beginning with your song's principle, riff or snare isn't perfect for each musician. A few musicians want to start toward the start of their track by composing an excellent introduction, which will lead them generally into the remainder of the melody, while others will get the lyrics down first, and afterward stress over the song for a short time. There is no standard with regard to composing another song. It's down to the lyricist, the song, and the first motivation to decide your beginning stage.
+
+
+
+
+
+2. LYRICS MATTER
+
+
+Except if you're creating instrumental music, the lyrics are apparently the most significant piece of your melody. Lyric composing can regularly be the most disappointing and troublesome part of the songwriting procedure, particularly for novice musician's deficient inexperience.
+
+Having an away from what your melody will be is a decent start. You could record what you need to get across in your lyrics, at that point, mess around with the beat, structure, and rhythm of your words to fit them around your song. A robust lyrical snare for your ensemble is especially significant, while the sections and scaffold can be worked around your focal subject.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. RECORD ANY Off the cuff Motivation
+
+
+There's nothing more terrible as a lyricist than thinking of an astounding song or riff, just to overlook what it was an hour later. Ignoring your thoughts can be truly disappointing, so it's essential to make a note of your idea while it's crisp in your brain, whether or not it's essentially recorded quickly on your phone or wrote on a bit of paper. You'll be content with the update later when you benefit from continuing working for the melody.
+
+
+
+
+
+4. Compose As a matter of fact
+
+
+As bright as it might sound, a portion of history's most prominent songs is about close to home encounters, with artisans drawing on certain occasions and injuries to start their innovativeness. Regardless of whether you've experienced stressful events or incredible occasions, you can utilize your background to extraordinary effect. Put those sentiments into a song you can be glad for.
+
+
+
+
+
+5. Work together WITH Different Performers
+
+
+In the event that you're experiencing a mental obstacle (everybody does sooner or later!), at that point, teaming up with different performers can offer an incredible method to kick off something new and get a fresh viewpoint on your song. Give them what you have up, examine any new thoughts they may recommend, and see what leaves it. Getting an outside perceptive on your track from a kindred lyric can assist with bringing the best of your music.
+
+
+
+
+
+6. KEEP IT Straightforward AND Expand on it
+
+
+Keeping your song as straightforward as conceivable from the outset is a great method to fasten the songwriting process and work out the layout of your song. Numerous mind-boggling songs from 5 or 6-piece groups began life as a couple of harmonies strummed on an acoustic guitar. When you have the premise of the melody in its least complex structure, you can use including drums or strings, metal, or some other extra instruments a short time later.
+
+
+
+
+
+7. Make a point TO TAKE BREAKS
+
+
+Composing a melody without any preparation can now and then be disappointing and intellectually tiring work, particularly when the thoughts aren't streaming effectively as you'd like. Regularly a 15-minute split away from your gadgets or lyrics cushion can help get the innovativeness flowing and prevent your brain from getting too obfuscated to even think about seeing the thoughts and motivation you're looking for.
+
+
+
+
+
+8. DON'T OVERTHINK IT
+
+
+Performers and lyricists are regularly our own most exceedingly awful pundits. On the chance that you judge your own melodies too cruelly, you'll complete nothing, so it's critical to keep an outlook, and keeping in mind that it's incredible to require some investment and cautiously think about every aspect of another song.
+
+
+
+
+
+9. Request Input
+
+
+It's difficult to dismiss how fortunate or unfortunate your song is after you have gone through a long stretch of time working or changing and making it without anyone else's input. So discover somebody you trust to offer legitimate guidance, and who's the conclusion you esteem and approach them to study it for you. You may find they have some fabulous understanding of how it could be improved. Don't only play it for somebody who may be reluctant to offend you need legitimate assessments, not merely yes men.
+
+
+
+
+
+10. Try not to BE Reluctant TO Come up short
+
+
+Expressions of remorse for the buzzword, however, in case you're coming up short and attempting to compose the song you know is in you simply continue onward. There's no mystery for fruitful songwriting, other than the mix of challenging work, inspiration, and ability. This statement from the incredible Johnny Money summarizes the point consummately.
+
+
+
+
+
+The most effective method to Begin a Melody: Titles, Subjects, Harmonies and More
+
+
+You can begin a melody in many various manners. Start with a title, a songline, a melody movement, a feeling, or play a mood on guitar or console. Once in a while, however, it assists with having a little push, so I've made "song starters" – thoughts, titles, topics, improvement ways, and melody movements that will get your melody moving. Don't hesitate to blend and match anything with anything and use it any way you like.
+
+
+
+
+
+Song Titles
+
+
+While there are numerous approaches to begin a song, this is one that multiple master musicians use. Starting with a title can keep your song centered, propose thoughts for going ahead, and characterize the general passionate feel. For additional on utilizing a title to begin your song, watch this VIDEO. Here are a couple of titles for you to play with. Don't hesitate to use them as maybe, change a word or two, or let them propose another thought.
+
+Most likely, a portion of these titles have just been utilized in songs; however, a claim can't be copyrighted, so not to stress. Your test is to the thought of something that is exceptionally yours in the lyrics, a new knowledge, something unique to state about the title.
+
+Look and song in: Titles are surrounding you. Song in for short expressions that recommend a circumstance or feeling to you. Search for them in news features, magazine stories, and books. Song in for them in the discourse on Network programs and discussions with companions keep a note pad helpful and make a rundown, so you generally have one when you're prepared to compose.
+
+
+
+
+
+Song Subjects
+
+
+A topic is a general thought of what you need to expound on. Here and there, it's a passionate circumstance you've encountered. On the other hand, it is a scene from a TV arrangement or film. Now and then, a thought will come to you in an eruption of motivation. Here is a portion of the all-inclusive topics that happen again and again in songs, books, lyrics, and compositions.
+
+LOVE Connections: Experiencing passionate feelings for, dropping out of adoration, longing for affection, tired of worship, requiring love, being enamored.
+
+LIFE and SELF: Growing up, getting free, revolting, celebrating, finding who you are, beating hindrances, meeting difficulties.
+
+FAMILY and Fellowships: Family ties, festivities, clashes.
+
+SOCIETY: Correcting wrongs, crossing social boundaries, distance, solidarity, war, social dissent, religion.
+
+
+
+
+
+Utilize an Improvement Way
+
+
+A melody resembles an excursion. The audience begins in a single spot and winds up in another. They know nothing when the song starts. What do you need them to understand by the end?
+
+Here are a couple of thoughts for advancement ways you and your audience can travel:
+
+Section 1: This is the issue.
+
+Ensemble: This is the manner by which I feel about it.
+
+Section 2: This is the thing that I attempted to do about it.
+
+Song: This is the means by which I feel about it.
+
+Scaffold: What I expect will happen is this.
+
+Song: This is the means by which I feel about it.
+
+Refrain 1: Let me educate you regarding an individual I know
+
+Chorale: Here's the way it feels to associate with this individual
+
+Section 2: This is what they said or did that influence me
+
+Chorale: Here's the way it feels to associate with this individual
+
+Scaffold: This is the thing that I esteem about this individual
+
+Chorale: Here are the means by which it feels to associate with this individual
+
+Section 1: I took a risk
+
+Chorale: Presently my life has changed
+
+Refrain 2: I gambled everything for the bliss
+
+Song: Presently my life has changed
+
+Scaffold: It was justified, despite all the trouble
+
+Song: Presently my life has changed
+
+
+
+
+
+Melody Movements
+
+
+Here are some mainstream melody movements you can use to begin your melody. Many hit songs have been composed utilizing these melody movements. You can utilize them similarly as they may be, or change the request, hold any melody longer, play them quick or moderate, or include notes. You can likewise move them higher or lower by utilizing a cap on guitar or the Transpose work on an electronic console. Numerous ongoing hits rehash these movements again and again ("Interstate Couldn't care less" by Tim McGraw, "More grounded" by Kelly Clarkson). In the present songs, it's the connection of the song to the harmonies that keep the movement fascinating.
+
+Three-melody Movement – A fundamental movement that, despite everything, works.
+
+| D | E A | (Four beats on D, at that point two beats on E and A).)
+
+Song in to "Live to Be Free" by Griffin House to hear a whole song based on this movement.
+
+Four-Melody Movements – You can make an entire song from both of these melody movements. Or, on the other hand, utilize one for the section, another for the theme. Or on the other hand some portion of one and part of another. Rehash varying.
+
+| Am | F | C | G | (One melody for every bar)
+
+Song in to "More grounded (What Doesn't Execute You)" by Kelly Clarkson. The whole song (aside from the extension) is a similar four harmonies in the same request.
+
+| C | G | Am | F |
+
+OK, in the event that you haven't seen "4 Harmonies" by Pivot of Marvelous on YouTube – look at it now.
+
+Full Movement – Attempt this movement for a total melody.
+
+Section: | D | G | C | Em, D | (rehash varying
+
+Pre-ensemble: | C | D | C | D |
+
+Ensemble: | G | C | D | Em | (rehash varying).
+
+
+
+
+
+Song
+
+
+Now and again, a lyric will land with a song. Different occasions, a song may come to you with no words by any stretch of the imagination. A few people like to begin a song with the song first. On the off chance that you make that, attempt to give your song a structure, with one song, thought for a stanza, and another for your song. Here are a couple of thoughts for beginning a song when you have a couple of lyric ideas previously roughed out

+
+Utilize the familiar song of discourse: Rehash your lyric lines a couple of times with Heaps of feeling. The more enthusiastic you are, the more melodic your talking voice becomes. Notice the cadence, the characteristic delays, the here and there song of your verbally expressed words. Presently, attempt to transform that into a song by singing it with your harmonies. Cause modifications until you to have something you like. You don't need to stay with your first thought. It resembles dirt: Continue shaping it until you want it.
+
+Utilize a phantom song: Only for work on, sing your lyric plans to the tune of a hit song. Don't hesitate to change the lyrics to coordinate the song. Keep in mind; everything is liquid now.
+
+Change the pitches of the phantom song. Move low to high or high to low. Change a rising line to a diving one and the other way around.
+
+Change the mood of the phantom song. On the off chance that a note is short, hold it out longer, if it's for some time, split it into more concise summaries.
+
+Fill in the delays between lines with words and notes or include a respite where there isn't one.
+
+
+
+
+
+Start the expressions on various beats.
+
+
+This should give you some song thoughts and a spot to begin another song of your own. Keep in mind, and the hit song is copyrighted. You can't utilize any of it in a song you plan to take to advertise. The enjoyment is in switching things up a great deal to perceive what you end up with.
+
+
+
+
+
+Record your thought
+
+
+When you have an unpleasant feeling of your stanza and chorale, record it into your iPhone, your PC, anything. Simply get it down; at that point, leave! To accomplish something different. Return with new ears and song into what you recorded.
+
+In the event that you like it, continue chipping away at it. If not, start without any preparation with a similar crude material OR proceed onward to another title. Be that as it may, don't eradicate what you recorded. You may be amazed at how acceptable it sounds tomorrow or one week from now!
+
+
+
+
+
+Extreme Manual for Songwriting and Music Piece
+
+
+Is it true to say that you are a lyric and a musician? Or on the other hand, do you try to be one? Assuming this is the case, you've gone to the perfect spot. This songwriting and music composing control are pressed with somewhere in the range of 50 assets that can assist you with bettering see how to write a melody that can split the Main 40, play guitar like Eric Clapton or apply your melodic gifts to explicit classifications. Regardless of whether you're hoping to improve your abilities for personal reasons or want to build up your aptitudes for proficient applications additionally, you're sure to discover in excess of a couple of these assets, which are advantageously assembled into explicit classifications, accommodating to cause your desire to sing!
+
+
+
+
+
+General Songwriting and Music Composing Assets
+
+
+From finding out about the language of music to picking up knowledge from proficient lyricists and distributers, these assets give top to bottom data about the mechanics and specialty of songwriting and music organization. You'll discover something for everybody on this rundown, from apprentices to those entering and propelling a profession in the music field.
+
+
+
+
+
+The most effective method to Compose a Blues Melody
+
+
+The blues are established in the outflow of agony. All things considered, this extraordinarily American melody structure was conceived from the brutal presence of slaves on southern ranches. An amalgam of work songs, field hollers, spirituals, and ditties, the blues developed through the span of a century into the meaning of melodic grievance. The colors recognize the genuine, not admired. It sings of bitterness, hardship, and enduring most oftentimes on account of a man's activity or his lady. It additionally could be risqué, even hilarious. What's more, as the blues voyaged northbound on the Mississippi, it affected an assortment of different kinds and turned into a necessary foundation of awesome.
+
+The equation is misleadingly straightforward. Blues was an oral convention sometime before being resolved to sheet music. Its professionals were regularly not officially prepared lyricists, and its monotonous plans mirror the memory aide characteristics required to go down songs starting with one age then onto the next. Be that as it may, don't botch its straightforwardness of structure as being unsophisticated in articulation. Numerous blues lyrics exhibit an authority of two-sided saying and representation. To have the option to compose a convincing story inside the specific limits of the blues is calculable artistry in itself. Much like writing bound stanza lyrics, the way into the skies is tied in with understanding the principles, first to work inside them, at that point to win the intermittent right to break them.
+
+
+
+
+
+Melodic Attributes
+
+
+There are two characterizing attributes of conventional blues. The first is the standard melody movement, in light of an I-IV-V design (the tonic, subdominant, and authoritative tones of the scale). The second is the utilization of flatted thirds, fifths, and sevenths, known as the "blue notes," in the song. Accordingly, blues depends vigorously on the pentatonic scale and can be written in either a significant or minor key. Moreover, a blues melody can likewise be characterized as far as the number of measures, or bars, that include a full stanza. The most effectively unmistakable structure is 12-bar. Also usual to the class are 8-bar and 16-bar plans.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyrical Attributes
+
+
+In light of the topic, emotional articulation can take on a vast scope of structures. The most common lyric example depends on an account call-and-reaction structure. Appearing as a three-line rhyme conspire, every stanza rehashes the first two lines to shape the call and finishes up with an answer that structures the reaction. There can be any number of verses, albeit three and five are normal. A blues melody likewise regularly recounts a story.
+
+
+
+
+
+Assembling Everything
+
+
+In the event that we look at a 12-bar blues song with the call-and-reaction lyric example portrayed above, you can perceive how the music and words cooperate. Take Robert Johnson's mark song, Junction Blues:
+
+I went to the intersection
+
+(IV) Tumbled down on my knees (I) (I)
+
+(IV) I went to the intersection
+
+(IV) Tumbled down on my knees (I) (I)
+
+(V) Asked the Master above, show benevolence now
+
+(IV) Spare inferior Bounce, you don't mind (I) (V)
+
+
+
+Try to take an encounter about which you can compose. Pick a circumstance where you believed you were unreasonably or severely treated. The blues consistently works better when you tap into the aggregate feeling of shamefulness (see Whelps, Chicago, for example). Do some free composition and afterward begin featuring uncommon words and expressions. Hear some out blues models to figure out the mood, regardless of whether it's slow or upbeat. At that point, begin accommodating your lyrics to the song, searching for approaches to rhyme and rehash. Get a couple of stanzas composed, at that point, reconsider.
+
+Simply recall, blues is as much about inclination for what it's worth about music. You need to place some preference into it for the song to mean anything. Also, on the off chance that you ever get disappointed, acknowledge the expressions of Albert Collins: "Straightforward music is the hardest music to play, and blues is basic music."
+
+
+
+
+
+The most effective method to Modify Your Song
+
+
+Q: I usually stall out on the first song that I consider; however, the entirety of my songs is beginning to sound the equivalent. How might I revamp my song?
+
+An: A large portion of utilization realizes how to revise a song lyric to make it more grounded, yet songs are frequently let alone for the revamping procedure. Give these tips to work a shot your lead song line:
+
+1. Separate a progression of parallel lines into various lengths. Transform a long queue into two shorter expressions or run two short appearances together by including notes/words.
+
+2. Change the example of long and short notes. Run quick notes together or break a long record into short ones.
+
+3. Change the note pitches. Include a hop up or down to catch the eye. Utilize a high or low note to underscore a significant word.
+
+4. Song in for the song designs in hit melodies. This weekend revamp one of your songs utilizing a portion of these thoughts.
+
+5. Utilize your lyrics to propose another song. Here's a tip that will give you how: Reveal the Song in Your Lyric.
+
+
+
+
+
+Become a songwriter: Bit by bit Profession Guide
+
+
+Musicians, or writers, make unique music and lyrics performed by lyricists, melodic gatherings, and groups. Numerous writers make music for a specific sort, for example, nation, rock, or jazz. Some may compose music for theater creations or produce jingles for ads. Rivalry for occupations right now be substantial, and work may not be accessible on a full-time premise.
+
+Lyricists ought to have the melodic ability, inventiveness, solid relational abilities, discipline, information on music creation programming, and the capacity to utilize blenders and synthesizers. In 2015, the U.S. Authority of Work Measurements found that music executives and arrangers earned an average yearly pay of $49,820, while performers and vocalists earned an average compensation of $24.20 every hour.
+
+
+
+
+
+Figure out how to Play an Instrument
+
+
+Prior to figuring out how to compose music and joining up with a four-year college education program, musicians frequently figure out how to play an instrument at an early age. Regardless of whether it's the guitar, piano, or another instrument, figuring out how to play music can assist people with building up an ear for pitch and give them a comprehension of song and concordance. Some may decide to try out private exercises, while others start playing in a school band or ensemble.
+
+While not actually equivalent to creating music, composing lyrics can give understudies a thought of how to communicate their contemplations and emotions through words. Lyrics classes might be offered in secondary school and can assist understudies with creating abilities in beautiful cadence and lyric creation.
+
+
+
+
+
+Complete a Degree Program
+
+
+People keen on building up their compositional aptitudes can take a crack at a four-year certification program in melodic structure or hypothesis. These projects show understudies how to recognize and investigate compositional organizations and systems. Courses may cover territories, including keyboarding, music history, and examination, music hypothesis, aural abilities, organization, and piece. These projects may likewise offer open doors for understudies to make unique composing and have them performed.
+
+To apply to a music structure program, understudies, for the most part, need to give an example of unique recorded music. This requires experience creating music preceding enlistment.
+
+
+
+
+
+Make Industry Contacts
+
+
+It's significant for lyricists to have their work heard by makers and operators. While scholars can send their work to record offices, they can likewise discover lyricists to play out their work. A few essayists may even decide to utilize their melodic abilities to play out their own music in clubs and different scenes. They may likewise go into song composing rivalries to pick up a reputation.
+
+
+
+
+
+Join Proficient Associations
+
+
+Lyricists can become individuals from proficient associations, for example, the Musicians Society of America. This association is intended to ensure the privileges of musicians and assist them with improving their aptitudes. Individuals have the chance to go to courses, workshops, and systems with other industry experts.
+
+Once more, while there are no specialized prerequisites for proficient lyricists, many decide to start figuring out how to play an instrument right on time before finishing a degree program in music organization or a related field and afterward either playing their own music or finding a performer who can draw in consideration of industry experts.
+
+
+
+
+
+200 Things to Compose a Song About Lyric Thoughts and Motivation
+
+
+Everybody who has attempted to compose a song or lyric realizes how disappointing it very well, maybe now and again. I've had a mental obstacle multiple times, and I'm sure you've encountered it too. It's likely why you're here. I've composed around 2000 songs, about a quarter of them with lyrics. I'm not an ace, yet I have had practice heaps of it.
+
+On the chance that you utilize one of these thoughts and choose to record it, it would be ideal if you share it with everybody here. On the off chance that there's where you transferred it to something like YouTube or Soundcloud, I'm sure individuals couldn't want anything more than to hear it.
+
+A portion of these thoughts is subjects and points, while others are melody titles that will ideally start something in your creative mind. Don't hesitate to run with them whichever way! P.S. I'll additionally incorporate some data underneath on the best way to break a temporarily uncooperative spirit and efficiently create thoughts.
+
+
+
+
+
+What is the hardest piece of composing a song?
+
+
+Completing the melody
+
+Making sense of what to expound on
+
+Remaining spurred
+
+Thinking of the music
+
+Thinking of the lyrics
+
+Thoughts for Unpredictable Love Songs
+
+
+
+I love a decent love melody. Who doesn't? This is the most widely recognized melody theme, so here are some adoration song thoughts, with a bend.
+
+You discover that your darling has unexpected political perspectives in comparison to you.
+
+You conclude that you will find the individual you're dating as long as they consent to a not insignificant rundown of prerequisites.
+
+You tell the individual you are infatuated with that they have until the finish of this melody to state I love you.
+
+Have intercourse with me sideways.
+
+I love you nearly as much as he does.
+
+Love cuts like a plastic blade.
+
+Love is subjective, depending on each person's preferences, and I am visually impaired in one eye.
+
+For what reason do you love me?
+
+I'm almost sure you have me mistaken for one of my octuplet siblings.
+
+On the off chance that you take too long even to consider loving me, I may bite the dust.
+
+Tomorrow never came, so I loved me yesterday.
+
+Love is quite amusing. Is that why you're giggling at me?
+
+Individuals just love you since you have a cool name.
+
+At the point when we get hitched, I don't need you to do the cooking and dishes only. . . I need you to do other housework too.
+
+You put the lowercase "o" in Affection.
+
+I cherished you the minute I met you . . . However, since I've seen you face to face, I'm not very sure. (Web love song)
+
+Let me Google your noodle.
+
+All I need from you is love and cash.
+
+Cash can't purchase love, yet I'll adore you on the off chance that you give me money.
+
+Cash can't purchase love, yet it can lease it.
+
+I need to develop old with you and do incredibly unsanitary things to you.
+
+In the event that you love me so much, for what reason would you like to visit your folks so regularly?
+
+You put the "infant" in "goodness child." Grow up.
+
+I realize you love me cause I'm lovely.
+
+How about we escape . . . from this subject.
+
+
+
+
+
+Abhor Melody Motivation
+
+
+Abhor melodies are more typical than you might suspect. On the off chance that your song into metal or gangster rap, at that point, you definitely know this. I remembered a couple of detest songs for the love area, however in the event that you genuinely need to compose a melody about despise, at that point, this is the rundown to go with!
+
+I didn't feel appallingly high composing this rundown, in actuality. I detested it. I trust you can carry something positive to these despise melody titles. Try not to be excessively self-evident, however. Provide your lyrics guidance and significance.
+
+I'll make hate to you.
+
+Despise is such a stunning word.
+
+You brought this detest upon yourself.
+
+Hate freak
+
+I detest how you do that.
+
+Would you be able to please not loathe me?
+
+Loathe the hater.
+
+The hippo who loathes
+
+Okay, like a loathe sandwich?
+
+Loathe isn't for darlings.
+
+Hate boy
+
+I love life; however, I loathe you.
+
+I detest life. However, I love you.
+
+You are #1 on my hate list
+
+Hate master
+
+There's a period for abhorring, and it's practically around the bend.
+
+I'm telling you since you aren't permitted to abhor me.
+
+Who gave you the authorization to despise me?
+
+Unsurprising scorn
+
+Loathe me
+
+I loathe my activity, yet I detest everything else significantly more.
+
+For what reason does abhor need to be such damn enjoyment?
+
+Hate song
+
+Blinded by detesting
+
+Hate cake
+
+
+
+
+
+What do you like to expound on?
+
+
+Love
+
+Detest
+
+Moving or making some great memories
+
+Legislative issues
+
+Stories
+
+Life all in all
+
+Senseless or silly points
+
+Abnormal and upsetting things
+
+Miserable and discouraging points
+
+Thoughts for Composing Moving Melodies
+
+
+
+Moving is presumably the second-most regular thing referenced in well-known music. It's enjoyable to utilize something healthy like moving and join it with something not all that normal, so as to a trickling fixture. Alright, perhaps not, yet you get what I mean. Here are a few thoughts for your next move melody:
+
+Move like you have ants in your jeans.
+
+Make the biscuit move.
+
+Quit moving that way.
+
+You make me want to move like a monkey.
+
+The fart moves
+
+Boogie beast boogie
+
+Shake your foot
+
+There's a shaft over yonder . . .
+
+The submerged squid move
+
+You're too old to even think about dancing.
+
+Rub me like an infant bottle.
+
+Monstrous man, provocative lady.
+
+You're mature enough to have created the three-step dance.
+
+One-legged running man
+
+Who instructed you to move?
+
+The second-to-last move
+
+Squid walk
+
+Why? MCA
+
+Move that body (off the beaten path)
+
+I like the disco move.
+
+DJ, change that melody.
+
+Give move an opportunity (cheddar)
+
+Moving to the music on my telephone
+
+Move your jeans off
+
+
+
+
+
+Political Song Themes
+
+
+Governmental issues: a few people think that it's exhausting, a few people believe it's unessential, and a few people really think it makes a difference. There has been some evil enemy of political songs composed throughout the years, generally energized by nitwit government officials who don't appear to think about anything with the exception of themselves.
+
+Each great musical gang has a song about defilement in the legislature, so pick one of these points and make it a decent one!
+
+Just four additional years
+
+The decision in favor of me
+
+Obama and his mom
+
+Hitler's canine
+
+Government burger
+
+The exceptional socialist
+
+The old white Republican
+
+Drape yourself with those manikin strings
+
+Flip lemon Glove
+
+Vote squid
+
+On the off chance that Kennedy was alive today
+
+Bits of gossip on the webs (taken from a Shrub quote)
+
+On the off chance that outsiders ran our administration
+
+The dark man in the White House
+
+The central bank, Russian Covert operative
+
+The reality with regards to the President's significant other
+
+One trillion dollars’ worth of s#@%!
+
+Congressperson Space monkey
+
+Senator Eliminator
+
+Apologies, my pooch fixed the democratic
+
+Planned in the USA, Made in Afghanistan (9/11)
+
+Do they watch me take a poo?
+
+Fox News addict
+
+What happens when government officials come clean
+
+Consume the Hedge
+
+
+
+
+
+Thoughts for Songs About Pitiful, Discouraging, or Unbalanced Themes
+
+
+Everybody appreciates a decent dismal melody. Here is a rundown of things to expound on the off chance that you need to make everybody discouraged! (Not unreasonably, you would need to do a wonder such as this.)
+
+I'm ordinarily a glad individual, yet you make me discouraged.
+
+My blues resemble a tingle. Scratch me.
+
+My glad ship is sinking
+
+Dressed in bitterness
+
+Dismal young lady
+
+The television harms my cerebrum
+
+The reality with regards to joy
+
+My vehicle stalled. Would I be able to utilize yours?
+
+In the event that you test me, you will come up short
+
+My affection for you is hosted by you despise for me
+
+Call me in case you're tragic
+
+Irritating voice
+
+Give pity an opportunity
+
+An ungainly person remaining in the corner
+
+Quit gazing at me
+
+For what reason do you generally need to be upbeat always?
+
+The intensity of contrary reasoning
+
+Trouble, my old companion
+
+You discourage me
+
+When I was tragic, yet now I'm despondently
+
+Your voice helps me to remember a withering feline
+
+For what reason do you enjoy my trouble?
+
+Resting on a cushion of pity
+
+Sadman
+
+
+
+
+
+Peculiar and Strange Melody Thoughts
+
+
+Here are some unique and strange subjects for your trippy music!
+
+126. Marshmallow jackass
+
+127. Outsider hotshot
+
+128. Stuck between a stone and a delicate spot
+
+129. Doppelganger man
+
+130. Goodnight murmuring statue
+
+131. Rainbow Sunday
+
+132. Walkway chicken
+
+133. Postal carrier, crazy man
+
+134. Kiss-o-Tronic
+
+135. A robot with a drawl
+
+136. Apologies, wrong individual
+
+137. Here today, still here tomorrow
+
+138. Gradually
+
+139. Exhausting discourse
+
+140. Made in Taiwan
+
+141. Void room
+
+142. Smiley face on my tongue
+
+143. Outside in
+
+144. Developing inside me
+
+145. Something is behind you
+
+146. Shiverspine
+
+147. Gathering in the black market
+
+148. Kaleidoscopic God
+
+149. Magnet Valley
+
+150. Fluro Bodhi
+
+
+
+
+
+Composing Songs About Fugitives, Dictators, and Reprobates
+
+
+Everybody adores a decent story, and where preferred to begin with once again the characters that have transformed history in view of their law-ridiculing or cruel ways?
+
+151. Ned Kelly
+
+156. Charles Manson
+
+157. Hannibal Lecter
+
+158. Ted Bundy
+
+159. Richard Pursue
+
+160. Bonny and Clyde
+
+161. Jack the Ripper
+
+162. President Shrubbery Junior
+
+163. Al Capone
+
+164. John Dillinger
+
+165. Albert Fish
+
+166. Jesse James
+
+167. Billy, the Child
+
+168. Endearing face Nelson
+
+169. Cherokee Bill
+
+170. Joseph Stalin
+
+171. Adolf Hitler
+
+171. Mao Tse-Tung
+
+172. Pol Pot
+
+173. David Koresh
+
+174. Saddam Hussein
+
+175. Osama receptacle Loaded
+
+
+
+
+
+Energetic Melody Thoughts
+
+
+Love them or detest them; there's no uncertainty that sports motivate energy in of individuals. On the off chance that you don't play games yourself, possibly somebody you know does. Use them for motivation!
+
+176. Ping Pong - Ding Dong - Sing Melody
+
+177. Assault of the footy devils
+
+178. Imperceptible trail blazing bicycle
+
+179. Ball game blues
+
+180. Dennis the tennis-playing threat
+
+181. My rugby young lady
+
+182. Soccer mothers like it hot
+
+183. Matrix iron metal
+
+184. Devilish cricket
+
+185. A respectable starting point
+
+
+
+
+
+More Thoughts for Interesting and Adorable Love Songs
+
+
+Love is a well of motivation that (nearly) never runs dry. Here are some more subjects that I thought of.
+
+186. I'll miss me when you're no more
+
+187. Just you make me love us
+
+188. We have a place together (perhaps until the end of time)
+
+189. The smell of your lips
+
+190. I love the manner in which your arms look
+
+191. Taste my adoration juice
+
+192. Stimulate me until I cream
+
+193. Spread the malady of adoration
+
+194. Curved darling
+
+195. Other than the blocked supply routes, you have a superb heart
+
+196. We'll in the end arrive
+
+197. I'll give you, in any event, six additional odds (since I love you)
+
+198. Hollywood mother darling
+
+199. I feel exemplified
+
+200. If it's not too much trouble set my heart back in the container (on the rack)
+
+
+
+
+
+The most effective method to Think of Song Thoughts
+
+
+Any individual who has attempted to compose something knows the agony of gazing at a bright piece of paper or an unfilled PC screen and having no clue what to write. A temporarily uncooperative mind can be challenging to survive. However, it's certainly feasible. Truth be told, motivation is all over! Here are few hints to help break An inability to write:
+
+Put aside some time each day to chip away at composing melodies, and focus on it. Have a custom. This will shield you from sitting around idly on making sense of where to write and when.
+
+When you start the clock and begin composing (and timing yourself is certifiably not a poorly conceived notion), don't stop. Permit yourself to write even what you think, maybe a terrible melody. Try not to be disparaging of your work. At the point when you're merely beginning, contrary reasoning and inward input just make it harder to compose — instead, center around completing your song. When you have something on paper, you can alter it to improve it.
+
+Recollect that any point is superior to no subject, and any song is excellent to no song. Set an objective of composing a specific number of songs each week. In 1943, Woody Guthrie made Another Year's Goals to write a song a day. Was every one of the great? No, however, in addition to the fact that he was improving each day, having such vast numbers of songs ensured that in any event, a couple of them would be stand-outs. The following are a few hints on creating thoughts themselves.
+
+
+
+
+
+Instructions to Accompany Thoughts or Motivation for Songwriting
+
+
+To begin with, similar to I implied at the outset, the most significant thing as you start composing songs is to shield from scrutinizing yourself as you're writing. Leave yourself alone awful from the start. Take any point and use it. Allow inventiveness to occur! It's not always a pretty procedure. Past that, here are a few techniques that you can use to structure the creative process.
+
+
+
+
+
+Thought Age Strategy #1: Did you have the right End of the week?
+
+
+Record what befell you throughout the end of the week or the previous day. Observe everything: who you conversed with, what you ate, what you did, the climate, individuals that irritated you, things that you said or saw, every last bit of it. Above all, observe how you felt at various focuses and check whether you can detect any topics.
+
+When you've done this (take somewhere in the range of five to twenty minutes) or something like that, revisit your composition and take a stab at discovering things that stand apart to you. For what reason did you record a portion of those frequencies? What was fascinating about it? Do you see any characters or subjects? Did you pick up anything about yourself or another person? Keep in mind, there are no off-base answers here, and there's nothing too exhausting to be in any way recorded.
+
+At last, revisit your rundown of notes about what was intriguing, and select a couple that you feel most firmly about and begin composing a song!
+
+
+
+
+
+Thought Age Technique #2: Mood First, Words Later
+
+
+Another way that a few people begin composing songs is by first making the mood. Tap out a spirit, let notes fill themselves in, and afterward observe what sort of words tag along to coordinate it. You don't need to begin with the words to compose a song.
+
+
+
+
+
+Thought Age Technique #3: 60 Rapidly
+
+
+Get a piece of paper and make six classifications. The classifications can be anything, from "things I abhor about myself," "things I love about myself," "individuals I loathe," "individuals I love," "individuals I regard," "things that bother me," and "least-most loved relatives" to things like city names, nations, "places I've been," callings, names, nourishments, developments, "things I'm terrified of," "things I've said that I lament," and so forth. The rundown is unending.
+
+When you have your six classifications, record ten things for every class. The secret to doing this is to do it as quickly as could be expected under the circumstances, giving yourself close to a moment for every classification.
+
+When you have sixty things, revisit and cross out seven from every class, leaving just three. At that point, visit and cross out two more from every level, leaving only one from every classification.
+
+At that point, check off three more, leaving just three thoughts. Your best ideas for this will originate from those themes that cause feeling to ascend within you. The ones that are left ought to be the ones that reverberate the most with you, where you have a feeling that you have the most meat and the most to state. Not the entirety of your answers will reverberate, and that is alright. That is the reason you compose sixty of them.
+
+At that point, begin composing. Try not to stop until you have a melody completed, regardless of how terrible it is. To write songs, you need to achieve them.
+
+
+
+
+
+Strategy #4: When . . .
+
+
+This is like the "Did you have a good End of the week Strategy." Necessarily recollect when . . . what's more, fill in the clear with anything like:
+
+You were frightened.
+
+You were enamored.
+
+You were harmed.
+
+You felt forlorn.
+
+You felt cheerful.
+
+You lost something you cherished.
+
+And so forth.
+
+
+
+What's more, record every little thing about it in detail. Pick a portion of your explanations that reverberate the most with you and begin composing a song!
+
+
+
+
+
+Technique #5: Take
+
+
+You have heard the truism that great specialists obtain, and extraordinary artisans take. All things considered, I'm not suggesting you take thoughts; however, I do believe it's a smart thought to get roused by a portion of your preferred artistry. What is your top pick?
+
+Books, writers, ballads, lines of writing
+
+Motion pictures, scenes, or lines from films
+
+Articles
+
+Specialists, hues, expressions of craftsmanship, portions of artistry pieces
+
+Structures, design style
+
+Songs, songs, lyrics, styles, beats
+
+And so on.
+
+
+
+The more explicit you can get about what you like about something, the better it will be. At that point, utilize that bit of what you want as motivation. Start your melody with a line from a motion picture that you love. Or on the other hand, utilize a beat you like and alter it and afterward include a few lyrics. It's not taking; it's a specialty!
+
+
+
+
+
+DID YOU KNOW THAT CAN DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF THIS BOOK FOR FREE?
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE US
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE UK
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE FR
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE DE
+
+
+
+
+
+How to Turn Songwriting Into a Business
+
+
+
+
+
+Introduction to Songwriters
+
+
+A songwriter is a performer who expertly forms melodic arrangements and composes lyrics for songs. A songwriter can likewise be known as a writer, even though the last term will, in general, be utilized for the most part for people from the traditional music type and film scoring. But at the same time is related composition and forming the first melodic creation or melodic bed. A songwriter who, for the most part, composes the lyrics for a melody is alluded to as lyricist. The weight from the music business to create well-known hits implies that songwriting is regularly a movement for which the undertakings are conveyed between various individuals. For instance, a songwriter who exceeds expectations at composing lyrics may be matched with a songwriter with the errand of making unique songs. Bunch individuals might make pop songs from the band or by staff journalists – songwriters straightforwardly utilized by music distributors. A few songwriters fill in as their music distributors, while others have outside distributers.
+
+The old-style apprenticeship way to deal with figuring out how to compose songs is being enhanced by college degrees and school certificates and "rock schools." Information on present-day music innovation (sequencers, synthesizers, PC sound altering), songwriting components, and business aptitudes are currently regularly necessities for a songwriter. A few music universities offer songwriting certificates and degrees with music business modules. Since songwriting and distributing eminences can be significant wellsprings of pay, especially if a song turns into a hit record, legitimately, in the US, songs composed after 1934 might be replicated distinctly by the writers. The legal capacity to give these authorizations might be purchased, sold, or moved. This is administered by universal copyright law.
+
+Songwriters can be utilized to compose either the lyrics or the music straightforwardly for or close by a performing craftsman, or they present melodies to A&R, distributors, operators, and chiefs for thought. Song pitching should be possible for a songwriter's benefit by their distributor or autonomously utilizing tip sheets like RowFax, the MusicRow production, and Song Quarters. Aptitudes related to song composing incorporate entrepreneurialism and inventiveness.
+
+Songwriters regularly represent considerable authority recorded as a hard copy and forming music for one explicit instrument or part of a melody. They frequently work with an accomplice or in gatherings of 3 or 4 individuals with various gifts to order a bit of work to offer to a craftsman, record organization, or maker. A few songwriters work exclusively for explicit specialists or organizations, while others work independently and pitch their music structures to whoever they can discover. Some work primarily by composing lyrics and relying upon another person to make the music and cadence behind it, while others will make each detail to a song without the assistance of different specialists.
+
+
+
+
+
+Instruction and Preparing Necessities
+
+
+Songwriters, for the most part, start their vacation by getting a Four-year certification in news coverage, correspondences, or any music-related field. The vast majority of them can play different instruments and have phenomenal comprehension of how to understand music. They are instructed in an assortment of melodic styles and have an ear for what is utilized to make up various styles.
+
+
+
+
+
+Landing the Position
+
+
+Songwriters, as a rule, gain presentation in the music business by independent composition for different music productions. They utilize these composing chances to pick up contacts and associations in the business and compose music as an afterthought. When they have composed pieces that they might want to see offered to a craftsman, they will pitch it to makers, specialists, or record names they have gotten comfortable with to perceive what they think and on the off chance that they are happy to buy the song from them.
+
+Songwriters have started to pick up the presentation by making an individual site that puts their work in plain view and advances their administrations. If a songwriter is, as of now, known by makers and specialists, they can give them the connection to their site to use as an asset.
+
+Any individual who is in the songwriting business must have superb relational abilities and the capacity to sell their work without getting scared by increasingly notable individuals in the industry. They will be forceful and utilize the challenge to further their potential benefit by reaching them for association openings or in any event, using their experience as mentorship.
+
+Besides picking up assets, great songwriters have a lot of ability and inventiveness. They are acceptable scholars and can disclose to a craftsman precisely what they see as the consequence of a melody. They can likewise speak with specialists to discover precisely what they are searching for and if any progressions should be finished.
+
+
+
+
+
+Occupation Possibilities, Work Standpoint, and Profession Improvement
+
+
+When a songwriter has made associations and picked up involvement with the field, they can regularly be gotten by a specific craftsman or record organization to compose solely for them or their mark. Numerous artisans create individual associations with their songwriters so they can get a vibe on an individual and expert level for what the craftsman needs in their music.
+
+
+
+Work for a profession in songwriting isn't really on the ascent or reducing. Many hopeful songwriters are not qualified or who don't have what a craftsman is searching for. On the off chance that a songwriter stands apart from the rest and realizes how to sell their music, they will succeed in paying little mind to the interest. Songwriters ordinarily start off working independently; however, once they get enormous, they can get acquired by a record name to compose for them. For some songwriters, their most significant objective is to land right now.
+
+
+
+
+
+Working Conditions and Condition
+
+
+Most songwriters are independent journalists who work out of their home composition and attempt to increase new assets and contacts. They will spend extended periods before their PC arranging music, utilizing innovation to mix sorts out, and even play the music on the instruments themselves to discover how it should sound.
+
+At the point when songwriters are not cooped up composing, they are selling their work by going to music gatherings and conversing with record makers, setting up meetings with singular specialists, and searching for craftsmen or names who are publicizing the requirement for music.
+
+
+
+
+
+Pay and Advantages
+
+
+The normal pay of a songwriter is about $43,000 every year. Pay rates are very factor right now; somebody who works independently will regularly make substantially less than somebody who works only for a record name. Independent songwriters additionally can make a brilliant pay, as they may have a few specialists they make music for who pay them a generous measure of cash per song.
+
+Specialists don't fill in as a full-time worker for one explicit organization, so they are generally liable for paying for their medical coverage and working excursions and wiped out time around customer needs. Journalists who work solely for a record name frequently get benefits through their manager.
+
+
+
+
+
+Sound Designing Specialist
+
+
+Expected set of responsibilities, Profession as a Sound Building Expert, Pay, Work
+
+
+Making sound for radio, TV, arrange preparations, and movies is a moderately new art. The broadcast turned out to be generally utilized in the mid-twentieth century, while TV didn't come into public use until the 1940s. Motion pictures started "talking" in the late 1920s; before that, portrayal and discourse were worked out as captions for the crowd to peruse. The main sound in a quiet cinema originated from a piano player, who followed the activity of the film with dismal, cheerful, unnerving, or in any case fitting music. The utilization of sound in communicating and films made an interest in sound building specialists.
+
+Sound designing professionals work at recording studios, show scenes, sports fields, theater lobbies, and the motion pictures and video studios. For a significant component film, many sound specialists are expected to make the last soundtrack of the motion picture. These professionals work inside in a studio set or outside on the area. A blast administrator works the blast, which is a considerable overhead amplifier. The explosion is moved everywhere throughout the game, after the entertainers and the activity. It must be situated out of the camera extend. Also, entertainers may wear singular receivers to get their exchange. These receivers have additionally escaped the camera.
+
+A sound blender the individual liable for volume control, and generally speaking, sound quality is required when more than one receiver is utilized on the set. Volume control can be very precarious: uproarious commotions must be boisterous, however, not booming to a crowd of people, and an on-screen character's murmur must be delicate yet noisy enough to be comprehended by audience members. A sound blender gets and mixes sound from the live activity on the set.
+
+When the sound is recorded on a single track, the track goes to an expert sound studio. There the re-recording blender finishes the soundtrack by including and mixing in different paths, for example, ambient melodies, other discourse, and audio effects. The blend of the numerous tracks brings about one complete soundtrack, which must match the visual bit of the film consummately.
+
+Sound designing experts who work for radio and TV channels are liable for the nature of sound as it is recorded as well as it is transmitted. Most TV programs are taped or shot before they are disclosed. A couple of projects, for example, the news appears, are communicated live. Live delivers are here and there published and recorded simultaneously. Sound specialists taking a shot at showy creations, shows, and games have just one opportunity to synchronize sound accurately because they are working before a live crowd.
+
+Advances in digital recording, altering, and broadcasting has significantly influenced this field. Sound building professionals would now be able to utilize advanced innovation to play out their work all the more rapidly and productively, wiping out the requirement for some specific hardware just as tapes and audiotapes. Hopeful sound professionals must be set up to stay aware of new innovative advances.
+
+
+
+
+
+Training and Preparing Prerequisites
+
+
+Understudies keen on turning out to be sound designing specialists should take courses in gadgets, TV generation, PCs, and shop. Professional preparation is additionally useful. Numerous expert schools, schools, and colleges offer courses in the sound chronicle. Schools likewise offer classes in film and TV generation. Be that as it may, hands-on experience is imperative. Hands-on preparation is the best way to turn out to be a piece of a sound group. Specialists must be authorized on the off chance that they will work communicate transmitters or microwave or other inside radio interchanges gear.
+
+
+
+
+
+Landing the Position
+
+
+The vast majority of the sound designing professionals working at TV and radio broadcasts in substantial urban areas and enormous film habitats, for example, New York and Los Angeles, are patrons. Just patrons can chip away at association preparations. Intrigued people should check with these associations for more data on organization enrollment and employment opportunities. It is additionally conceivable to look for some kind of employment in nonunion preparations through neighborhood film creation organizations. Fledglings with little experience typically begin as understudies at a small radio or TV slots.
+
+
+
+
+
+Headway Potential outcomes and Business Viewpoint
+
+
+Since most solid building specialists are consultants and work on an occupation to-work premise, they attempt to deal with the same number of various types of movies as they can. Sound specialists in communicating work consistently. They may stir their way up at little stations or go on to occupations everywhere stations that have large crowds.
+
+As indicated by the Occupation Data System, sound building positions are relied upon to develop at a quicker than average rate. Professionals with changing experiences are bound to land the best and most testing employments.
+
+
+
+
+
+Working Conditions
+
+
+Travel is a fundamental piece of a sound designing expert's life, particularly those engaged with film generation. Motion pictures are being made with new light, versatile hardware that permits a generation team to film and record sound anyplace. Crowds and makers need authenticity so that dependable experts may end up recording on the highest point of a mountain or in a tram. Most creations plan both studio and area work, so a sound designing professional must be set up to work anyplace.
+
+In the same way as other independent specialists who do a film, stage, and recording work, sound building professionals must secure another position once a generation wraps up. Here and there, many employment bids come up simultaneously, yet a specialist may go for a considerable length of time without work. This vulnerability is a piece of the business. In contrast to consultants, sound specialists on radio and TV slots work relentlessly. They get additional time pay when they put in over forty hours of work every week. Radio work will, in general, be more daily schedule than TV work.
+
+
+
+
+
+Vocalist
+
+
+Vocalist Expected set of responsibilities, Profession as a Lyric, Pay, Work
+
+
+Vocalists utilize their aptitudes to engage. Some perform in front of an audience before live crowds; others record their voices for TV, movies, and Compact discs. They decipher music by utilizing their insight into voice creation, song, amicability, and mood. Numerous vocalists show voice either through private exercises or in school programs.
+
+There is the same number of fields for vocalists as there are sorts of diversion. Old style vocalists are ordered by their voice extend, generally as soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, or bass. Regularly, they act in dramas or musicals and might be a piece of a choral gathering. Traditional lyricists now and again act in shows, or dance club acts, films, TV, and radio.
+
+Mainstream vocalists perform various sorts of music, for example, jazz, rock, blues, people, ethnic, or nation and western. Some are lead vocalists or individuals from a gathering. They may go with themselves on an instrument, for example, a guitar or piano or sing with a band or symphony. Well-known lyricists perform in front of an audience, in musicals, on TV, in clubs, and TV ads. Most vocalists of sacrosanct music sing in strict establishments, either solo or a choral gathering. They may likewise perform on TV or radio or the show. Other than playing, vocalists invest quite a bit of their energy taking exercises, rehearsing, and practicing.
+
+
+
+
+
+Instruction and Preparing Prerequisites
+
+
+A decent voice and a robust melodic sense are the most significant prerequisites for a lyric. Albeit a few vocalists normally have great views, most are prepared Lyricists generally begin by singing in a congregation or with a little band. Even though the field is dangerous, those with a decent voice and melodic sense can regularly look for some kind of employment. (© Martha Tabor/Working Pictures Photos. Replicated by consent.) in proficient schools or with private educators. Lyricists, by and considerably beginning preparing when their voices develop. Secondary school understudies inspired by a singing profession ought to have great views and a style for execution. They ought to follow the scholarly program for voice and study dramatization and expressions of the human experience also. Support in-school presentations, plays, ensembles, or chorales are the acceptable groundwork for planned vocalists.
+
+Even though voice preparation is a benefit for vocalists, it is conceivable to have a singing profession without formal training. Preparing necessities rely upon the field of music. Many stones and society vocalists depend on hands-on preparation.
+
+Melodic parody lyricists, by and large, need some stage preparing and moving or acting experience to find a new line of work. Music instructors need a four-year certification in music and a state educating testament. Courses of concentrate in a school music program incorporate unknown dialects, show, music history, music hypothesis, and piece. The individuals who teach in universities or centers ought to have either an ace's or a doctoral qualification in music and quite a while of individual preparation.
+
+
+
+
+
+Landing the Position
+
+
+There are a few different ways to turn into a vocalist. A few people start by singing in a congregation or with a little band. They perform any place they can for the experience. Here and there they are paid, on different occasions, they get no money related pay. A significant advance in picking up introduction includes making voice chronicles known as "demos" that lyricists can convey to record makers.
+
+Show vocalists and those engaged with theater must tryout, or give it a shot, for jobs. Some of the time, voice instructors organize tries out for their understudies. Specialists, who are paid a level of vocalists' profit, assist them with finding occupations and tryouts. Voice instructors can apply legitimately to schools, universities, music studios, or private music schools for workforce positions.
+
+
+
+
+
+Headway Conceivable outcomes and Work Viewpoint
+
+
+Lyricists may progress from obscure novices to generously compensated experts, yet headway requires ability, challenging work, and great profession the executives. Exposure and advancement are significant for a capable singing profession. Progress is generally hard for drama and shows lyricists and the least demanding for music educators. Drama vocalists must have incredibly high voices and prepare. There are not very many employments in theatre, while a lot more positions are available to educators. The activity standpoint for singing educators is generally excellent, as occupation development is relied upon to become quicker than the normal through 2014. Instructors typically advance by position just as by the accomplishment of their understudies.
+
+Work for vocalists is required to increment about as quickly as the norm during that time 2014; however, the rivalry will be sharp. There will be a quicker than usual pace of development in strict music, and a slower than usual pace of growth for independently employed lyricists.
+
+
+
+
+
+Working Conditions
+
+
+Vocalists, for the most part, work around evening time or on ends of the week and regularly practice and record on weekdays. They only here and there have occasions free since this is the point at which they land more position offers. A few lyricists go on a visit and have minimal expenditure for lodgings and nourishment. Many works over forty hours every week.
+
+Since vocalists regularly perform just low maintenance and work sporadically, some need different occupations to enhance their pay. Singing is both requesting and remunerating work. It requires physical stamina, great wellbeing, and tolerance. Vocalists work in a wide assortment of spots: inside from chapel lobbies to show stages and clubs and outside from domed arenas to improvised scenes.
+
+
+
+
+
+Income and Advantages
+
+
+Income for vocalists fluctuates generally. As per the Word related Work Insights review of 2004, the average compensation for lyricists is $17.85 every hour. Well-known lyricists can make more than $53.59 every hour, and a couple of uncontrollably capable specialists earn significantly more than that.
+
+Instructors' compensations fluctuate by school and area, and with the measure of training, the educator has had. The average hourly salary for a singing instructor is $14.85, with the more experienced credentialed educators making a payment of $28.85 every hour or more. Secondary school and school instructors, for the most part, get medical coverage and annuity plans. Private educators must give their advantages.
+
+
+
+
+
+Staff writers
+
+
+As an imaginative writer, the writer of their work incorporates rights understanding as far as administration proclaims discharges any innovative Center from the obligation of expressive exhibitions. Bearing likenesses in any association with an unrelative gathering of encounters of examples assuages indifferencies can bound meetings by discretion lawful official courtroom. As agreement understanding as a songwriter, likewise, a distributor can designate an obligation of production of copyrighted works for staff. Being a staff writer, viably implies that, during the term of the songwriter's agreement with the distributor, every one of their melodies is consequently distributed by that organization and can't be distributed somewhere else.
+
+In the Nashville down-home music scene, there is a robust staff writer culture where contracted writers work typical "9-to-5" hours at the distributing office and are paid a standard compensation. This compensation is, in actuality, the writer's "draw," a development on future income, which is paid on a month to month premise and empowers them to live inside a solid spending plan. The distributor possesses the copyright of songs composed during the term of the understanding for an assigned period, after which the songwriter can recover the copyright. In a meeting with HitQuarters, songwriter Dave Berg lauded the advantages of the set-up: "I had the option to focus on composing the entire time and have consistently had enough cash to live on."
+
+In contrast to contracted writers, some staff writers work as representatives for their particular distributors. Under the conditions of these work for contract understandings, the organizations made are wholly claimed by the distributor. Since the recover arrangement of the US Copyright Demonstration of 1976 doesn't make a difference to "works made for procuring," the rights to a melody made under a business contract can't be "recovered" by the writer following 35 years. In Nashville, youthful writers are regularly unequivocally urged to maintain a strategic distance from these kinds of agreements.
+
+Staff writers are regular over the entire business, however, without the more office-like effective game plans supported in Nashville. All the significant distributors utilize writers under the agreement. Acquiring a staff writer contract with a distributor can be an initial step for any expert songwriting profession, with individual writers with a craving for more noteworthy autonomy exceeding this set-up once they make a level of progress. Songwriter Allan Eshuijs portrayed his staff writer contract at All-inclusive Music Distributing as a starter bargain. His prosperity under the course of action, in the end, permitted him to establish his distributing organization, so he could "...keep however much [publishing income] as could be expected and express how it will be finished.
+
+For TV writers, the initial step is a passage level gig as a staff writer. This is a less great title than it shows up and doesn't get credit. Yet, it is the trial demonstrating ground that trains developing storytellers in the specialty of making roundabout TV. Under the Writers Organization of America's least fundamental understanding, staff writers are paid a week after week pay and contracted for an assigned period during the life of an arrangement.
+
+
+
+
+
+Responsibility
+
+
+The procedure will change contingent upon the official maker and show position; television staff writers might be given a point by point set of working responsibilities or left to make sense of their job slowly and carefully. The central part of the work happens in the writers' room. Regardless of whether it's an enormous meeting room with a dry-eradicate board or a social occasion place among a gathering of work areas. This is the place writers assemble to separate contents, create plot focuses, tissue out characters, and eat vein compromising amounts of low-quality nourishment. In these communitarian sessions, the staff writer should make the most of the chance to give input. Like improvisational entertainers, writers skip thoughts off each other with the point of adding to and supporting conceptualizing, as opposed to bringing down it; useful analysis ought to be caught up with a pitch for an answer. Whenever welcomed to do as such, a staff writer may take an interest in first peruses and practices with the cast, to be available to take notes and roll out essential improvements to scenes that are not playing admirably. The inevitable objective is to build up your content; however, it is uncommon for another staff writer to see that content acknowledged for a scene; it shows activity and presentations your abilities.
+
+
+
+
+
+Abilities and Instruction
+
+
+A degree isn't required to fill in as a TV writer, yet vital training is significant. Majors in exploratory writing, English, or film creation are useful. Courses in abstract hypothesis will assist you with making your unique voice by assessing different creators. Scriptwriting might be remembered for the exploratory writing follow or be accessible as a significant aspect of a college's film degree. Parody writers frequently get an establishment by taking classes at improvisational theaters like the Subsequent City, Upstanding Residents Unit, or The Groundlings. It's additionally not an impractical notion to take courses in diversion business to figure out how to appropriately deal with your vocation. Writers ought to unquestionably have to narrate ability, yet similarly as significant as a sensible comprehension of the business, a skin sufficiently thick to take valuable analysis, and the capacity to adequately team-up. Volunteer to figure out how to appropriately design a spec content utilizing programming like Last Draft and Film Enchantment. Most importantly, recollect that having the option to deliver inventive substance on request is your activity—there's no mooning around trusting that the dream will land. This is an expert domain, not a craftsmen's province.
+
+
+
+
+
+What's in store
+
+
+To urge showrunners to procure crisp ability, the WGA has arranged unique arrangements that permit staff writers to be employed at least expense and hazard; that means the least compensation and a low degree of obligation. Staff writers have not ensured the chance to compose scenes and are not paid content charges. Yet, they are given the desired opportunity to take an interest in content gatherings and have a contribution to the last shooting content.
+
+Inevitably, a tenderfoot staff writer can't bear to be meticulous whenever chasing for a break-in circumstance, yet take some real time to contemplate the kind of network show you need to take a shot at. Incline toward the class and subjects that most motivate you, and the thinking of you convey will be better for it. The ideal approach to get a foot in the entryway is to compose spec scenes of a few gives you love—this may be your lone opportunity to write a view of Check Your Energy, so let it all out. You or (more probable) your specialist will flow the spec contents among showrunners, and on the off chance that you have the secret sauce, you'll in the long run land a staff position. Regardless of whether it happens to be on a base evaluated link arrangement or television show, keep your mouth closed and your eyes and ears open and pick up all that you can about the procedure. Distinguish the work process style and decide the vibe between the showrunner and the writers and the hierarchy among the writers themselves; your responsibility is to work with the group dynamic, not turn the show on its head. Grasp the official maker's vision don't battle it. Most importantly, regarding your kindred collaborators and the holiness of the writers' room. The individuals who demonstrate their ability, expertise, and trustworthiness to be priceless might be offered headway to the job of story proofreader or writer-maker, or get offers to compose on more prominent Network programs.
+
+A vocation in news coverage frequently starts with a job as a staff writer. Staff writers are liable for giving standard substances, for example, news reports, audits, and highlights. In correlation with a paper columnist or correspondent which requires voyaging, a staff writer for a magazine or site is an office-based job.
+
+There is a full scope of magazines and sites utilizing staff writers, from sports, to customer merchandise, to science. Enthusiasm for the subject is imperative as you will research and composing news, highlights, and anything to do with the issue of the magazine.
+
+
+
+
+
+Obligations
+
+
+The obligations of a staff writer by and significant fall under the accompanying classifications:
+
+Doing research
+
+Composing content for production
+
+Going to meetings, occasions or classes
+
+Speaking with other staff and individuals in the business
+
+
+
+The substance could fall under the category of news, surveys, highlights, or segments. Audits make up a significant piece of gadgets, music, computer games, and film magazines, though news and stresses are the more significant part of science, scholarly, craftsmanship, and tourism publications.
+
+Contingent upon the organization, managerial or administrative obligations may likewise be a piece of the activity. The critical thing, however, is composing. Creating intriguing, elegantly written substance that is with regards to the style of the production is foremost.
+
+
+
+
+
+Section Criteria
+
+
+Even though having a degree in news coverage isn't fundamental, most columnists are graduates. If you don't have news-casting explicit capabilities, you will be offered a pre-passage instructional class to permit you to enter the calling. It is conceivable to do this course using separation learning. These courses are usually run by the National Committee of Preparing for Columnists (NCTJ).
+
+
+
+Rivalry for places on graduate plans is dangerous to the point that you should have a great deal of work understanding (for instance, on an understudy paper or any voluntary work that has been imprinted) to be considered.
+
+
+
+It is conceivable to enter news coverage without a degree on the off chance that you have impressive work experience that shows ability. You have to arrange your composition to show potential workers that you have high capacity. Contacts in the business and eagerness for the activity and the magazine will likewise assist you with verifying a position.
+
+
+
+
+
+Pay and Other Data
+
+
+The average salary of a columnist in the UK is around ÂŁ22,500
+
+Section level compensations change contingent upon the business, area, and magazine
+
+Hope to begin at about ÂŁ12-16k
+
+Cutoff times drive the work, so hope to work unsociable hours now and again
+
+A time of preparing is regular toward the start of a profession in news-casting
+
+
+
+
+
+Profession Way
+
+
+Supervisor
+
+Independent Columnist
+
+Speaker
+
+
+
+Columnists can build up their business in an assortment of ways. Some proceed to become independent columnists for the advantages as far as opportunity, variety, and, once in a while, cash.
+
+Others follow an increasingly customary course and progress from staff-writer to sub-supervisor and, in the long run, to the manager. Another alternative is to make a sideways move and take your news coverage aptitudes from magazines into the field of media, news, or another branch or reporting.
+
+An accomplished writer additionally has the choice of educating. Proficient experience is significant for getting into addressing in media and reporting at school and college level. A decent spot to begin searching for employments addressing in the field of news-casting is the jobs.ac.uk site.
+
+
+
+
+
+As performers
+
+
+Lyricists are likewise frequently gifted musicians. To a limited extent, this is because the way toward "working out" a song or course of action requires a musician to play an instrument, commonly the guitar or the piano, to hear how the melody movement sounds and to hear how well a given arrangement of harmonies underpins a song. Notwithstanding selling their melodies and melodic ideas for different specialists in singing, some lyricist musicians make songs to perform themselves. Musicians need to make various components for a theme, including a presentation, different stanzas, and a chorale. At least, a musician must set up a lead sheet for a song, which comprises at least one bits of sheet music with the song notes and melody movement demonstrated on it.
+
+The musician may develop the song and melody movement by including an instrumental song (which may happen previously or after the vocal song, or nearby the vocal song) and making an increasingly intricate melody structure (e.g., stanza, theme, connect, instrumental performance segment, section, and so on.).
+
+There are, obviously, a lot of craftsmen around who compose their melodies. As it may, as indicated by an examination by UK music industry magazine Music Week, it takes a normal of 4.53 authors to make the most significant hit singles. Drake's One Move required eight authors, while Imprint Ronson's Uptown Funk has 13 distinct credits.
+
+In the background, musicians are significant figures, at that point. The people in the engine compartment of present-day popular music. Some of them, similar to Bruno Mars, Woman Gaga, and Tove Lo, in the end, transform their songwriting hacks into solo acclaim, as did Carole Ruler and numerous a Motown author some time ago. As it may, a lot more stay off-camera, as Eg White, Max Martin, Emily Warren, Julia Michaels, Jake Gosling, and Starrah. The rundown goes on.
+
+There are additionally various current pop lyricists who comprehend what it resembles to pursue fame, yet who are similarly glad to step out of the spotlight and compose melodies for other people. Or if nothing else share the spotlight with them. Here are a couple of specialists turned-lyricists giving the hits to different entertainers.
+
+
+
+
+
+Tobias Esso Jr
+
+
+Canadian musician and lyricist Tobias Esso Jr have just discharged one collection of his own up until this point – 2015's widely praised Goon. However, it was one of that collection's champion minutes, the cozy light song How Would You be able to Darling, that accidentally finished a performance profession he didn't a lot of need at any rate.
+
+After Adele heard that track, she welcomed Tobias to compose songs for her reality overcoming the 2015 collection, 25. The outcome was The point at which We Were Youthful, and the beginning of a significant gig as a lyricist that empowered him to continue making music without feeling the inconvenience of hearing his voice. "I just stated, 'I gotta hang this up.' It was a robust and overwhelming suit I needed to remove," a hidden Jesso Jr told Bulletin as of late.
+
+Just as composing for Adele, he's since additionally written songs for Sia, the dubious rapper XXXTentacion, who kicked the bucket in 2018, Niall Horan, Shawn Mendes, Florence + The Machine and many, some more.
+
+
+
+
+
+Joel Potts
+
+
+As the fundamental musician for outline beating UK non-mainstream pop band Competitor, Joel Potts won an Ivor Novello grant for that band's enormous achievement hit Wires in 2006. It helped mark out Potts as a talented musician, and after Competitor's brief distinction flamed out, she permitted him the chance to begin writing melodies with different artisans.
+
+He's since composed for London Sentence structure, James Inlet, Shura, You Me at Six and Tom Grennan; however, it's his melodies with George Ezra that have genuinely hit the imprint. Potts won another Ivor Novello for Ezra's breakout single Budapest and was associated with the vast majority of the melodies on his most recent collection, remaining at Tamara's – including Shotgun.
+
+Be that as it may, composing and co-composing for different entertainers isn't directly for each independent artisan or band part. "I think on the off chance that you have such a gigantic sense of self, that you have to drive yourself to the front, you're going to battle," he told the Gatekeeper a couple of years back.
+
+
+
+
+
+Jack Antonoff
+
+
+New Jersey conceived Jack Antonoff isn't simply Lena Dunham's ex, he's additionally a previous individual from anthemic outside the box pop band Fun. Recollect their significant, Grammy-winning hit We Are Youthful? And at present discharges music as Grandstands.
+
+In any case, it's Antonoff's work in the background that occupies the more significant part of his time nowadays. With that Grammy gong for We Are Youthful added to his repertoire, Antonoff was welcome to co-compose with Carly Rae Jepsen, Tegan and Sara, and, in particular, Taylor Quick.
+
+His songwriting association with Quick proceeds right up 'til the present time, yet Antonoff additionally expedited his brilliant touch to songs Lorde's Acting collection and St. Vincent's Masseduction collection. He's right now one of Lana Del Rey's partners on her next collection, Norman F***ing Rockwell.
+
+
+
+
+
+Tom Body
+
+
+Tom Body was at one time a scruffy UK independent pop urchin otherwise called Child Spear; however, he's vastly improved referred to now as a universal hitmaker for Shakira and Rihanna, Jessie Product, Florence Welch, HAIM, Lily Allen and Skrillex.
+
+As individuals from an affectionate gathering of outside the box specialists in London during the mid-to-late-'00s, Structure turned out to be close buddies with Florence Welch, and when she and her Machine hit the hotshot Welch requested that Frame compose songs with her. His work on Florence's Ceremonials collection opened the entryway, and since 2011 he's additionally formed for Meghan Trainor, Forever, and a day, Lykke Li and Harry Styles.
+
+Turning into a pop lyricist permitted Body to escape the severe and downbeat music of his performance vocation and go for the jugular. Without a doubt, he disclosed to Jessie Product to "overlook the negligible electronic stuff; we should make some f**king enormous pop songs."
+
+
+
+
+
+Sia
+
+
+Alright, so Australian pop all-rounder and conceptual wig fancier Sia Furler is truly renowned in her privilege nowadays. However, it took some time for progress to come. It wasn't until her 6th collection, 1000 Types of Dread, in 2014, that she got through universally.
+
+Continuously a hesitant star – thus, all the covers, wigs, and riddle she covers herself in – after Sia was approached to compose melodies for Christina Aguilera's 2010 Bionic collection. She quit as an entertainer in 2012 to write songs for BeyoncĂ©, Kylie Minogue, Flo Rida, and Rihanna.
+
+Floated by the accomplishment of her songwriting credits – her co-composes have sold well over 25m duplicates – Sia returned as the outline besting, veiled independent entertainer we presently know today. In any case, she hasn't quit writing hits for different specialists: she's as of late composed for Drop Out Kid, Paloma Confidence, ZAYN, Camila Cabello, and Katy Perry.
+
+
+
+
+
+How Lyricists Can Discover Musicians to Work together On Their Melodies
+
+
+Music has consistently been about a joint effort. A few people have unique insight with words, while others have the right stuff to play at least one instrument. What's more, there are still other people who have a skill for assembling everything and making something consistent. While there are a bunch of virtuosos that can do all the above mentioned, the truth of the matter is that cooperation is essential to make great music practically always.
+
+As a lyricist, that reality has just occurred to you be that as it may, in the same way as other of your fellows. You have most likely been left pondering where to discover recording studios close to you or musicians to help breathe life into your melodies. Believe it or not, it is relatively simple to locate a willing music associate by basically jumping on the web. In any case, discovering proficient and qualified musicians, who realize what they are doing and who you can most likely even gain from, will probably take more research
 and cash. It is considerably harder on the off chance that you dwell in a region that isn't known for delivering musicians or live in a remote area. Except if you are among the musicians who have been utilizing the administrations of Songdly – the web-based account studio that has dynamically been gaining ground in the zone of joint music effort on the web (more on Songdly later). So, how might you find appropriate musicians to work together with, and who will do your songs equity? Attempt the accompanying tips:
+
+Heading off to the studio isn't just for recording artisans. With physical studios being spots where session musicians go to carry out their specialty, it is feasible for you to associate with ability who might be eager to work with you too. Contingent upon the kinds of musicians you are searching for, you may need to discover early, which players will come in at what time, and how would you meet with them. You may likewise ask at the studio (a specialist or music maker, for instance) to allude to musicians they realize who might be keen on associating with you to in any event find out about your venture.
+
+You are promoting for musicians despite everything functions also because there are numerous who are hoping to get enlisted. You can put advertisements web-based utilizing online networking, music gatherings, Craigslist, or even on your site if you have one. You may likewise make physical advertisements, for example, a flyer or transcribed note that can be put on network notice loads up or left at nearby studios, bars, or music stores. For advertisements, ensure you are explicit about the specific sort of ability you are searching for, for example, the class and instruments of decision.
+
+
+
+
+
+Locate a neighborhood band
+
+
+Contingent upon your area, there may be neighborhood groups around, or in a town close by, who may be happy to play on your song. If you don't have a clue about any of these groups off the highest point of your head, you can complete a few things. You could check the music or diversion area of your neighborhood paper to check whether any occasions are happening close by that will highlight a nearby band. You may likewise make a few inquiries among individual musicians or companions who know individuals who are into music. The music network depends on connections, so you will undoubtedly get a couple of names, basically by asking your system.
+
+
+
+
+
+Start your band
+
+
+Maybe the gauge of neighborhood groups is not up to the norms you are searching for, or perhaps they are into an alternate style of music. Whatever the case, on the chance that you happen to have a couple of companions or partners who have music abilities, you could think about beginning your band. Numerous groups started as a meeting up of companions attempting to make a sound that they did not hear anyplace else, so you could be onto something.
+
+
+
+
+
+Go out and meet musicians
+
+
+Investing energy to look at groups and individual musicians at nearby shows and bar gigs can likewise assist you with discovering colleagues. This is an incredible method to begin developing your melodic system while mingling. There are many amateurs and maturing musicians who may very well savor the chance to meet other innovative personalities while out and about. Some are consistently watchful for another person they can plunk down with and make new music, mainly if they are necessarily in a similar class as you as it identifies with accomplishments in the music business. All you regularly need is an approach to present yourself and a decent friendly exchange, so it tends to be realized that you are a kindred music maker and that you would be keen on cooperating soon. The musicians you meet ought to be into similar music as you or possibly into sounds. You may be interested on giving it a shot.
+
+
+
+
+
+Exploration stages that permit you to work together on the web
+
+
+Also, presently, we find a workable pace that is generally perfect for musicians who have all day employments or basically would prefer not to go to physical studios or interface face to face. Regardless of whether you do have the associations, you can help in any case attempt joint online effort if you need a fast and straightforward approach to investigate working with new ability to get various thoughts and sounds. Secondly is a significant player in the territory of online cooperation, and the go-to proficient stage taking into account the necessities of musicians. Utilizing Songdly for you, your music creation needs expels the problem of attempting to discover "recording studios close to me" and effectively interfaces you with experienced session musicians, makers, music designers, and vocalists. What's more, you can likewise get to music distributing administrations through its one of a kind songs stopping administration.
+
+
+
+
+
+Maker/lyricists
+
+
+With later mechanical upgrades, a songwriter would now be able to make monetarily reasonable music as a rule on their workstation. This mechanical headway has made the maker/songwriter job a substantially more famous event. Maybe because the general population doesn't commonly comprehend the job of a maker, the average audience doesn't have the foggiest idea when an artisan additionally assumes the responsibility of the maker.
+
+Brian Wilson of The Seashore Young men is one of the soonest and most broadly known instances of a songwriter turned music maker. Inside two years of the band's business leap forward, Wilson had taken over from his dad Murry, and he was the sole maker of every one of their accounts somewhere in the range of 1963 and 1967.
+
+A beatmaker is a songwriter who makes and makes music or beats for a melody, regularly laying the foundation or 'melodic bed.' At that point, a writer who has practical experience in the song will make the top-line for the track. Apparatuses regularly utilized are consoles, drum machines, softsynths, and advanced sound workstations. Beat creators or authors haven't recorded makers by definition or an acting job since they, for the most part, don't work legitimately with an artisan in an account studio that directs the generation and recording of the last item. Notwithstanding, record makers can be associated with co-composing songs as the writer wearing two caps as the maker and songwriter as they may compose and make the first music. For example, the beat and afterward regulate the generation that assumes responsibility for the account sessions with the craftsman and architect right down to the blend arrange. They are alluded to as Record Maker/Songwriters as they, for the most part, get songwriting and creation credits for the two jobs. This is particularly valid for R&B, hip-jump makers in urban hip bounce generation when creating the first music as the co-essayist is incorporated into their current position as a Record Maker. For example, Rodney Jerkins, Dr. Dre, Timbaland, or Pharrell Williams, restricted to a stone maker that may seldom contribute as a co-essayist of a melody.
+
+
+
+
+
+What Does a Songwriter-Maker Do?
+
+
+We live in a hyphenated word, and songwriter-makers, for example, Ryan Tedder, Peril Mouse, Linda Perry, and Bruno Mars, resemble one-stop looks for new tracks, mixing the abilities of an ace songwriter and a best in class maker. Engaged with each progression of their melodies' life cycle from origination to amendment to recording and generation songwriter-makers have unrivaled authority over their item, empowering them to shape it with an expansive and firm vision. Some songwriter-makers, similar to Max Martin and Greg Wells, work off-camera. Others, including the four referenced above, are prominent account and performing specialists who include their name and brand picture to songs, notwithstanding their specialized and innovative ability. Songwriter-makers are enlisted for their capacity to shepherd a melody from a germ of a plan to a completed item.
+
+Songwriter-makers may work at times as songwriters or makers on tracks where these jobs are unmistakable. More often than not, be that as it may, they are contracted for their capacity to shepherd a song from a germ of a plan to a completed item, created and recorded. To do this, they utilize a wide-running arrangement of aptitudes that incorporates programming beats and tests, playing instruments and singing, composing and amending songs and lyrics, masterminding melodies. Evoking roused exhibitions from vocalists and lyricists, and making proficient level demos or ace chronicles. Songwriter-makers frequently create continued community-oriented associations with other chronicle specialists and songwriters.
+
+
+
+
+
+Songwriter-Maker Initially
+
+
+Profession Way
+
+
+Some begin as songwriters, others as makers, yet practically all are capable of performing lyricists on at any rate one instrument. For songwriter-makers, discovering achievement and climbing the stepping stool is tied in with making solid tracks, taking an interest in various joint efforts, and building industry notoriety. Songwriter-makers who have discovered regard in the business have their pick of who to work with and what to chip away at.
+
+
+
+
+
+Looking for some kind of employment
+
+
+Similarly, as with numerous gigs in media outlets, looking for some sort of jobs as a songwriter-maker boils down to ability, challenging work, associations, and karma—in generally that request. Yearning songwriter-makers are encouraged to develop their skills, work together frequently, and meet whatever number individuals in the business as could be expected under the circumstances: specialists, administrators, makers, and mark officials.
+
+Proficient Abilities
+
+Orchestrating
+
+Verse composing
+
+Song composing
+
+Generation
+
+Basic tuning in
+
+Execution
+
+Instrumental capability
+
+Relational Abilities
+
+
+
+Songwriter-makers are frequently portrayed as extraordinarily dedicated. They must be, build up the vast tool kit of abilities required to do this work. In any case, similarly as significantly, songwriter-makers must be well-associated and communitarian. Regardless of whether it's a composition as a significant aspect of a group or motivating substantial exhibitions from a craftsman, prevailing as a songwriter-maker now and then boils down to essential relationship-building abilities: correspondence and collaboration. Also, thorough, supported systems administration is vital to finding employment right now.
+
+
+
+
+
+Work-Life
+
+
+The work-life of a songwriter-maker is variable and eccentric, with no set working environment, timetable, or foundation. The only thing that is meaningful is that the songwriter-maker completes the demo, which for the most part, requires working alone, night-time, and on the cutoff time for distributers. A few songs are composed and delivered in a day, while others take a year or more to get right. By and large, songwriter-makers burn through progressively continued energy and solo work on ventures than top-line songwriters, who frequently do upwards of three songs every day.
+
+Most songwriter-makers deal with various separate activities simultaneously and occupy leisure time (on the off chance that they have any) by searching out new coordinated efforts. Completing demos or records, and performing side occupations like making music libraries, creating a game or match up the music, and building test packs.
+
+Until they make it to the significant associations and begin pulling in genuine sovereignties, most songwriter-makers should locate a supplemental wellspring of pay. Luckily, that salary can be created from the independent exercises noted above, by filling in as a partner to an increasingly fruitful maker, or by functioning as a designer at a chronicle or distributing studio.
+
+
+
+
+
+LYRICIST Versus SONGWRITER
+
+
+You have note pads loaded with melody lyrics. You don't play an instrument; however, you realize the words you've composed are not simply sincere and ground-breaking; they're likewise bound to be a hit melody. You can thoroughly hear Rihanna or Taylor Quick singing your lyrics on the radio
 if no one, but you could simply figure out how to get your words to her.
+
+You're continually strumming your guitar, concocting harmonies, and lyrics on the spot, which you at that point develop into melodies for you or others to sing. Frequently you wind up composing for others, making melodies in different types yet consistently with radio-accommodating snares. You can envision the guitar player from a band like Fitz and the Fits of rage playing your songs while the vocalist sings your lyrics.
+
+Do both of these circumstances sound well-known to you? We get many messages from perusers claiming to be overly skilled Songwriters or Lyricists and approaching us for help in getting their melodies heard. There are two or three issues with these solicitations, be that as it may. Initially, numerous authors are confounded concerning whether what they do can formally be delegated a Songwriter or a Lyricist. In case you're wrongly alluding to yourself as a Songwriter when you're a Lyricist, you not just stable amateurish and unknowledgeable; you're likewise passing up relevant vocation openings by mistakenly pitching yourself.
+
+Furthermore, we don't encourage connections between hopeful scholars and specialists or their record names or potentially supervisory group. This may sound cruel. However, it's actual, and it's likewise why we're sharing this blog story in any case.
+
+So how might you pitch yourself and to whom? You need to comprehend what you're selling (melodies versuslyricss) and who can get it. That is the reason it's so essential to be 100% sure of your job in the songwriting procedure and to contact the suitable outlets. Try not to send cover entries to any assets with "music" in the title. Center and focus on the outlets with the most probability of being keen on what you do, and you'll naturally be numerous means in front of your opposition.
+
+
+
+
+
+Am I a Songwriter or a Lyricist?
+
+
+Such a large number of individuals outside the music business utilize these terms conversely, yet there's one crucial distinction. Allude to our two hypothetical situations toward the start of the article once more. Is it true to say that you are increasingly similar to Individual #1, who composes lyrics in their note pad however doesn't produce the going with music? At that point, you're a Lyricist.
+
+Is it true to say that you resemble Individual #2, who composes lyrics and the first song of the song? On the off chance that you write words AND music, at that point, you're a Songwriter. (You don't need to orchestrate every melodic component in the song to be a Songwriter. For instance, you don't need to compose the violin introduction or the low register guitar parts. You simply need to give the general melodic structure of the song just like the lyrics.)
+
+It's a straightforward differentiation once you recognize what each activity title indeed implies. The chronicles of well-known music are loaded up with instances of renowned Lyricists, Songwriters, and the specialists who got known for their work. You'll perceive loads of these names and ideally show signs of improvement thought of the job these specialists all play in their coordinated effort with each other.
+
+In case you're wrongly alluding to yourself as a Songwriter when you're a Lyricist, you not just stable amateurish and unknowledgeable. You're likewise passing up significant vocation openings by inaccurately pitching yourself.
+
+
+
+
+
+Instances of Acclaimed Lyricists and Songwriters
+
+
+Probably the best groups in melodic history have comprised of a craftsman and their preferred Lyricist or Songwriter. As a rule, Songwriters and Lyricists are additionally entertainers themselves, however, who bring home the bacon off offering their lyrics or complete songs to different artisans. An excellent case of this worldview is Linda Perry, who initially broke into the music business as the lead vocalist for 4 Non-Blondies; however, who additionally now has a pile of hits for different lyricists added to her repertoire. Peruse on to study how these connections work.
+
+
+
+
+
+Songwriters
+
+
+Kesha is most famous as a pop star in her own right, yet as a Songwriter (she plays guitar and piano), she has composed tracks for Britney Lances ("Till the World Finishes"), Big Time Surge ("Windows Down") and even Alice Cooper ("What Child Needs.")
+
+Linda Perry started her vocation in '90s musical gang 4 Non-Blondies, yet before long constructed a blasting songwriting profession on the quality of her work with stars like Christina Aguilera ("Wonderful"), Gwen Stefani ("What You Hanging Tight For?") and Pink ("Kick the Gathering Off").
+
+You probably won't know the name Max Martin; however, you have unquestionably heard his work. The Swedish Songwriter and Record Maker have piled on twenty-two number one hits on the Board outlines. He has composed, or co-kept in touch with the absolute greatest songs in popular music, including Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Young lady," Taylor Quick's "Shake It Off," and The Weeknd's "Can't Feel My Face."
+
+Greg Kurstin started his melodic profession as a jazz piano player, and, even though he's an individual from the independent pop band. The Feathered creature and the Honey bee and alt-rock bunch Geggy Tah, his six Grammy Grant designations, came about become of his songwriting ability. Kurstin has composed and co-composed hits for Adele ("Hi"), Lily Allen (the collection It's Not Me, It's You) and Ellie Goulding ("Consume").
+
+Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis have more Board #1 hits than some other songwriting and creation couple ever. Only testing of their work incorporates different runs by Janet Jackson ("Adventure," "Miss You Much," "That is how Love Goes"), The Human Group ("Human") and Boyz II Men ("4 Periods of Forlornness," "On Twisted Knee").
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyricists
+
+
+One of the most popular cooperative connections ever is that between Lyricist Bernie Taupin and Elton John. The two work independently, with Taupin composing alone time, and afterward giving the lyrics over to the Lyric, who at that point combines them with a good soundtrack. The rundown of melodies this organization has yielded is noteworthy, including "Rocket Man," "Flame in the Breeze," and "Small Lyric," to give some examples.
+
+Another notable pair is Author Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II also called Rodgers and Hammerstein. The pair teamed up on a crazy measure of Broadway musicals, with Hammerstein composing the lyrics and Rodgers creating the melody structure a while later.
+
+Before she got well known as a Vocalist Songwriter, Carole Ruler collaborated with her composing accomplice and afterward spouse Gerry Goffin to make a few now-great songs. Ruler composed the lyrics and Goffin created the music for tracks as Eva Little's "The Loco-movement," The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and "Chains," which was initially composed for The Everly Siblings however later secured by The Beatles.
+
+Canadian prog-rock legends Surge is another occurrence of a Lyricist/Author team. Curiously, drummer Neil Peart is the essential Lyricist for the gathering while vocalist Geddy Lee assumes an increasingly active job in the instrumentation and creation of the music.
+
+Right off the bat in the band's profession, Mick Jagger composed the majority of the lyrics while Keith Richards took care of the vast majority of the forming obligations for the Drifters. After some time, these limits broke down, yet key models incorporate "Wild Steeds" and "Helper animal Weight." You need to realize what you're selling (songs versus lyrics) and who can get it.
+
+
+
+
+
+Why the Qualification Matters?
+
+
+You have to know whether what you do falls under the Lyricist or Songwriter class, not so that you don't seem like a beginner yet in addition since you would prefer not to pass up vocation making openings. It's imperative to speak to yourself and your work accurately when engaging with proficient or organizing associations, for example, the Nashville Songwriters Affiliation Universal or Songs alive! or then again, an online music network like The Songwriters Gathering. This differentiation is a piece of Music Distributing 101; it becomes possibly the most crucial factor when separating songwriting credits and enrolling with performing rights associations like BMI, SESAC, or ASCAP. In the event that a craftsman records your melody and it turns into a hit, your cut of the sovereignties relies upon the level of acknowledge you get because of your commitment to the songwriting procedure.
+
+Also, in case you're looking for a portrayal with an Individual Chief or Music Distributer, you need to realize what administration you give. It's not just about not looking confused; it's additionally about recognizing what you have to put forth a valiant effort as an essayist. When you know you're a Lyricist, you'll need to consider collaborating with an Author before pitching your work to Distributers. In the event that you currently know you're a Songwriter, this new mindfulness can assist you with finding the right way to meeting your kin through Songwriters' affiliations or by cutting a demo of your tracks to send on to Distributers or Maker's. As is commonly said, information is power: two essential components to building a vocation in the music business.
+
+
+
+
+
+Vocalist musicians
+
+
+Numerous vocalists additionally compose songs for themselves, and all things considered, they are typically alluded to as lyric songwriters.
+
+Lyric and Vocalist are two words that are regularly confounded as one and the equivalent. Carefully, there is some contrast between the two terms. A vocalist is one who sings film melodies or, in some cases, alluded to as a playback lyric. Then again, a vocalist is the person who sings old style music. This is the principle contrast between the two words.
+
+As it were, it tends to be said that an old-style lyric is known as a vocalist, though a playback lyric is basically called by the name lyric. A lyric need not experience preparing in traditional music or the old-style techniques for singing. Then again, a vocalist ought to fundamentally experience making in the field of old-style music and ought to sing in the old-style model or the standard model.
+
+It is intriguing to take note that a vocalist gets prepared for quite a long while before giving his presentation on the stage. Then again, a vocalist needs to simply get past the tryout test to sing a melody in a film. Another significant contrast between a lyric and a vocalist is that a lyric can sing light music as well. Then again, a vocalist needs to sing overwhelming or traditional music. He can't regularly sing light music. This is a significant perception to make with regard to the distinction between an underwriter and a vocalist.
+
+All vocalists can be lyricists, yet all lyricists can't be vocalists. This is a result of the weight in old-style music. Vocalists that are skilled in light music regularly think that it's hard to sing in the old style mode. Then again, lyricists who sing in the traditional way can sing in the light mode effectively. These are the primary contrasts between the words, lyrics, and vocalist.
+
+Lyricists and vocalists play instruments or sing for live crowds and in recording studios. They act in an assortment of styles, for example, old-style, jazz, show, hip-bounce, and rock.
+
+
+
+
+
+Obligations of Lyricists and Vocalists
+
+
+Lyricists and vocalists commonly do the accompanying:
+
+Perform music for live crowds and accounts
+
+Tryout for positions in ensembles, songs, groups, and different sorts of music gatherings
+
+Work on playing instruments or singing to improve their system
+
+Practice to plan for exhibitions
+
+Find and book areas for exhibitions or shows
+
+Travel, here and there vast spans, to execution scenes
+
+
+
+Advance their vocations by keeping up a site or web-based life nearness or by doing photo shoots and meetings
+
+Lyricists play at least one instrument. To make themselves progressively attractive, numerous performers become capable of different devices or styles.
+
+Performers play solo or in groups, symphonies, or little gatherings. Those in groups may play at weddings, private collections, clubs, or bars while they attempt to construct enough fans to get an account agreement or portrayal by a specialist. A few lyricists function as a significant aspect of a massive gathering of lyricists, for example, an ensemble whose individuals must work and practice together. A couple of lyricists become area pioneers, who might be answerable for doling out parts to different performers or for driving practices.
+
+Other lyricists are session lyricists, having some expertise in playing reinforcement for a vocalist or band pioneer during recording sessions and live exhibitions.
+
+Lyricists perform vocal music in an assortment of styles. Some have some expertise in a specific vocal style, for example, drama or jazz; others act in a variety of melodic types. Vocalists, especially the individuals who have practical experience in theatre or old-style music, may perform in various dialects, for example, French or Italian. Show and melodic theater vocalists showcase a story by singing as opposed to talking the exchange. A few lyricists become foundation lyricists, giving vocals to fit or bolster a lead lyric.
+
+Now and again, lyricists and lyricists put down their own music to account and perform. For more data about vocations in songwriting, see the profile on music chiefs and arrangers. A few lyricists and vocalists give private music exercises to youngsters and grown-ups. Others with a foundation in music may show music out in the open and non-public schools, yet they commonly need a four-year college education and an instructing permit. For more data, see the profiles on kindergarten and primary teachers, center teachers, and secondary teachers.
+
+Lyricists and lyricists act in settings, for example, show corridors, fields, and clubs. Lyricists and lyricists who give presentations or work in organizations travel every now and again and may visit broadly or globally. Some invest energy in recording studios. There are numerous occupations in urban areas that have a high centralization of amusement exercises, for example, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Nashville.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyric and Lyric Work Routines
+
+
+Practices and recording sessions are usually held during business hours. However, live exhibitions are frequently around evening time and on the ends of the week.
+
+Numerous lyricists and vocalists find just low maintenance or discontinuous work and may have significant stretches of joblessness between employments. The pressure of continually searching for jobs drives various to acknowledge perpetual all-day employments in different occupations while working low maintenance as a performer or vocalist.
+
+
+
+
+
+Training for Performers and Lyricists
+
+
+There are no postsecondary training necessities for those keen on performing famous music. Numerous lyricists and vocalists of traditional music and drama have a four-year college education in music hypothesis or execution. To be acknowledged into one of these projects, candidates are ordinarily required to submit accounts or to try out face to face and now and again should do both.
+
+Undergrad music programs show understudies music history and styles. What's more, they show strategies for improving instrumental and vocal procedures and melodic articulation. Undergrad voice programs likewise teach courses in fashion. Such courses assist understudies with performing the show in unknown dialects. A few performers and vocalists decide to proceed with their training by seeking a graduate degree in expressive arts or music.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyric and Lyric Preparing
+
+
+Lyricists and lyricists need extensive preparation and regular practice to get the right stuff and information essential to decipher music at an expert level. They regularly start singing or figuring out how to play an instrument by taking exercises and classes when they are at a young age. What's more, they should frequently rehearse to build up their ability and method.
+
+Lyricists and lyricists keen on performing traditional music may look for additional preparation through music camps and associations. These projects give members classes, exercises, and execution openings.
+
+
+
+
+
+Significant Characteristics for Lyricists and Lyrics
+
+
+Commitment. Trying out for occupations can be a baffling procedure since it might take a wide range of tryouts to get employed. Performers and vocalists need assurance and commitment to keep on trying out in the wake of accepting numerous dismissals.
+
+Control. Ability isn't sufficient for most lyricists and lyricists to discover work right now. They should continually practice and practice to improve their system, style, and execution.
+
+Relational abilities. Lyricists and vocalists need to function admirably with an assortment of individuals, for example, operators, music makers, conductors, and different lyricists. Exceptional relationship-building abilities are useful in building great working connections.
+
+Melodic ability. Proficient performers or vocalists must have prevalent melodic capacities.
+
+Physical stamina. Lyricists and lyricists who play in shows or in a dance club, and the individuals who visit, must have the option to persevere through continuous travel and sporadic execution plans.
+
+Special abilities. Lyricists and lyricists need to advance their exhibitions through neighborhood networks, verbal, and internet-based life. Great self-limited time aptitudes are useful in building a fan base.
+
+
+
+
+
+Progression for Performers and Lyricists
+
+
+Similarly, as with different occupations in which individuals perform, progress for lyricists and lyricists implies getting better known, looking for some kind of employment all the more effectively, and gaining more cash for every presentation. Effective lyricists and lyricists frequently depend on operators or chiefs to secure the positions, arrange contracts, and build up their vocations. A few lyricists and lyricists advance to driving melodic gatherings or to composing complex music, for example, ensembles. For more data, see the profile on music chiefs and arrangers.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lyric and Lyric Compensations
+
+
+The middle time-based compensation for lyricists and lyricists is $28.15. The most minimal 10 percent earned under $10.40 and the most elevated 10 percent earned more than $73.34.
+
+Practices and recording sessions are usually held during business hours. However, live exhibitions are regularly around evening time and on the ends of the week.
+
+Numerous lyricists and lyricists find just low maintenance or discontinuous work and may have extensive stretches of joblessness between occupations. The pressure of continually searching for jobs drives various to acknowledge perpetual all-day employments in different professions while working low maintenance as a lyric.
+
+The work of performers and vocalists is anticipated to show practically zero change throughout the following ten years.
+
+Advanced downloads and gushing stages make it simpler for fans to the song into chronicles and view exhibitions. More straightforward access to histories gives lyricists greater exposure and develops an enthusiasm for their work, and concertgoers may get keen on observing them perform live. Also, a few lyricists and vocalists permit their music for use in ads or for other business purposes, making more presentations and income openings.
+
+There might be some extra interest for performers to fill in as session lyricists and reinforcement artisans for chronicles and to go on the visit. Lyricists might be expected to sing reinforcement and to make chronicles for advertisements, movies, and TV.
+
+Be that as it may, work development will probably be restricted in symphonies, show organizations, and other melodic gatherings since they can experience issues getting financing. A few lyricists and vocalists work for not-for-profit associations that depend on gifts, government subsidizing, and corporate sponsorships, notwithstanding ticket deals, to finance their work. During financial downturns, these associations may experience difficulty discovering enough subsidizing to cover their costs.
+
+
+
+
+
+Employment Possibilities for Lyricists musicians
+
+
+There will be an extreme challenge for occupations as a result of the enormous number of individuals who are keen on turning out to be lyricists and vocalists. Numerous performers and lyricists experience times of joblessness, and there will probably be an important challenge for full-time positions. Lyricists and vocalists with extraordinary melodic ability and commitment ought to have the best chances.
+
+
+
+
+
+Co-composing
+
+
+At the point when a melody is composed of more than one individual, it is co-composed or produced mutually or in a joint effort with another creator. Co-journalists make melodies in various manners. Some co-essayists utilize a "continuous flow" approach, tossing out each and every line or word or rhyme that comes to them. By allowing thoughts to stream, this creates potential lyrics and song structures more adequately than attempting to composing the song by examining choices. Co-composing can assist two makers with various abilities and qualities to make another melody that neither could have had the option to devise on the off chance that they were working alone. The initial phase in co-composting is to build up the division of the commitment between co-journalists. In copyright law, there is no qualification of significance between the lyrics of the song or the song of the melody, accordingly every author is given proprietorship similarly over the entirety of the song, except if another understanding is orchestrated. "Apparition" lyricists are the individuals who gave little commitments to the song, for example, a band part who recommends a line for a section or a session lyric who casually proposes a melody movement for a coda. When a musician is recognized as a co-writer on the undertaking, this is practically difficult to fix, so "ghost" lyricists are not generally given credit.
+
+Composing is, for the most part, a performance demonstration, and most writers (out of the film business) do not have the sense of self-checks required to work together on a score. The most popular co-structures are presumably those pieces left incomplete by one arranger and wrapped up by another (Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Ives, Berg, Enclosure) and the more youthful partners who have arranged finished variants are frequently dependent upon substantial analysis.
+
+There have been a couple of writers throughout the hundreds of years - from Lully to Scelsi - who have had the way to utilize colleagues in preparing their scores. At times, this is unproblematic, with the aides only doing the fill-in work in a settled style, for Lully's situation providing the inside voices (in that excellent five-section, viola-overwhelmed troupe surface) to his song and bassline, however on account of Scelsi, at any rate, one of the employed hands fought after Scelsi's passing that he was actually the writer, in spite of the fact that the scores wrote under Scelsi's heading, in light of interpretations of Scelsi's recorded impromptu creations, and intently altered and verified by Scelsi, sound all the world like something by Scelsi and nothing on the planet like the collaborator's own music. At the end of the day, the work may have been shared; however, the creative mind was Scelsi's own.
+
+Be that as it may, co-structure less combative, without a doubt chipper, type of co-composting is conceivable, also. Enclosure and Harrison teamed up on the percussion group of four Twofold Music, consenting to a gathering, various measure, a meter, and a beat, and afterward each freely composing two voices, with the two arrangements of parts later superimposed onto one score (it ought to be noticed that Harrison decided to create his pieces in a rendition of Pen's "square root" structure). The gathering bits of Enclosure, Harrison, Cowell, and Thomson followed a surrealist realistic kind, the impeccable carcass, where one craftsman draws something, at that point creases the page, leaving just a couple of dangling line portions which the following expressions proceeds, oblivious in regards to the last picture, when the individual at that point overlays over and hands off to the next member. In these Gathering Pieces, every writer would keep in touch with one measure, and a note or two in the following, overlay the page and hand it on. Both Confine and Harrison would later proceed to encourage co-composing - Enclosure and Lejaren Hiller (who had himself co-made the PC helped Illiac Suite with Leonard Isaacson) made HPSCHD and Harrison teamed up with Richard Dee on a Concerto for Violin with American Gamelan.
+
+I've overseen set my own skepticism aside a couple of times to team up on dazzling melodic carcasses - first, numerous years prior, with Steed Cowart and Jonathan Segel, and later, as a feature of an "Avant garden party" show by the Santa Clause Cruz New Music Works to pay tribute to Harrison's 80th. The cadavers, for the most part for an open-score instrumental trio, co-created with Cowart and Segel, were gathered under the title The First Acrid Squash, a name which portrays both the offbeat air and the spending consumable that went with their arrangement. The later typical bodies were finished by post and fax and email, a virtual composing party extending overseas.
+
+I suggest the flawless cadaver as a class, and as a game for social nighttimes. It's increasingly amusing to work together with a gathering of at least three, and not to keep too severe a line request, so the pieces don't fall too rapidly into a customary to and fro cadence. Furthermore, these carcasses are one event in which increasingly fast and unconstrained composing can be an advantage, keeping the soul light and astonishing.
+
+
+
+
+
+Melodic structure
+
+
+Melodic composing, music organization, or virtually arrangement, can allude to a unique piece of work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the construction of a melodic part, or to the way toward making or composing another bit of music. Individuals who make new compositions are called arrangers. Authors of essential songs are typically called musicians; with songs, the individual who composes lyrics for a song is the lyricist. In numerous societies, including Western old-style music, the demonstration of forming incorporates typically the making of music documentation, for example, a sheet music "score," which is then performed by the author or by other instrumental lyricists or vocalists. In well-known music and popular music, songwriting may include the making of a basic layout of the song, called the lead sheet, which sets out the song, lyrics, and melody movement. In traditional music, coordination (picking the instruments of a vast music outfit, for example, a symphony which will play the various pieces of music, for example, the song, backup, countermelody, bassline, etc.) is usually done by the writer; however, in melodic theater and in popular music, lyricists may enlist an arranger to do the organization. At times, a pop or customary musician may not utilize composed documentation by any stretch of the imagination, and instead, make the song in their mind and afterward play, sing or record it from memory. In jazz and well-known music, striking sound chronicles by compelling entertainers are given the weight that composed or printed scores play in old-style music.
+
+Albeit a melodic structure frequently utilizes melodic documentation and has a solitary creator, this isn't generally the situation. A work of music can have various authors, which regularly happens in well-known music when all individuals from a band team up to compose a song, or in melodic theater, when one individual writes the songs, a subsequent individual composes the lyrics, and a third individual arranges the songs. Amusic can likewise be formed with words, pictures, or, since the twentieth century, with PC programs that clarify or record how the vocalist or performer ought to make melodic sounds. Models go from twentieth-century vanguard music that utilizations realistic documentation, to content composing, for example, Karlheinz Stockhausen's Aus lair Sieben Tagen, to programs that select music for melodic tunes. Music that uses irregularity and chance is called aleatoric music, and is related to contemporary writers in the twentieth century, for example, John Confine, Morton Feldman, and Witold LutosƂawski. An all the more regularly known case of chance-based music is the sound of wind tolls jingling in a breeze. The investigation of the organization has generally been commanded by the assessment of techniques and practice of Western old-style music. However, the meaning of composing is expansive enough to incorporate the production of well-known music and customary music melodies and instrumental pieces and to incorporate unexpectedly ad-libbed works like those of free jazz entertainers and African percussionists, for example, Ewe drummers. Since the innovation of sound account, an old-style piece or well-known song may exist as a chronicle.
+
+In the event that music is formed before being performed, music can be performed from memory (the standard for instrumental soloists in concerto exhibitions and vocalists in drama shows and artistry melody presentations), by perusing composed melodic documentation (the norm in enormous groups, for example, symphonies, show groups, and ensembles), or through a mix of the two techniques. For instance, the critical cello player in a band may peruse a large portion of the backup parts in an orchestra, where she is playing tutti parts, yet then remember an uncovered performance, so as to have the option to watch the director.
+
+Arrangements include a tremendous assortment of melodic components, which generally shift from among sorts and societies. Well, known music classifications after around 1960 utilize electric and electronic instruments, for example, electric guitar and electric bass. Electrical and electronic devices are being used in contemporary old-style music arrangements and shows, yet to a lesser degree than in well-known music. Music from the Ornate music time (1600–1750), for instance, utilized just acoustic and mechanical instruments, for example, strings, metal, woodwinds, timpani, and console instruments, for instance, harpsichord and funnel organ. A 2000s-period pop band may utilize electric guitar played with electronic impacts through a guitar speaker, a computerized synthesizer console, and electronic drums.
+
+
+
+
+
+Compositional instrumentation
+
+
+The errand of adjusting a creation for various melodic groups is called masterminding, or organization might be attempted by the author or independently by an arranger dependent on the writer's center structure. In view of such factors, authors, orchestrators, and arrangers must choose the instrumentation of the first work. During the 2010s, the contemporary writer can, for all intents and purposes, compose for practically any blend of instruments, extending from a string segment, wind, and metal areas utilized in standard symphonies to electronic devices, for example, synthesizers. Some standard gathering settings incorporate music for full orchestra, concert band, or a chamber group. The composer may also choose to the songwriter for only one device, in which case this is called a solo-music.
+
+Composers are not restricted to composing just for instruments; they may likewise choose to compose for voice (counting choral works, a few orchestras (e.g., Beethoven's ninth ensemble, dramas, and musicals). Composers can even compose for percussion instruments or electronic instruments. On the other hand, just like the case with musique concrĂšte, the composer can work with numerous sounds frequently not related to the formation of music, for example, typewriters, alarms, thus forth. In Elizabeth Swados' Tuning in So anyone can hear, she clarifies how a composer must know the full capacities of each instrument and how they should supplement one another, not contend. She gives a case of how in a previous organization of hers, she had the tuba playing with the piccolo. This would plainly overwhelm the piccolo. Each instrument picked to be in a piece must have an explanation behind being there that adds to what the composer is attempting to pass on inside the work.
+
+
+
+
+
+Top-liners
+
+
+A top-liner is a lyricist who composes a song over a pre-made beat. Top-coating varies from songwriting in that the author isn't making a song without any preparation, but instead making lyrics and melodies over a current music class, tonality, congruity, musicality, and type of a song.
+
+In present-day business composing, it is a typical practice for the melodic track to be created first with no vocal song lyrics. This is mostly because of the ascent of compact music creation hardware and computerized sound workstations that are intended for the quick game plan of electronic music, for example, Cubase and Ableton Live.
+
+The top-liner, for the most part, is likewise a lyric and will sing over the track as the demo vocalist. On the off chance that the melody is for a specific craftsman, the top-liner may sing the demo in that craftsman's style. Topliners regularly work in gatherings to co-compose. Some of the time, makers convey tracks to more than one top-line author with the goal that the maker or lyric could pick the best choice. Since the road is the equivalent, songs by various essayists can once in a while be fundamentally the same as. At times, the maker may pick a couple of lines of melodic or melodious thoughts from one top-liner without appropriately crediting or paying them. These circumstances here and there bring about fights in court over responsibility for songs or lyrics.
+
+There is an approach to forestall such fights in court. A lyricist can submit their "aim to make a song," which prevents any of the gatherings from tearing the melody separated. A few specialists convey a legal disclaimer clarifying that if their song isn't utilized subsequent to doing a topline, it returns to them, and the trackback to the track essayist. A novel half and half of lyric and musician, top-line lyricists work in well-known music types, where they make the vocal songs, harmonies, and lyrics to go with makers' "beats"— carefully built instrumental tracks.
+
+
+
+
+
+What Does a Top-Line Musician Do?
+
+
+With the innovation and multiplication of synthesizers and music generation programming, record makers and lyricists picked up the ability to make created songs and chronicles entirely while never employing a performer. These purported musician makers proceeded to control the standard music industry—which means business kinds like pop, rap, and EDM—with their expertly (and inexpensively) created instrumental pieces. Be that as it may, there stayed one component they attempted to manufacture: vocals, the purported "top line" of a melodic track. Rising to fill this void, top-line musicians started to work intimately with makers, making convincing songs, harmonies, and lyrics to sit atop their instrumental tracks. Today, most standard hits by top account artisans are the result of a coordinated effort between a musician maker and a top-line lyricist.
+
+So as to prevail right now, needs a phenomenal performing voice, amazing lyrics and song composing capacity, the capacity to ad-lib, great marketing prudence, and a mindful handle on the present melodic scene.
+
+Toplining is a particular procedure, now and again requiring an efficient, compositional methodology and at others a trial, improvisational one. When taking a shot at a track, top-line musicians as often as possible beginning by thinking of a few center vocal songs—"snares"— and words or expressions that appear to coordinate the tone of the track (or the maker's mentioned topic). After some time and through much experimentation, these thoughts are refined into created areas like refrain and ensemble. At the point when the song is just about completed, the topliner records the lead and foundation vocals, making a vocal demo that demonstrations both as a device for offering the song to recording artisans and their chiefs, and as an outline for the inevitable lyric.
+
+
+
+
+
+Top-Line Musician Initially
+
+
+Most top-line musicians get the first experience with the business as performing lyricists, staff journalists, session vocalists, or in any event, recording artisans. The line among craftsman and author is regularly permeable, and many keep on propelling craftsman professions close by their work as a top-line lyricist. Gifted and driven top-line musicians can become significant industry players, getting a relentless progression of labor and adding to outline topping hits. Also, many top-line musicians become effective chronicle craftsmen in their own right.
+
+
+
+
+
+Looking for some kind of employment
+
+
+Yearning top-line musicians should open for business in a music-industry-substantial city like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, or Nashville. Recording vocal demos for different specialists, doing live and studio gigs as a reinforcement lyric, and taking an interest in bunch composing sessions are for the most part extraordinary approaches to start developing associations with experts like studio directors, record makers, recording artisans, supervisors, and music distributors every one of whom could assist one with getting a lifelong break. Significant systems administration may be required to locate one's first gigs as a topliner.
+
+Lesser-known remixers and musician makers may likewise search for remote associates on the web, openings which can be fantastic for starting topliners hoping to assemble their list of references. Without early gigs like these, one could utilize free web-based support tracks to work on toplining and make a demo reel. One top-line lyricist even prescribes utilizing a single path to make numerous unmistakable top lines, exhibiting innovative adaptability.
+
+Proficient Abilities
+
+Vocal execution
+
+Song composing
+
+Verse composing
+
+Vocal generation
+
+Essential sound creation and recording
+
+Music distributing rights
+
+Relational Abilities
+
+
+
+Maybe the essential quality for a top-line lyricist is the capacity to team up. Songs are once in a while flawless on the first attempt, which is the reason the best top-line musicians realize how to adequately self-scrutinize and fuse input from others. That aside, so as to prevail right now, needs an excellent performing voice, the capacity to make unmistakable and expressive lyrics and songs, improvisatory abilities, exceptional marketing prudence, and a mindful handle on the present melodic scene. Ester Dignitary, who has composed melodies for industry mammoths like Rihanna and Nicki Minaj, says that "long haul accomplishment right now from having the option to change with the occasions musicians need to comprehend that music is continually evolving."
+
+
+
+
+
+Work-Life
+
+
+By and large talking, there are two sorts of gigs for top-line musicians: studio gigs, where the top-line lyricists work face to face with the tracks' producer(s); and remote concerts, where the topliner gets a record over email and fires back stems of their own vocal chronicle, as a rule, made in a home or private studio. In-person studio sessions may last anyplace from a few days to seven days, during which time the top-liner, for the most part, takes a shot at an enormous number of tracks. Then again, remote gigs, for the most part, have a speedy turnaround, for the most part, because of the way that makers regularly send a similar track out to numerous top-liners who vie for the songwriting credit. Hence, musicians who like to telecommute must be prepared to work whenever so as to get an edge on the challenge.
+
+
+
+
+
+What is Toplining?
+
+
+Toplining is composing a vocal part over a previously arranged music bed. This is mainstream in the EDM, Pop, R&B, and Hip-Jump/Rap world. It is an alternate feeling of songwriting in the part that you're composing a critical area of the melody. However, it isn't songwriting in that you're making another full song without any preparation. In the event that somebody contracts you to do toplining, they've just made the "beats" or music, and you will be required to compose the rest - the song and lyrics.
+
+
+
+
+
+What aptitudes do you need as a Topline Musician?
+
+
+In case you're a topliner, your primary melodic blessings are your capacity to
+
+compose infectious songs;
+
+include great lyrics, and afterward,
+
+sing admirably.
+
+
+
+
+
+Lawful Case Including Toplining
+
+
+In 2011, there was a well-known legal case including DJ Avicii versus Leona Lewis, as they settled a question in which the Swedish DJ had endeavored to get a high court order to hinder the arrival of Lewis' new single, Impact, charging that the instrumental track for the single was duplicated from Avicii's inevitable single, Blur Into Murkiness.
+
+So how did Leona Lewis wind up recording a practically indistinguishable track to Avicii's without understanding their discharges would impact? This is a result of the standard practice, particularly among DJ/makers and move marks, for example, Avicii's name Service of Sound of conveying a track to a large number of topline authors, requesting that they think of song and lyrics (the topline) for the road. The authors at that point need to record said topline, so the DJ can have his pick of the bundle and choose the one he/she prefers best. Right now, of the topline demos containing Avicii's supporting track that was not picked discovered its approach to Lewis, who recorded it, provoking the debate.
+
+
+
+
+
+For what reason do individuals contract topliners?
+
+
+Makers are regularly extremely skilled at making beats and synth tracks. They can do this part yet aren't sure about their vocal song or lyrics composing abilities. That would be the place a topliner comes in. Some of the time, instrument players need to employ topliners as opposed to writing the entire thing themselves. There are many potential outcomes!
+
+
+
+
+
+How basic is toplining?
+
+
+Numerous scholars do it for EDM, Pop, R&B, and Hip-Bounce/Rap makers, plugs, groups, and different circumstances where individuals would prefer not to compose the vocal part. The other 10% is songwriting writing the full melody for customers starting from the earliest stage. On the chance that you need to get paid work as a lyricist, you'll undoubtedly need to have a go at toplining as an alternative.
+
+
+
+
+
+How would I begin as a topliner?
+
+
+In the first place, you'll need to sharpen your specialty. Try not to take a paid gig until you know precisely how to do it. Get some free music beds or ambient melodies on the web and work on keeping in touch with it. Perceive what number of thoughts you can make. Utilize one track to make a few songs. Set up your online life and let individuals know you're accessible for toplining administrations.
+
+
+
+
+
+How would I get paid for toplining?
+
+
+This can be dubious since you are composing some portion of the melody, yet not every last bit of it. You can work in these few different ways.
+
+
+
+Alternative 1: No direct compensation, yet more significant sovereignty split
+
+I really don't suggest this one regularly. Except if you are sure the melody will sell and create income (if the customer as of now has demonstrated deals and a huge after), you're probably not going to make a considerable amount of cash off of sovereignties. In any case, you need the work, and the customer doesn't have some money yet is eager to divide into equal parts with you, it may be a choice.
+
+
+
+Alternative 2: Work for Contract (no sovereignties, all straightforward compensation)
+
+This is generally normal for some topline essayists. Numerous essayists do this since they don't know what will befall the melody after they are finished with it, and the author needs the cash in advance (lyricists don't frequently live extravagantly, on the off chance that you're pondering). Nonetheless, the undeniable drawback to this is if the song at any point becomes gigantic, the topline author will make nothing off of offers. So, it's imperative to choose if this is a hazard, you're willing to take.
+
+
+
+Alternative 3: A mix of the abovementioned
+
+Suppose you are offered a lower rate than you would typically acknowledge, or the customer needs more to pay. This is a decent time to arrange eminences with them in case you're willing. Make a measure of direct front compensation joined with sovereignties that will fulfill both of you.
+
+
+
+Toplining isn't for everybody, except it isn't replacing conventional songwriting. Be that as it may, it's an impression of the present new innovative conceivable outcomes. Progressed nicely, it can bring about infectious melodies that are satisfying to compose.
+
+
+
+
+
+DID YOU KNOW THAT CAN DOWNLOAD THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION OF THIS BOOK FOR FREE?
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE US
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE UK
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE FR
+
+
+
+CLICK HERE FOR AUDIBLE DE
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/Books/SongWriting/Writing Better Lyrics - Pattison, Pat.txt b/Books/SongWriting/Writing Better Lyrics - Pattison, Pat.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2353de0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Books/SongWriting/Writing Better Lyrics - Pattison, Pat.txt	
@@ -0,0 +1,19074 @@
+Table of Contents
+
+
+	Cover Page
+
+	Title Page
+
+	Copyright
+
+	TABLE OF CONTENTS
+
+	Foreword
+
+	Introduction
+
+	CHAPTER 1: Object Writing: The Art of the Diver
+
+	CHAPTER 2: Rusty's Collar: A Lesson in Showing and Telling
+
+	CHAPTER 3: Making Metaphors
+
+	CHAPTER 4: Learning to Say No: Building Worksheets
+
+	CHAPTER 5: Clichés: The Sleeping Puppy (A Case Study)
+
+	CHAPTER 6: Productive Repetition
+
+	CHAPTER 7: Verse Development and Power Positions
+
+	CHAPTER 8: Travelogues: Verse Continuity
+
+	CHAPTER 9: Stripping Your Repetition for Repainting
+
+	CHAPTER 10: Perspectives
+
+	CHAPTER 11: Point of View: Second Person and the Hangman
+
+	CHAPTER 12: Point of View: Second Person as Narrative
+
+	CHAPTER 13: Dialogue and Point of View
+
+	CHAPTER 14: Meter: Something in Common
+
+	CHAPTER 15: Spotlighting With Common Meter
+
+	CHAPTER 16: Meter: Two by Two
+
+	CHAPTER 17: Managing Couplets
+
+	CHAPTER 18: Prosody: Structure as Film Score
+
+	CHAPTER 19: Understanding Motion
+
+	CHAPTER 20: Form Follows Function: Building the Perfect Beast
+
+	CHAPTER 21: The Great Balancing Act: Courting Danger on the High Wire
+
+	CHAPTER 22: Song Forms: (Im) Potent Packages
+
+	CHAPTER 23: Song Forms: (Im) Potent Packages II
+
+	CHAPTER 24: Process
+
+	Appendix: Co-Writing: The “No”-Free Zone
+
+	Permissions
+
+
+
+
+
+WRITING
+
+BETTER
+
+LYRICS
+
+
+	 SECOND EDITION
+
+	THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO * * * * * *
+
+POWERFUL SONGWRITING
+
+
+
+
+
+	 PAT PATTISON
+
+	 FOREWORD BY GILLIAN WELCH
+
+
+
+
+
+Writing Better Lyrics. © 2009 by Pat Pattison. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Writer's Digest Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. Second edition.
+
+
+	For more resources for writers, visit www.writersdigest.com/books.
+
+	To receive a free weekly e-mail newsletter delivering tips and updates about writing and about Writer's Digest products, register directly at http://newsletters.fwpublications.com.
+
+	13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1
+
+	Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct, 100 Armstrong Avenue, George-town, Ontario, Canada L7G 5S4, Tel: (905) 877-4411. Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by David & Charles, Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England, Tel: (+44) 1626-323200, Fax: (+44) 1626-323319, e-mail: postmaster@davidandcharles.co.uk. Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link, P.O. Box 704, Windsor, NSW 2756 Australia, Tel: (02) 4577-3555.
+
+	Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
+
+	Pattison, Pat.
+
+Writing better lyrics / by Pat Pattison. — 2nd ed.
+
+p. cm.
+
+Includes bibliographical references and index.
+
+ISBN 978-1-58297-577-1 (pbk.: alk. paper)
+
+eISBN 13: 978-1-5996-3365-7
+
+1. Lyric writing (Popular music) I. Title.
+
+MT67.P383 2009
+
+782.42164â€Č0268 — dc22
+
+2009019233
+
+
+
+
+
+	Edited by Scott Francis
+
+Designed by Claudean Wheeler
+
+Production coordinated by Mark Griffin
+
+
+
+
+
+	ABOUT THE AUTHOR
+
+	Pat Pattison is a professor at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches lyric writing and poetry. His books include The Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure, and The Essential Guide to Rhyming. In addition, Pat has developed three online lyric writing courses for Berklee's online school, and has written articles for a variety of industry publications. His internationally successful students include multiple Grammy winners John Mayer and Gillian Welch. Pat's website is: http://patpattison.com.
+
+
+
+	THANKS
+
+	To my students, especially those who have allowed me to include their work in this book. Their creativity and questions always challenge me, requiring me to look further to make sure I get it right.
+
+	To my fellow faculty at Berklee College of Music for trying out these ideas and making them work; for their support, suggestions, and insights.
+
+	To the writers and publishers who allowed me to include such excellent material, especially Gillian Welch, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Janis Ian for their interest and encouragement.
+
+	To Mike Reid for his enthusiasm, and for diving into Object Writing with such passion.
+
+	To John Mayer, Gillian Welch, Melissa Ferrick, Greg Becker, Kami Lyle, Dave Rawlings, Andrea Stolpe, Scarlet Keys, Ben Romans, Jonelle Vette, Rob Giles, Emily Shackleton, Clare McLeod, and a host of other Berklee transplants to Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and internationally for showing how well all this stuff can work.
+
+	To all the folks that keep showing up for my seminars, allowing me not only to travel the world, but to enlarge my vision in new and interesting ways.
+
+	To my son Jason and my daughter Holly Ann. To Mia and Olivia.
+
+	I especially want to thank Susan Benjamin for her encouragement, for editing the original articles, and for her comments, focus, and inspiration; in short, for making this book possible.
+
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS
+
+
+	Foreword by Gillian Welch
+
+
+
+	Introduction
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 1: Object Writing: The Art of the Diver
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 2: Rusty's Collar: A Lesson in Showing and Telling
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 3: Making Metaphors
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 4: Learning to Say No: Building Worksheets
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 5: Clichés: The Sleeping Puppy (A Case Study)
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 6: Productive Repetition
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 7: Verse Development and Power Positions
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 8: Travelogues: Verse Continuity
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 9: Stripping Your Repetition for Repainting
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 10: Perspectives
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 11: Point of View: Second Person and the Hangman
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 12: Point of View: Second Person as Narrative
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 13: Dialogue and Point of View
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 14: Meter: Something in Common
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 15: Spotlighting With Common Meter
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 16: Meter: Two by Two
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 17: Managing Couplets
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 18: Prosody: Structure as Film Score
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 19: Understanding Motion
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 20: Form Follows Function: Building the Perfect Beast
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 21: The Great Balancing Act: Courting Danger on the High Wire
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 22: Song Forms: (Im) Potent Packages
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 23: Song Forms: (Im) Potent Packages II
+
+
+
+	 CHAPTER 24: Process
+
+
+
+	Appendix: Co-Writing: The “No”-Free Zone
+
+
+
+	Permissions
+
+
+
+
+
+	FOREWORD
+
+	I will be brief and not delay with a long introduction, for there is too much good instruction ahead, and there are too many good songs to be written. I know of no other book like this one. One need only follow these tenets and discipline oneself to the task and the songs will come. It is a priceless map through the minefields of cliché, boredom, and laziness that often destroy even the best efforts. Sometimes, I think that Writing Better Lyrics is an unfair advantage, a secret weapon of sorts, and yet it is here for any and all who aspire to write and write better. I count myself lucky and proud to have studied with Mr. Pattison. I would not be the writer I am today without his teaching and his unique and comprehensive understanding of language, rhyme, rhythm, and structure. To this day, when I struggle with a lyric and find myself falling short, I am usually ignoring some very sound advice contained in these pages. And I read it again.
+
+
+
+
+
+	Gillian Welch
+
+	Nashville, Tennessee
+
+	April 2009
+
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION
+
+	I'm very happy that songwriters have found Writing Better Lyrics helpful, and I'm grateful to be writing an introduction to a second edition. It's been a while since the first publication in 1995, and I've learned a lot since then, thanks to my students at Berklee College of Music and the many songwriters I've met and worked with both in my traveling seminars and my online courses. Each time I teach, I learn something new from them — a real blessing in my life to be on such a journey.
+
+	This edition has added almost one hundred new pages and has INTRODUCTION expanded and revised some of the existing chapters.
+
+	I've enlarged the opening chapter on object writing with new (and, I think, more helpful) examples. Over the years, this exercise has proved to be a mainstay for many successful songwriters, including Grammy winners John Mayer and Gillian Welch. The additional material in this chapter incorporates some new and interesting ways to approach object writing, making it an even more useful way to brainstorm, open your senses, and discover unique ideas for your songs.
+
+	The chapters on verse development add examples and new material, introducing the concept of “boxes,” which students over the years have found helpful. I think you will, too.
+
+	I've found an interesting and, I hope, helpful way of thinking about rhymes, treating them the way you treat chords in a song. It provides a clearer view of rhyme's function and will help you choose rhyme types for a reason.
+
+	The chapters on point of view also have a new look and suggest some interesting ways to approach the process of finding the right perspective for your song.
+
+	I've added several new chapters that reflect work I've been doing since the first publication of Writing Better Lyrics. There's a chapter on the productive use of repetition, a chapter on showing and telling, and several “in the trenches” chapters on structure to help you make more informed decisions while in the heat of writing.
+
+	There are two new chapters on handling couplets and common meter. Each will take you through a series of expansions and manipulations of these structures to show you some new options and possibilities, while still keeping to familiar territory.
+
+	I've also added a chapter on prosody, the most fundamental principle of songwriting and, indeed, of art in general: the concept that all the elements of a song — chords, melody, rhythm, words, and lyric structure — should work together for a common purpose.
+
+	The centerpiece of this new material is the chapter called “Understanding Motion,” which explores the intersections of rhythm, rhyme, and phrase length, and their use in creating prosody, which is support for the ideas and emotion of the lyric. Motion creates emotion; knowing how to make structures move allows you to support your ideas on a whole new level. The chapter can also be used as a reference guide to stable and unstable structures.
+
+	I hope this edition will be helpful in making your lyrics work harder and better.
+
+	Write fearlessly. Have fun.
+
+	Pat Pattison, February 2009
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ONE
+
+
+
+
+
+	OBJECT WRITING
+
+
+	THE ART OF THE DIVER
+
+	T
+
+
+
+	he native dives deep into the waters of his bay, holding his breath to reach the soft pink and blue glow below. Sleek through the water, churning up no cloud to disturb the bottom, he stretches and he opens the shell. Rising to the surface, he holds it aloft and shimmering in the sun: mother of all pearls, breathing light.
+
+	Like this pearl, your best writing lies somewhere deep within. It glows in fresh, interesting colors no one ever imagined in exactly that way before. Your most important job as a writer is to master the art of diving to those deep places, for there and only there will you find your own unique writing voice.
+
+	Remember this fundamental fact: You are absolutely unique. There never was, is not now, nor ever can be anyone exactly like you. The proof lies in the vaults of your senses, where you have been storing your sense memories all your life. They have come cascading in through your senses, randomly and mostly unnoticed, sinking to the bottom. Learn to dive for them. When you recover one, when you rise with it to the surface and hold it aloft, you will not only surprise your onlookers, you will surprise yourself.
+
+	Much of lyric writing is technical. The stronger your skills are, the better you can express your creative ideas. You must spend time on the technical areas of lyric writing, like rhyme, rhythm, contrast, balance, and repetition. Here, I want to focus on the most important part of all creative writing, and therefore surely of lyric writing: the art of deep diving — finding your own unique voice and vision.
+
+
+
+
+
+OBJECT WRITING
+
+
+	The best diving technique I know is object writing. It's direct and simple. You arbitrarily pick an object — a real object — and focus your senses on it. Treat the object as a diving board to launch you inward to the vaults of your senses.
+
+	Although you understand your five senses, you could probably stand a few exercises to sharpen them, especially the four you don't normally use when you write. If I asked you to describe the room you're in, your answer would be primarily, if not completely, visual. Try spending a little time alone with each sense. What's there? How does the kitchen table smell? How would the rug feel if you rubbed your bare back on it? How big does the room sound? (What if it were twice as big? Half as big?) How would the table taste if you licked it? No, it's not silly. Remember this, it is important: The more senses you incorporate into your writing, the better it breathes and dances.
+
+	You have two additional senses that may need a little explanation:
+
+	 	Organic sense is your awareness of inner bodily functions, for example, heartbeat, pulse, muscle tension, stomachaches, cramps, and breathing. Athletes are most keenly focused on this sense, but you use it constantly, especially in responsive situations. I've been sitting here writing too long. I need a backrub.
+
+	Kinesthetic sense is, roughly, your sense of relation to the world around you. When you get seasick or drunk, the world around you blurs — like blurred vision. When the train you're on is standing still and the one next to it moves, your kinesthetic sense goes crazy. Children spin, roll down hills, or ride on tilt-a-whirls to stimulate this sense. Dancers and divers develop it most fully — they look onto a stage or down to the water and see spatial possibilities for their bodies. It makes me dizzy just thinking about it.
+
+
+
+	EXERCISE 1
+
+	Pick an object at random and write about it. Dive into your sense memories and associations surrounding the object. Anything goes, as long as it is sense-bound. Write freely. No rhythm, no rhyme. No need for complete sentences. Use all seven senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, organic, and kinesthetic.
+
+	Here's an example of the above exercise:
+
+
+
+
+
+Back Porch
+
+
+	I must have been four. Memories from that time are a rare species — lobbing in like huge bumblebees on transparent wings, buzzing old Remington shavers torn free from those thick and brittle wires tangled in webs under our porch where I loved to crawl and hide; black snaking wires disappearing up through floors and humming into wall and socket. I still hear them.
+
+	I hid under the back porch, smell of damp summer earth cool under my hands, ducking, scrunching my shoulders tight to avoid the rusty nails waiting patiently above for my back or skull to forget them. The tingling along my back and neck kept reminding me, don't stand up.
+
+	Under the back porch, a place tinged with danger and smelling of earth, the air tastes faintly of mold and hollyhocks twining around the trellises that I see only the bottoms of, speckled gold by the shafts of sun slipping through high elm branches in the backyard, weaving shadows like Grandma's lace dresser doilies. When I squint, I can blur the sunlight into a bridge of green-gold. Crouching there fetal and content, I could feel Mom above me, could hear her high heels tap-tapping.
+
+	No one else has ever associated exactly those experiences with “back porch,” yet anyone can understand them, relate to them. Because they are drawn from my senses, they will stimulate your senses. You will draw from your own sense reservoir, making my experiences yours. They take on a new look traveling from me into you. They get filtered through your senses and memories. They add to your uniqueness.
+
+	Look at the sense information in “Back Porch”:
+
+	Sight: huge bumblebees on transparent wings; thick and brittle wires tangled in webs; black snaking wires disappearing up through floors; rusty nails; hollyhocks twining around the trellises I see only the bottoms of; speckled gold by shafts of sun; high elm branches in the backyard; weaving shadows like Grandma's lace dresser doilies; when I squint, I can blur the sunlight into a bridge of green-gold
+
+	Hearing: buzzing old Remington shavers; humming into wall and socket; I still hear them; could hear her high heels tap-tapping
+
+	Smell: smell of damp summer earth; smelling of earth
+
+	Taste: the air tastes faintly of mold and hollyhocks
+
+	Touch: thick and brittle wires; damp summer earth cool under my hands; tingling along my back and neck
+
+	Organic: crawl; crouching; ducking; scrunching shoulders tight; stand up quick; tingling along my back and neck; when I squint; crouching there fetal and content
+
+	Kinesthetic: lobbing in; tingling along my back and neck kept reminding me; avoid rusty nails waiting patiently above for my back or skull to forget them; don't stand up; I could feel Mom above me
+
+
+
+
+
+TEN AND ONLY TEN MINUTES — A.M.
+
+
+	Object writing works best when you do it for ten minutes, first thing in the morning. Yes, I know — I'm brain-dead then, too. But you can always find ten minutes just by getting up a tad earlier, and the effort will pay huge dividends.
+
+	Two beings inhabit your body: you, who stumbles groggily to the coffeepot to start another day, and the writer in you, who could remain blissfully asleep and unaware for days, months, even years as you go on about your business. If your writer is anything like mine, “lazy,” even “slug” is too kind. Always wake up your writer early, so you can spend the day together. It's amazing the fun the two of you can have watching the world go by. Your writer will be active beside you, sniffing and tasting, snooping for metaphors. It's like writing all day without moving your fingers.
+
+	If, instead, you waited until evening to wake your writer up, you'd float through the day alone, missing the wonderful worlds your writer sees. Old lazybones, meanwhile, would get up late and retire early.
+
+	Guarantee yourself ten minutes and only ten minutes. Set a timer, and stop the second it goes off. You're much more likely to sit down to a clearly limited commitment. But be sure you always stop at the buzzer. If you get on a roll some morning and let yourself write for thirty minutes, guess what you'll say the next morning: “Ugh, I don't have the energy to do it this morning (remembering how much energy you spent yesterday), and besides, I've already written my ten minutes for the next two days. I'll start again Thursday.”
+
+	That's how most people stop morning writing altogether. Any good coach will tell you that more is gained practicing a short time each day than doing it all at once. Living with it day by day keeps writing on your mind and in your muscles.
+
+	Soon, something like this will happen: At minute six, you'll really get on a roll, diving, plunging, heading directly for the soft pink and blue glow below when beep! The timer goes off. Just stop. Wherever you are. Stop. Writus interruptus. All day, your frustrated writer will grumble, “Boy, what I might have said if you hadn't stopped me.” Guaranteed, when you sit down the next morning, you will dive deeper faster. The bottom in three minutes flat. Next time, one minute. Finally, instantly. That is your goal: immediate access — speed and depth. So much information and experience tumbles by every minute of your life, the faster you can explore each bit, the faster you can sample the next. But, of course, speed doesn't count without depth. The tenminute absolute limit is the key to building both. And it guarantees a manageable task.
+
+	Object writing prepares you for whatever other writing you do. It is not a substitute.
+
+
+
+
+
+Loyalty
+
+
+	Forget it. There's no reason to stay loyal to the object that sets you on your path. Your senses are driving the bus — you can go wherever they take you. The object you begin with might only be your starting point. Full right turns or leaps to other places are not only allowed, but encouraged. Think of it as sense-bound free association. If you try to stay focused on the object you start with for the whole time, you may get bored with object writing after a few weeks. Let your hot morning shower with its rolling steam take you to thick clouds hanging overhead, to the taste of rain, to stomping through a puddle, splashing water up so it sprays like fireworks, to the boom in your chest and the smell of gunpowder and the taste of cotton candy.
+
+	Anywhere you go is okay. Try bouncing off of each sense-image to wherever else it might take you, using each new sense-image as a sort of pivot to the next, a kind of sensual free association. Always with your senses, all seven of them. All within ten minutes. Don't worry about story lines or “how it really happened.” No rhyme or rhythm. Not even full sentences. No one needs to understand where you are or how you got there. Save more focused writing for your songs.
+
+	Of course, instead of association, you certainly can stay within the framework of a story or event if you like, like “Back Porch” above, but let your senses drive the bus. As you remember the events, remember with your senses. How did the park smell? Were children giggling over by the duck pond? Italian sausages with steaming onions? Let us experience it too by engaging our senses; stimulate us to see, smell, taste, hear, etc., to really experience the story for ourselves.
+
+	Even more important, your listeners will each fill your sense-bound words with their own sense memories:
+
+	I remember stomping through puddles on Duluth Avenue in St. Paul when I was seven. I had a yellow slicker that smelled like my rubber boots, and my boot buckles jingled when I walked.
+
+	Where were you? Not on Duluth Avenue, I'll bet.
+
+	In this way, sense-bound language involves you; my words are filled with your experiences.
+
+	So practicing using sense-bound writing is a good thing. It's a powerful tool for involving your listeners in your song. It will often generate song ideas or interesting lines.
+
+	Object writing is about showing, not telling. It is an exercise, like a morning workout, that you use to stay in shape. And it happens to be really fun and challenging. It's not only worth the effort, it's a pleasure to do. You should stay with it, religiously, for at least six weeks. The record so far is Polk Shelton of Austin, Texas, who did his object writing every morning for five years straight. His writing skyrocketed.
+
+	Ten minutes every day for at least six weeks. You won't believe what happens.
+
+	EXERCISE 2
+
+	Set a timer for ten minutes and try writing your own piece. Remember to stay inside your senses.
+
+	Ready?
+
+	Use the word “puddle” as a jumping-off point.
+
+	Go.
+
+	Good. Now let's look at some other ways you can use object writing to generate ideas.
+
+
+
+
+
+GROUP WRITING
+
+
+	Object writing is great for a group. It's fascinating to hear other writers dive and roll off the same object. Get some people together, set a timer, then point to someone: “Pick an object.” “Popsicle.” Boom, you're all off. When time is up, each person reads. In larger groups (five to ten), shorten the time to five minutes so that, during readings, no one gets impatient. Do two or three at a sitting. Each one will be better because you feed off each other — each of you has something unique to offer. In a good group, the level of writing gets very high (or deep) very quickly. With smaller groups, write eight to ten minutes each time (never longer). Remember to pick real objects. Butter. Canary. The smell of split pea soup. Hanging ivy. Hot coffee.
+
+	Here is an example of group object writing, done by our online group using the same word we used for your exercise: “puddle”.
+
+	Yellow slickers and blue galoshes, each puddle like it's own hemisphere reflecting the blue sky and white clouds above, beached earthworms on wet asphalt, the whisper of tires through water, the spray rising up and fanning outwards like a peacock's feathers as the car rushes by, scent of lilac dazes the air, the blossoms heavy with raindrops droop and sag like an old woman's breasts, the slow metronome drip of water from the gutter onto the beaded hood of my car, tasting bitter spring on my lips, the oaky smell, the trunks of trees reaching like the walls of a cathedral up to the sky, the lace umbrella of leaves, patchwork squares of sunlight on the ferns below, a lizard skitters up the bark, its neck ballooning from green to translucent pink — Susan Cattaneo
+
+	Puddle on the ground where the water will not drain between the sidewalk and the asphalt just a geometric stain, a water world, an escapee from the underworld of the storm drain where all is subsumed in a soup beneath the cast-iron teeth stamped with names like Chicago or Pittsburgh or St. Louis rusty and heavy and smelling of rotting leaves and piggy banks and cool damp cement. Sounds of underground torrents or secret creeks or gentle plunking like stalactites forming, depending on how much rain came down. But this little triangular puddle will never make it to the ocean, will never join the great descent to the Mississippi. Puddle of mosquito sex and gasoline rainbow and pollen scum brown and yellow, a tiny pond in the evolutionary gene pool, the very shallow end, it will be gone tomorrow. Evaporation, the Great Destroyer, will sneak in like a nurse with arsenic, unnoticed until it is too late. For you, not the muddy rolling wonder of Mark Twain, but the sky and the slow rising steam and clouds you are going to heaven, little puddle. — Gillian Welch
+
+	Puddle staring up at the sky like a tinfoil hubcap. Raindrops plock plock across its cheek like the slap of typewriter palms against wet copier paper 
 each raindrop forming instantaneous mountains of pinprick-sized acne that disappear like hooded wack-a-moles. I try and leap across the puddle but my heel catches an edge. A black rubber first base that belly flop splashes my pant cuff with muddy shrapnel. I curse, another dry cleaning bill. I could have walked around, taken the longer easy way, but my puddle leap seemed like a road less traveled. My socks, soaked up to my calf, plastic wrap cling to my legs, almost buckling under the weight of the extra water. I can feel one sagging now, both teetering like the World Trade Center towers, collapsing into my shoe like the soggy black foreskin of a snapping turtle. — Shane Adams
+
+	I can see the reflections of the pines above in the sandy water. Scattered around the pavement like a minefield, I hop over each one in my new canvas shoes. A sweet smell of apple blossoms drifts through the neighborhood, and I hear Mr. Clemens revving up his lawn mower for the first mow of the season. My coarse nylon overcoat blocks the chill of the morning, but as I hop puddles, I feel the skin on my neck and back cool with sweat collecting under my cotton T-shirt. My gum has turned metallic — Mom says I always chew it too long. I don't mind. My jaw needs something to do now that the neighbor girl moved away and I don't have anyone to play with. The mailbox at the end of the drive gets closer every year as I inch upward, and it surprises me how quickly I'm able to pry open the rusty hinge and retrieve the mail. The mail truck always leaves tire grooves in the gravel that pools with muddy spring rain. I feel my rubber soles sink and suction to the natural concrete, and a shiver springs through my fingers as I consider the gravity of the situation. Carefully, I lift the weight onto my other foot and douse the bottoms in an overflowing pothole. Mom won't like too much that I've smudged my new shoes when I wasn't even supposed to be wearing them. I glance back down the main road and catch the glint of sunlight off a car just round the bend. A wheezing grind and then a steady hum, seems he's gotten that old mower going again. — Andrea Stolpe
+
+	Puddle collected tears as the old man stares at his shoes and fidgets with his shoe laces to look busy. He feels the strain on his back and neck, years lay heavy on him. He listens to the whispers of the car wheels misting through the rainy streets and he cries. It took him eighty years to be able to cry, and now he does it all the time. His sleeve has almost become a handkerchief and that old dog has become his therapist. They go everywhere together, the dog hates puddles, he sidesteps them, jumps over them, and sometimes bypasses his manhood by tiptoeing through them like a ballerina walking around land mines. He looks up and blinks hard to push away any evidence of crying and cups his tired hands over his knees and uses them to push himself up off that stranger's door step. He lights up a cigar, he never smokes it, he just likes the way it feels out of the corner of his mouth and he wobbles down the street pushing off of trees because he won't submit to a cane. He sees Lois in her garden and all of a subtle peering out between those wrinkle eyes of his is a fifteen-year-old schoolboy too shy to look up all the way. He tosses out a hello like he's flicking the ashes off his cigar letting the words float down, hoping she can hear his true intention. He loves to see her, she is a breeze to him, a sunny spot in a dark room when the sun is moving east. — Scarlet Keys
+
+	Tiny geysers, old faithful, as raindrops kerplunk into the puddle, a movie minefield exploding just behind the zigzagging runner, helmet raked to one side, pistols blazing, laughing off machine-gun chatter all around zinging as harmlessly as the dummy explosions. Taut film score conducting my breaths in staccato and shallow to match soldier's rampaging pulse and marching-band heartbeat. My boots smelled of rubber and clanked, steel buckles fashionably open, showing their teeth. Yellow slicker, hood up, rubbing against my cheek, the spatter of raindrops against the plastic whispering to me “Stomp down!” A God in this puddlewonderful world, I stomp a saucer of water, splattering my sister next to me. Giggling, she stomps back. Tiny microbes spill into the air, driven by thundering forces beyond their comprehension, unable. — Pat Pattison
+
+	There. Your first group writing experience.
+
+	Ready for one more?
+
+	EXERCISE 3
+
+	Set your timer for another ten minutes and write your own response before reading ahead. Ready?
+
+	“Pepper.”
+
+	Go!
+
+	Now read these examples:
+
+	Coarse black pepper darkening the salmon filet, tamari and lemon and bake for ten minutes, still rare, wet with the sea to slide easily down my throat, singing its flavor all the way. Deep green water, diving, feeling the pull in the pit of his stomach — a leaning toward the far waters of home, shallow riverbed of his birth, eagles littering the treetops for miles awaiting the feast. Surging up the falls, against the current, leaping and shaking, rainbows of water droplets spilling of his polished skin, the bodies of his companions already torn open, flayed, fallen to bear, fox, and eagle. The dust of home, the smell of the big ditch behind Grandma's house and I exhale, shoulders relaxed, head clearing. The smell of home waters, the sound of grasshoppers winging from cornstalk to cornstalk, the smell of Carnation Instant Milk in the kitchen. — Pat Pattison
+
+	Peppers shiny and red, oily and waxy little Christmas tree lights on all the pepper plants. So hot out here there is steam rising from the dark beds like fog off blacktop, but this heat is a perfume, chocolate brown soft soil smell everywhere, dead leaves wet and warm, new leaves light and crisp and lemony. Smell sweat and damp leather work gloves muddy canvas sneakers smell the peppers in the heavy air sharp tangy don't rub your eyes if you've been picking cause that shiny oil gets on your fingers and goes right into your skin. Smooth firm little teardrops plunking into my cardboard box as it gets hotter and closer and the buzzing little bugs zit round my ears. Moving irrigation pipe with the big men with the soft worn work boots the color of clay, the color of toast. Then later the dirt under my nails down in the cuticles down in the fingerprint and it won't come out. To have really beautiful hands, like the debs in the who's who columns holding crystal flutes like tender shoots, means to do nothing with them. The girls with the pretty fingers do nothing. I have been digging in the dirt all day making things grow and my hands look. — Gillian Welch
+
+	Volcanic ash settles like freckles on the mangled yellow-white face of my breakfast eggs. Lounging strips of bacon are displaced equal signs or orphaned brown slats of a fallen horse pasture fence. I lift a pancake triangle to my mouth and bite into the xylophone tines of the fork and notice that my breakfast looks like chess pieces in jail through the tines of my fork 
 misdemeanor toast, felony jelly, and a crime scene of half-full OJ glasses. Even though I'm sitting in the same spot as always, my belly seems closer to the table than I remember, like the table is trying to lean into me like a wooden elbow nudging me on its way out of an elevator. The egg pepper is brisk on my tongue and my nose crinkles in a mock pepper sneeze. My face becoming an accordion that implodes through a creosote chimney of crackly nose boogers that won't blow out. — Shane Adams
+
+	Green waxy curves, so small it could be eaten whole. I'll never take a dare like that again. Inside, the seeds are white, and tiny, like little alien capsules ready to burst in my mouth and launch the war of the worlds. Outside the skin is better than government-grade protection, lead-lined or vacuum-sealed so that nothing disturbs the sleeping chaos within. My teeth etch the thin skin as I bite down, and for a moment I think, what's the big deal? It takes a moment for the chemical to seep through my gums, drift osmosis-like beyond the cell walls of my veins, and enter my bloodstream. I feel the hairs in my nose spring to life, as if every molecule and pore connecting them to the bare skin of my nostrils is suddenly inflamed. Moments later, my brain is sending SOS signals to every nerve north of my bellybutton, scolding them like a bad child for disobeying direct orders from my better judgment. I become a cartoon, stream engine-sized whistles pulsing from my ears, smoke billowing from the drums, eyes bulging with regret. My fingers bring in backup as they reach for a glass, a beer, water, anything to rip the sizzle from the skin of my tongue. That's the last time I try to impress a boy without high heels and a tube of ruby red lipstick. — Andrea Stolpe
+
+	Pepper, black flakes snowing down, black speckles of ash, parachuter's landing on reluctant lettuce leaves. The salad is naked except for the oil and vinegar drowning it until it no longer tastes of lettuce but something more tolerable. She squeezes the lemon into her iced tea like a sailor with scurvy and mixes it in with her spoon imagining cake batter and a wooden spatula. “The diet, the diet, I must remember the diet,” as she scoots and adjusts her newly acquired cellulite in the plasticcovered diner chair. She is embracing her new way of living, gently unfolding her napkin and draping it across her hopeful thighs. She smells a hamburger with fries and eyes it like a junkyard dog walking past a cookout. She is interrupted by the tall thin waitress as she sets down her grapefruit and once again focuses in on her goal. I can live without sugar she prays. — Scarlet Keys
+
+	Black seeds sprinkled on scrambled eggs, the bacon curling and spitting in the pan, smokes curls out of the toaster slot, the bread's white skin is branded from the toaster's red coils, fresh-squeezed orange juice, her hands are glazed with juice as shell pink nails bite into the rind and push down on the juicer, pulp floating like bloated rice, Christmas music frays the air, children squeal with excitement as they claw at the brightly wrapped presents, breathing in the scent of bacon and pine needles, the sound of tearing paper and laughter, toys in impossibly big boxes, imprisoned in hard cardboard with skin-like plastic and too many opaque twist-ties, children fidget and hop with anticipation as the grown-up tries to wrestle the toy from the cardboard's sandpaper. — Susan Cattaneo
+
+
+
+
+
+Object Writing Parties
+
+
+	The best way to do group object writing is face to face. Gillian Welch had a group in Nashville that met for two and a half years, every Sunday afternoon from one to four. They'd warm up with a five-minute exercise and read their results to each other. The best writing of the round would set the bar for the next round. Then another five-minute warm-up. Read. Everyone dives a little deeper. Then ten minutes. Read. One more ten. Read. Then a ninety-second piece (suggested by Kami Lyle — I call it a Kami-kazi: you really approach it in a different way). Read. Then another five minutes to decompress from diving so deep. Read. And a break for munchies and conversation. After the break, they go back for one more ten minutes, then one for ninety seconds, and then one for five minutes before ending their weekly “object writing party.” Welch says that object writing was one of the most important keys to her success — and she's had seven Grammy nominations, with three wins.
+
+
+
+
+
+Cyber Writing
+
+
+	You can also try writing with a group over the Internet. Someone in the group is responsible for sending the morning word to the others, and, as each member completes the assignment, they send it to the group using “reply all.” There's also an object writing site, objectwriting.com, where you can post and read what others have done with the daily word.
+
+
+
+
+
+Expanded Object Writing
+
+
+	In her book, Popular Lyric Writing: 10 Steps to Effective Storytelling, Andrea Stolpe incorporates some commentary, some “telling,” into her object writing, calling it “destination writing.” She recognizes that good song ideas, especially titles, come just as easily from the “tell” side as the “show” side of your writing.
+
+	For example, I was tempted to add one more line to the passage I wrote about the yellow slicker for the “Puddle” exercise:
+
+	I remember stomping through puddles on Duluth Avenue in St. Paul when I was seven. I had a yellow slicker that smelled like my rubber boots and my boot and buckles jingled when I walked. All the cool guys left their boots open.
+
+	Even though it isn't sense-bound, I like the last line, especially the tone it takes. It's a comment — a “tell.” It might be a line in a song, maybe a comment after a few sense images set it up.
+
+	You might want to use some tells in your object writing, but you might wait a few weeks before you do — getting really sense-bound is hard work. You need to practice being specific and sense-bound to do it well in the context of building a song. Remember, showing is one of the most powerful ways of getting listeners involved in your song.
+
+	Neither object writing nor destination writing is journaling. In journaling, events, emotions, and “how I really feel” drive the bus. It's usually about self-exploration, not so much about writing. And that's fine. But object writing and destination writing are about writing. They are a preparation for writing songs. They have a specific purpose.
+
+
+
+
+
+WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW
+
+
+	It's fair to say that object writing is “what” writing. There are other possibilities, especially who, when, and where. One of the more interesting aspects of “destination writing” is its incorporation of these added elements.
+
+	“Who” is great for character development. In every song, you have to answer these questions: Who is talking? Who is she/he talking to? Sometimes the character is pretty much you, talking either to the audience or a particular person. Sometimes it's not. Either way, keep the character in focus. What is the song about? What is the character trying to say? Why? Be as specific as you can, using sense images that evoke something about the character. Try using the character's senses, even if the character is you. And remember, your song doesn't have to be an accurate autobiography. Never let reality get in the way of truth.
+
+	Practice using other perspectives. Your object writing can be from the perspective of an airline flight attendant, hurrying to serve drinks on a short flight. Or a volunteer at an animal rescue shelter. Sting's “Stolen Car” is told from the perspective of a car thief, and his “Tomorrow We'll See” is from the perspective of a male prostitute.
+
+	People watching is full of interesting possibilities. Ask yourself questions: Does she play golf? When did she learn? What was his favorite game when he was little? Of course, you'll be drawing on your own experiences as you answer your questions. And always stay close to your senses. Specifics. Sense images.
+
+	I also recommend this kind of storytelling when hanging out with other writers. You might even make a special trip to the mall or the airport to exercise your powers of observation. (I call it “the airport game.”) As somebody passes you, ask your friend a question: Who did he take to his junior prom? Does she get along with her younger sister? Take turns asking questions.
+
+	“When” can be seasonal — “across the morning sky, all the birds are leaving.” It can be a time of day — “midnight at the oasis.” Or it can be a special occasion — “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” Play around with it. There's lots of stimulation available here. Try writing five minutes on “summer morning” or “dusk.” Maybe “Christmas party” or “Thanks-giving dinner.” Watch the ideas tumble out.
+
+	“Where” can be anywhere. That's its strength. The Wailing Wall, 42nd Street, a lake cabin, the Grand Canyon, a mountain path, the backseat of the school bus. The opportunities are endless.
+
+	Even “how” may be useful. “Forging a sword” or “learning to ride a bike,” for example.
+
+	“Why” seems like it's more for telling. Maybe you can come up with a few ideas here.
+
+
+
+
+
+CATALOGING THE GOOD STUFF
+
+
+	If you write on a computer, create a file for your gems. When an exciting image or idea drops into your object writing, mark it and save it in your file. (Mine is called “frag.”) If you write in a notebook, leave the first five pages blank and transfer the gems there. The gem spot will be a good place to look for interesting stuff when you need stimulation.
+
+	Though object writing generates nifty lyric ideas, the main purpose is stimulation, deepening the world you swim in. Over time, your senses will take you places you never would have been as you see the world more and more through your writer's eyes.
+
+	Object writing makes the art of diving automatic, a sensible habit. Even when you start exploring abstractions like “friendship,” you'll dive instinctively where the good stuff is — into your own unique sense pool, rather than into some ether of abstractions. Your lyric writing will benefit by drawing from a unique and provocative source, and everyone will listen. I promise.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWO
+
+
+
+
+
+	RUSTY'S COLLAR
+
+
+	A LESSON IN SHOWING AND TELLING
+
+	O
+
+
+
+	nce you become adept in your object writing, with bushels of sense-bound images glittering on the kitchen table, what do you do with them? Here's some food for thought.
+
+	When I was in kindergarten, we got a new puppy.
+
+	I told Sister Mary Elizabeth, “I got a new puppy. His name is Rusty.”
+
+	“That's nice,” she smiled, in her kindergarten teacher sort of way.
+
+	“Can I bring Rusty to school for Show-and-Tell?”
+
+	“No, no,” she said, shaking her finger (they always shake their fingers). “We don't bring our pets to school.” (Who is we, anyway?)
+
+	I put on my best sad, irresistible face, and it had the usual effect. So she was quick to say, “But you could bring something of Rusty's, a picture, or his collar to show to the children. Then you could tell about him.”
+
+	I walked home as fast as I could after school — making my way nine blocks down Jessamine Avenue to Duluth Avenue, then another three blocks down Duluth to our row of Quonset huts — a whole mile!
+
+	A little breathless, I asked my mom, “Can I bring Rusty's collar to school tomorrow for Show-and-Tell?”
+
+	“Of course.”
+
+	I was excited all night. The next morning there was Rusty's collar laid out on the kitchen table next to my Superman lunchbox. What a good mom. I hurried through breakfast, pulled on my snowsuit, buckled my overshoes, wrapped my scarf around my face, yanked on my mittens, grabbed my lunchbox, and headed for St. Casimir's Grade School.
+
+	“I brought Rusty's collar for Show-and-Tell.”
+
+	“That's nice,” Sister Mary Elizabeth cooed, in her kindergarten teacher sort of way.
+
+	I hung my moon suit in the cloakroom and went to my desk to open my Superman lunchbox: a Spam sandwich with French's Mustard, a hard-boiled egg with salt wrapped in waxed paper, a banana, a celery stick with peanut butter in the groove, and Twinkies. No Rusty's collar.
+
+	Apparently, I had forgotten it in my hurry to leave. It was probably still on the kitchen table. I assumed that Mom had put it in my lunchbox.
+
+	“I forgot Rusty's collar. Mom didn't put it in my lunchbox.”
+
+	“Oh, I'm sorry,” said Sister Mary Elizabeth.
+
+	“Can I do Show-and-Tell anyway?”
+
+	“No, no,” she said gently, shaking her finger (they always shake their fingers). “You can't tell unless you show first.”
+
+	YOU CAN'T TELL UNLESS YOU SHOW FIRST.
+
+	To this day, I call that the “Sister Mary Elizabeth Rule of Song-writing.” Show before you tell. Showing makes the telling more powerful because your senses and your mind are both engaged.
+
+	The Sister Mary Elizabeth Rule of Songwriting says: First, hold up Rusty's collar, and then say what you will. Look at this example:
+
+	All the things we used to do
+
+Those dreamy teenage nights
+
+Nothing matters like it did
+
+Back when you were mine
+
+	Try showing Rusty's collar first:
+
+	Hot rod hearts and high school rings
+
+Those dreamy teenage nights
+
+Nothing matters like it did
+
+Back when you were mine
+
+	Think of Rusty's collar this way: “Hot rod hearts and high school rings” is a bag of dye. Hang the dye on top of the section and let it drip its colors downward onto the other lines, giving them more interest and depth.
+
+	Even if you show Rusty's collar just a little later:
+
+	Nothing matters like it did
+
+Those dreamy teenage nights
+
+Hot rod hearts and high school rings
+
+Back when you were mine
+
+	We still get colors, but the law of gravity says that they'll only drip downward, leaving us starting with:
+
+	Nothing matters like it did
+
+Those dreamy teenage nights
+
+	This has less color than when we followed the Sister Mary Elizabeth Rule of Songwriting. Colors drip down, not up. Show first, and watch everything else gain impact:
+
+	Hot rod hearts and high school rings
+
+Those dreamy teenage nights
+
+Nothing matters like it did
+
+Back when you were mine
+
+	The teenage nights get dreamier. We're really able to feel the emotion of:
+
+	Nothing matters like it did
+
+Back when you were mine
+
+	Now, look at this example, from Gillian Welch's “One More Dollar”:
+
+	A long time ago I left my home
+
+For a job in the fruit trees
+
+But I missed those hills with the windy pines
+
+For their song seemed to suit me
+
+So I sent my wages to my home
+
+Said we'd soon be together
+
+For the next good crop would pay my way
+
+And I would come home forever
+
+
+
+	One more dime to show for my day
+
+One more dollar and I'm on my way
+
+When I reach those hills, boys
+
+I'll never roam
+
+One more dollar and I'm going home
+
+	Look what happens when we forget to bring Rusty's collar to school:
+
+	A long time ago I left my home
+
+For a job in the city
+
+But I miss that place and the things I did
+
+Now it all seems so pretty
+
+So I sent my wages to my home
+
+Said we'd soon be together
+
+For the next month's work would pay my way
+
+And I would come home forever
+
+	One more dime to show for my day
+
+One more dollar and I'm on my way
+
+When I reach that place, boys
+
+I'll never roam
+
+One more dollar and I'm going home
+
+	Instant bland. David Rawlings, Welch's partner and an ardent student and practitioner of songwriting, called me with this beige version, remarking how he'd just turned the song into a disaster by trading the specific image for a clichĂ© rhyme, city/pretty. “Look how completely it destroys a perfectly good work,” he chuckled.
+
+	When you're writing, it's fine to just let things flow. But always be on the alert for potential “collars.” Don't leave Rusty's collar on the kitchen table, no matter how excited you are to get to school and tell everyone about your new puppy.
+
+	The Sister Mary Elizabeth Rule of Songwriting: Show before you tell.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THREE
+
+
+
+
+
+	MAKING METAPHORS
+
+
+	M
+
+
+
+	etaphors are not user-friendly. They are difficult to find and difficult to use well. Unfortunately, metaphors are a mainstay of good lyric writing — indeed, of most creative writing. From total snores like “break my heart” and “feel the emptiness inside” to awakening shocks like “the arc of a love affair” (Paul Simon), “feather canyons” (Joni Mitchell), “soul with no leak at the seam” (Peter Gabriel), and “brut and charisma poured from the shadow” (Steely Dan), metaphors support lyrics like bones. The trick is to know how to build them.
+
+	In its most basic form, a metaphor is a collision between ideas that don't belong together. It jams them together and leaves us to struggle with the consequences. For example, an army is a rabid wolf.
+
+	We watch the soldiers begin to snarl, grow snouts, and foam at the teeth. The army disappears, and we are left to face something red-eyed and dangerous. Of course, an army isn't a wolf. All metaphors must be literally false. If the things we identify are the same (e.g., a house is a dwelling place), there is no metaphor, only definition. Conflict is essential for metaphor. Put things that don't belong together in the same room and watch the friction: dog with wind; torture with car; cloud with river.
+
+	Interesting overtones. Let's take a closer look. There are three types of metaphor:
+
+	An expressed identity metaphor asserts an identity between two nouns (e.g., fear is a shadow, a cloud is a sailing ship). Expressed identity metaphors come in three forms:
+
+	“x is y” (fear is a shadow)
+
+“the y of x” (the shadow of fear)
+
+“x's y” (fear's shadow)
+
+	Run each of these through all three forms:
+
+	wind = yelping dog
+
+wind = river
+
+wind = highway
+
+	Now come up with a few of your own, and run them through all three forms. You might even try extending them into longer versions (e.g., clouds are sailing ships on rivers of wind).
+
+	A qualifying metaphor uses adjectives to qualify nouns, and adverbs to qualify verbs. Friction within these relationships creates a metaphor (e.g., hasty clouds, to sing blindly).
+
+	A verbal metaphor is formed by conflict between the verb and its subject and/or object (e.g., clouds sail, he tortured his clutch, frost gobbles summer down).
+
+	According to Aristotle, the ability to see one thing as another is the only truly creative human act. Most of us have the creative spark to make metaphors, we just need to train ourselves a bit and direct our energy properly.
+
+	Look at this metaphor from Percy Bysshe Shelley's “Ode to the West Wind”: “A heavy weight of hours has chained and bowed / One too like thee
” Hours are links of a chain, accumulating weight and bending the old man's back lower and lower as each new hour is added, an interesting way to look at old age.
+
+	Great metaphors seem to come in a flare of inspiration — there is a moment of light and heat, and suddenly the writer sees the old man bent over, dragging a load of invisible hour-chains. But even if great metaphors come from inspiration, you can certainly prepare yourself for their flaring. The next section will help to train your vision, help you learn to look in the hot places, and help you nurture a spark that can erupt into something bright and wonderful.
+
+
+
+
+
+PLAYING IN KEYS
+
+
+	Like musical notes, words can group together in close relationships, like belonging to the same key. Call this a diatonic relationship. For example, here are some random words that are diatonic to (in the same key as) tide: ocean, moon, recede, power, beach.
+
+	This is “playing in the key of tide,” where tide is the fundamental tone. This is a way of creating collisions between elements that have at least some things in common — a fertile ground for metaphors. There are many other keys tide can belong to when something else is a fundamental tone — for example, power. Let's play in its key: Muhammad Ali, avalanche, army, Wheaties, socket, tide.
+
+	All these words are related to each other by virtue of their relationship to “power.” If we combine them into little collisions, we can often discover metaphors:
+
+	Muhammad Ali avalanched over his opponents.
+
+An avalanche is an army of snow.
+
+This army is the Wheaties of our revolution.
+
+Wheaties plug your morning into a socket.
+
+A socket holds back tides of electricity.
+
+	Try playing in the key of moon: stars, harvest, lovers, crescent, astronauts, calendar, tide.
+
+	The New Mexico sky is a rich harvest of stars.
+
+Evening brings a harvest of lovers to the beach.
+
+The lovers' feelings waned to a mere crescent.
+
+The crescent of human knowledge grows with each astronaut's mission.
+
+Astronauts' flights are a calendar of human courage.
+
+A new calendar washes in a tide of opportunities.
+
+	Essentially, a metaphor works by revealing some third thing that two ideas share in common. One good way of finding metaphors is by asking these two questions:
+
+	 	What characteristics does my idea (“tide”) have?
+
+	What else has those characteristics?
+
+
+
+	Answering the second question usually releases a veritable flood of possible metaphors.
+
+	Often, the relationship between two ideas is not clear. Muhammad Ali is hardly the first idea that comes to mind with avalanche, unless you recognize their linking term, power. In most contexts, Muhammad Ali and avalanche are non-diatonic, unrelated to each other. Only when you look to find a link do you come up with power, or deadly, or try to keep quiet when you're in their territories. Always asking the two questions above opens up these relationships and helps you develop metaphor-seeking habits. Here are several exercises to help you get hooked.
+
+	EXERCISE 4
+
+	Get a group of at least four people. Divide the participants into two equal groups. Have each member of one group make an arbitrary list of five interesting adjectives. At the same time, have each member of the other group make an arbitrary list of five interesting nouns. Then combine their arbitrary lists. This usually results in some pretty strange combinations. For example:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 adjectives
+
+			 nouns
+
+
+
+		 			 smoky
+
+			 conversation
+
+
+
+		 			 refried
+
+			 railroad
+
+
+
+		 			 decaffeinated
+
+			 rainbow
+
+
+
+		 			 hollow
+
+			 rain forest
+
+
+
+		 			 understated
+
+			 eyebrows
+
+
+
+	 	Think about each combination for a minute; they evoke some interesting possibilities. Take any combination and try to write a sentence or short paragraph from it. Like this: “Since I got your phone call, everything seems dull. My day has been bleached of sound and color. Even the rainbow this afternoon has been decaffeinated.”
+
+	EXERCISE 5
+
+	Try writing a sentence or short paragraph for these combinations:
+
+	smoky conversation
+
+refried railroad
+
+hollow rain forest
+
+understated eyebrows
+
+	Now jumble them up into different combinations (for example, smoky eyebrows) and write a sentence or short paragraph for each one. The point of the exercise is to see that overtones (linking ideas, metaphors) are released by this blind striking of notes. Wonderful accidents happen frequently.
+
+	EXERCISE 6
+
+	Gather two groups of people. Have each member of one group make an arbitrary list of five interesting verbs. At the same time, have each member of the other group make an arbitrary list of five interesting nouns. Like these:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 nouns
+
+			 verbs
+
+
+
+		 			 squirrel
+
+			 preaches
+
+
+
+		 			 wood stove
+
+			 vomits
+
+
+
+		 			 surfboard
+
+			 cancels
+
+
+
+		 			 reef
+
+			 celebrates
+
+
+
+		 			 aroma
+
+			 palpitates
+
+
+
+	 	Again, take any combination and try to write a sentence or short paragraph from it. Like this: “The red squirrel scrambled onto the branch, rose to his haunches, and began preaching to us, apparently cautioning us to respect the silence of his woodlands.”
+
+	Your turn:
+
+	wood stove vomits
+
+surfboard cancels
+
+reef celebrates
+
+aroma palpitates
+
+	Jumbling up the list unveils new combinations. Write a sentence or short paragraph for each of the following combinations:
+
+	squirrel celebrates
+
+wood stove palpitates
+
+surfboard preaches
+
+reef cancels
+
+aroma vomits
+
+	If you don't already have a writers' group, these exercises might be a good reason to start one. Just get some people together (even numbers are best) and start making arbitrary lists. Put your lists together and see what your combinations suggest.
+
+	One thing will become clear right away: You get better results combining nouns and verbs than from combining adjectives and nouns. Verbs are the power amplifiers of language. They drive it; they set it in motion. Look at any of the great poets — Yeats, Frost, Sexton, Eliot. If you actually go through some poems and circle their verbs, you will see why the poems crackle with power. Great writers know where to look. They pay attention to their verbs.
+
+	EXERCISE 7
+
+	Have each member of one group make an arbitrary list of five interesting nouns. At the same time, have each member of the other group also make an arbitrary list of five interesting nouns. Like these:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 nouns
+
+			 nouns
+
+
+
+		 			 summer
+
+			 Rolls-Royce
+
+
+
+		 			 ocean
+
+			 savings account
+
+
+
+		 			 thesaurus
+
+			 paintbrush
+
+
+
+		 			 Indian
+
+			 beach ball
+
+
+
+		 			 shipwreck
+
+			 mattress
+
+
+
+	 	Remember the three forms of expressed identity, the first type of metaphor?
+
+	Try these noun-noun collisions in each form. For example:
+
+	summer is a Rolls-Royce
+
+the Rolls-Royce of summer
+
+summer's Rolls-Royce
+
+
+
+
+
+	Summer is the Rolls-Royce of the seasons.
+
+	Winter is gone. Time for another ride in the Rolls-Royce of summer. Once again, summer's Rolls-Royce has collapsed into the iceboat of winter.
+
+	Now it's your turn again. Use whatever form of expressed identity metaphor that seems to work best. Write a sentence or short paragraph for the other four noun combinations.
+
+	These are also great fun to jumble up. You can even jumble them within the same columns. Try a sentence for each of these:
+
+	summer mattress
+
+ocean paintbrush
+
+thesaurus beach ball
+
+Indian Rolls-Royce
+
+shipwreck savings account
+
+	EXERCISE 8
+
+	After you have spent a few sessions discovering accidental metaphors through the previous exercises, you will be ready for the final method to activate the process: a five-step exercise guaranteed to open your metaphorical eyes and keep them open.
+
+	Step one: Make a list of five interesting adjectives. Then, for each one, find an interesting noun that creates a fresh, exciting metaphor. Take as long as you need for each adjective — hours, even days. Keep it in your vision. Push it against every noun you see until you create a breathtaking collision. Be patient. Developing a habit of looking takes time. It is the quality of your metaphors and the accumulated hours of practice that count here, not speed.
+
+	Remember that you can make vivid adjectives out of verbs: to wrinkle becomes the adjective wrinkled (wrinkled water) or wrinkling (the wrinkling hours). These are called participles.
+
+	Step two: Now make a list of five interesting nouns, and locate a terrific verb for each one. This will be more difficult, since you are used to looking at things in the world, not actions. Again, take your time. Develop a habit of mind that can see a doe stepping through the shallows as the water wrinkles into circles around her.
+
+	Step three: Make a list of five interesting verbs and track down a noun for each one. Most likely, you've never looked at the world from this angle before. You'll find it unnatural, challenging, and fun.
+
+	Step four: Make a list of five interesting nouns and find an adjective for each one. (Don't forget about participles.)
+
+	Step five: Make a list of five interesting nouns and find another noun for each one. Use whatever form of expressed identity metaphor you think works best.
+
+	This last step brings you full circle. You have looked at the world from the vantage point of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. (I left out adverbs as a matter of personal preference. I don't get much use out of them, especially when I am careful to find strong verbs. If you want to add them to the exercise, simply list five adverbs and find a verb for each one. Then reverse the process and start with a list of verbs.) This is a practical result: Because you have developed a habit of looking, you will see countless opportunities to create metaphors in your writing. After all, you run into nouns, verbs, and adjectives pretty frequently.
+
+	These exercises focus your creative attention on a practical way to find metaphors using expressed identity metaphors, qualifying metaphors, and verbal metaphors. You don't have to wait for a grand bolt of inspiration. Simply look at the word you're on, and ask: What characteristics does this idea have? What else has those characteristics?
+
+	Then watch ideas tumble out onto your page.
+
+
+
+
+
+SIMILE
+
+
+	You learned in high school that the difference between metaphor and simile is that simile uses like or as. True enough, but that's like saying that measles are spots on your body. They are, but if you look deeper, the spots are there because a virus is present. There is something more fundamental going on. Remember the metaphor an army is a rabid wolf? Say it to yourself and let the pictures roll. You start with the army, but your focus transfers to the rabid wolf, something red-eyed and dangerous.
+
+	Simile doesn't transfer focus: An army is like a rabid wolf. Say it to yourself and let the pictures roll. The army refuses to budge. No snouts or foamy teeth. We sit waiting for an explanation while the army stands before us in full uniform.
+
+	Look at this from Kurt Thompson:
+
+	My love is an engine
+
+It ain't run in years
+
+Just took one kiss from you
+
+to loosen up the gears
+
+	My heart needs to rev some
+
+It's an old Chevrolet
+
+You might think it's crazy
+
+To want to race away
+
+
+
+	Who ever said
+
+that love was smart
+
+	Baby won't you drive my heart
+
+Won't you drive my heart
+
+	The metaphor sets up the car. The speaker is asking baby to get in and step on the accelerator. Now look at this version:
+
+	My love's like an engine
+
+It ain't run in years
+
+Just took one kiss from you
+
+to loosen up these gears
+
+	My heart needs to rev some
+
+Like an old Chevrolet
+
+You might think it's crazy
+
+To want to race away
+
+	Who ever said
+
+that love was smart
+
+Baby won't you drive my heart
+
+Won't you drive my heart
+
+	Read it again and let the pictures roll. Now the focus stays on the speaker rather than transferring to the car. So the emphasis in “baby won't you drive my heart” is on heart rather than drive. It seems like a subtle difference, but it makes all the difference in how we hear the song. The metaphor creates a light, clever song. The simile is clever, too, but it's also more intimate, since we stay in the presence of the speaker throughout the song.
+
+	Because a simile refuses to transfer focus, it works in a totally different way than a metaphor does. A metaphor takes its second term (an army is a rabid wolf) very seriously — you must commit to it, because that's what everyone will end up looking at.
+
+	You needn't commit as deeply to the second term of a simile, since the first term gets most of the attention. This makes similes useful as a one-time event. In a line like “I'm as corny as Kansas in August,” our focus stays on I. We have no further appetite for corn or Kansas. Good thing, since the rest of the song goes everywhere but Kansas. However, if the line had been “I am corn in Kansas in August,” we'd expect to hear things about sun, rain, wind, and harvest in the upcoming lines.
+
+	As a rule of thumb, when you have a list of comparisons in mind, use a simile:
+
+	love is like rain
+
+love is like planting
+
+love is like the summer sun
+
+	When you're using only one comparison (e.g., love is a rose), and you want to commit to it throughout the song, use a metaphor. It only grows when it's on the vine.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FOUR
+
+
+
+
+
+	LEARNING TO SAY NO
+
+
+	BUILDING WORKSHEETS
+
+	W
+
+
+
+	riting a lyric is like getting a gig: If you're grateful for any idea that comes along, you're probably not getting the best stuff. But if you have lots of legitimate choices, you won't end up playing six hours in Bangor, Maine, for twenty bucks. Look at it this way: The more often you can say no, the better your gigs get. That's why I suggest that you learn to build a worksheet — a specialized tool for brainstorming that produces bathtubs full of ideas and, at the same time, tailors the ideas specifically for a lyric.
+
+	Simply, a worksheet contains two things: a list of key ideas and a list of rhymes for each one. There are three stages to building a worksheet.
+
+
+
+
+
+1. FOCUS YOUR LYRIC IDEA AS CLEARLY AS YOU CAN
+
+
+	Let's say you want to write about homelessness. Sometimes, you'll start the lyric from an emotion: “That old homeless woman with everything she owns in a shopping cart really touches me. I want to write a song about her.” Sometimes you'll write from a cold, calculated idea: “I'm tired of writing love songs. I want to do one on a serious subject, maybe homelessness.” Or, you may write from a title you like, maybe “Risky Business.” Then the trick is to find an interesting angle on it, perhaps: “What do you do for a living?” “I survive on the streets.” “That's a pretty risky business.”
+
+	In each case, it's up to you to find the angle, brainstorm the idea, and create the world the idea will live in. Since you always bring your unique perspective to each experience, you will have something interesting to offer. But you'll have to look at enough ideas to find the best perspective.
+
+	Object writing is the key to developing choices. You must dive into your vaults of sense material — those unique and secret places — to find out what images you've stored away, in the present example, around the idea of homelessness.
+
+	EXERCISE 9
+
+	Stop reading, get out a pen, and dive into homelessness for ten minutes. Stay sense-bound and very specific. How do you connect to the idea? Did you ever get lost in the woods as a child? Run away from home? Sleep in a car in New York?
+
+	Now, did you find an expressive image, like a broken wheel on a homeless woman's shopping cart, that can serve as a metaphor — a vehicle to carry your feelings? Did you see some situation, like your parents fighting, that seems to connect you with her situation? These expressive objects or situations are what T.S. Eliot calls “objective correlatives” — objects anyone can touch, smell, and see that correlate with the emotion you want to express. Broken wheels or parents fighting work nicely as objective correlatives.
+
+	Even if you find ideas that work well, keep looking a while longer. When you find a good idea, there is usually a bunch more behind it. (The gig opening for Aerosmith could be the next offer.) Jot down your good ideas on a separate sheet of paper.
+
+
+
+
+
+2. MAKE A LIST OF WORDS THAT EXPRESS YOUR IDEA
+
+
+	You'll need to look further than the hot ideas from your object writing. Get out a thesaurus, one set up according to Roget's original plan according to the flow of ideas — a setup perfect for brainstorming. Dictionary-style versions (set up alphabetically) are useful only for finding synonyms and antonyms. They make brainstorming a cumbersome exercise in cross-referencing.
+
+	Your thesaurus is better than a good booking agent. It can churn up images and ideas you wouldn't ever get to by yourself, stimulating your diver to greater and greater depths until a wealth of choices litter the beaches.
+
+	Let's adopt the working title “Risky Business” and continue brainstorming the idea of homelessness. In the index (the last half of your thesaurus), locate a word the expresses the general idea, for example, risk. From the list below it, select the word most related to the lyric idea. My thesaurus lists these options for risk: gambling 618n; possibility 469n; danger 661n; speculate 791vb. The first notation should be read as follows: “You will find the word risk in the noun group of section 618 under the key word gambling.”
+
+	Key words are always in italics. They set a general meaning for the section, like a key signature sets the tone center in a piece of music.
+
+	Probably the closest meaning for our purposes with “Risky Business” is danger 661n. Look in the text (front half) of the thesaurus for section 661 (or whatever number your thesaurus lists; numbers will appear at the tops of the pages). If you peruse the general area around danger for a minute, you will find several pages of related material.
+
+	Here are the surrounding section headings in my thesaurus:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Ill health, disease
+
+			 Insalubrity
+
+			 Deterioration
+
+
+
+		 			 Relapse
+
+			 Bane
+
+			 Danger
+
+
+
+		 			 Pitfall
+
+			 Danger signal
+
+			 Escape
+
+
+
+		 			 Salubrity (well-being)
+
+			 Improvement
+
+			 Restoration
+
+
+
+		 			 Remedy
+
+			 Safety
+
+			 Refuge. Safeguard
+
+
+
+		 			 Warning
+
+			 Preservation
+
+			 Deliverance
+
+
+
+	 	This related material runs for sixteen pages in double-column entries. Risk is totally surrounded by its relatives, so if you look around the neighborhood, you'll find a plethora of possibilities. Start building your list.
+
+	Look at these first few entries under danger: N. danger, peril; 
 shadow of death, jaws of d., dragon's mouth, dangerous situation, unhealthy s., desperate s., forlorn hope 700n. predicament; emergency 137n. crisis; insecurity, jeopardy, risk, hazard, ticklishness

+
+	Look actively. If you take each entry for a quick dive through your sense memories, you should have a host of new ideas within minutes. (Frequent object writing pays big dividends here. The more familiar you are with the process, the quicker these quick dives get. If you are slow at first, don't give up — you'll get faster. Just vow to do more object writing.) Jot down the best words on your list and keep at it until you're into serious overload.
+
+	Now the fun begins. Start saying no to words in your list until you've trimmed it to about ten or twelve words with different vowel sounds in their stressed syllables. Put these survivors in the middle of a blank sheet of paper, number them, and enclose them in a box for easy reference later on. Keep these guidelines in mind:
+
+	 	If you are working with a title, be sure to put its key vowel sounds in the list.
+
+	Most of your words should end in a stressed syllable, since they work best in rhyming position.
+
+	Put any interesting words that duplicate a vowel sound in parentheses.
+
+
+
+	Your goal is to create a list of words to look up in your rhyming dictionary. Here's what I got banging around in the thesaurus, looking through the lens of homelessness:
+
+	 	risk
+
+	business
+
+	left out
+
+	freeze (wheel, shield)
+
+	storm
+
+	dull (numb)
+
+	night (child)
+
+	change
+
+	defense
+
+	home (hope, broken, coat)
+
+
+
+	This is not a final list. Don't be afraid to switch, add, or take out words as the process continues.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. LOOK UP EACH WORD IN YOUR RHYMING DICTIONARY
+
+
+	Be sure to extend your search to imperfect rhyme types, and to select only words that connect with your ideas. Above all, don't bother with cliché rhymes or other typical rhymes. First, a quick survey of rhyme types.
+
+
+
+
+
+Perfect Rhyme
+
+
+	Don't let yourself be seduced by the word “perfect.” It doesn't mean “better,” it only means:
+
+	 	The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
+
+	The consonant sounds after the vowels (if any) are the same.
+
+	The sounds before the vowels are different.
+
+
+
+	Remember, lyrics are sung, not read or spoken. When you sing, you exaggerate vowels. And since rhyme is a vowel connection, lyricists can make sonic connections in ways other than perfect rhyme.
+
+
+
+
+
+Family Rhyme
+
+
+	 	The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
+
+	The consonant sounds after the vowels belong to the same phonetic families.
+
+	The sounds before the vowels are different.
+
+
+
+	Here's a chart of the three important consonant families:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Each of the three boxes — plosives, fricatives, and nasals — form a phonetic family. When a word ends in a consonant in one of the boxes, you can use the other members of the family to find perfect rhyme substitutes.
+
+	Rub/up/thud/putt/bug/stuck are members of the same family — plosives — so they are family rhymes.
+
+	Love/buzz/judge/fluff/fuss/hush/touch are members of the fricative family, so they also are family rhymes.
+
+	Strum/run/sung rhyme as members of the nasal family.
+
+	Say you want to rhyme this line:
+
+	I'm stuck in a rut
+
+	First, look up perfect rhymes for rut: cut, glut, gut, hut, shut.
+
+	The trick to saying something you mean is to expand your alternatives. Look at the table of family rhymes below and introduce yourself to t's relatives:
+
+
+
+
+
+	That's much better. Now we find that we have a lot of interesting stuff to say no to.
+
+	What if you want to rhyme this:
+
+	There's nowhere I can feel safe
+
+	First, look up perfect rhymes for safe in your rhyming dictionary. All we get is waif. Not much.
+
+	Now look for family rhymes under f's family, the fricatives. We add these possibilities:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Finally, nasals. The word “nasals” means what you think it means: All the sound comes out of your nose. Rhyme this line:
+
+	My head is pounding like a drum
+
+	Look up perfect rhymes for drum: hum, pendulum, numb, slum, strum.
+
+	Go to the table of family rhymes and look at m's relatives:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 un
+
+			 ung
+
+
+
+		 			 fun
+
+			 hung
+
+
+
+		 			 gun
+
+			 flung
+
+
+
+		 			 overrun
+
+			 wrung
+
+
+
+		 			 won
+
+			 sung
+
+
+
+		 			 jettison
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 skeleton
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	Finding family rhyme isn't difficult, so there's no reason to tie yourself in knots using only perfect rhyme. Family rhyme sounds so close that when sung, the ear won't know the difference.
+
+
+
+
+
+Additive Rhyme
+
+
+	 	The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
+
+	One of the syllables add extra consonants after the vowel.
+
+	The sounds before the vowels are different.
+
+
+
+	When the syllable you want to rhyme ends in a vowel (e.g., play, free, fly), the only way to generate alternatives is to add consonants after the vowel. The guideline is simple: The less sound you add, the closer you stay to perfect rhyme.
+
+	Look again at the table of family rhymes. Voiced plosives — b, d, g — put out the least sound. Use them first, rhyming, for example, ricochet with paid; then the unvoiced plosives, rhyming free with treat. Next, voiced fricatives, rhyming fly and alive. Then on to unvoiced fricatives, followed by the most noticeable consonants (aside from l and r), the nasals. You'd end up with a list moving from closest to perfect rhyme to furthest away from perfect rhyme. For example, for free, we find: speed, cheap, sweet, grieve, belief, dream, clean, deal.
+
+	You can also add consonants even if there are already consonants after the vowel, for example: street/sweets, alive/drives, dream/screamed, trick/risk.
+
+	You can even combine this technique with family rhymes, such as dream/cleaned, club/floods/shove/stuff ed. This gives you even more options, making it easier to say what you mean.
+
+
+
+
+
+Subtractive Rhyme
+
+
+	 	The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
+
+	One of the syllables adds an extra consonant after the vowel.
+
+	The sounds before the vowels are different.
+
+
+
+	Subtractive rhyme is basically the same as additive rhyme. The difference is practical. If you start with fast, class is subtractive. If you start with class, fast is additive.
+
+	Help me please, I'm sinking fast
+
+Girl, you're in a different class
+
+	For fast, you could also try: glass, flat, mashed (family), laughed (family), crash (fam. subt.).
+
+	The possibilities grow.
+
+
+
+
+
+Assonance Rhyme
+
+
+	 	The syllables' vowel sounds are the same.
+
+	The consonant sounds after the vowels are unrelated.
+
+	The sounds before the vowels are different.
+
+
+
+	Assonance rhyme is the furthest you can get from perfect rhyme without changing vowel sounds. Consonants after the vowels have nothing in common. Try rhyming:
+
+	I hope you're satisfied
+
+	For satisfied, we come up with: life, trial, crime, sign, rise, survive, surprise.
+
+	Use these rhyming techniques. You'll have much more leeway saying what you mean, and your rhymes will be fresh and useful. Again, look actively at each word. Use them to dive through your senses, as though you were object writing.
+
+	You'll find more on these rhyme types, including helpful exercises, in my book Songwriting: Essential Guide to Rhyming.
+
+
+
+
+
+Rhymes and Chords
+
+
+	You can think about rhyme in the same way you think about chords. Go to the piano and play three chords: an F chord with an F as the bass note in the left hand, then G7 with G as the bass note, then, finally, C. Play the C chord with the notes C, E, and G in the right hand, and a C as a bass note in the left hand. Sing a C, too. It really feels like you've arrived home, doesn't it?
+
+	Next, do the same thing again with your right hand, singing a C when you get to the C chord, but this time, put a G in the left hand. It still feels like you're home, though not quite as solidly as when you played C in the bass. Still, it's difficult to notice the difference.
+
+	Do it all again, this time playing the third in the bass, an E. It still feels like a version of home, but less stable. It seems to have some discomfort at home — a very expressive chord.
+
+	Do it again, keeping the E in the bass, but this time take the C out of the chord in your right hand. Sing the C. This feels even less comfortable.
+
+	Last time, add a B to the right hand, still leaving the C out. Now, you're actually playing an E minor chord, the three minor in the key of C, still singing the C. Now we have only a suggestion of home, rather than sitting down to the supper table.
+
+	All of these voicings are useful, and all of these voicings are tonic (home) functions. Some land solidly and bring motion to a complete halt. Others express a desire to keep moving somewhere else — a kind of wanderlust. Each has its own identity and emotion.
+
+	Rhymes work the same way. Some are stronger than others and express a desire to stay put; they are stable. Others may have a foot at home, but their minds are looking for the next place to go. They feel less stable.
+
+	Here are the rhyme types, listed like the chords you played, in a scale from most stable to least stable:
+
+	RHYME TYPES: SCALE OF RESOLUTION STRENGTHS
+
+
+
+
+
+	Look at the simple example below — a stable, four-stress couplet. With perfect rhyme, it feels very solid and resolved:
+
+	A lovely day to have some fun
+
+Hit the beach, get some sun
+
+	As we move through the rhyme types, things feel less and less stable, even though the structure remains the same:
+
+	Family rhyme:
+
+	A lovely day to have some fun
+
+Hit the beach, bring the rum (a lot like C with G in the bass)
+
+	Additive rhyme:
+
+	A lovely day to have some fun
+
+Hit the beach, get some lunch (a lot like C with E in the bass)
+
+	Subtractive rhyme:
+
+	Hit the beach and get some lunch
+
+A lovely day, have some fun (a lot like C with E in the bass)
+
+	Assonance rhyme:
+
+	A lovely day to have some fun
+
+Hit the beach, fall in love (a lot like C with E in the bass, no C in the right hand)
+
+	Consonance rhyme:
+
+	A lovely day to have some fun
+
+Hit the beach, bring it on (a lot like the E minor in the key of C)
+
+	Expanding your rhyming possibilities accomplishes three things:
+
+	 	It multiplies the possibility of saying what you mean (and still rhyming) exponentially.
+
+	It guarantees the rhymes will not be predictable or cliché.
+
+	Most important, it allows you to control, like chords do, how stable or unstable the rhyme feels, allowing you to support or even create emotion with your rhymes.
+
+
+
+	Together, these offer a pretty good argument against the proponents of “perfect rhyme only.”
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know you Ah yes, understand. Telegraphed and locked down. Mostly, I find it disappointing when I know what's coming. When it's already telegraphed and waltzing in your brain, why say it? If you instead said something different, you'd have both messages at the same time:
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know you'll take a stand (understand, the expected cliché, is still present.)
+
+	I like the perfect rhyme here. The full resolution seems to support the idea. Now, how about:
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know you'd like to dance
+
+	I love the surprise here. It also uses the telegraphing of understand as a second message. It's not a cliché rhyme. Pretty close, though, with n in common but d against c. That little bit of difference introduces something that perfect rhyme can't: a tinge of longing created by the difference at the end. The lack of perfect rhyme creates the same kind of instability as, say, the C major triad with a G in the bass. Almost, but not fully resolved. Just as a chord can create an emotional response, so can a less-perfect rhyme:
+
+	WORKSHEET: RISKY BUSINESS
+
+
+
+
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know you're making plans
+
+	The same tinge of instability.
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know you want to laugh
+
+	What do you think the chances of hooking up are now? They seem about as remote as the assonance rhyme. Yup, the rhyme type really can affect and color the idea.
+
+	It's still a “tonic” function, but now it seems more like a C major triad with an E in the bass.
+
+	Finally:
+
+	Baby baby take my hand
+
+Let me know I'm on your mind
+
+
+
+
+
+	Now there's curiosity and uncertainty, expressed completely and only by the consonance rhyme. Pretty neat, huh?
+
+
+
+
+
+Brainstorming
+
+
+	Brainstorming with a rhyming dictionary prepares you to write a lyric. At the same time you are brainstorming your ideas, you are also finding sounds you can use later. With solid rhyming techniques that include family rhymes, additive and subtractive rhymes, assonance and even consonance rhymes (especially for l and r), using a rhyming dictionary can be as relaxed and easy as brainstorming with a friend, except it's more efficient than a friend, and it won't whine for a piece of the song if you get a hit.
+
+	A worksheet externalizes the inward process of lyric writing. It slows your writing process down so you can get to know it better, like slowing down when you play a new scale to help get it under your fingers. The more you do it, the faster and more efficient you'll get.
+
+	The sample worksheet on pages 44–45 includes both perfect and imperfect rhymes. Reading this worksheet should be stimulating. But doing your own worksheet will set you on fire. Decide now that you will do a complete worksheet for each of your next ten lyrics, then stick to it. The first one will be slow and painful, but full of new and interesting options. By the third one, ideas will be coming fast and furious. You will have too much to say, too many choices, and too many rhymes. Though getting to this point takes work, it will be well worth the effort. Think of all the times you'll get to say no. No more clichĂ©s. No more forced rhymes. No more helpless gratitude that some idea, any idea at all, came along. No more six-hour gigs in Bangor for twenty bucks. Trust me.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FIVE
+
+
+
+
+
+	CLICHÉS
+
+
+	THE SLEEPING PUPPY (A CASE STUDY)
+
+	T
+
+
+
+	he PBS documentary scene: A black puppy scampers across the lawn chasing a butterfly when, plop, she drops limp on her side, fast asleep. Moments later, she's up and romping. Then again, plop. “Narcolepsy,” intones the narrator, “can strike its victim at any time. She'll sleep a few minutes then get up and move on, unaware that anything happened. Scientists cite a variety of possible causes.”
+
+	The documentary fails to mention the radio playing in the background. Watch and listen closely — the puppy topples over at the lines. “You gotta take a chance / If you want a true romance.” She sleeps until the song finishes, then gets up chasing her tail until she hears “Take my hand / Let me know you understand.” Plop. I may not be The New England Journal of Medicine, but I know why the puppy is falling asleep: clichĂ©s. ClichĂ© phrases. ClichĂ© rhymes. ClichĂ© images. ClichĂ© metaphors. These viruses infect songs, television, movies, and commercials, not to mention everyday conversations. And if clichĂ©s can put puppies to sleep, think what they'll do to people who listen to your songs.
+
+	ClichĂ©s have been worn smooth by overuse. They no longer mean what they used to. Strong as a bull, eats like a horse, and their ship came in no longer evoke vivid images of bulls, horses, and ships. Overuse has made them generic. They suffer from the same malady that infects all generic language: They don't show — they can only tell. How ya doin'? What's up? How's it goin'? These phrases are interchangeable. So are break my heart, cut me deep, and hurt me bad. Your job as a writer isn't to point to a generic territory where images could be, but instead to go there, get one, and show it to your listeners. ClichĂ©s don't pump gasoline anymore.
+
+	Songs should be universal, but don't mistake universal for generic. Sense-bound is universal. When you stimulate your listeners' senses, they pick pictures from their own personal sense files. When you use generic language, they fall asleep. There's a difference between this:
+
+	1. Noise and confusion, there's no peace
+
+In the hustle and bustle of city streets
+
+It's time to get away from it all
+
+Deep inside I hear nature's call
+
+	and this, from William Butler Yeats:
+
+	2. I will arise and go now, for always night and day
+
+I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
+
+While I stand on the roadway, or the pavements gray,
+
+I hear it in the deep heart's core.
+
+	Both express roughly the same sentiment, but the first, cliché and generic as it is, can only point to territories of meaning. Yeats takes you there.
+
+	Clichés are prefabricated. You can string them together as easily as a guitarist strings his favorite licks into a solo (two Claptons + one Hendrix + three Pages + one Stevie Ray, etc.). The problem is, it isn't his solo. Using other people's licks is an excellent way to learn, but there is a next step: finding your own way of saying it. Clichés are other people's licks. They don't come from your emotions.
+
+	Look at the sample lists of clichĂ©s below. They're all familiar — maybe uncomfortably familiar.
+
+
+
+
+
+CLICHÉ PHRASES
+
+
+
+
+	 		 			 (way down) deep inside
+
+			 touch my (very) soul
+
+			 take my hand
+
+
+
+		 			 heart-to-heart
+
+			 eye to eye
+
+			 hand-in-hand
+
+
+
+		 			 side by side
+
+			 in and out
+
+			 face-to-face
+
+
+
+		 			 up and down
+
+			 by my side
+
+			 back and forth
+
+
+
+		 			 we've just begun
+
+			 hurts so bad
+
+			 walk out (that) door
+
+
+
+		 			 can't stand the pain
+
+			 can't take it
+
+			 feel the pain
+
+
+
+		 			 give me half a chance
+
+			 last chance
+
+			 gotta take a chance
+
+
+
+		 			 such a long time
+
+			 night and day
+
+			 take your time
+
+
+
+		 			 all night long
+
+			 the test of time
+
+			 the rest of time
+
+
+
+		 			 rest of my life
+
+			 someone like you
+
+			 end of time
+
+
+
+		 			 no one can take your place
+
+			 all my love
+
+			 no one like you
+
+
+
+		 			 lonely nights
+
+			 say you'll be mine
+
+			 losing sleep
+
+
+
+		 			 I'll get along
+
+			 how it used to be
+
+			 made up my mind
+
+
+
+		 			 calling out your name
+
+			 it's gonna be all right
+
+			 get down on my knees
+
+
+
+		 			 more than friends
+
+			 set me free
+
+			 end it all
+
+
+
+		 			 fooling around
+
+			 work it out
+
+			 had your fun
+
+
+
+		 			 heaven above
+
+			 true to you
+
+			 done you wrong
+
+
+
+		 			 break these chains
+
+			 kiss your lips
+
+			 back to me
+
+
+
+		 			 take it easy
+
+			 falling apart
+
+			 make you stay
+
+
+
+		 			 can't live without you
+
+			 taken for granted
+
+			 asking too much
+
+
+
+		 			 somebody else
+
+			 lost without you
+
+			 no tomorrow
+
+
+
+		 			 break my heart
+
+			 safe and warm
+
+			 give you my heart
+
+
+
+		 			 try one more time
+
+			 broken heart
+
+			 aching heart
+
+
+
+		 			 can't go on
+
+			 all we've been through
+
+			 want you / need you / love you
+
+
+
+		 			 keep holding on
+
+			 end of the line
+
+			 now or never
+
+
+
+		 			 always be true
+
+			 hold on
+
+			 over the hill
+
+
+
+		 			 pay the price
+
+			 never let you (me) go
+
+			 know for sure
+
+
+
+		 			 right or wrong
+
+			 rise above
+
+			 hold me tight
+
+
+
+		 			 what we're fighting for
+
+			 all we've done
+
+			 tear me apart
+
+
+
+		 			 you know it's true
+
+			 worth fighting for
+
+			 play the game
+
+
+
+		 			 hold me close
+
+			 nothing to lose
+
+			 see the light
+
+
+
+		 			 forget my foolish pride
+
+			 losing sleep
+
+			 oh baby
+
+
+
+		 			 drive me crazy
+
+			 treat me like a fool
+
+			 all my dreams come true
+
+
+
+		 			 going insane
+
+			 rhyme or reason
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	Clichés come effortlessly. It's no sweat to string them together and feel like you've said something:
+
+	She sits alone all day long
+
+The hours pass her by
+
+Every minute like the last
+
+A prisoner of time
+
+	It does say something, just nothing startling. It doesn't yank you by the hair into her room. No humming fluorescent lights. No faded lace curtains. You get to nap securely at a distance, untouched, uninvolved. Getting to the good stuff is harder work. Though clichés are great in a first or second draft as place markers for something better, don't ever mistake them for the real thing:
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+Till the sun moves down the floor
+
+Little squares of daylight
+
+Like a hundred times before
+
+
+
+
+
+CLICHÉ RHYMES
+
+
+	When you hear one of these, no need to lose sleep wondering what's coming next. Plop. Naptime.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 hand / understand / command
+
+			 eyes / realize / sighs / lies
+
+
+
+		 			 walk / talk
+
+			 fire / desire / higher
+
+
+
+		 			 kiss / miss
+
+			 burn / yearn / learn
+
+
+
+		 			 dance / chance / romance
+
+			 forever / together / never
+
+
+
+		 			 friend / end
+
+			 ache / break
+
+
+
+		 			 cry / die / try / lie / good-bye / deny
+
+			 tears / fears
+
+
+
+		 			 best / rest / test
+
+			 door / before / more
+
+
+
+		 			 love / above / dove
+
+			 heart / start / apart / part
+
+
+
+		 			 hide / inside / denied
+
+			 wrong / strong / song / long
+
+
+
+		 			 touch / much
+
+			 word / heard
+
+
+
+		 			 begun / done
+
+			 arms / charms / harm / warm
+
+
+
+		 			 blues / lose
+
+			 true / blue / through
+
+
+
+		 			 lover / discover / cover
+
+			 pain / rain / same
+
+
+
+		 			 light / night / sight / tight /
+
+			 stronger / longer
+
+
+
+		 			 fight /right
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 take it / make it / fake it / shake it
+
+			 maybe / baby
+
+
+
+		 			 change / rearrange
+
+			 knees / please
+
+
+
+	 	Most clichĂ© rhymes are perfect rhymes, a good reason to stretch into other rhyme types — family rhyme, additive and subtractive rhyme, and even assonance rhyme. These imperfect rhyme types are guaranteed fresh, and most listeners won't notice the difference.
+
+
+
+
+
+CLICHÉ IMAGES
+
+
+	These have been aired out so much they are mere whiffs of their former selves:
+
+
+
+
+
+	The best cure for cliché images is to dive into your own sense pool and discover images that communicate your feelings. What did your lover say? Where were you? What kind of car? What was the texture of the upholstery in the backseat? You get the idea.
+
+
+
+
+
+CLICHÉ METAPHORS
+
+
+	Review chapter three, “Making Metaphors.” There's no reason to keep sleepwalking in these yellow fogs.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Storm for anger, including thunder, lightning, dark clouds, flashing, wind, hurricane, tornado
+
+			 Darkness for ignorance, sadness, and loneliness, including night, blind, shadows
+
+
+
+		 			 Fire for love or passion, including burn, spark, heat, flame, too hot, consumed, burned, ashes
+
+			 Rain for tears
+
+
+
+		 			 Seasons for stages of life or relationships
+
+			 Prison, Prisoner used especially for love, includes chains, etc.
+
+
+
+		 			 Cold for emotional indifference, including ice, freeze, frozen
+
+			 Light for knowledge or happiness, including shine, sun, touch the sky, blinded by love, etc.
+
+
+
+		 			 Walls for protection from harm, especially from love
+
+			 Broken heart too numerous to mention
+
+
+
+		 			 Drown in love
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	I've listed enough clichés to keep whole herds of puppies asleep for decades. If you have a barking dog in the neighborhood, instead of yelling or telephoning your neighbor, try reading aloud from these lists in its general direction.
+
+
+
+
+
+FRIENDLY CLICHÉS
+
+
+	In some cases, you can use a cliché to your advantage. Put it in a context that brings out its original meaning or makes us see it in a new way. For example, I'll be seeing you, as a cliché, is a substitute for so long or good-bye. When Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal set it up, it's brand new:
+
+	I'll be seeing you
+
+In all the old familiar places 

+
+I'll be looking at the moon
+
+But I'll be seeing you
+
+	This passage implies good-bye, but only as an overtone of the primary meaning. The result is a combination: After we say good-bye, I'll see you everywhere.
+
+	David Wilcox slants it's all downhill from here to his advantage in “Top of the Roller Coaster” with this setup:
+
+	Say good-bye to your twenties
+
+Tomorrow is the big Three-O
+
+For your birthday present
+
+I've got a place where we can go
+
+It's a lesson in motion
+
+We'll ride the wildest ride
+
+We're going to climb to the top of the roller coaster
+
+And look down the other side
+
+	Let me ride in the front car
+
+You ride right behind
+
+And I'll click my snapshot camera
+
+At exactly the right time
+
+I'll shoot back over my shoulder
+
+Catch the fear no one can hide
+
+When we tip the top of the roller coaster
+
+And look down the other side
+
+Over the hill
+
+So when the prints come back
+
+We can look at that unmistakable birthday fear
+
+Like your younger days are over now
+
+And it's all downhill from here
+
+	He also gets a new look at over the hill and tiptop while he's at it. Neat.
+
+	Without a terrific setup, duck whenever you see a cliché. They come easy and from all directions, so it's difficult not to be infected. Your own senses and experiences are your best protection. So is brutal and resolute rewriting. I don't mean to sound revolutionary, but you might also try a diet of good literature and poetry. You are what you eat.
+
+	EXERCISE 10
+
+	For fun, try these two experiments. First, come up with your own lists of clichés, at least as long as my list above. (It won't be difficult.) Second, string some of yours and mine together into a verse / chorus / verse / chorus lyric, making sure nothing original sneaks in.
+
+	Knowledge brings responsibility. Now that you know the fundamental cause of puppy narcolepsy, you have a special responsibility to keep your writing sense-bound and original. No one likes a person who puts puppies to sleep.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SIX
+
+
+
+
+
+	PRODUCTIVE REPETITION
+
+
+	I
+
+
+
+	n its simplest form, this is the basic rule of songwriting: Keep your listeners interested all the way through your song. Get them with you from the beginning with a strong opening line, then keep them with you the rest of the way. Whether they stay or go is up to you.
+
+	In most songs, you'll repeat a line (refrain) or a section (chorus) two or three times. The danger is that once your listeners have heard something once, it will be less interesting the second and third time — like once, it will be less interesting the second and telling the same person the same joke three times in a row: Once you've heard it, it doesn't give you anything more the second or third time.
+
+	Your job as a songwriter is to make your repetition interesting and productive so that the same words deliver more each time. A bit of a challenge, eh?
+
+	It might be helpful to think about a song as a stack of boxes that are connected to each other, each one getting progressively larger. Think of each one gaining more weight, the last being the heaviest of the lot.
+
+	The first box begins the flow of ideas, introducing us to the song's world. The second box continues the idea, but from a different angle, combining the weight of the first box with the weight of the second. The last box builds from the first two, introducing its own angle and combining its idea with the first two, resulting in the heaviest box.
+
+
+
+
+
+	Assume you're working with the idea “I'd just like to know.”
+
+	Box 1: “Hi, it's nice to see you. You're looking good, and you're looking really happy. Are you? I hope you don't mind my asking. I'd just like to know.”'Sup I'd just like to know
+
+
+
+
+
+	Let's try to advance the idea and make the second box gain weight.
+
+	Box 2: “When you left, did you already know you were moving in with him? When I was out of town, did he come over to your place? Did you hide that picture of us you kept on your dresser? I suppose it doesn't matter now, but I'd just like to know.” D'ja cheat? I'd just like to know
+
+
+
+
+
+	See how the idea gains weight with the new information? It combines the first box, the meeting, with some history, giving the second box more weight and giving more impact to the title.
+
+	Box 3: “For me, a relationship is all about honesty. I want to be able to say everything to you, and for you to say everything to me. I don't want any secrets, no matter what. You could have told me about him. I wouldn't have tried to stop you. I'd just like to know.”
+
+
+
+
+
+	Box 3 combines or resolves all the information, and delivers the point of the song. It's often the “why” of the song — why I'm saying all this to you. It weighs the most.
+
+	Now, it's simply a matter of actually writing the song, but writing it knowing where you're going. You have an outline, a scaffold to hang your song on. You can bang around inside each box without being afraid of getting lost.
+
+	And don't be afraid to call your six best friends — who, what, where, when, why, and how — to ask them for specific suggestions. They're always helpful, especially when and where.
+
+
+
+
+
+VERSE DEVELOPMENT
+
+
+	Your verses are responsible for keeping listeners interested. The verses develop your idea; they are the basic tool to advance your concept, plot, or story. They get us ready to hear each chorus or refrain — they control the angle of entry and the way we see the repeated elements. Like the paragraphs of an essay, each one should focus on a separate idea.
+
+	Say you've written a song with only verses, and the verse summaries go something like:
+
+	Verse 1. The sheriff is the toughest man in town.
+
+	Verse 2. He is very strong and has a fast gun.
+
+	Verse 3. Everyone in town knows the sheriff is tough. They are afraid of him.
+
+	The ideas don't move much. These verses say pretty much the same thing in different words. Obviously, you'd probably have written it in more interesting language, using sense-bound images and metaphors, but no matter how you polished the language, it would only disguise the fact that something important is missing: development.
+
+	The only real fix is to take the idea new places:
+
+	Verse 1. The sheriff is the toughest man in town.
+
+	Verse 2. He is obsessed with a beautiful woman.
+
+	Verse 3. She is married to the weakest man in town.
+
+	The language is still bland and imageless. Yet now we want to know what happens next. We had no such curiosity about the first sequence.
+
+
+
+
+
+REPETITION
+
+
+	When you add a repeated element to these verses (a refrain or chorus), development becomes even more important. Stagnant verses will make your repeated element stagnant, too. The boxes won't grow. Watch:
+
+	Box 1
+
+	The sheriff is the toughest man in town.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	Box 2
+
+	He is very strong and has a fast gun.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	Box 3
+
+	Everyone in town knows the sheriff is tough.
+
+	They are afraid of him.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	The refrain suffers from the same disease as the verses: stagnation. Boredom is amplified. The boxes, at best, are all the same size — they don't gain any weight. More likely, the boxes lose weight. You can feel the letdown when you get to the second and third boxes. You can only fix stagnation by developing the ideas. Like this:
+
+	Box 1
+
+	The sheriff is the toughest man in town.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	Box 2
+
+	He is obsessed with a beautiful woman.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	Box 3
+
+	She is married to the weakest man in town.
+
+	Beware, beware. All hands beware.
+
+	Now each refrain gains weight. The boxes get progressively larger because the verse ideas move forward — they each introduce their own idea or angle. When a refrain (or chorus) attaches to verses that mean the same thing, the result is boredom. When it attaches to verses that develop the idea, it gains weight and impact. It dances.
+
+	What about changing the chorus each time? Some songs do exactly that, but the definition of a chorus is “many people singing together.” If you change the words each time, you'll be the only one able to sing it the second and third time. One person singing alone is called a soloist, not a chorus. If you change the words to a refrain each time, it isn't a refrain, just additional material.
+
+	Remember, you fix a stagnant chorus or refrain by doing the same thing you do if you have only verses — you develop the idea.
+
+	Don't waste your verses. Don't let them sit idle waiting for the hook to come around and rescue them. Too often, there won't be anyone around to witness the rescue.
+
+
+
+
+
+PUT SEPARATE IDEAS IN SEPARATE BOXES
+
+
+	Look at this lyric, “Strawberry Wine” by Matraca Berg and Gary Harrison:
+
+	He was working through college on my grandpa's farm
+
+I was thirsting for knowledge and he had a car
+
+I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child
+
+One restless summer we found love growing wild
+
+On the banks of the river on a well beaten path
+
+It's funny how those memories they last
+
+
+
+	Like strawberry wine and seventeen
+
+The hot July moon saw everything
+
+My first taste of love oh bittersweet
+
+Green on the vine
+
+Like strawberry wine
+
+
+
+	I still remember when thirty was old
+
+And my biggest fear was September when he had to go
+
+A few cards and letters and one long distance call
+
+We drifted away like the leaves in the fall
+
+But year after year I come back to this place
+
+Just to remember the taste
+
+	Of strawberry wine and seventeen
+
+The hot July moon saw everything
+
+My first taste of love oh bittersweet
+
+Green on the vine
+
+Like strawberry wine
+
+	The fields have grown over now
+
+Years since they've seen a plow
+
+There's nothing time hasn't touched
+
+Is it really him or the loss of my innocence
+
+I've been missing so much
+
+	Strawberry wine and seventeen
+
+The hot July moon saw everything
+
+My first taste of love oh bittersweet
+
+Green on the vine
+
+Like strawberry wine
+
+	What a nice lyric. The specific images really take you there, involve your own sense memories, involve you in the song. And I love the bridge, using the grandpa's fields as a metaphor for life and experience. And the chorus, from the title right on through until the end, grows each time we hear it.
+
+	Who drinks strawberry wine? Kids. Strawberry wine has both the taste of soda pop (childhood) and the danger of alcohol (adulthood). Besides which, it's cheap. It's the perfect vehicle for a song about coming of age, moving from childhood to adulthood.
+
+	Watch the boxes develop:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Each new verse idea builds on the last and adds weight to the song, enlarging the boxes. Each line gains weight each time we see it. The last chorus is the most powerful.
+
+	If we simply look at the line the hot July moon saw everything, we'll see the weight gain clearly:
+
+	Box 1: The hot July moon saw us down by the river having our first experience.
+
+	Box 2: The hot July moon knew that our love, like so many before (“well-beaten path”), wouldn't last.
+
+	Box 3: The hot July moon knew that, over time, we'd become unable to experience the innocence and power of first love — accumulated experiences would create too much awareness — “the fields have grown over now.”
+
+	The moon grows from an observer to a prophet and predictor of the future. It becomes a bigger and bigger moon, needing bigger and bigger boxes. When you write a chorus, each line you include has the same responsibility: to be able to gain weight.
+
+	Now look at this lyric, “Between Fathers and Sons” from John Jarvis and Gary Nicholson:
+
+	My father had so much to tell me
+
+Things he said I had to know
+
+Don't make my mistakes
+
+There are rules you can't break
+
+But I had to find out on my own
+
+
+
+	Now when I look at my own son
+
+I know what my father went through
+
+There's only so much you can do
+
+You're proud when they walk
+
+Scared when they run
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	Your mother will try to protect you
+
+Hold you as long as she can
+
+But the higher you climb
+
+The more you can see
+
+That's something that I understand
+
+One day you'll look at your own son
+
+There'll be so much that you want to say
+
+But he'll have to find his own way
+
+On the road he must take
+
+The course he must run
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	Another nice lyric. For me, it really hits home, especially in the first chorus. It touches both the son and the father in me.
+
+	“Between Fathers and Sons” is made up of two boxes. Verses one and two plus the first chorus make up box one. Verses three and four plus the second chorus make the second box. Let's look at the first box:
+
+	My father had so much to tell me
+
+Things he said I ought to know
+
+Don't make my mistakes
+
+There are rules you can't break
+
+But I had to find out on my own
+
+	The speaker looks back at his father's attempts to help smooth the way ahead, and his own unwillingness to listen. Stubborn kid. Had to do it for himself when all that help was available.
+
+	Now when I look at my own son
+
+I know what my father went through
+
+There's only so much you can do
+
+You're proud when they walk
+
+Scared when they run
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	Now the speaker is the father, going through the same things with his own son. He understands what he did to his father, but understands that it was necessary, perhaps even inevitable.
+
+	That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	I love the structure of the verse — how it tosses in an extra line (line three), refuses to rhyme lines four and five, then extends the last line to focus our attention on the title. Lovely moves. Now the chorus:
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	So far, very effective stuff. I've been interested the whole time. What a nifty chorus. I love the play on cross:
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+	and I love the metaphor
+
+	You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	The river is a divider of generations, but it's also the connector of generations. Between means “separation,” but it also means “from one to the other.” The pattern repeats from father to son to father to son to father. Neat word play. Both the message and the fancy dancing sweep me along. Now look at the second box:
+
+	Your mother will try to protect you
+
+Hold you as long as she can
+
+But the higher you climb
+
+The more you can see
+
+That's something that I understand
+
+	This sounds familiar. Not that I've seen things from the mother's perspective yet, but I have seen the father — in fact, both fathers — trying to protect the child. I've also seen the child trying to go beyond the parents. Not that this information isn't interesting, it's just not new. The ideas (if not the exact perspectives — she and you) have been covered. This doesn't bode well for the second chorus. We'll need development rather than restatement to keep repetition interesting.
+
+	One day you'll look at your own son
+
+There'll be so much that you want to say
+
+But he'll have to find his own way
+
+On the road he must take
+
+The course he must run
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	Oops. I know I've been here before. It's verse two with I changed to you. No need to try to universalize verse four with you. The idea was already universal. The second chorus is a goner. It can't help but say exactly the same thing as the first chorus.
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	It isn't so much that there is no advancement of the idea in verses three and four, there just isn't enough to give us a new look at the chorus when we get there. The power of this lovely chorus is diminished rather than enlarged the second time around, and we leave the song less interested than we were in the middle. Both boxes are the same size. Let's see if we can make the second box grow.
+
+	The song contains two perspectives: a son looking at his father, and the son as father. If the first box could focus only on the son looking at his father, saying:
+
+	My father had so much to tell me
+
+Things he said I ought to know
+
+Don't make my mistakes
+
+There are rules you can't break
+
+But I had to find out on my own
+
+	Verse two idea (in prose):
+
+	I kept him at arm's length.
+
+I didn't want him interfering with my life.
+
+He kept trying, but I wouldn't let him.
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	Now move into the chorus:
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	We see the first chorus from the son's point of view, colored only by the son's eyes. Now the second box is free to look from the other side of the river:
+
+	Now when I look at my own son
+
+I know what my father went through
+
+There's only so much you can do
+
+You're proud when they walk
+
+Scared when they run
+
+That's how it always has been between fathers and sons
+
+	It's a bridge you can't cross
+
+It's a cross you can't bear
+
+It's the words you can't say
+
+The things you can't change
+
+No matter how much you care
+
+So you do all you can
+
+Then you've gotta let go
+
+You're just part of the flow
+
+Of the river that runs between fathers and sons
+
+	The father's perspective colors the second chorus. It becomes — for me, at least — more interesting than the first chorus. Here is a simple principle for division of labor: Put separate ideas in separate boxes.
+
+	The problem in “Between Fathers and Sons” is that both ideas are in the first box, leaving the lyric no place new to go. Separating the ideas into separate boxes makes both choruses fresh.
+
+
+
+
+
+DEVELOPMENT TIPS
+
+
+	The principle of division of labor has practical applications for your song. Say you've written a verse whose summary is:
+
+	You are really wonderful
+
+And I've been looking for someone just like you
+
+We should be together
+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	It's difficult to see where to go next. It feels like everything's been covered. Perhaps it might help to separate the perspectives, dividing the idea into the three different perspectives: (1) you, (2) I (me), and (3) we.
+
+	Box 1: You are amazing. And beautiful. Your blonde hair flows over your milky-white complexion like chicken gravy over mashed potatoes

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	Box 2: I've been looking for a codependent relationship for a long time. Someone who'll mother me and let me do whatever I want to

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	Box 3: We'll always be together. Everyone I've ever loved is still with me
in the downstairs freezer

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	Okay, just kidding. But you can see how the boxes gain weight by separating the perspectives. Call it the “you-I-we” formula for lyric development: Each verse focuses from a different perspective. It's a nice guideline for dividing your verses' jobs.
+
+	Or this — you write a verse that says:
+
+	We were so good together
+
+But now everything's falling apart
+
+What's going to happen to us?
+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	This idea contains three tenses: past, present, and future. Try separating them into separate boxes:
+
+	Box 1: We used to smile and laugh together, etc., so much in

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	Box 2: Everything's turned sour. What happened to

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	Box 3: Can we work to stay together, or drift away, only remembering how it felt to be in

+
+	Love Love Love
+
+Love Love Love
+
+	So tense can also provide access to verse development, just like perspective can. Sometimes one or the other will be just what you need; other times, like any formula, they could take the freshness out of your writing. Be aware of these techniques, just beware of letting them become a habit in your writing.
+
+	One more tip: Just because you wrote a verse first doesn't mean it's your first verse. Give yourself two chances. Don't just ask “Where do I go next?” Try asking “What happened before this?”
+
+	Thinking about boxes from the outset, the minute an idea comes, is by far the best remedy for “second-verse hell” (songwriters' term for “Where do I go next?”).
+
+	It's better when you find an idea that contains the DNA of its own development, or when plot does the development work. Look at this lyric, “One More Dollar” from Gillian Welch:
+
+	A long time ago I left my home
+
+For a job in the fruit trees
+
+But I missed those hills with the windy pines
+
+For their song seemed to suit me
+
+So I sent my wages to my home
+
+Said we'd soon be together
+
+For the next good crop would pay my way
+
+And I would come home forever
+
+	One more dime to show for my day
+
+One more dollar and I'm on my way
+
+When I reach those hills, boys
+
+I'll never roam
+
+One more dollar and I'm going home
+
+	No work said the boss at the bunk house door
+
+There's a freeze on the branches
+
+So when the dice came out at the bar downtown
+
+I rolled and I took my chances
+
+	One more dime to show for my day
+
+One more dollar and I'm on my way
+
+When I reach those hills, boys
+
+I'll never roam
+
+One more dollar and I'm going home
+
+	A long time ago I left my home
+
+Just a boy passing twenty
+
+Could you spare a coin and a Christian prayer
+
+For my luck has turned against me
+
+	One more dime to show for my day
+
+One more dollar and I'm on my way
+
+When I reach those hills, boys
+
+I'll never roam
+
+One more dollar and I'm going home
+
+	Wonderful stuff. See how the lyric pulls us in with its sense-bound imagery, turning us into participants rather than observers? Her words are full of our stuff. And look at the lyrics using the box structure. Watch how the chorus gains weight, transforming the meaning of the chorus each time:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Each verse moves the story forward, making chances of getting home more and more remote. Great stuff!
+
+	Let's take a look at one last example, this one with a challenge in it. In this lyric, “Unanswered Prayers” written by Pat Alger, Garth Brooks, and Larry B. Bastian, the first two verses work to set up a clear situation:
+
+	Just the other night at a hometown football game
+
+My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
+
+And as I introduced them the past came back to me
+
+And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be
+
+She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
+
+And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
+
+And if he'd only grant me that wish I'd wished back then
+
+I'd never ask for anything again
+
+	Now comes the punch line:
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	With all the information we have so far, it's a little difficult to see how to develop the story much further. Here's verse three:
+
+	She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
+
+And I could tell that time had changed me in her eyes too it seemed
+
+We tried to talk about the old days, there wasn't much we
+
+could recall
+
+I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all
+
+	Now follow it with the chorus:
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	Is there anything gained? Not much. The boxes are roughly the same size. We already knew, from the combination of the first two verses and the chorus, how thankful he was not to be with his old girlfriend. This verse just elaborates on the same theme, giving us a few more details, including the old girlfriend's attitude. And the final line, I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all, just repeats the idea just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care.
+
+	In short, the second chorus is destined to die an ignominious death right there in front of everybody. Now the song moves into a bridge, followed by a third chorus:
+
+	And as she walked away I looked at my wife
+
+And then and there I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	Much better. I had forgotten about the wife. The third chorus is interesting again; it gains weight by adding the wife. Go back and read the bridge followed by the whole chorus.
+
+	The wife becomes God's greatest gift. A lovely payoff.
+
+	Two out of three choruses work great, but the song sags at the second chorus. There isn't enough new information in verse three to make the chorus interesting. Other than leaving it alone as good enough (two out of three ain't bad 
), what would you do?
+
+	One possibility might be to reintroduce the wife in verse three and skip the bridge entirely, like this:
+
+	She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
+
+And I could tell that time had changed me in her eyes too it seemed
+
+As she turned and walked away I looked at my wife
+
+And recognized the gift I'd been given in my life
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	Now the song is a simple three verse, two chorus layout with both choruses doing their work. Read the entire lyric and watch how each chorus changes:
+
+	Just the other night at a hometown football game
+
+My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
+
+And as I introduced them the past came back to me
+
+And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be
+
+She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
+
+And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
+
+And if he'd only grant me that wish I'd wished back then
+
+I'd never ask for anything again
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
+
+And I could tell that time had changed me in her eyes too it seemed
+
+As she turned and walked away I looked at my wife
+
+And recognized the gift I'd been given in my life
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	Very effective movement.
+
+	Okay, you caught me. I lied. The original version of the lyric that I gave you isn't the way the song was recorded. They did try to do it as verse / verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus, but it made the song, in Pat Alger's words, “feel too long.” Another way of saying the song sagged, and listeners would lose interest. So what did they cut out?
+
+	Here's their solution, as recorded by Garth Brooks:
+
+	Just the other night at a hometown football game
+
+My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
+
+And as I introduced them the past came back to me
+
+And I couldn't help but think of the way things used to be
+
+	She was the one that I'd wanted for all times
+
+And each night I'd spend prayin' that God would make her mine
+
+And if he'd only grant me that wish I'd wished back then
+
+I'd never ask for anything again
+
+Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	She wasn't quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
+
+And I could tell that time had changed me in her eyes too it seemed
+
+We tried to talk about the old days, there wasn't much we could recall
+
+I guess the Lord knows what he's doin' after all
+
+	And as she walked away I looked at my wife
+
+And then and there I thanked the good Lord for the gifts in my life
+
+	Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
+
+Remember when you're talkin' to the man upstairs
+
+That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
+
+Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
+
+	They left out the second chorus and went immediately to the bridge — an unusual formal move, especially in commercial music. But it works; both choruses shine, and we stay interested in the song all the way through.
+
+	Keeping the bridge gives the music a chance to breathe, since the verse lines are long and the tempo is slow. Creating a contrasting section helps the overall flow of the song. The formal risk pays off, creating interest and contrast at the same time. Put this move in your toolbox. It could come in handy.
+
+	Of course, there are no rules. The solution to the question “Where do I go now?” changes with every song. Sometimes it's even the wrong question. Just because you wrote a verse first doesn't mean it's the first verse. Instead of asking “Where do I go now?” it may help to ask “Where did I get here from?” Get used to juggling and trying new things.
+
+	EXERCISE 11
+
+	Here's your assignment: Write three verses, each one ending with the line ashes, ashes, all fall down. (Call the line a refrain, because it's a part of the verse rather than a separate section.) You're writing a three-system song: verse / refrain / verse / refrain / verse / refrain.
+
+	Each verse / refrain system should advance the story line to the next place. Certainly ashes, ashes, all fall down has the element of childhood games in it. But where else could it go?
+
+	 	As a child, he sang in a circle with his playmates.
+
+	He volunteered to serve his country in the Great War. In the trenches, he suffered from shell shock and battle fatigue.
+
+	?
+
+
+
+
+
+	Maybe do some research on World War I and life in the trenches, looking for images and words that work both for childhood and for the war. Do some object writing to get something from your own sense pool. Try to see each idea you find as a metaphor for other parts of the lyric. For example, falling down certainly can go beyond the childhood game. Childhood dreams can fall. So can innocence. Bombs, rockets, and soldiers, too. What else?
+
+	Try to find ideas for the first box first, the childhood section. Then the second box, from the giggling child to the ashen face of the shell-shocked soldier, the dust from the rockets and gunpowder. Then find an angle for the third section — it shouldn't be too difficult. He certainly could tumble like a child whenever a door slams.
+
+	Go ahead and write the whole lyric. Remember that each verse should have its own job to do. Make the third box gain weight. Above all, take your time. This is a process. Enjoy it.
+
+
+
+
+
+LINES WITHIN LINES
+
+
+	Generally speaking, as you write a song, you should be keeping your eyes peeled for something you can repeat. Something catchy or emotional. Something profound or funky, or something beautifully said. Something people might sing along to.
+
+	So how do you know what to repeat? Maybe the words just feel good in your mouth. Maybe there's a lot of internal sound making it easy and fun to sing, such as:
+
+	Peaceful, easy feeling
+
+	There can be many reasons to repeat a line or a section, but let's take a look at one big one: The words we repeat stay interesting when we say them again. They gain something more when we repeat them, even gain something more because we repeat them.
+
+	Of course, that was the whole message of the boxes: Keep your listeners interested and engaged all the way through the song. You already know that the chorus should mean more the second time around. You're already a responsible citizen in the world of chorus repetition. You already practice productive repetition.
+
+	The second chorus of “Strawberry Wine” weighs more than the first chorus, because the second verse adds the weight of a fleeting summer romance to the first verse's picture of love on the riverbank. As we sing along, we feel something more than we did the first time. Productive repetition.
+
+	The second refrain of “Still Crazy After All These Years” adds the weight of cynicism and denial to the encounter with an old lover in verse one. We learn more about what kind of crazy he is, and how deep it runs. Productive repetition.
+
+	When we hear the repeated first verse at the end of Suzanne Vega's “Luka” or Joni Mitchell's “Roses Blue,” we feel much more, having learned about the characters through the course of the songs. We know Luka's plight, though we didn't understand it the first time. We finally see the singer's predicament at the end of “Roses Blue.” Productive repetition.
+
+	In each case, the repetition is productive because it gives the words more weight the second and third times than they had the first time. That's something useful. It keeps your listeners interested all the way through the song, and maybe even singing along.
+
+	Repetition can work on smaller scales, too. Not just when you repeat a section or a line, but inside a line itself.
+
+	Watch this, from Joni Mitchell's “Roses Blue”:
+
+	In sorrow she can lure you
+
+where she wants you Inside your own self-pity there you swim
+
+In sinking down to drown her voice still haunts you
+
+And only with your laughter can you win
+
+Can you win? Can you win?
+
+	In the last two lines, by simply isolating and repeating a portion of the line, can you win, she moves from a declarative sentence into a question, creating new energy and adding a new idea — in this case, the character's uncertainty whether winning (laughter) is possible.
+
+	Think of it as hunting for hidden treasures. Learn to start looking at sentences not just for meaning, but for little pieces of meaning that can be isolated and repeated, giving additional information or emphasis.
+
+	Look at this question:
+
+	Who do you love?
+
+	It starts with one of the interrogative pronouns (who, what, when, where, why, how). It also contains the auxiliary verb do. What if you drop who? It becomes:
+
+	Do you love?
+
+	Now you've got a brand new question. Simply repeat that smaller piece:
+
+	Who do you love? Do you love?
+
+	You've isolated a part of the sentence and repeated it, giving a new meaning. You can do it with the other interrogative pronouns, too:
+
+	What do you love? Do you love?
+
+When do I love? Do I love?
+
+Where do you go? Do you go?
+
+Why do you laugh? Do you laugh?
+
+How do you know? Do you know?
+
+	The auxiliary verb do can also introduce a question. That's what makes it work. You can do the same thing with the past and future tense, did and will:
+
+	Who did you love? Did you love?
+
+What did you try? Did you try?
+
+When did I know? Did I know?
+
+Where did you go? Did you go?
+
+Why did you laugh? Did you laugh?
+
+How did you know? Did you know?
+
+	Who will you love? Will you love?
+
+What will you try? Will you try?
+
+When will I know? Will I know?
+
+Where will you go? Will you go?
+
+Why will you laugh? Will you laugh?
+
+How will you know? Will you know?
+
+	How about the subjunctive (can, could, should, would) with the interrogative pronouns? Simply delete the pronoun:
+
+	Who can you love? Can you love?
+
+	Who could you love? Could you love?
+
+	Who should you love? Should you love?
+
+	Who would you love? Would you love?
+
+	(I'll leave it to you to fill out the other interrogative pronouns.)
+
+	You can find lots of opportunities for productive repetition. It's easy if you stay alert, as Joni Mitchell did when she discovered a question inside a statement:
+
+	And only with your laughter can you win
+
+Can you win? Can you win?
+
+	Declarative sentences (or “statements”) often can be easy prey for productive repetition. If the subject of the sentence is you, and the verb is present tense, there's usually a command (imperative) lurking, waiting to be isolated:
+
+	You tell me that you want me.
+
+	Just delete the subject, isolating the verb, and presto, you have yourself a command:
+
+	Tell me that you want me.
+
+	And even:
+
+	Want me.
+
+	Note that this trick doesn't work in third person, since third person adds an s to the verb. You create only simple repetition — no command is isolated: She tells me that she wants me. Tells me that she wants me. Wants me.
+
+	Try it with:
+
+	You give me everything I need.
+
+	It becomes:
+
+	Give me everything I need.
+
+	You can isolate commands from questions using second-person direct address. For example:
+
+	Will you love me?
+
+	Love me.
+
+	Whenever you are working with present-tense verbs, look for the opportunity to repeat, starting from the verb, to create a command. Remember that this technique only works in first person and second person, not third person.
+
+	With past-tense or future-tense verbs, you can use the infinitive (to) form of the verb, so the verb can be isolated, creating a present-tense command:
+
+	Did (past) you want to win my heart? Win my heart.
+
+	He loved (past) to walk alone. Walk alone.
+
+	Won't (future) you try to walk alone?
+
+	Try to walk alone.
+
+	Walk alone.
+
+	Neat, huh?
+
+	When you move from one type of sentence to another, you create an energy boost that takes the emotion to a new level. It's just as a matter of practice. When you're writing a song, stay alert for chances to ask a question or give a command. It'll engage your listeners.
+
+	In general, be alert to the smaller grammatical units in your lines.
+
+	Sometimes they can do something really special.
+
+	Do something really special.
+
+	Would you like to be a better writer?
+
+	Be a better writer.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	VERSE DEVELOPMENT AND POWER POSITIONS
+
+
+	B
+
+
+
+	oxes represent the movement of ideas. They are form neutral. A series of three boxes can represent almost any formal movement:
+
+	 	verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus
+
+	verse / refrain / verse / refrain / bridge / verse / refrain (AABA)
+
+	verse / pre-chorus / chorus / verse / pre-chorus / chorus / bridge / chorus
+
+	verse / chorus / verse / chorus / verse / chorus
+
+
+
+	Boxes only show how the ideas evolve, regardless of the specific form you use. In this chapter, we'll look a little closer at the responsibility your verses have in making your boxes gain weight.
+
+	Think of your verses as colored spotlights. They shine their lights on their chorus or refrain. If two verses project exactly the same color, their choruses will look the same. If they project different or deeper colors, the choruses will look different.
+
+	When you keep your verses interesting and keep your idea moving forward, you'll have little trouble lighting up your chorus or refrain in different ways. You don't have to use formulas. You don't have to introduce a whole new cast of characters. You just have to pay attention.
+
+	Let's look at the verse development in Beth Nielsen Chapman's “Child Again.” Each verse projects a deeper color on its chorus, enlarging our way of seeing it, keeping it interesting. We'll look at two areas of this lovely lyric:
+
+	 	Its use of repetition: Because of strong verse development, the chorus becomes a deeper and more interesting color each time we see it.
+
+	Its power positions light up the chorus with the right color from the right angle to put crucial ideas in the strongest focus.
+
+
+
+	Here is the full lyric of “Child Again”:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+Till the sun moves down the floor
+
+Little squares of daylight
+
+Like a hundred times before
+
+She's taken to the garden
+
+For the later afternoon
+
+Just before her dinner
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Like a child again
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	The family comes on Sunday
+
+And they hover for a while
+
+They fill her room with chatter
+
+And they form a line of smiles
+
+Children of her children
+
+Bringing babies of their own
+
+Sometimes she remembers
+
+Then her mama calls her home
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Like a child again
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Bridge (duet)
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 It's raining it's pouring
+
+			 It's raining
+
+
+
+		 			 The old man is snoring
+
+			 Come out and play with me
+
+
+
+		 			 Bumped his head on the edge of the bed
+
+			 And bring your dollies three
+
+
+
+		 			 And he never got up in the morning
+
+			 Climb up my apple tree
+
+
+
+		 			 Rain rain go away
+
+			 Slide down my rain barrel
+
+
+
+		 			 Come again another day
+
+			 Into my cellar door
+
+
+
+		 			 Little Johnny wants to play
+
+			 And we'll be jolly friends
+
+
+
+		 			 Some more
+
+			 Forever more
+
+
+
+	 	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Like a child again
+
+
+
+
+
+First Verse Focus
+
+
+	The first verse contains three scenes, each one showing the old woman being taken somewhere. She is physically helpless, a focus firmly established right away:
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+Till the sun moves down the floor
+
+Little squares of daylight
+
+Likes a hundred times before
+
+	This helplessness is reiterated by the following two scenes:
+
+	She's taken to the garden
+
+For the later afternoon
+
+	Just before her dinner
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	These scenes color the first chorus with helplessness. We see her helpless in the nursing home, being taken everywhere, but the chorus tells us:
+
+	Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Like a child again
+
+	We enter the chorus knowing her situation, and we are swept back to a time when she was running in the summer wind / Like a child again.
+
+	Since the verse puts her in a wheelchair, being taken and returned, we can't help but see running as a contrast. We interpret the chorus in the light of the verse.
+
+
+
+
+
+Second Verse Focus
+
+
+	The second box turns the color of her relatives:
+
+	The family comes on Sunday
+
+And they hover for a while
+
+They fill her room with chatter
+
+And they form a line of smiles
+
+	What terrific lines. Four generations are present in her room; no doubt she has little connection with the younger generations, nor do they have much with her:
+
+	Children of her children
+
+Bringing babies of their own
+
+	She tries to pay attention, but her mind wanders off:
+
+	Sometimes she remembers
+
+Then her mama calls her home
+
+	Chorus 2
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+	When the chorus repeats, we see her as a child with her own mother, a color carefully arranged by the second verse's focus on family. The emphasis is no longer on her running, but on the family (her mama) that she runs to, surrounded as she is by strangers. The second chorus lights up brilliantly, a new and different color made possible by strong verse development.
+
+	The bridge (an overlay of old-fashioned children's songs) is the coup de grĂące. It shows us the colors of childhood inside her mind, or, more accurately, inside our own minds when we were children:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It's raining it's pouring
+
+			 It's raining
+
+
+
+		 			 The old man is snoring
+
+			 Come out and play with me
+
+
+
+		 			 Bumped his head on the edge of the bed
+
+			 And bring your dollies three
+
+
+
+		 			 And he couldn't get up in the morning
+
+			 Climb up my apple tree
+
+
+
+		 			 Rain rain go away
+
+			 Slide down my rain barrel
+
+
+
+		 			 Come again another day
+
+			 Into my cellar door
+
+
+
+		 			 Little Johnny wants to play
+
+			 And we'll be jolly friends
+
+
+
+		 			 Some more
+
+			 Forever more
+
+
+
+	 	In our third and final look at the chorus, we see her with new eyes:
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind
+
+Like a child again
+
+	We see where she really is, back again with her mama, able to run home. Reality is doubled and reflected, colored by our knowledge that she is destined to follow her own mother all too soon, as inevitably as the generations crowding into her room will follow her. That is part of the point of showing us the children in the second verse, then showing her as a child running to her mama.
+
+	Many families visit relatives in nursing homes, and most leave saddened, often thinking, “She's losing it. She didn't even remember us.” But to see their loved one in this new light for the first time running in the summer wind / Like a child again is an emotional revelation. It is this startling insight into the mind of the old woman that lights up radio station switchboards wherever “Child Again” is aired.
+
+
+
+
+
+POWER POSITIONS
+
+
+	The opening and closing lines of any lyric section are naturally strong. They are bathed in spotlights. If you want people to notice an important idea, put it in the lights of a power position, and you will communicate the idea more forcefully. (For a full treatment of power positions, read my book Songwriting: Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure.) Look at the opening line of “Child Again”: She's wheeled into the hallway.
+
+	Closing lines are also power positions, another place to light up an important idea. In “Child Again,” the closing line prepares us to enter the chorus. I call it a trigger position, because it releases us into the chorus, carrying whatever the line says with us, and therefore we see the chorus in the light of the idea, They return her to her room.
+
+	Look at the first line and the last line of “Child Again” in combination, and you'll see how they focus the meaning of the chorus:
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind 

+
+Like a child again
+
+	Look at verse one carefully, and you'll see that it really contains two parts. The rhythm is basic common meter (like Mary had a little lamb), alternating first and third long phrases with shorter phrases in the second and fourth positions:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 rhyme
+
+			 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 She's whéeled ínto the hållway
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 While the sĂșn moves dĂłwn the flĂłor
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 LĂ­ttle squĂĄres of dĂĄylight
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 Like a hĂșndred tĂ­mes befĂłre
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	After these four lines, things are balanced. The structure has resolved. This creates a new beginning at line five — another power position. Look how it's used:
+
+	She's taken to the garden
+
+For the later afternoon
+
+Just before her dinner
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	Taken is the first stressed syllable. Of the eight lines in the verse, two are opening positions, and two are closing positions. Look at the entire verse and see what messages the power positions communicate:
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+While the sun moves down the floor
+
+Little squares of daylight
+
+Like a hundred times before
+
+She's taken to the garden
+
+For the later afternoon
+
+Just before her dinner
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	Chapman makes sure we enter the first chorus from the angle of physical helplessness. She uses her power positions — the first and last positions of the verse, plus the ending and beginning of its subsections — to lock our focus in, forcing us to see the first chorus the color she wants us to. Neat.
+
+
+
+
+
+Not So Powerful Power Positions
+
+
+	Look what happens with different ideas in the power positions:
+
+	While the sun moves down the hallway
+
+She's wheeled out from her room
+
+So many times she's been there
+
+As the squares of daylight move
+
+Then later in the garden
+
+She's taken out of doors
+
+They return her for her dinner
+
+Down the hallway's polished floors
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind

+
+Like a child again
+
+	Even though the beauty of the original verse has suffered, the ideas haven't really changed, only their placement has changed. Look at the information that's in the power positions now:
+
+	While the sun moves down the hallway
+
+As the squares of daylight move
+
+Then later in the garden
+
+Down the hallway's polished floors
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+	She is running in the summer wind

+
+	Because the power positions focus us elsewhere, the chorus seems to stress her escape from routine rather than her physical disability.
+
+
+
+
+
+Power Positions in Verse Two
+
+
+	The second verse introduces a different color with its opening and closing phrases:
+
+	The family comes on Sunday
+
+Then her mama calls her home
+
+	This verse shifts focus to her room, where she is surrounded on Sunday by family visitors. They are external to her, shown by the brilliant metaphor closing the first subsection:
+
+	And they form a line of smiles
+
+	The family visits, mostly with each other. They are probably sad that she's “so out of touch,” even though some of them are virtual strangers, four generations away.
+
+	The family seems almost oblivious as she seems to slip in and out of their reality. They don't have a clue of where she really is. The trigger line sets up the contrast between the external and the internal:
+
+	The family comes on Sunday
+
+And they hover for a while
+
+They fill her room with chatter
+
+And they form a line of smiles
+
+Children of her children
+
+Bringing babies of their own
+
+Sometimes she remembers
+
+Then her mama calls her home
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind 

+
+Like a child again
+
+	The power positions in this verse force the new color onto the chorus. Outside, the generations chatter on; inside lies a place of peace, memory, and happiness.
+
+	Each verse works beautifully to set up its special view of the chorus. The accumulation of the two systems delivers the knockout:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	She's wheeled into the hallway
+
+Like a hundred times before
+
+She's taken to the garden
+
+They return her to her room
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind 

+
+Like a child again
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	The family comes on Sunday
+
+And they form a line of smiles
+
+Children of her children
+
+Then her mama calls her home
+
+	Chorus
+
+	And inside her mind
+
+She is running in the summer wind 

+
+Like a child again
+
+	Because her body is helpless, and because she is frustrated by the world her relatives seem so comfortable in, she seeks comfort in a kinder, gentler place away from boredom, routine, and frustration.
+
+	After the bridge shows us the colors of childhood again with her, old age becomes accessible; finally, we understand. That's the power of a perfectly developed song: It changes our way of looking at our lives and our surroundings.
+
+
+
+
+
+More Power Positions
+
+
+	Opening and closing phrases are not the only way to create power positions. Wherever you create a special effect with your structure, you call attention to what you are saying. This extra focus gives the position its power. This one creates several power positions:
+
+	Mary had a little lamb
+
+Its fleece was white as snow
+
+And everywhere that Mary went
+
+The lamb would go, indeed
+
+He goes wherever Mary leads
+
+He follows with devoted speed
+
+	The opening phrase, as usual, is a power position. So is the fourth phrase, since we expect it to close the section. But it gains extra punch by rhyming early, at the second rather than the third stress. Phrase five is unexpected, adding special interest. The final phrase is the most powerful of the bunch.
+
+	Look at all the power generated in this pretty structure in “Slow Healing Heart” by Jim Rushing:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 When I left I left walking wounded
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 I made my escape from the rain
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Still a prisoner of hurt
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 I had months worth of work
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Freeing my mind of the pain
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 I had hours of sitting alone in the dark
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Listening to sad songs and coming apart
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Lord knows I made crying an art
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+	 	When the third phrase ends short, the acceleration gets our attention. Then the fourth phrase chimes in, and the fifth phrase closes with a rhyme. Six is another opening and calls extra attention to its length. I could argue that seven is a power position as well, but I won't. Five out of nine is plenty of action, a tribute to interesting structures. We'll see more of this in later chapters.
+
+	Moral: First be aware of where your power positions are: opening positions, closing positions, and surprises, like shorter, longer, or extra lines. Pay attention as you create them, then put something important there. Everything will come up rosy, seafoam green, Tangiers blue, sun yellow 

+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHT
+
+
+
+
+
+	TRAVELOGUES
+
+
+	VERSE CONTINUITY
+
+	W
+
+
+
+	e've all seen travelogues. Ah, fabulous Hawaii — majestic mountains, pipeline surfing, luxury hotels, exotic cuisine. The places may be interesting, but as a film, a travelogue is dull, dull, dull. Its elements have no natural continuity. What do majestic mountains have to do with twenty-foot waves featuring pipeline surfing? What have either of these to do with elegant hotels and Oriental cuisine? Their only links are accidents of geography: They are all part of fabulous Hawaii!
+
+	A travelogue not only makes for a dull movie, it makes for dull verse development in a lyric. Look at this lyric summary:
+
+	Verse 1: Police brutality is a common problem in large cities.
+
+Refrain: Streets are turning deadly in the dark.
+
+	Verse 2: Car bombs are becoming more common as a terrorist weapon.
+
+Refrain: Streets are turning deadly in the dark.
+
+	Verse 3: More prostitutes carry the AIDS virus every year.
+
+Refrain: Streets are turning deadly in the dark.
+
+	What's going on here? What does police brutality have to do with car bombs or prostitutes with AIDS? Nothing, except that they are all part of fabulous Streets are turning deadly in the dark. Aside from their connection to the refrain, the elements have no natural relationship — they don't belong together.
+
+	Verse development should mean verse relationship. Your verses should have a good reason to hang out together. When verses are in the same lyric only because you're taking a tour of the title, you likely have a travelogue on your hands.
+
+	Okay, so no one would actually write something like that, right? Wrong. In fact, it happens all the time — all too often in songs with serious political, ethical, or religious messages. This series of ideas is typical:
+
+	Verse 1: We're screwing up our planet.
+
+Refrain: We're losing the human race.
+
+	Verse 2: We're killing each other in stupid wars.
+
+Refrain: We're losing the human race.
+
+	Verse 3: We ignore our poor and homeless.
+
+Refrain: We're losing the human race.
+
+	No matter how well written and interesting these verses get, the basic defect remains: The verses don't work together to accumulate power — they are simply a travelogue of human ineptitude. Important ideas deserve the most powerful presentation you can muster.
+
+	Your lyric accumulates power when your verses work together — using each verse to prepare what comes next. It's like starting avalanches. If you go a third of the way up the mountain and start three separate avalanches from different spots, you'll cause some damage to the town below, but not nearly as much as if you'd gone to the top and rolled one snowball all the way down. Speed and power accumulate and sweep everything away. The town is devastated. The boxes gain weight and power as the snow plummets down the mountain.
+
+	In a travelogue, all the boxes are the same size.
+
+	There's no real connection (other than the title) between the verses. The second box is isolated from the first and third. It's certainly a way to give us a new look at the title, but at the cost of forward momentum and accumulating power and weight. Although the strategy can work, it isn't optimum.
+
+	Let's get to work on verse development. We'll start by putting together a travelogue (on a serious subject), and then we'll try to fix it. Let's work with the idea of cycles of violence, using “Chain Reaction” as a title. Here's a starting verse and chorus:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Louis ducks behind the door
+
+Patient as a stone
+
+Listens, braces, hears the footsteps
+
+Crip for sure and all alone
+
+Steel barking, flashing, biting
+
+Sinking to its home
+
+Flesh to blood to heart to bone
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+A tiny step, a small subtraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	Okay, gang warfare. One violent act will surely lead to another. But instead of using this scene to move us to the next act in the chain, we'll let the lyric make the easy move and randomly select another place. Here we are in some place like fabulous West Beirut:
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	Camille slips along the wall
+
+Muslims stand their posts
+
+Pulls the pin and lobs the metal
+
+Perfect hook shot, crowd explodes
+
+Spilling colors red and khaki
+
+Gargles in their throats
+
+Infidels and pagan hosts
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+A tiny step, a small subtraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	However compelling the scene is, it is isolated; a single snowball a third of the way up the mountain. It's an equal-sized box, or at least a box that doesn't benefit from the weight of the first box. Because it relates to verse one only through the chorus, it doesn't build momentum. Its only power comes from what it is, not what it connects to. Verse one was a separate avalanche. It lent no power to verse two.
+
+	Now, one last stop in this travelogue of violence. How about racial hatred in fabulous old South Africa:
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	White boys rock the ancient Ford
+
+Teeter-totter swing
+
+Trapped inside, the children shudder
+
+Afrikaner ditties ring
+
+Drag the papa, slag the mama
+
+Flames that lick and stink
+
+Little buggers boil like ink
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+A tiny step, a small subtraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	It's not that a lyric like this has no power, it just doesn't have the power it could have. Even when each scene in a travelogue is effectively presented, there is less total impact than there could have been if each verse had carried over into the next, accumulating power and momentum.
+
+	The test is to look at the verses without the chorus. Without knowing that all three events take place in fabulous “Chain Reaction,” we wouldn't have a clue what's going on:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Louis ducks behind the door
+
+Patient as a stone
+
+Listens, braces, hears the footsteps
+
+Crip for sure and all alone
+
+Steel barking, flashing, biting
+
+Sinking to its home
+
+Flesh to blood to heart to bone
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	Camille slips along the wall
+
+Muslims stand their posts
+
+Pulls the pin and lobs the metal
+
+Perfect hook shot, crowd explodes
+
+Spilling colors red and khaki
+
+Gargles in their throats
+
+Infidels and pagan hosts
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	White boys rock the ancient Ford
+
+Teeter-totter swing
+
+Trapped inside, the children shudder
+
+Afrikaner ditties ring
+
+Drag the papa, slag the mama
+
+Flames that lick and stink
+
+Little buggers boil like ink
+
+	Now, instead, we'll try developing one continuous fabric. It doesn't matter which verse we pick, just so all the other verses roll down the same mountain with it. Let's start with verse one and develop from there:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Louis ducks behind the door
+
+Patient as a stone
+
+Listens, braces, hears the footsteps
+
+Crip for sure and all alone
+
+Steel barking, flashing, biting
+
+Sinking to its home
+
+Flesh to blood to heart to bone
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+A tiny step, a small subtraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	Straightens up now cool and thin
+
+Checking out his score
+
+That's for Iggy, dirty bastard
+
+Gargled blood in memory's roar
+
+Circle turf in hasty exit
+
+One more hero born
+
+Mamas screaming dark and torn
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+Another turn, another fraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	Gathered hands in rings of steel
+
+They weld a sacred vow
+
+Swing down low, chariot wheeling
+
+Rolling dark across the town
+
+Mad archangel's scabbard flashing
+
+Cut another down
+
+Driving by on bloody ground
+
+	Chorus
+
+	One more link in a chain reaction
+
+Spinning round and round and round
+
+Another turn, another fraction
+
+One more link in a chain reaction
+
+	The linking of the verses gives the whole lyric momentum. Each box lends weight to the next box. Look at the results when we leave out the chorus:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Louis ducks behind the door
+
+Patient as a stone
+
+Listens, braces, hears the footsteps
+
+Crip for sure and all alone
+
+Steel barking, flashing, biting
+
+Sinking to its home
+
+Flesh to blood to heart to bone
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	Straightens up now cool and thin
+
+Checking out his score
+
+That's for Iggy, dirty bastard
+
+Gargled blood in memory's roar
+
+Circle turf in hasty exit
+
+One more hero born
+
+Mamas screaming dark and torn
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	Gathered hands in rings of steel
+
+They weld a sacred vow
+
+Swing down low, chariot wheeling
+
+Rolling dark across the town
+
+Mad archangel's scabbard flashing
+
+Cut another down
+
+Driving by on bloody ground
+
+	Now the verses show the circle of violence, and the chorus gains power each time because the information carries over from verse to verse, adding weight and momentum to each scene.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 12
+
+
+	Start with either verse two or verse three of the original and write two more verses to make a story. (Keep the same chorus, and be sure to follow the current verse rhyme scheme and rhythm.) You'll notice the power and momentum your lyric develops as the verses accumulate into one full-blown strategy. Verse development is probably a lyricist's trickiest job. Verse ideas must advance enough, but can't move too much. If the ideas are too close, the repetition of the chorus will become static and boring. If the verses' ideas are too far apart, you might end up in fabulous Hawaii. Hawaii is a nice place, but songwriters beware how you get there. The best trip is paid for by royalty checks from great songs.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER NINE
+
+
+
+
+
+	STRIPPING YOUR REPETITION FOR REPAINTING
+
+
+	S
+
+
+
+	trong verse development is crucial to deepening the colors of your refrain or chorus. Just as important, however, is making sure your refrain chorus can be recolored. Sometimes it can resist recoloring, no matter how well your verses develop. Look at this example:
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he set the pace
+
+Though he was crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheered he came to grief
+
+He lost the human race
+
+	Yessirree, what a refrain: He lost the human race. Even a double meaning! Of course, now you have to figure out what to say next so the refrain will be as interesting the second time as it was the first. Let's try:
+
+	It's hard see through miles ahead
+
+To shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+	Oops! You can't say He lost the human race. It won't go with the future tense in He'll tilt his head one final night. The refrain has to change:
+
+	It's hard see through miles ahead
+
+To shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+He'll lose the human race
+
+	Though this isn't the kiss of death, it would be preferable to avoid changing the refrain if you can. Then everyone can sing along each time.
+
+	A good lyric works hard for interesting verse development that colors the same refrain a new shade each time, so it's frustrating when a refrain or chorus proves to be color resistant — the words in the refrain or chorus won't work with the next verse without changing the words somehow because they're protected from receiving the next verse's color by coats and coats of verbal polyurethane.
+
+	Too often, a problem with verb tense or an inconsistent point of view (POV) blocks effective recoloring.
+
+	You can often solve the problem by neutralizing the refrain's tense and POV — stripping away protective coatings so your refrain can accept the colors the verses try to paint.
+
+
+
+
+
+NEUTRALIZING TENSES
+
+
+	Verbs determine tenses:
+
+	Past: He lost the human race.
+
+	Present: He loses the human race.
+
+	Future: He'll lose the human race.
+
+	Controlling verbs is the key to controlling tense. Here are three ways:
+
+	 	Use the -ing form of the verb (e.g., losing). Omit any helping verbs (losing instead of is losing, was losing, will be losing). Don't mistake the -ing verb form for verbal adjectives (participles), e.g., a losing strategy, or for verbal nouns (gerunds), e.g., losing builds character.
+
+	Use the to form of the verb (infinitive) and omit the main verb, e.g., to lose rather than I hate to lose.
+
+	Omit verbs altogether.
+
+
+
+	A tense-neutral refrain will accept whatever tense the verse throws at it. Look at what the -ing verb form does for our refrain, no matter what tense the verse takes:
+
+	Past tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he set the pace
+
+Though
+
+he was crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheered he came to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Present tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Future tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he'll set the pace
+
+Though he'll be crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Now let's add our second verse:
+
+	Present tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Future tense
+
+	It's hard see through miles ahead
+
+To shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	The neutralized refrain works with the tense of both verses. Let's try the infinitive:
+
+	Present tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+To lose the human race
+
+	Future tense
+
+	It's hard see through miles ahead
+
+To shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+To lose the human race
+
+	Again, the neutralized refrain accepts any tense. Whichever results you like better, the -ing form or the infinitive, it's nice to have the option. Let's try the third technique — leaving out the verb altogether. In this case, it makes the refrain sound like a commentary:
+
+	Present tense
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+A loss in the human race
+
+	Future tense
+
+	It's hard see through miles ahead
+
+To shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+A loss in the human race
+
+	Always try all three options. Use whichever feels best.
+
+
+
+
+
+NEUTRALIZING POINT OF VIEW
+
+
+	Pronouns determine POV:
+
+	First person: I lose the human race
+
+Second person: You lose the human race
+
+Third person: She loses the human race
+
+	To strip your refrain's POV, omit pronouns. Sometimes you'll have to neutralize verb tenses, too. We'll look at that later.
+
+	Look back at our tense-neutral refrain, Losing the human race. It not only neutralizes the verb, it also omits pronouns, freeing each verse to set its own POV. The neutral refrain accepts them all:
+
+	First person (singular)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again I set the pace
+
+Although I'm crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer I'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	First person (plural)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again we set the pace
+
+Although we're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer we'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Second person
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again you set the pace
+
+Although you're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer you'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Third person (singular)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again she sets the pace
+
+Although she's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer she'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Third person (plural)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again they set the pace
+
+Although they're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer they'll come to grief
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	When you use third person with present tense, the verb adds an s: She loses. If you don't use he, she, or it in your lyric, none of your verbs will add an s, so your verbs will all already by POV neutral. You won't need to neutralize the verbs — you just need to drop the pronouns:
+
+	First person (singular)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again I set the pace
+
+Although I'm crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer I'll come to grief
+
+And lose the human race
+
+	First person (plural)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again we set the pace
+
+Although we're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer we'll come to grief
+
+And lose the human race
+
+	Second person
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again you set the pace
+
+Although you're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer you'll come to grief
+
+And lose the human race
+
+	Third person (plural)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again they set the pace
+
+Although they're crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer they'll come to grief
+
+And lose the human race
+
+	Be careful, though. And lose the human race works only in present tense. If you change to past, you're in trouble:
+
+	Third person (plural)
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again they set the pace
+
+Though they were crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheered they came to grief
+
+And lose the human race
+
+	You'd need to neutralize the verb tense, too, back to losing the human race.
+
+	Now, the real thing. Paul Simon's refrain in “Still Crazy After All These Years” has no pronouns and no verb. The result is a refrain that can accept the POV and tense from each verse:
+
+	I met my old lover on the street last night
+
+She seemed so glad to see me, I just smiled
+
+And we talked about some old times
+
+And we drank ourselves some beers
+
+Still crazy after all these years
+
+	I'm not the kind of man who tends to socialize
+
+I seem to lean on old familiar ways
+
+And I ain't no fool for love songs
+
+That whisper in my ears
+
+Still crazy after all these years

+
+	Now I sit by my window and I watch the cars
+
+I fear I'll do some damage one fine day
+
+But I would not be convicted
+
+By a jury of my peers
+
+Still crazy after all these years
+
+	Because the refrain is stripped of action, the first verse is able to color it with three different POVs:
+
+	I am still crazy after all these years
+
+She was still crazy after all these years We were still crazy after all these years
+
+	All three work fine. The result is a productive ambiguity that adds to the spell of the lyric.
+
+	Verse two's possible interpretations of the refrain include: I am still crazy after all these years, and you are still crazy after all these years.
+
+	We can almost hear the jukebox whispering “Hey fella, you're still crazy about her after all these years.” Again, the POV swabs multiple colors on the refrain, creating depth. In the third verse, my peers wouldn't convict me because I would be still crazy after all these years, or they would be still crazy after all these years. I could cop a plea of insanity. They would understand, being, as my peers, crazy themselves. Again, the neutral refrain contributes productivity to the ambiguity.
+
+
+
+
+
+STRIPPING YOUR CHORUS
+
+
+	Neutralize a chorus the same way you neutralize a refrain: Don't use a tense or POV. Here's a prototype neutral chorus:
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Losing the human race
+
+Yeah, yeah, yeah
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	See how easy it works with a verse:
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+No reprieve
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Losing the human race
+
+Yeah, yeah, yeah
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Like a refrain, a neutral chorus will accept the verse's tense and POV, no matter how many times you change them in the lyric. Remember as a rule of thumb that verses show, chorus tells. Keep your verses specific and interesting.
+
+	Okay, the prototype chorus is pretty dumb. But you could add more lines and find interesting rhymes. Make it as specific and artistic as you want to, just don't commit to a tense or a POV. Like this:
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Falling from heaven's grace
+
+No way to stop it
+
+Only a dot in space
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	None of the lines commit to tense or POV. They either use -ing (lines one, two, and five), the infinitive (line three), or omit the verb altogether (line four). This stripped chorus will accept any POV and tense:
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again he sets the pace
+
+Although he's crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer he comes to grief
+
+No reprieve
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Falling from heaven's grace
+
+No way to stop it
+
+Only a dot in space
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	He doesn't see the miles ahead
+
+Shoulders bent by age
+
+With crowds of whispers drawing tight
+
+He'll tilt his head one final night
+
+Slip from sight
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Falling from heaven's grace
+
+No way to stop it
+
+Only a dot in space
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	Try it with a verse using second person, past tense:
+
+	Exploding from the starting blocks
+
+Again you set the pace
+
+Though you were crowned by laurel wreaths
+
+As thousands cheer you came to grief
+
+There was no reprieve
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Losing the human race
+
+Falling from heaven's grace
+
+No way to stop it
+
+Only a dot in space
+
+Losing the human race
+
+	The same chorus works fine. You don't have to neutralize your refrain or chorus for every lyric, but when your verses change tense and POV, it's good to know how to get your repetitive section ready for the new colors. Stripping away tense and POV, is often the key to success.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 13
+
+
+	Neutralize the refrain I fell too hard. Don't read ahead until you're finished. You should have three versions, something like these: falling too hard, to fall too hard, and too hard a fall. Let your verses establish the tense and POV, and any of the three would work just fine. Here's a chorus to neutralize:
+
+	I'm ready for love
+
+I search for the good stuff
+
+I hope I can find enough
+
+I'm ready for love
+
+	Have fun.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	PERSPECTIVES
+
+
+	W
+
+
+
+	henever you put pen to paper, you must answer a few fundamental questions: Who is doing the talking? Is it you personally? Is it a character you're creating? What should that character's relationship to the audience be? A storyteller? A confessor? Something else?
+
+	You write for an instrument — a singer (maybe you) who faces the audience and delivers your words. The point of view you choose controls the relationship between the singer and the audience. It sets the context for your ideas.
+
+	You control this choice. You control the singer's role (and, therefore, your audience's relationship to the singer) by choosing between the four possible points of view: third-person narrative, second-person narrative, first-person narrative, and direct address.
+
+	Point of view controls our distance from the world of the song. Think of it as a movie camera, allowing the audience to look at the song's world from various distances, from long shots to close-ups. Roughly, it looks like this:
+
+	POINT OF VIEW: CAMERA ANGLES
+
+
+
+
+
+	Let's look at the three main points of view: third-person narrative, first-person narrative, and direct address. We'll deal with second-personnarrative separately in chapter twelve.
+
+
+
+
+
+THIRD-PERSON NARRATIVE
+
+
+	In third-person narrative, the singer acts as a storyteller who simply directs the audience's attention to an objective world neither the singer nor the audience is a part of. They look together at a third thing, an objective, independent world. If you think in terms of film, this is the long-distance, panoramic view. We, the audience, are simply observing the song's world. We are not participants.
+
+	You can tell third person by its pronouns:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Singular
+
+			 Plural
+
+
+
+		 			 Subject:
+
+			 he, she, it
+
+			 they
+
+
+
+		 			 Direct object:
+
+			 him, her, it
+
+			 them
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive adjective:
+
+			 his, her, its
+
+			 their
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive predicate:
+
+			 his, hers, its
+
+			 theirs
+
+
+
+	 	e.g. Possessive adjective: “That is her responsibility.”
+
+	Possessive predicate: “The responsibility is hers.”
+
+	In third-person narrative, both the singer and the audience turn together to look at the song's world. The singer functions as storyteller or narrator, and the audience observes. Take a look at Buck Ram's “The Great Pretender,” in third-person narrative:
+
+	Yes, she's the great pretender
+
+Pretending that she's doing well
+
+Her need is such, she pretends too much
+
+She's lonely but no one can tell
+
+	Yes, she's the great pretender
+
+Adrift in a world of her own
+
+She plays the game, but to her real shame
+
+He's left her to dream all alone
+
+	Too real is her feeling of make-believe
+
+Too real when she feels what her heart can't conceal
+
+Yes, she's the great pretender
+
+Just laughing and gay like a clown
+
+She seems to be what she's not, you see
+
+She's wearing her heart like a crown
+
+Pretending that he's still around
+
+	Imagine watching a singer perform the song. Either gender could sing it, no problem. As an audience, we would look at the pretender along with the singer. Neither we nor the singer participates in the world. Here's another example of third-person narrative:
+
+	Sentimental Lady
+
+	The sidewalk runs from late day rainfall
+
+Washes scraps of paper up against the grate
+
+Backing up in shallow puddles
+
+Oil floats like dirty rainbows
+
+She hardly seems to notice as she steps across the street
+
+	Knows where she's headed for
+
+She goes inside
+
+Shuts the door
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+Doesn't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+Sips her tea in perfect safety
+
+Smiles her secret smile and pretends
+
+	Polished floors of blonde and amber
+
+Hanging ivies lace her windows smooth and green
+
+Soft inside these graceful patterns
+
+Lost in thought she reads his letters
+
+All that matters kept inside in memories and dreams
+
+	Knows where she has to be
+
+Tucked away
+
+Alone and free
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+Doesn't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+Sips her tea in perfect safety
+
+Smiles her secret smile and pretends
+
+	She made her mind up long ago
+
+Not to look again
+
+Her life was full
+
+She sits content
+
+Knows she's had its best
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+Doesn't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+Sips her tea in perfect safety
+
+Smiles her secret smile and pretends
+
+
+
+
+
+FIRST-PERSON
+
+
+	A first-person narrative is also a storytelling mode, but instead of being separate from the action, the singer participates. There is some intimacy here. The audience knows something about the singer, who speaks directly to the audience about other people and events. The other people and events are still at a distance from the audience.
+
+	Here are the first-person pronouns:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Singular
+
+			 Plural
+
+
+
+		 			 Subject:
+
+			 I
+
+			 We
+
+
+
+		 			 Direct object:
+
+			 me
+
+			 us
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive adjective:
+
+			 my
+
+			 owr
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive predicate:
+
+			 mine
+
+			 ours
+
+
+
+	 	In a first-person narrative, the first-person pronouns mix with third-person pronouns. There is no you.
+
+	The Great Pretender
+
+	Oh yes, I'm the great pretender
+
+Pretending that I'm doing well
+
+My need is such, I pretend too much
+
+I'm lonely but no one can tell
+
+	Yes, I'm the great pretender
+
+Adrift in a world of my own
+
+I play the game, but to my real shame
+
+He's (or she's) left me to dream all alone
+
+	Too real is this feeling of make-believe
+
+Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal
+
+	Yes, I'm the great pretender
+
+Just laughing and gay like a clown
+
+I seem to be what I'm not, you see
+
+I'm wearing my heart like a crown
+
+Pretending that he's (or she's) still around
+
+	We, the audience, have some level of intimacy with the singer, but we are still observers to the rest of the song's world. The singer is a participant, revealing something about himself or herself, so the gender of the singer and the pronouns will now make a difference. In film terms, this is the middle-distance shot. Look at this:
+
+	Digging for the Line
+
+	My daddy loved the greyhounds
+
+Oh he lived to watch 'em run
+
+Breathless as they slow danced past
+
+Like bullets from a gun
+
+Muscles wound like springs of steel
+
+Aching to unwind
+
+Caught up in their rhythm
+
+Daddy swayed in perfect time
+
+Even when the chains of age
+
+Left him weak and blind
+
+He still could feel their rhythm
+
+Digging for the line
+
+Even as a child I knew
+
+The greyhounds never won
+
+Though one of them might finish first
+
+It wasn't why they'd run
+
+Sliding on a rail of steel
+
+A rabbit made of clay
+
+Stayed up just ahead of them
+
+Led the dancers all the way
+
+Circle after circle
+
+Panting just behind
+
+They ran with grace and beauty
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	It hurt to see them run
+
+A race they'd never win
+
+But daddy smiled and made me see
+
+This is what he said to me
+
+	A greyhound lives for running
+
+It's the strongest drive he has
+
+And though he never wins the race
+
+The losing's not so bad
+
+If he never ran at all
+
+In time he'd surely die
+
+The only world he cares to know
+
+Is one that's always streaking by
+
+It isn't what runs up ahead
+
+It isn't what's behind
+
+The beauty's in the way it feels
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	The narrator tells the story, but includes him/herself in it. In the last verse, daddy is quoted by the narrator while we are allowed to eavesdrop.
+
+
+
+
+
+First-Person Narrative
+
+
+	Let's see what happens when we change “Sentimental Lady” into first-person narrative:
+
+	The sidewalk runs from late day rainfall
+
+Washes scraps of paper up against the grate
+
+Backing up in shallow puddles
+
+Oil floats like dirty rainbows
+
+I hardly seem to notice as I step across the street
+
+	I know where I'm headed for
+
+I go inside
+
+I shut the door
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+I sip my tea in perfect safety
+
+Smile my secret smile and pretend
+
+	This sounds odd. She's saying external or descriptive things about herself, like “I hardly seem to notice as I step across the street.” Observations like this are best left to a third-person narrator.
+
+	Polished floors of blonde and amber
+
+Hanging ivies lace my windows smooth and green
+
+Soft inside these graceful patterns
+
+Lost in thought I read his letters
+
+All that matters kept inside in memories and dreams
+
+	Know where I have to be
+
+Tucked away
+
+Alone and free
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+I sip my tea in perfect safety
+
+Smile my secret smile and pretend
+
+	Again it sounds unnatural for her to say, “Lost in thought I read his letters.” The language is more appropriate from the mouth of an observer than from the mouth of a participant. Finally, the bridge:
+
+	I made my mind up long ago
+
+Not to look again
+
+My life was full
+
+I'll sit content
+
+Knowing I've had its best
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't seem to matter when it ends
+
+Sentimental lady
+
+I sip my tea in perfect safety
+
+
+
+Smile my secret smile and pretend
+
+	The bridge sounds natural in first person, since she's telling us something about herself we couldn't know from simply looking. Of course, looking into a character's mind is also perfectly appropriate in third-person narrative.
+
+	If we really were to make sense of “Sentimental Lady” as a first-person narrative, the perspective would have to shift in several places:
+
+	The sidewalk runs from late day rainfall
+
+Washes scraps of paper up against the grate
+
+Backing up in shallow puddles
+
+Oil floats like dirty rainbows
+
+Splashed by cooling raindrops as I step across the street
+
+	I know what I'm headed for
+
+Slip inside
+
+Shut the door
+
+	Chorus
+
+	I'm a sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't really matter when it ends
+
+A sentimental lady
+
+Sipping tea in perfect safety
+
+Tucked away in secret with a friend
+
+	I love these floors of blonde and amber
+
+Hanging ivies lace my windows smooth and green
+
+I live inside these graceful patterns
+
+Afternoons I read his letters
+
+All that matters here inside my memories and dreams
+
+	I know where I need to be
+
+Tucked away
+
+Alone and free
+
+	Chorus
+
+	I'm a sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't really matter when it ends
+
+A sentimental lady
+
+Sipping tea in perfect safety
+
+Tucked away in secret with a friend
+
+
+
+	I made my mind up long ago
+
+Not to look again
+
+My life was full
+
+I sit content
+
+Knowing I've had its best
+
+	Chorus
+
+	I'm a sentimental lady
+
+I don't mind it when it's raining
+
+Doesn't really matter when it ends
+
+A sentimental lady
+
+Sipping tea in perfect safety
+
+Tucked away in secret with a friend
+
+	Okay, so the rewrite could be more elegant. The point is that it works better. The trick is to put yourself in her mind — look from her perspective, and say what comes naturally.
+
+
+
+
+
+Back to Third-Person Narrative
+
+
+	As a further exercise, go back and try changing “Digging for the Line” into a third-person narrative. It's an interesting problem, isn't it? First there's the pronoun problem: you have to make daddy's child she to keep the hes from getting all jumbled together. Instead of:
+
+	His daddy loved the greyhounds
+
+Oh he(?) lived to watch 'em run
+
+	You have to say:
+
+	Her daddy loved the greyhounds
+
+Oh he lived to watch 'em run
+
+	Even with that problem solved, you end up with a story about a father telling a story to his daughter. Seems a little complicated:
+
+	Her daddy loved the greyhounds
+
+Oh he lived to watch 'em run
+
+Breathless as they slow danced past
+
+Like bullets from a gun
+
+Muscles wound like springs of steel
+
+Aching to unwind
+
+Caught up in their rhythm
+
+He swayed in perfect time
+
+Even when the chains of age
+
+Left him weak and blind
+
+He still could feel their rhythm
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	Even as a child she knew
+
+The greyhounds never won
+
+Though one of them might finish first
+
+It wasn't why they'd run
+
+Sliding on a rail of steel
+
+A rabbit made of clay
+
+Stayed up just ahead of them
+
+Led the dancers all the way
+
+Circle after circle
+
+Panting just behind
+
+They ran with grace and beauty
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	It hurt to see them run
+
+A race they'd never win
+
+But her daddy smiled and made her see
+
+What it really means
+
+	He said, a greyhound lives for running
+
+It's the strongest drive he has
+
+And though he never wins the race
+
+The losing's not so bad
+
+If he never ran at all
+
+In time he'd surely die
+
+The only world he cares to know
+
+Is one that's always streaking by
+
+It isn't what runs up ahead
+
+It isn't what's behind
+
+The beauty's in the way it feels
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	Daddy told me this story is an acceptable premise for a song, but here's a story about someone telling a story seems more remote. The playwright Henrik Ibsen said, “If you put a gun in Act I, it damn well better go off by the end of the play!” This is more than a principle about effective use of props. It says that you should have a reason for each element in your work. Nothing without its purpose. No duplication of function.
+
+	Maybe the daughter is a gun that isn't going off. Let's see what happens if we eliminate her altogether:
+
+	Edwin loved the greyhounds
+
+He lived to watch 'em run
+
+Breathless as they slow danced past
+
+Like bullets from a gun
+
+Muscles wound like springs of steel
+
+Aching to unwind
+
+Caught up in their rhythm
+
+He swayed in perfect time
+
+Even when the chains of age
+
+Left him weak and blind
+
+He still could feel their rhythm
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	Even as a child he knew
+
+The greyhounds never won
+
+Though one of them might finish first
+
+It wasn't why they ran
+
+Sliding on a rail of steel
+
+A rabbit made of clay
+
+Stayed up just ahead of them
+
+Led the dancers all the way
+
+Circle after circle
+
+Panting just behind
+
+They ran with grace and beauty
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	It hurt to see them run
+
+A race they'd never win
+
+But as he grew old he learned to see
+
+What it really means
+
+	A greyhound lives for running
+
+It's the strongest drive he has
+
+And though he never wins the race
+
+The losing's not so bad
+
+If he never ran at all
+
+In time he'd surely die
+
+The only world he cares to know
+
+Is one that's always streaking by
+
+It isn't what runs up ahead
+
+It isn't what's behind
+
+The beauty's in the way it feels
+
+Digging for the line
+
+	Much cleaner than with two characters. Simplify, simplify, simplify. The only question now is: Which do you prefer, the first-person narrative or the third-person narrative? The key will be in the third verse. We will choose between listening in a more intimate situation to the singer telling us what he/she learned from daddy, or observing Edwin from a distance as he discovers the meaning of running:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE
+
+			 THIRD-PERSON NARRATIVE
+
+
+
+		 			 But daddy smiled and made
+
+			 But as he grew old he learned
+
+
+
+		 			 me see
+
+			 to see
+
+
+
+		 			 This is what he said to me
+
+			 What it really means
+
+
+
+		 			 Son, a greyhound lives for running
+
+			 A greyhound lives for running
+
+
+
+		 			 It's the strongest drive he has
+
+			 It's the strongest drive he has
+
+
+
+		 			 And though he never wins the race
+
+			 And though he never wins the race
+
+
+
+		 			 The losing's not so bad
+
+			 The losing's not so bad
+
+
+
+		 			 If he never ran at all
+
+			 If he never ran at all
+
+
+
+		 			 In time he'd surely die
+
+			 In time he'd surely die
+
+
+
+		 			 The only world he cares to know
+
+			 The only world he cares to know
+
+
+
+		 			 Is one that's always streaking by
+
+			 Is one that's always streaking by
+
+
+
+		 			 It isn't what runs up ahead
+
+			 It isn't what runs up ahead
+
+
+
+		 			 It isn't what's behind
+
+			 It isn't what's behind
+
+
+
+		 			 The beauty's in the way it feels
+
+			 The beauty's in the way it feels
+
+
+
+		 			 Digging for the line
+
+			 Digging for the line
+
+
+
+	 	In first person, the singer as character/storyteller is right in front of us. We feel like we know him/her. But third person is cleaner and more focused in this case, because it eliminates a character. Your call.
+
+
+
+
+
+DIRECT ADDRESS
+
+
+	In direct address (sometimes inaccurately called second person), the singer (the first person, I) is talking to some second person (you), or maybe even right to the audience.
+
+	This is the close-up, the most intimate a song can be. You can see the lip quivering and the jaw muscles tightening with emotion. This is about feelings, not facts.
+
+	Here are the pronouns for direct address:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Singular
+
+			 Plural
+
+
+
+		 			 Subject:
+
+			 you
+
+			 you
+
+
+
+		 			 Direct object:
+
+			 you
+
+			 you
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive adjective:
+
+			 your
+
+			 your
+
+
+
+		 			 Possessive predicate:
+
+			 yours
+
+			 yours
+
+
+
+	 	Second-person pronouns are mixed with first-person pronouns to produce direct address — contact between I and you.
+
+	The Great Pretender
+
+	Yes, I'm the great pretender
+
+Adrift in a world of my own
+
+I play the game, but to my real shame
+
+You've left me to dream all alone
+
+	Too real is this feeling of make-believe
+
+Too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal
+
+	Yes, I'm the great pretender
+
+Just laughing and gay like a clown
+
+I seem to be what I'm not, you see
+
+I'm wearing my heart like a crown
+
+Pretending that you're still around
+
+	This is the camera close-up. The singer sings directly to another person or people. (In English, there is no difference between singular and plural you, unless we resort to y'all or youse as plural forms, both forms intended as sophistications in a barren language that forgot to make the distinction.) Because of the direct contact, second person is the most intimate of the points of view. As a listener:
+
+	 	I imagine the singer is singing to me, or
+
+	I watch the singer singing directly to someone else, real or imagined by the singer, or
+
+	I can imagine that the singer is someone I know singing to me, or
+
+	I can identify with the singer and sing to someone I know.
+
+
+
+	However I do it, it's pretty intimate. Below, the singer speaks to the image of someone in his past:
+
+	As Each Year Ends
+
+	Becky Rose, you stole the night
+
+Body dark, a sash of light
+
+Soft you slippered from my bed
+
+Not to wake me, dressing slow
+
+How I watched I still don't know
+
+I should have knelt and bowed to you instead
+
+	Chorus
+
+	As each year ends and one more breaks
+
+I'll raise my wineglass high
+
+To praise your beauty, you who touched my life
+
+Though seasons bend, and colors fade
+
+The memories still remain
+
+I'll taste them once again as each year ends
+
+	Becky, how you broke my faith
+
+Tearful as you pulled away
+
+Dust of years and miles apart
+
+Storms of summer rolled in slow
+
+So hard it was, our letting go
+
+That even now its shadows cross my heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	As each year ends and one more breaks
+
+I'll raise my wineglass high
+
+To praise your beauty, you who touched my life
+
+Though seasons bend, and colors fade
+
+The memories still remain
+
+I'll taste them once again as each year ends
+
+	Years like water join and run
+
+Faces fade, too soon become
+
+A taste of sadness on the tongue
+
+	Chorus
+
+	As each year ends and one more breaks
+
+I'll raise my wineglass high
+
+To praise your beauty, you who touched my life
+
+Though seasons bend, and colors fade
+
+The memories still remain
+
+I'll taste them once again as each year ends
+
+	Even though Becky Rose is not in the singer's presence, it's still pretty intimate stuff. Compare it to a system of first-person narrative:
+
+	Becky Rose stole the night
+
+Her body dark, a sash of light
+
+Soft she slippered from my bed
+
+Not to wake me, dressing slow
+
+How I watched I still don't know
+
+I should have knelt and bowed to her instead
+
+	Chorus
+
+	As each year ends and one more breaks
+
+I'll raise my wineglass high
+
+To praise her beauty, she who touched my life
+
+Though seasons bend, and colors fade
+
+The memories still remain
+
+I'll taste them once again as each year ends
+
+	Now look at the system as a third-person narrative:
+
+	Becky Rose stole the night
+
+Her body dark, a sash of light
+
+Soft she slippered from his bed
+
+Not to wake him, dressing slow
+
+How he watched he doesn't know
+
+He should have knelt and bowed to her instead
+
+	Chorus
+
+	As each year ends and one more breaks
+
+He raises his wineglass high
+
+To praise her beauty, she who touched his life
+
+Though seasons bend, and colors fade
+
+The memories still remain
+
+He tastes them once again as each year ends
+
+	What do you lose? Are there any gains? One thing changes: The chorus can be in present rather than future tense. A third-person narrative can have a larger overview of time, stating simply, He tastes them once again as each year ends.
+
+	From the first person, the singer promises to continue raising his glass: I'll taste them once again as each year ends.
+
+	I don't have a problem making a choice here. I prefer the intimacy of direct address. Does that mean we should always go for intimacy?
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 14
+
+
+	Try rewriting “Sentimental Lady” and “Digging for the Line” in direct address before you answer the question above. Go on, do it.
+
+	It's impossible to make a rule about when to use each point of view. The only way to make sure your point of view is working the most effectively it can is to do a point of view check on every lyric you write. Check once during the process, and then also at the end of the process. Every lyric. You'll find that a different point of view works better often enough to make checking every time worth it. It only takes a little practice and not much time, and sometimes it will turn a good lyric into a killer one.
+
+	But as you've seen, direct address can get pretty complicated. The next two chapters will deal with some of its challenges.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER ELEVEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	POINT OF VIEW:
+
+
+	SECOND PERSON AND THE HANGMAN
+
+	“J
+
+
+
+	ust wait till your father gets home, young man!” said Mom, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
+
+	I was really going to get it. She'd tell Dad and I'd be lucky to see anything but my bedroom walls for weeks. More likely, this time I'd probably swing, twisting slowly in the wind.
+
+	Hours crawled by. Finally, the whirr of his Pontiac sliding into the driveway. Please God, let him suddenly remember something back at the office. Slam. Clomp clomp clomp.
+
+	Murmurs downstairs, then: “Come down for dinner, children.” False sweetness in my executioner's voice. They're always nice right before they stretch your neck and watch your eyeballs pop. My sisters and I slid into our chairs, me reluctantly, them bright with expectation.
+
+	A casserole had never looked so gray, maybe tinged a little green. She let the minutes stack as Dad doused his cottage cheese with Tabasco sauce. I could hear the rope being flung over a high branch, checked for strength, the noose tested. Finally, she spoke: “Well, young man, you've had quite a day today, haven't you?”
+
+	Aarrgh. That tightening sensation, breath coming harder.
+
+	“You're eleven years old, and should know better, shouldn't you?”
+
+	They always start by telling you how old you are.
+
+	“First, you sneak the BB gun out of the closet, where it is supposed to stay unless you have supervision!”
+
+	Dad chewed his cottage cheese and scowled, a dot of Tabasco sauce on his chin.
+
+	Why doesn't she just tell him? Why does she always have to say it to me?
+
+	“You could have stayed inside,” she continued. “But oh no, mister smarty pants, mister grown-up. You have to take it outside and shoot it! Were you aiming at Mister Nelson's window, trying to break it?”
+
+	Actually, I was trying to kill a bird. Never even noticed the window.
+
+	“You hit his living room mirror, too, didn't you?”
+
+	Dad sat bolt upright, as though he felt someone going after his wallet.
+
+	She knew the facts, and I knew the facts. The girls knew the facts. Dad was the only one who didn't know, so why was she telling me instead of him? More pleasure in the execution?
+
+	“And what did he say it would cost? One hundred and seventy-two dollars, that's what!” She sat back, sagging and weak from the burden of having me for a son. My sisters flushed with delight, pulling for the hangman.
+
+	Dad reddening and rising. The feeling of my feet leaving the floor, a tightening in my throat, and the sound of the wind in the trees 

+
+	Sometimes, lyrics sound like Mom. They seem to be talking directly to you, but are really telling someone else what you already know. Like this:
+
+	I met you on a Saturday
+
+Your hair was wound in braids
+
+You walked up and you said hello
+
+And then you asked my name
+
+	This sounds unnatural because you already knows all this stuff. The verse is trying to do two things at once: Tell the audience the facts, while pretending to carry on a conversation with you. Technically, we have a point of view problem: second person trying to do first or third person's job. Don't give the facts to someone who already should know them!
+
+	Though it's tempting to try to give the audience facts by letting them eavesdrop on a conversation, be careful. You might end up with something as stilted and unnatural sounding as the little gem above. First-person narrative would sound closer to what's really happening:
+
+	I met her on a Saturday
+
+Her hair was wound in braids
+
+She walked up and she said hello
+
+And then she asked my name
+
+	Third-person narrative is better, too:
+
+	He met her on a Saturday
+
+Her hair was wound in braids
+
+She walked up and she said hello
+
+And then she asked his name
+
+	Moving into first- or third-person narrative is one way to solve the problem. But sometimes you may be committed to second person. In that case, you have to find a way to make the conversation sound more natural. Do you really want the audience to know that it was Saturday and she had braids and she made the first move? If not, just drop the unnatural verse and write a better, more natural one. If the facts are important, you have to say them naturally, like you would in a real conversation:
+
+	I never felt anything quite as strong
+
+As I did that Saturday night we met
+
+You looked so fresh with your hair in braids
+
+And I felt like singing
+
+When you walked right up and asked my name
+
+	Including personal information that you couldn't have known makes the conversation more natural. Or this:
+
+	I still remember the Saturday night we met
+
+Your hair so pretty, up in braids
+
+You blew me away when you said hello
+
+And asked me, “What's your name?”
+
+	Both of these versions work because they include the singer's reactions to the facts. Okay, so it's not great writing. Even so, it still sounds more natural, and once you know what approach to take, you can always polish up the language. The second version also includes the old “do you remember” ploy for introducing information. Put it in your own bag of tricks.
+
+	No matter what the point of view is, mothers will always have their modes of torment. This natural use of second person is maddeningly effective. Any mother would be proud to use it.
+
+	The point is simple: Make second person conversational. If you want to give the audience a history lesson, either put it in third person or find a natural way to list your facts. If you've gotta swing, make it quick and natural.
+
+	As a matter of habit, you should try out all three points of view — first, second, and third person — for each lyric you write from now until you die, just to make sure you are using the best possible one for each song. Read your lyric aloud, each time substituting the different pronouns to see which you like best. Sometimes, a change in point of view will raise a bland lyric from the dead.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWELVE
+
+
+
+
+
+	POINT OF VIEW:
+
+
+	SECOND PERSON AS NARRATIVE
+
+	W
+
+
+
+	hen you tell a story, it is usually narrative, either first person or third person. As we've seen, first-person narrative includes the storyteller in the story, using first-person and third-person pronouns. Third-person narrative uses only third-person pronouns: he, she, it, they. There is no I.
+
+	The following lyric, “The Fire Inside” by Bob Seger, took me by surprise, because it has all the qualities of a narrative, but it uses second person (you):
+
+	There's a hard moon risin' on the streets tonight
+
+There's a reckless feeling in your heart as you head out tonight
+
+Through the concrete canyons to the midtown light
+
+Where the latest neon promises are burning bright
+
+Past the open windows on the darker streets
+
+Where unseen angry voices flash and children cry
+
+Past the phony posers with their worn out lines
+
+The tired new money dressed to the nines
+
+The lowlife dealers with their bad designs
+
+And the dilettantes with their open minds
+
+You're out on the town
+
+Safe in the crowd
+
+Ready to go for the ride
+
+Searching the eyes
+
+Looking for clues
+
+There's no way you can hide
+
+The fire inside
+
+	Well you've been to the clubs and the discotheques
+
+Where they deal one another from the bottom of the deck of promises
+
+Where the cautious loners and emotional wrecks
+
+Do an acting stretch as a way to hide the obvious
+
+And the lights go down and they dance real close
+
+And for one brief instant they pretend they're safe and warm
+
+Then the beat gets louder and the mood is gone
+
+The darkness scatters as the lights flash on
+
+They hold one another just a little too long
+
+And they move apart and then move on
+
+On to the street
+
+On to the next
+
+Safe in the knowledge that they tried
+
+Faking the smile, hiding the pain
+
+Never satisfied
+
+The fire inside
+
+	Now the hour is late and he thinks you're asleep
+
+And you listen to him dress and you listen to him leave like you knew
+
+he would
+
+You hear his car pull away in the street
+
+Then you move to the door and you lock it
+
+When he's gone for good
+
+Then you walk to the window
+
+And you stare at the moon
+
+Riding high and lonesome through the starlit sky
+
+And it comes to you how it all slips away
+
+Youth and beauty are gone one day
+
+No matter what you dream or feel or say
+
+It ends in dust and disarray
+
+Like wind on the plains
+
+Sand through the glass
+
+Waves rolling in with the tide
+
+Dreams die hard
+
+And we watch them erode
+
+But we cannot be denied
+
+The fire inside
+
+	What's going on with Seger's use of second person? Second person is usually direct address — I talking to you. But there's no I. Sometimes you can be used as a substitute for first person. That's the way I sometimes talk to myself: “Come on, Pat, can't you be clear for once?” instead of “I wish I could be clear for once.”
+
+	Try reading through the whole first verse in first-person narrative:
+
+	There's a hard moon risin' on the streets tonight
+
+There's a reckless feeling in my heart as I head out tonight
+
+Through the concrete canyons to the midtown lights
+
+Where the latest neon promises are burning bright
+
+Past the open windows on the darker streets
+
+Where unseen angry voices flash and children cry
+
+Past the phony posers with their worn out lines
+
+The tired new money dressed to the nines
+
+The lowlife dealers with their bad designs
+
+And the dilettantes with their open minds
+
+I'm out on the town
+
+Safe in the crowd
+
+Ready to go for the ride
+
+Searching the eyes
+
+Looking for clues
+
+There's no way I can hide
+
+The fire inside
+
+	Clearly, Seger is not using you as a disguise for I.
+
+	Continue the first-person substitution until you finish the whole lyric. Of course, the pronouns have to change in verse three (at least with a Seger lead vocal):
+
+	Now the hour is late and she thinks I'm asleep
+
+And I listen to her dress and I listen to her leave like I knew she would
+
+I hear her car pull away in the street
+
+Then I move to the door and I lock it
+
+When she's gone for good
+
+Then I walk to the window
+
+And I stare at the moon
+
+Riding high and lonesome through the starlit sky
+
+And it comes to me how it all slips away
+
+Youth and beauty are gone one day
+
+No matter what I dream or feel or say
+
+It ends in dust and disarray
+
+Like wind on the plains
+
+Sand through the glass
+
+Waves rolling in with the tide
+
+Dreams die hard
+
+And we watch them erode
+
+But we cannot be denied
+
+The fire inside
+
+	The result is a clear first-person narrative. But something gets lost: a kind of universal feeling that you seems to add.
+
+	Let's try the lyric in third person:
+
+	There's a hard moon risin' on the streets tonight
+
+There's a reckless feeling in her heart as she heads out tonight
+
+Through the concrete canyons to the midtown lights
+
+Where the latest neon promises are burning bright
+
+Past the open windows on the darker streets
+
+Where unseen angry voices flash and children cry
+
+Past the phony posers with their worn out lines
+
+The tired new money dressed to the nines
+
+The lowlife dealers with their bad designs
+
+And the dilettantes with their open minds
+
+She's out on the town
+
+Safe in the crowd
+
+Ready to go for the ride
+
+Searching the eyes
+
+Looking for clues
+
+There's no way she can hide
+
+The fire inside
+
+
+
+	Continue reading the whole lyric in third person. Take your time. Now it's a clear third-person narrative, landing squarely in storytelling mode.
+
+	Second-person narrative serves up a tricky combination of third-person narrative (where we watch the character) and direct address (talking right to the character). Part of it works like using you as a substitute for one (e.g., “You get what you pay for” is the same as “One gets what one pays for”).
+
+	There's a hard moon risin' on the streets tonight
+
+There's a reckless feeling in one's heart as one heads out tonight
+
+	Now stir in the illusion of direct address by using you instead of one:
+
+	There's a hard moon risin' on the streets tonight
+
+There's a reckless feeling in your heart as you head out tonight
+
+	Think back to our point of view scale. The intimacy of second-person narrative comes from its suggestion of direct address. We expect I to appear from behind the curtain at any moment. It just never happens.
+
+	Second-person narrative actively forces us to say, “This character could easily be me.” The universal theme set up in the lovely third verse helps, too. One key to the lyric's success is the move to first-person plural at the end:
+
+	And it comes to you how it all slips away
+
+Youth and beauty are gone one day
+
+No matter what you dream or feel or say
+
+It ends in dust and disarray
+
+Like wind on the plains
+
+Sand through the glass
+
+Waves rolling in with the tide
+
+Dreams die hard
+
+And we watch them erode
+
+But we cannot be denied
+
+The fire inside
+
+	We forces the listener into the emotion.
+
+	One test for second-person narrative: Does it translate easily into third person? Try it with another second-person narrative, Steely Dan's “Kid Charlemagne”:
+
+	While the music played
+
+You worked by candlelight
+
+Those San Francisco nights
+
+You were the best in town
+
+Just by chance you crossed the diamond with the pearl
+
+You turned it on the world
+
+That's when you turned the world around
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 15
+
+
+	Go ahead and translate it into third person:
+
+	While the music played
+
+He worked by candlelight 

+
+	Finish it.
+
+	And now, translate it into first-person narrative:
+
+	While the music played
+
+I worked by candlelight 

+
+	Finish it.
+
+	Each narrative mode makes you look at the lyric differently. Which do you like better for “Kid Charlemagne”? Yup. I like second-person narrative best here too. But a cautionary note: Don't dash out and turn all your third-person narratives into second person. Beware of the hangman: Don't tell facts to someone who should already know them!
+
+	You can also leave the narrative mode, using second person as a substitute for I, as in, “C'mon, can't you be clear for once?” Or as an internal command: “C'mon, be clear for once!” Leonard Cohen's “Dress Rehearsal Rag” is a good example. In it, the character is standing in front of a mirror getting ready to shave:
+
+	
 Look at your body now, there's nothing much to save
+
+And a bitter voice in the mirror cries “Hey, Prince, you need a shave”
+
+Now, if you can manage to get your trembling fingers to behave
+
+Why don't you try unwrapping a stainless steel razor blade 

+
+
 Cover up your face with soap, there, now you're Santa Claus
+
+And you've got an “A” for anyone who will give you his applause 

+
+	I suppose we could call it an internal monologue or dialogue. One thing is clear: Narrative it ain't.
+
+	Practice with points of view. Get in the habit of checking every lyric you write from each point of view. Sometimes a change will make all the difference. Mostly, you'll get your best results with direct address and with standard first- and third-person narratives. But don't let that keep you from checking out second-person narrative. When it works, it works big time.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER THIRTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	DIALOGUE AND POINT OF VIEW
+
+
+	C
+
+
+
+	onversation overheard in a country home, using a surveillance microphone:
+
+	Alphonse: What gifts can I bring you to prove that my love for you is true? I want to make you mine forever. There's nothing on this Earth I would not do.
+
+	Emma Rae: Anything I have wanted, you have given willingly. So now there's only one more thing I need: If you love me, give me wings. Don't be afraid if I fly. A bird in a cage will forget how to sing; if you love me, give me wings.
+
+	Alphonse (walking over to the window, staring into space): I just want to protect you, because this world is a dangerous place.
+
+	Emma Rae (putting her arms around him): I know you mean well, but there's lessons I must learn for myself. If you love me, give me wings. Don't be afraid if I fly. A bird in a cage will forget how to sing; if you trust me, give me wings. Up above the clouds you can see forever, and I know you and I could learn to fly together. If you love me, give me wings. Don't be afraid if I fly. A bird in a cage will forget how to sing; if you trust me, give me wings. If you really love me, give me wings.
+
+	Gosh, what a nice conversation. It even rhymes. How would you turn this dialogue into a song? Think about it for a minute. Go back, read it again, and try it.
+
+	No, it probably isn't a duet. Duets need equal characters, both of whom can say the same chorus. Emma Rae is the only one here who can say “Give me wings.” Unless you're writing opera (sung dialogue), you're better off having one singer tell us about the conversation, complete with quotes. The real trick is selecting a point of view to set the whole thing up.
+
+	Here are your options:
+
+
+
+
+
+1. FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE
+
+
+	I asked her, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?”
+
+	Or:
+
+	He asked me, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?”
+
+	In first-person narrative, the singer tells us about a conversation he/ she actually had with some third party. Like someone coming in to work and saying, “Guess who I talked to yesterday. You'll never believe who he was with!” And then telling you the story.
+
+
+
+
+
+2. DIRECT ADDRESS
+
+
+	I asked you, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?”
+
+	In direct address, the singer is talking either directly to us, or to some unseen you. We're watching him/her have a conversation with a second person.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. THIRD-PERSON NARRATIVE
+
+
+	He asked her, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?”
+
+	Now our singer is a storyteller, pointing to a scene in the distance. The singer isn't in the story, and neither are we.
+
+	Let's try all three.
+
+
+
+
+
+First-Person Narrative
+
+
+	I asked her, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?
+
+	Want to make you mine forever
+
+There's nothing on this Earth I would not do”
+
+	She said, “Anything I have wanted
+
+You have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you love me, give me wings”
+
+	I walked over to the window
+
+Silently stared into space
+
+And said, “I just want to protect you
+
+'Cause this world is a dangerous place”
+
+	She put her arms around me
+
+She said “I know you mean well,
+
+But there's lessons I must learn for myself
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you trust me, give me wings”
+
+	She said, “Up above the clouds you can see forever
+
+And I know you and I could learn to fly together
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you trust me, give me wings
+
+If you really love me, give me wings”
+
+	The point of view works okay, but something is askew. The emotion feels off balance, a little forced. Why is this guy standing up there with his microphone telling us the story, anyway? What's his point?
+
+	Maybe the source of the problem is that the lyric is about her, not I. Our first version of first-person narrative shines the spotlight on the wrong person. In order for the male character to sing the song, he'd have to have something important to say about the story at the end, like in the final line of Don Schlitz's “The Gambler”: But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep. Maybe something like: I gave her her freedom, and we've been great ever since / Soaring together, lovers and friends.
+
+	So let's try it the other way. Since it is her story, maybe she should be the narrator:
+
+	He asked me, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?
+
+Want to make you mine forever
+
+There's nothing on this Earth I would not do”
+
+	I said, “Anything I have wanted
+
+You have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you love me, give me wings”
+
+	Go back to the first version and make the rest of the changes.
+
+	This point of view is better, but not terrific. Again, why is she raising the microphone and telling us these facts? We'd still need something like: He gave me my freedom, and we've been great ever since / Soaring together, lovers and friends.
+
+	Moral: If the singer is the I in the story, you've got to give him/her a good reason for telling it.
+
+
+
+
+
+Direct Address
+
+
+	Next, let's get up close and personal:
+
+	I asked you, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?
+
+Want to make you mine forever
+
+There's nothing on this Earth I would not do”
+
+	You said, “Anything I have wanted
+
+You have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you love me, give me wings”
+
+	I walked over to the window
+
+Silently stared into space
+
+I said, “I just want to protect you
+
+'Cause this world is a dangerous place”
+
+	You put your arms around me
+
+Said “I know you mean well,
+
+But there's lessons I must learn for myself
+
+	If you love me, give me wings 
”
+
+	Total disaster — the worst of history lessons. The you of the song was already there during the conversation, so what's the point of telling her about it again? The same is true if the woman sings the song:
+
+	You asked me, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?”
+
+	As we saw in chapter eleven, “Second Person and the Hangman,” simply telling people what they already know doesn't make for credible dialogue.
+
+
+
+
+
+Third-Person Narrative
+
+
+	Finally, look at the point of view of the actual lyric of this song, “Give Me Wings,” by Don Schlitz and Rhonda Kye Fleming:
+
+	He asked her, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+To prove that my love for you is true?
+
+I want to make you mine forever
+
+There's nothing on this Earth I would not do”
+
+	She said, “Anything I have wanted
+
+You have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you love me, give me wings”
+
+	He walked over to the window
+
+Silently stared into space
+
+He said, “I just want to protect you
+
+'Cause this world is a dangerous place”
+
+	She put her arms around him
+
+She said, “I know you mean well,
+
+But there's lessons I must learn for myself
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you trust me, give me wings”
+
+	She said, “Up above the clouds you can see forever
+
+And I know you and I could learn to fly together
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you trust me, give me wings
+
+If you really love me, give me wings”
+
+	Nifty. It doesn't matter if the singer is male or female, the dialogue seems complete and natural. This doesn't mean that third-person narrative is always the right answer for every lyric that uses dialogue. You should read every lyric you write in each point of view. See how each one feels, then decide which one works best.
+
+	Something on structure while we're here.
+
+	There's more to like about this little gem of a lyric, so while we're here, let's take a quick look at its structure, a really nice display of technical savvy.
+
+	The verses are fairly balanced — four lines in common meter, rhyming xaxa:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 He asked her, “What gifts can I bring you
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 To prove that my love for you is true?
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 Want to make you mine forever
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 There's nothing on this Earth I would not do”
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Pretty standard stuff. But beware, it's a setup to lull you into a false sense of security.
+
+	The section between the verse and chorus (call it whatever you want to — vest, pre-chorus, prime, lift, channel, runway, climb — I call it a transitional bridge) throws us off balance with its three lines:
+
+	She said, “Anything I have wanted
+
+You have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need”
+
+	Or, if you like, two lines of wickedly unequal length:
+
+	She said, “Anything I have wanted you have given willingly
+
+So now there's only one more thing I need”
+
+	We are toppled into the chorus, praying to find a secure landing. Perfect. That's what a transitional bridge is supposed to do.
+
+	Once we're securely into the chorus, things seem okay. The first two lines feel sturdy, balancing each other with three stresses:
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+	Then a four-stress line sets up a little more tension:
+
+	A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+	Boy, do we ever want a three-stress line rhyming with fly. How come? The aba rhyme scheme, wings/fly/sing, begs for a pairing with the unrhymed word. What do you want to hear? Maybe something like:
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+I must soar beyond the sky
+
+	Okay, my line is pretty cheesy, but even so, it does the job, resolving the tension nicely, both structurally and emotionally. The rhyme structure, wings/fly/sing/sky, feels much more resolved than the situation of the song intends. She's asking for, not getting, wings. That's why the real chorus's rhyme scheme, abaa, is so perfect:
+
+	If you love me, give me wings
+
+Don't be afraid if I fly
+
+A bird in a cage will forget how to sing
+
+If you love me, give me wings
+
+	The last line fools you (I call it a deceptive cadence), and in doing so, it accomplishes three things: (1) it repeats the title — a good commercial move; (2) the structural surprise spotlights the title; and (3) it resolves the chorus, though not as solidly as a rhyme for fly would have. The surprise rhyme is emotionally better suited to the intent of the chorus since it's a little less secure.
+
+	Neat structure. It lights up the title and supports the emotion of the lines with perfect prosody. I'm glad we looked.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FOURTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	METER:
+
+
+	SOMETHING IN COMMON
+
+	T
+
+
+
+	he sea captain of Western popular music is the eight-bar musical section, subdivided into two- and four-bar units. Expressed in quarter notes, old salty looks like this:
+
+
+
+
+
+	The eight-bar system is really one piece. Each of the subdivisions is a landmark along the voyage, giving directions and charting relationships. The end of bar two rests:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Then we tack into bars three and four:
+
+
+
+
+
+	What a different trip this section is (probably headed into the wind). Though we're at the end of four bars, we certainly feel unbalanced, and must continue:
+
+
+
+
+
+	That's better; now we're in familiar territory. Not only that, but we know exactly what to expect next. Because of the match between bars one and two and bars five and six, we expect bars seven and eight to match bars three and four. When they do, we have arrived at the end of the trip. We feel stable:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Of course, this has been a very simple trip, but you'd be surprised how basic it is to Western music, from Bach to Berry. Go back and take another look at the complete thing, and, while you're at it, mark the strong and weak notes in each two-bar group:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	The continuous voyage is organized according to a very simple principle: longer / shorter / longer / shorter.
+
+	You can't stop until you get to port. Now look at this simple nursery rhyme:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 MĂĄry hĂĄd a lĂ­ttle lĂĄmb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Its fléece was whíte as snów
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And éverywhére that Måry wént
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The lĂĄmb was sĂșre to gĂł
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Yup, it has something in common with the voyage we just took:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Like the eight-bar unit, this meter is the staple of songwriters, from the early troubadours to Tom Waits. It is even called common meter, partly because of its pervasiveness (the basis of nursery rhymes — e.g., “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary,” “Old Mother Hubbard”), and partly because of its relationship to musical form. Imagine our old seafarer singing:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 O Western wind, when wilt thou blow
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The small rain down can rain?
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Christ, that my love were in my arms
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And I in my bed again
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Since common meter is based on strong stresses, it doesn't really matter where the unstressed syllables fall. Like this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 If MĂĄry hĂĄd a lĂ­ttle lĂĄmb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Whose fléece was whíte as snów
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Then éverywhére Måry wént
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The lĂĄmb would be sĂșre to gĂł
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Or even this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It was MĂĄry who hĂĄd the lĂ­ttlest lĂĄmb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 With fléece just as whíte as the snów
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 O and éverywhére that Måry might chånce
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The lĂĄmb would most sĂșrely gĂł
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Sometimes, common meter omits a strong stress. The most usual variation shortens the four-stress lines to three stresses, and adds an unstressed syllable at the end:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Såtan rídes the fréeway
+
+			 3+ stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 PlĂĄying rĂłck and rĂłll
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Gíve him lnåes of léeway
+
+			 3+ stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 He lĂłngs to drĂ­ve your sĂłul
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	It still works the same way: longer / shorter / longer / shorter.
+
+	The important point is that the first and second phrases don't match; three-plus stresses is still longer than three stresses.
+
+	Sometimes a strong stress isn't really that strong, as seen in this selection from Emily Dickinson:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I heard a fly buzz when I died
+
+			 4 stresses (2 adjacent)
+
+
+
+		 			 The stillness in the room
+
+			 2 stresses (in is pretty wimpy)
+
+
+
+		 			 Was like the stillness in the air
+
+			 4 stresses (2 of which are pretty wimpy)
+
+
+
+		 			 Between the heaves of storm
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Common meter is nothing if not flexible. Sometimes the four-stress lines divide into two phrases. Sometimes the four-stress and three-stress lines add up to one complete phrase. Here are both events in one verse (written in triple meter) from Gordon Lightfoot's “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 They might 'a split up or they might 'a capsized
+
+			 2 phrases, each
+
+
+
+
+
+			 2 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 They might have broke deep and took water And all that remains is the faces and names Of the wives and the sons and the daughters
+
+			 2 lines equal one phrase of 7 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Common meter is a great starting point for creating a lyric, and for assuring a musical match. But remember, I said starting point. Writing in common meter is not a goal, it is a tool. Since common meter creates expectations, you can learn to create nice little surprises. Watch Paul Simon work his magic in these two lovely unbalanced bridges.
+
+	First, from “Still Crazy After All These Years”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 FoĂșr in the mĂłrning, craĂĄped out, yaáșƒ ning
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 LonÇ”ing my lĂ­fe awaĂœ
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I'Äșl never worƕy, wĂĄy should Ì
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 It's aÄșl gonna fĂĄde
+
+			 2 stresses
+
+
+
+
+
+			 (unbalanced)
+
+
+
+	 	The short ending leaves us hanging, supporting the emotion of the bridge. (What? Structure can be used to support emotion? Yup. Structure can be used to support emotion.)
+
+	Next, from “Train in the Distance”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Táșƒo disappoiƄted beliĂ©vers
+
+			 3+ stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 TwĂł people plĂĄying the game
+
+			 3 stresses (people set on weak beats)
+
+
+
+		 			 Negótiátions and lo⊹esongs
+
+			 3+ stresses (songs is weak in lovesongs)
+
+
+
+		 			 Are oöten mistĂĄken for oƄe and the saǂe
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	The last line unbalances the section and turns spotlights on the idea. A neat and effective ploy: If you want people to notice something, put it in spotlights. Ergo, put your important ideas in spotlights. Corollary: Don't turn on spotlights just to be cute.
+
+	Learn to cram your ideas into alternating four-stress and three-stress phrases. If they resist, let them, and see whether the results create any nifty little surprises, especially if the surprises help the meaning. The exercise will do you good; it will help you chart your course more clearly, and in stages that are foreseeable and easy to accomplish. If you need to take a detour, you will know where you are when you leave, and it will help you keep safely under control. A simple detour:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You've never felt what lonely is
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Till you've flown the night alone
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And the wind has blown you almost to despair
+
+			 5 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The sky runs black as midnight
+
+			 3+ stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And the strip is hard to see
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Heading into Charlotte on a prayer
+
+			 5 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Organizing your ideas into common meter may take a little work, but probably not that much, since, with rhymes like “Old King Cole” and “Little Miss Muffet,” it is ingrained from your earliest childhood. You can practice with any idea — a telemarketing call for example:
+
+	I had to call to say hello
+
+I hope you're gonna buy
+
+Times are tough and rent is due
+
+And I've got songs to write
+
+	Or deciding whether to call for a date:
+
+	I wanna call, I wanna call
+
+I know I'll sound too scared
+
+My self-esteem is plunging fast
+
+O do I do I dare?
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 16
+
+
+	Try doing this with your grocery list. Try one in duples — da DUM da DUM — and one in triples — da da DUM da da DUM.
+
+	Learn to think in common meter. It will give you plenty in common with every Billboard chart in history, and plenty in common with the language of song from its earliest chartings. You will be sailing through it and its variations as long as you write lyrics. It's a strong map to work from; it will help you chart a manageable course to keep you from getting lost when those prosodic zigs and zags take you into lovely and unexpected waters.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER FIFTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	SPOTLIGHTING WITH COMMON METER
+
+
+	D
+
+
+
+	on't be depressed because people are nodding off during your best song, their eyes crossing, their faces drooping inexorably toward the tabletops at your best lines. Don't bother spending big bucks on an exotic vacation pilgrimage to find “inspiration” again. Before you call your travel agent, try a little juggling. It could be a simple case of dull, lifeless lyric structure, and a little excitement might be all you need to put your ideas in a nice, bright spotlight.
+
+	Let's start with a common meter structure and see if we can get your listeners' faces off the table:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then asked me what I'd like
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Both the rhyme and the rhythm move in an abab (alternating) structure, giving double power to our expectations, and making the expected fourth line resolve completely, though a bit dully.
+
+	But just because you expect something to happen doesn't mean it has to happen. Expectations can be used to make structures more interesting. A surprise can add color and interest to your songs. First, let your listeners expect something, then surprise them with something different.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 17
+
+
+	Stop reading and create your own four-line common meter structure. Then, as I manipulate our original Tulsa structure throughout the chapter, make the same changes to your own version.
+
+	Okay, let's start with something we've seen already. Remember the bridge from Paul Simon's “Still Crazy After All These Years” with the shortened fourth line? Let's try that same trick here:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I felt the vibe
+
+			 b
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+	 	This throws us off balance. We wonder what the vibe is, but it doesn't seem all that promising, given the feeling of instability the shortened line creates.
+
+	Do the same thing to your section of common meter.
+
+	Now let's make another easy move: Extend line four by another strong stress (including an unstressed syllable). I've added the extra stressed syllable inside the line to keep the end line rhyming with line two:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and asked me what I'd like
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Do the same thing to yours.
+
+	Extending the last line creates a surprise — a deceptive rhythmic closure. Your listeners were innocently expecting a three-stress line rhyming with line two.
+
+	You've turned spotlights on both the third and the fourth stressed syllables of line four — the third because it doesn't rhyme with the third stressed syllable of line two, where you expected the rhyme, and at the fourth stressed syllable because it's sticking out of the end where it wasn't expected to be:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and asked me what I'd like
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	The spotlighted positions exaggerate the innuendo in her question. What a simple technique. All it takes is an extra two syllables inserted inside the line, one unstressed and one stressed. You can do it anytime you want. Uncross your listeners' eyes.
+
+	You could stop here and have a more interesting structure, but let's keep this effect and try something more.
+
+	Let's take what we have so far and rhyme line four with lines one and three instead of line two:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Now we've added a surprise. Let's call it a deceptive closure in this case because it fools us. We expected something else.
+
+	The fourth-line rhyme fools us and the spotlights blaze on. Plus there's a little more to see here, since the language is suddenly very specific. And once again, you can do this simple spotlighting maneuver any time you pick up your rhyming dictionary. By the way, this structure leaves the end line sound of line two lingering in the ear; this is discussed more in chapter nineteen, “Understanding Motion.”
+
+	So far you've juggled phrase length and rhyme scheme. Again, you could stop here and have a more interesting structure, but you can make it even more exciting.
+
+	Let's add another line to what we already have. Make the additional line a four-stress line that rhymes with lines one, three, and four:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I grinned and told her I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Now we've added another kind of surprise. Let's call it unexpected closure because it came out of the blue. It's not like being fooled, where we expected something else (deceptive closure). Here, we had no expectations at all. Pretty neat, huh?
+
+	Your listeners are sitting up straighter, paying close attention to the stuff in spotlights:
+
+	Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+I grinned and told her I was broke
+
+	But the added line seems a little thin for all those spotlights. Told and I are in stressed positions, yet they don't really deliver much. If this line were in an ordinary position, it wouldn't make much difference, but we've set up the line specifically to get extra attention, so something important should go there. Maybe even the title. When you turn on spotlights, use them:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 And vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Better. Some drama for the spotlights. I don't mind the rhymes — almost perfect, so they keep the ear on track, despite the tomfoolery with structure.
+
+	Once more, we could stop here and have a more interesting structure. But let's see what happens if we add even more.
+
+	Let's add yet another line to what we already have. Make it a four- stress line, and rhyme it with lines one, three, four, and five. Add it inside the structure if you want to. Don't look ahead until you've done yours.
+
+	I got:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then rising in a curl of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Pretty interesting, huh? We're able to sustain all these lines, building pressure and excitement with each step without losing momentum. All this just because we're expecting a rhyme for bite.
+
+	Let's take one more step. Since your listeners (now giving you complete attention bordering on adoration) have been expecting a rhyme for bite all along, let's see what will happen if, in the blaze of all these spotlights, you actually produce it. Finish your section with a three-stress line, rhyming it with line two. Use your rhyming dictionary and find either perfect rhymes or family rhymes. Since you have to pick up a sound five lines earlier, the rhyme has to be as near as possible to perfect. That's also why you'll want to match the rhythm of the three-stress line.
+
+	Here's my final result:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then rising in a curl of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom in the night
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	All of the extra lines are lit up. Your listeners are wide awake.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then rising in a curl of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom in the night
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	As you might have guessed, the final line could have been delivered anywhere in the earlier versions, resulting in any of these structures:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 1.
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 2.
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 18
+
+
+	Go back with your version and adjust it to each of these structures.
+
+	See how easy it is to create interesting structure? You simply have to know what the possibilities are and, crack, you're off!
+
+
+
+
+
+XAXA RHYME SCHEME
+
+
+	All of these same moves are available if you start with the other form of common meter, xaxa, which doesn't rhyme the first and third lines.
+
+	Revise your piece of common meter so lines one and three don't rhyme, and manipulate yours as I manipulate mine:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x*
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then asked me what I'd like
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	*x stands for any unrhymed line
+
+	The structure is slightly more relaxed, but, as you will see, the same surprises are possible:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and asked me what I'd like
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Our old friend, the additional stressed syllable. Now, rhyme lines three and four instead of two and four:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Only the last two lines rhyme, again turning on spotlights, but this time the rhyme comes out of nowhere, so the structure is as surprising (unexpected closure) as her petticoats. In the full abab, her petticoats fool us. In the looser structure, they surprise us — a subtle but interesting difference.
+
+	Now the rest of the added lines are the same as the ones from our original abab exercise:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then rising in a curl of smoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom in the night
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Either version of common meter can create interesting structure. The more interesting your structure is, the more visible those wonderful ideas are. The more visible the ideas are, the stronger the interest from your listeners will be: heads up, eyes uncrossed, lives transformed.
+
+	Okay, so my last line, a phantom in the night, is pretty cheesy, and the cheese really, really shows up in this heavily spotlighted position. It would be a great place to put the song's title, wouldn't it?
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 19
+
+
+	Go find a final line that's better than mine. Go to your rhyming dictionary under IT or ID. Remember, at this distance between rhymes, the sonic bond has to be pretty strong.
+
+	Learn to turn on spotlights. Then be sure to put something interesting where they shine.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SIXTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	METER:
+
+
+	TWO BY TWO
+
+	A
+
+
+
+	s we saw in chapter fourteen, common meter typically organizes music into a single eight-bar unit, running (two bars + two bars) + (two bars + two bars). The second line of common meter, comprising bars three and four, contains only three stresses, keeping the entire system moving until it is matched at line four (bars seven and eight).
+
+	When you want to organize into four-bar units rather than eight-bar units, all you have to do is match bars one and two with bars three and four. Here's the paradigm:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Eénie méenie míney móe
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 CĂĄtch a tĂ­ger Ăłn the tĂłe
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 If he hĂłllers mĂĄke him pĂĄy
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 FĂ­fty dĂłllars Ă©very dĂĄy
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	The lines are four-stress balanced lines called couplets. They move differently. There's no problem stopping after line two:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Eénie méenie míney móe
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 CĂĄtch a tĂ­ger Ăłn the tĂłe
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Not so with common meter:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Máry h↑d a l↑ttle l↑mb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Its fléece was whíte as snów
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Think of line length as a traffic cop: It tells you when to stop, and when to go. Matched line lengths are stable. Unmatched lines create instability and make us move forward, looking for a place to rest. And when you rhyme matched lines, the stop sign is even stronger.
+
+	Here's a real one from A.E. Housman's “To an Athlete Dying Young”:
+
+	The tĂ­me you wĂłn your tĂłwn the rĂĄce
+
+We chĂĄired you thrĂługh the mĂĄrket plĂĄce
+
+Mån and bóy stood chéering by
+
+And hĂłme we brĂłught you shĂłulder hĂ­gh
+
+
+
+
+
+USING COUPLETS
+
+
+	Couplets usually rhyme, marking stopping places for the ear. They form a lyrical and musical unit, typically four bars long. They move us forward in regular, balanced steps with four stressed notes in each two-bar section.
+
+
+
+
+
+	You can easily extend from four lines to six without getting too far off balance. Look at the first verse of “Where've You Been” by Don Henry and Jon Vezner:
+
+	Claire had all but given up
+
+When she and Edwin fell in love
+
+She touched his face and shook her head
+
+In disbelief she sighed and said
+
+In many dreams I've held you near
+
+Now at last you're really here
+
+	The feeling is slightly unstable, since we have an odd number of couplets, yet an even number of lines, a subtle and interesting verse structure. You can use it to create a strong sense of center, yet raise expectations that something else is coming.
+
+	You can also use a couplet at the end of a section of common meter for acceleration and contrast:
+
+	Claire had all but given up
+
+Then fell in love with Ed
+
+She touched his face and closed her eyes
+
+In disbelief she said
+
+In many dreams I've held you near
+
+Now at last you're finally here
+
+	The ending couplet creates a real sense of interest and arrival.
+
+	You can use couplets to set up an expectation of balance, then take a different route. Like this, from David Wilcox's “Eye of the Hurricane”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Tank is full, switch is on
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Night is warm, cops are gone
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Rocket bike is all her own
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 It's called a hurricane
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 She told me once it‐s quite a ride
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 It's shaped so there's this place inside
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Where, if you're moving you can hide
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Safe within the rain
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Neat structure! The odd fourth line stands out because we expected a four-stress rhymed couplet. Instead, we get a three-stress unrhymed line, handing us an IOU that isn't cashed in until line eight. It's a good way to create a seamless eight-line (sixteen-bar) section.
+
+
+
+
+
+WITHOUT COUPLETS
+
+
+	What happens when four-stress lines aren't rhymed in couplets? Look at this section of “The End of the Innocence” by Don Henley and Bruce Hornsby:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Remember when the days were long
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't have a care in the world
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 With mommy and daddy standin' by
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	This is a more leisurely trip, with balanced four-bar phrases that settle gently, rather than asking for forward motion. After we've seen only the first two lines,
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Remember when the days were long
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	there is no urgent push forward, as there would have been if the lines were unmatched.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Mary had a little lamb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Whose fleece was white as snow
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	pushes forward, while the four-stress couplets don't:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Mary had a little lamb
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Whose fleece was white as deepest snow
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Instead, we just roll smoothly along, in no particular hurry.
+
+
+
+
+
+			 rhyme
+
+
+
+
+
+			 scheme
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Remember when the days were long
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't have a care in the world
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 With mommy and daddy standin' by
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	When the next three lines come along in rhyme, we can feel the acceleration, a strong pressure building forward:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 rhyme
+
+
+
+
+
+			 scheme
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 But “happily ever after” fails
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 The lawyers dwell on small details
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Since daddy had to fly
+
+			 c
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	Seven four-stress lines in a row, and after three rhymed lines in a row, an unrhymed three-stress line! It's a huge IOU that you can actually hear being cashed in sixteen lines later, after a pre-chorus, a chorus, and the entire second verse have come in between. That's the power of the expectations these balanced lines are able to create.
+
+	It's interesting that the last line of the verse, since daddy had to fly, sounds unrhymed. It should rhyme with sky and by in lines two and four, but since the first four lines close off to form a unit, we won't hear the connection.
+
+	The next four lines move into common meter. After all the four-stress couplets in the verse, the contrast is startling:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 rhyme
+
+
+
+
+
+			 scheme
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 But I know a place where we can go
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 That's still untouched by men
+
+			 d
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And the tall grass wave in the wind
+
+			 d
+
+			 3 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	The section moves in a completely different way — in a four-line unit rather than two by two. We get a simultaneous effect of speeding up (with shorter second and fourth lines) and slowing down (less frequent rhymes). It's a great contrast to use for this transitional section (prechorus), preparing us to go back to four-stress lines:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 rhyme
+
+
+
+
+
+			 scheme
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 You can lay your head back on the ground
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 And let your hair fall all around me
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Offer up your best defense
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 But this is the end
+
+			 b
+
+			 2 stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 This is The End of the Innocence
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 stresses
+
+
+
+	 	All the mixing and matching of four-stress couplets and common meter has led to this chorus. Here's the payoff for all the balanced lines and even numbers of bars. With a maddeningly simple move of inserting only a piece of the last line, but this is the end, everything is thrown off balance. There are now an odd number of lines in the chorus. There is an odd rhyme scheme. There is a two-stress line for the first time. And the chorus stretches beyond the eight-bar units we saw in the verse and pre-chorus into eleven bars. An effective way to showcase the title. This is The End of the Innocence.
+
+	Throwing it off balance keeps it from closing solidly; it supports the emotion of the idea — a sort of bittersweet longing that feels a little airy and suspended, matching the unstable structural perfectly. Very impressive. And all done in couplets and common meter.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 20
+
+
+	Here are a few exercises to get you moving. Write a section for each of the following models and watch it in action. Then put a few of the more unusual rhyme schemes in your toolbox for later use. Offer your listeners some nice surprises.
+
+
+
+
+
+	Pretty easy stuff, step by step. But you can build interesting structures by mixing and matching couplets and common meter. Obviously, there are more lines available in the universe than are found in these two philosophies, but they, with their combinations and variations, can take us a long way without stopping anywhere else. We'll look at more of the essential building blocks later, in chapter nineteen, “Understanding Motion.”
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	MANAGING COUPLETS
+
+
+	L
+
+
+
+	et's do some work with four-stress couplets. Couplets are dangerous because too many of them can march lockstep in small, repetitive units that make your song feel too long and old before its time.
+
+	When your lines are all the same length and rhyme in pairs, your structure is probably working against you — no matter how interesting your ideas may be, they have to work harder to overcome the interruption of stopping and starting, stopping and starting, over and over again.
+
+	I'll bet you've done this a lot in your lyrics. I know I have:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and showed her petticoats
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Not so bad for just four lines. But admit it, you have songs that march lockstep from beginning to end in matched couplets: aa bb cc dd ee ff gg, etc. ad nauseam. Those are probably the songs that feel too long. It doesn't have to be that way if you remember that structure doesn't happen to you. You can make interesting things happen in your songs. You have choices.
+
+	Here's a tip: The more words there are in your lyric section, the larger your structure should make it feel. Couplets are units of two lines. If you have couplets in your verse, you can expand them into something larger. Size can make all the difference.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 21
+
+
+	Write your own four lines of matched, four-stress couplets. Then, as I manipulate my Tulsa example, follow along by changing yours.
+
+	Okay, first, let's build our pair of couplets into something larger in one easy stroke: Unrhyme the first couplet and leave the second one rhymed. Like this:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and showed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Rather than a section that subdivides into two units of two, we've created a section that doesn't end until the final line. It feels better, more interesting.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 22
+
+
+	Now, shorten the second line to a three-stress line, like this:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a small café
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and showed her petticoats
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Doing this, you unleash all the techniques we saw in chapter fifteen on spotlighting. You can also add extra lines.
+
+	Now, using your version, add a five-stress line between lines two and three, and add another five-stress line that rhymes with it at the end. The rhyme scheme will be xxaxxa. Your line lengths should be 435435. Don't look ahead unless you absolutely have to.
+
+	This is what I came up with for my lyric:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a small café
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The plĂĄce was cĂłld, the wĂĄitress cĂĄme at lĂĄst
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 She stopped and stared before she grĂ­nned
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then flashed her petticoats
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 And disappeared, a vision from the past
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+	 	Now the long third and sixth lines provide the main glue, creating a six-line section that keeps moving all the way to the end. Of course, you can use more rhymes, too.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 23
+
+
+	Now rhyme line two with five, as well as three with six. Don't look ahead.
+
+	Here's what I did:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The plĂĄce was cĂłld, the wĂĄitress came at lĂĄst
+
+			 b
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 She stopped and stared before she grĂ­nned
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then quickly turned away
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 And disappeared, a vision from the past
+
+			 b
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+	 	The movement feels stronger, not quite so loose.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 24
+
+
+	Now rhyme line one with four so the section rhymes abcabc. Again, take your time and write something you like. It's good practice.
+
+	Mine is:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a small café
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The plĂĄce was cĂłld, the wĂĄitress came at lĂĄst
+
+			 c
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 She stopped and stared before she smiled
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then quickly turned away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 And disappeared, a vision from the past
+
+			 c
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+	 	Now the motion is even more organized and precise, even with the imperfect rhymes. Which rhyme scheme should you use? It depends on what you're saying. If the lyric's emotion deals with uncertainty or loss (unstable), keep it looser. If its ideas are more factual or resolved (stable), tighten it up. Make your structure reflect the emotion of the lyric. Prosody.
+
+	Here's another way to approach the process. When you have something already written with matched couplets, like my beginning lyric:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared a while before she spoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and showed her petticoats
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	You can “clean it out” by first unrhyming both couplets. Then, insert five-stress lines in the middle and end. It should be easy. Do it to your matched couplets first.
+
+	Here's what I did. First, I unrhymed them:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she turned
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Then I inserted rhyming five-stress lines:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and tired
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The plĂĄce was cĂłld, the wĂĄitress cĂĄme at lĂĄst
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 She stopped and stared before she grĂ­nned
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 And disappeared, a vision from the past
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+	 	Pretty easy, huh? And the structure has become a lot more interesting.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 25
+
+
+	Now try keeping your four-stress couplets intact and adding the rhymed five-stress lines into the lyric. Like this:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The plåce was émpty, shé appéared at låst
+
+			 b
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 And disappeared, a vision from the past
+
+			 b
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+	 	Here's one more way to escape the deadly march of couplets: Create an eight-line structure using four-stress rhymed lines with shorter fourth and eighth lines.
+
+	Here's mine:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then she appeared, an angel's face
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I sat there hypnotized
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 And vanished like some ancient ghost
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom from the night
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	This rhyme scheme, unrhyming line four and matching it at line eight, was David Wilcox's move from “Eye of the Hurricane.” Without the rhyme scheme's organizing larger motion, the eight lines could really have been dull city:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped inside a small café
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 When she appeared with angel's eyes
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I knew she had me hypnotized
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Then smiled and flashed her petticoats
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She turned away and disappeared
+
+			 d
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom who was never there
+
+			 d
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	With couplets, the lines themselves have to work hard to keep the song interesting; the structure isn't helping a bit. Any weakness in the lines is exaggerated. Even if the lines were great (which those above clearly aren't), the message would still be stronger if the structure helped, too. Any of the structures we went through earlier in the chapter could be useful alternatives.
+
+	Once you rearrange your couplets into larger units, you can invent new and more exciting possibilities. Look at these lines from Leonard Cohen's “Closing Time”:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Well we're drinking and we're dancing
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the band is really happening
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the Johnnie Walker wisdom's running high
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And my very sweet companion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 She's the angel of compassion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And she's rubbing half the world against her thigh
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Okay, so it's a little quirky. What did you expect from Cohen? He's built a six-line structure using longer third and sixth lines (with five stresses each) contrasting with shorter lines (basically three-stress lines with weak syllable endings). The structure is interesting enough, and the language is interesting, too. A nice combination. But wait, there's more:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Well we're drinking and we're dancing
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the band is really happening
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the Johnnie Walker wisdom's running high
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And my very sweet companion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Shes' the angel of compassion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And shes' rubbing half the world against her thigh
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Every drinker every dancer
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Lifts a happy face to thank her
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 And the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	These three new lines make listeners expect another three, ending in an -ime rhyme. They're waiting for another first six-line structure to match the first six lines. Of course, once you raise their expectations, you are free to play tricks that turn on spotlights:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Well we're drinking and wer'e dancing
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the band is really happening
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the Johnnie Walker wisdom's running high
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And my very sweet companion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Shes' the angel of compassion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And she's rubbing half the world against her thigh
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Every drinker every dancer
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Lifts a happy face to thank her
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 And the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 All the women tear their blouses off
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 And the men they dance on the polka dots
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+	 	Now we have five of the six lines we're expecting. All that's missing is a five-stress line with an -ime rhyme. The new lines aren't quite matched with what came before, since they end with strong stressed syllables rather than weak, but they're close enough to prepare our ear for the final line with its -ime rhyme. Instead, though, we get:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It's partner found and it's partner lost
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+	 	This line delays the resolution and leaves the structure unbalanced; we still want to hear the -ime rhyme. At this point, you could produce the expected line, satisfying the listeners and spotlighting the final idea (because you have made the listeners wait for the resolution). But not Leonard Cohen. His next move is:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+	 	This extra delay builds even more pressure for a resolution. But it's like stretching a rubber band (Minnesotans call them “binders”, New Englanders call them “elastics”
 weird): You don't want to stretch them too far or they'll break. If you don't stretch it far enough, though, they won't hurt when you snap someone with them.
+
+	The delay is maddening. Spotlights are flashing on. We still want the -ime rhyme, and we're right at the brink of the whole thing falling apart when he finally gives it to us:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It's closing time
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Whew! Look at the whole thing now:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Well we're drinking and wer'e dancing
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the band is really happening
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the Johnnie Walker wisdom's running high
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And my very sweet companion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Shes' the angel of compassion
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And shes' rubbing half the world against her thigh
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Every drinker every dancer
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Lifts a happy face to thank her
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 And the fiddler fiddles something so sublime
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 All the women tear their blouses off
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 And the men they dance on polka dots
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 It's partner found and partner lost
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 And it's hell to pay when the fiddler stops
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 It's closing time
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	He keeps us dangling for two extra lines before giving is the -ime rhyme in a blaze of spotlights, spotlights created by building the structure carefully — raising our expectations, satisfying them, then raising them again. The second time is the charm. It's another great example of what expectations can do to make your journey through a series of ideas more interesting. Look at what the section could have been:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Well we're drinking and we're dancing
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And the band is really happening
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And my very sweet companion
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 She's the angel of compassion
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Rubs the world against her thigh
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 The Johnnie Walker wisdoms' high
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Every drinker every dancer
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 Lifts their face to thank her
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 And the women shed their blouses
+
+			 e
+
+
+
+		 			 And the men all dance around them
+
+			 e
+
+
+
+		 			 It's partner found and lost
+
+			 f
+
+
+
+		 			 And hell when the fiddler stops
+
+			 f
+
+
+
+		 			 'Cause he fiddles so sublime
+
+			 g
+
+
+
+		 			 But alas it's closing time
+
+			 g
+
+
+
+	 	The relentless march of couplets sinks the whole enterprise. More has been lost than just some neat words and a couple of nice turns of phrase. The dance of ideas has lost its partner. When the interesting structure decides to sit this one out, the ideas stumble into a partner with two left feet. What was elegant and interesting becomes something almost embarrassing; rather than looking on with pleasure, we avert our eyes. Such is the power of the dance between structure and ideas.
+
+	Interesting structure isn't something that just happens. You create it. And usually out of the simplest of starting places: matched couplets and/or common meter. None of these techniques are difficult to use — you can create wonderful partnerships any time you choose to. It's always up to you. Just work hard. Pay attention. Write well.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	PROSODY:
+
+
+	STRUCTURE AS FILM SCORE
+
+	N
+
+
+
+	ow that you have some tools for manipulating common meter and matched couplets, let's take a closer look at the power you have at your fingertips when you use your tools effectively. Look at this lyric, “Can't Be Really Gone” by Gary Burr (recorded by Tim McGraw):
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+The one she bought in Mexico
+
+It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+So she can't be really gone
+
+	The shoes she bought on Christmas Eve
+
+She laughed and said they called her name
+
+It's like they're waiting in the hall
+
+For her to slip them on
+
+So, she can't be really gone
+
+	I don't know when she'll come back
+
+She must intend to come back
+
+And I've seen the error of my ways
+
+Don't waste the tears on me
+
+What more proof do you need
+
+Just look around the room
+
+So much of her remains
+
+	Her book is lying on the bed
+
+The two of hearts to mark her page
+
+Now, who could ever walk away
+
+With so much left undone
+
+So, she can't be really gone
+
+	No, she can't be really gone
+
+	Okay. How soon did you know that she isn't coming back?
+
+	Right. At the end of the first verse. Of course, that's only because we're smart, intuitive beings — we just know these things. Poor guy. He has no idea. While this poor slob is looking for reasons to prove that she's coming back, we, with our deeper understanding of life and the ways of the world, know the real truth.
+
+	Kinda like watching a movie where the beautiful couple is running in slow motion toward each other through a golden sunlit field, smiling. There's a soft lens. The film score is full of romantic strings, swelling in a major key. But as they float closer to each other and our chests swell in anticipation of the long-awaited embrace, an oboe cuts through the film score in a nasty minor second, and our bodies stiff en a little. We don't really notice the music, but something tells us that something bad is about to happen. Suddenly, the guys with the shotguns leap up from their hiding places and blow the couple away. We knew it! We knew something bad was going to happen! Of course, that's because we're smart, intuitive beings — we just know these things.
+
+	Of course, the film score, which is created to stand behind the action, gave it away. Most folks don't really notice it — they just react. The composer is pulling the strings and we, like puppets, react predictably, feeling just what the score makes us feel.
+
+	That's what's going on in “Can't Be Really Gone,” but this time it's not the music that creates the film score. It's the structure of the lyric, acting, just like a film score, on our emotions.
+
+	Look at the first verse:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+The one she bought in Mexico
+
+It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+So she can't be really gone
+
+	Though the character is giving us evidence that she's not gone for good, we don't believe him. Something just doesn't feel right. The verse itself feels funny — unstable.
+
+
+
+
+
+PROSODY
+
+
+	Aristotle said that every great work of art contains the same feature: unity. Everything in the work belongs — it all works to support every other element. Another word for unity is prosody, which is the “appropriate relationship between elements, whatever they may be.” Some examples of prosody in songs might be:
+
+	 	Between words and music: A minor key could support or even create a feeling of sadness in an idea.
+
+	Between syllables and notes: An appropriate relationship between stressed syllables and stressed notes is a really big deal in songwriting — when they are lined up properly, the shape of the melody matches the natural shape of the language.
+
+	Between rhythm and meaning: Obvious examples like “you gotta stop! 
 (pause) 
 look and listen” or writing a song about galloping horses in a triplet feel.
+
+
+
+	The elements all join together to support the central intent, idea, and emotion of the work. Everything fits. Prosody: the appropriate relationship between elements.
+
+
+
+
+
+Stable vs. Unstable
+
+
+	Looking at your sections through the lens of stablility or instability is a practical tool for creating prosody because you'll be able to use it for every aspect of your song: the idea, the melody, the rhythm, the chords, the lyric structure — everything. It governs the choices you make. Ask yourself: Is the emotion in this section stable or unstable? Once you answer that question, you have a standard for making all your other choices.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Five Elements of Structure
+
+
+	Every section of every lyric you write uses five elements — always the same five elements — of structure. These elements conspire to act like a film score and, in and of themselves, create motion. And motion always creates emotion, completely independent of what is being said. Ideally, structure should create prosody — support what is being said — strengthening the message, making it more powerful.
+
+	The five elements of lyric structure are:
+
+	 	number of lines
+
+	length of lines
+
+	rhythm of lines
+
+	rhyme scheme
+
+	rhyme type
+
+
+
+	In “Can't Be Really Gone,” we'll look at the prosody — the relationship between its structure and its meaning. Let's take a look at each of these five elements and what they do in the first verse.
+
+	1. Number of Lines
+
+	Every section you'll ever write — verses, choruses, pre-choruses, bridges — will have (here it comes, get ready) some number of lines or other. Okay, not much of a revelation. But more specifically, every section you'll ever write will have either an even number of lines, or an odd number of lines. Wow. Even more of a revelation.
+
+	Let's talk a bit about lyrics with an odd number of lines. An odd number of lines feels odd — off balance, unresolved, incomplete, unstable. Let's say you're writing a verse where the idea is something like: “Baby, since you left me I've been feeling lost, odd, off balance, unresolved, incomplete, unstable.” Just theoretically, do you think this verse would be better with an even number of lines or an odd number of lines? Right. An odd number of lines.
+
+	This changes everything. You've recognized, maybe for the first time, that there can be a relationship between what you say and how many lines you use to say it. You're feeling unstable, and the odd, or unstable, number of lines supports that feeling. Prosody. Your structure (in this case, your number of lines) can support meaning.
+
+	An even number of lines tends to feel, well, even — solid, resolved, balanced, stable. Let's say that your message is something like: “Baby, you're the answer to all my prayers. I'll be with you forever. I'm your rock. You can count on me.” How many lines should you use? Odd or even? Right. Even. You want a solid feeling in the structure to support the emotion you're trying to communicate. “I mean it. You can trust me.” Prosody.
+
+	Now, for a really interesting case. What if you say, “Baby, you're the answer to all my prayers. I'll be with you forever. I'm your rock.
+
+	You can count on me,” and you say it in an odd number of lines? Do you trust this guy? I don't think so. Something doesn't feel right — there's a mismatch between what is being said and how it's put together, how it moves. Though the message promises stability, the motion creates instability, which pulls the rug out from under the narrator. It creates irony.
+
+	Let's look at the first verse again:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+The one she bought in Mexico
+
+It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+So she can't be really gone
+
+	This feels unstable, though the message is: “Look at the evidence — it proves that she'll be coming back.” But the feeling we get from the unstable structure (which is acting like a film score) is that he's wrong and perhaps a bit hysterical or, at least, in denial.
+
+	So the number of lines can make a big difference.
+
+	What if the verse had been:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+From Mexico, that funny store
+
+I know she'd take her hat along
+
+So I know she can't be really gone
+
+	Since the section feels balanced, we'd probably be convinced — there's a sense of resolution, balance, and completeness that we feel here. Go ahead, have some breakfast. Take the dog for a walk. She'll be home when you get back.
+
+	So an even number of lines supports stability and resolution, while an odd number of lines support the opposite.
+
+	2. Length of Lines
+
+	Line length is the traffic cop in your lyric. Two lines of equal length, because they're balanced, tell you to stop. (Note, for future reference, that the length of a line is not determined by the number of syllables, but by the number of stressed syllables, because the number of stressed syllables helps determine the number of musical bars.)
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+The one she bought in Mexico
+
+	The two four-stress lines feel balanced. It feels like we're finished with one thing and ready to start something new. Of course, we would feel even more stability if the lines rhymed, too. More on this later.
+
+	Lines of unequal length, because they do not reach a point of balance, tell you to keep moving:
+
+	It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+	Now we feel unbalanced and unresolved, and the traffic cop tells us to keep moving forward. Simple, but very effective.
+
+	The first three lines are equal length:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The one she bought in Mexico
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	But then something happens:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd never leave that one
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	The three-stress line leaves us short, creating an unstable feeling — making us feel uncomfortable, like something's not quite right. The following line:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 So she can't be really gone
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	leaves us still feeling uncomfortable. With yet a second three-stress line, a new expectation kicks in: We'd like one more three-stress line.
+
+	Maybe something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She'll soon be coming home
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Which gives us:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The one she bought in Mexico
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd never leave that one
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 So she can't be really gone
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 She'll soon be coming home
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Read it through a few times. See how comfortable it feels?
+
+	And now see how uncomfortable this feels:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The one she bought in Mexico
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd never leave that one
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 So she can't be really gone
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	So there's a conspiracy between the number of lines and the line lengths to torpedo this guy — to expose him for the man in denial that he is. It's important to note that he isn't similarly exposed in the previous six-line structure.
+
+	There'll be a much more detailed treatment on the motion created by number of lines and line lengths in the next chapter, “Understanding Motion.”
+
+	3. Rhythm of Lines
+
+	First, let's acknowledge the difference between the rhythm of words and musical rhythm. Though they should match each other on the most important levels, they can also vary in many ways. For example, when we read, we normally don't extend a syllable for four beats, nor do we speed up parts of a line and slow other parts down significantly. Music does it all the time. What should remain constant between the rhythms of words and musical rhythm is this: Stressed syllables belong with stressed notes. Unstressed syllables belong with unstressed notes. This is called “preserving the natural shape of the language.” For our purposes here, we'll concentrate on lyric rhythm and leave musical rhythm for another time.
+
+	Let's look at the rhythm of our lyric. We've already marked the stressed syllables:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The one she bought in Mexico
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd never leave that one
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 So she can't be really gone
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	This moves along in groups of two (da DUM):
+
+	Da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+Da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+Da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+Da DUM da DUM DUM da
+
+Da da DUM da DUM da DUM
+
+	This is a mostly very regular lyric rhythm, with just a two variations, neither of which have much effect.
+
+	Okay, why, in a verse that feels so off balance (to support the off-balance emotion of the idea), is the rhythm so darn regular? Shouldn't it be off kilter, too?
+
+	Remember, this is a man in denial. He's trying to convince himself she's coming back. If everything in the verse were off kilter, there'd be nothing stable to rub against the unstable elements. Also, the differences in line length would become less clear and, therefore, less effective.
+
+	So the regularity of the rhythm, in this case, actually highlights the elements that throw it off balance.
+
+	4. Rhyme Scheme
+
+	Songs are made for listening — we hear them rather than see them.
+
+	Rhyme is a sonic event, made for listening. It provides our ear with road signs to guide us through the journey of the song. It shows us connections. It tells us when to stop and when to move forward. Look:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+Her scarf is lying on the floor
+
+	This sounds finished. It stops us. It feels resolved, stable. But look at this:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+Her scarf is lying on the floor
+
+	Now we feel the push forward. Although, in this case, the line lengths also conspire to throw us off balance, leaning ahead, the rhymes can do it all by themselves:
+
+	door
+
+one
+
+floor
+
+	So rhyme guides our ear. Can a lack of rhyme maroon our ear without a guide? As in:
+
+	Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+The one she bought in Mexico
+
+It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+She'd never leave that one
+
+So she can't be really gone
+
+	Our ear feels a little lost. And how is our hero feeling? Yup. Lost.
+
+	Is this to say that the lack of rhyme supports the emotion of the verse? Yup. It's huge. And, with a little practice, you can do it, too. These are tools, ready for use in any situation. Just apply the right tool in the right place and watch your song take on more color and more meaning.
+
+	Listen to “The Great Balancing Act” and see how Janis Ian and Kye Fleming create prosody with their abbb rhyme scheme.
+
+	Prosody comes from many directions, and rhyme scheme can be a big player. There's much more of this to come in chapter nineteen, “Understanding Motion.”
+
+	5. Rhyme Types Remember this?
+
+	RHYME TYPES:
+
+SCALE OF RESOLUTION STRENGTHS
+
+
+
+
+
+	Remember, rhyme types create opportunities to add color and emotion. Use them to color your meaning, the same way a film score comments on the action on the screen.
+
+	There are no rules, only tools.
+
+	She'd never leave that one
+
+So she can't be really gone
+
+	Here, the consonance rhyme, one/gone, conspires, along with the other elements of structure (number of lines, line length etc.), to help pull the rug out from under our hero, as well as to increase our feeling that something's not quite right. Good stuff.
+
+	So, did Gary Burr think about all this stuff as he wrote “Can't Be Really Gone”? Maybe, maybe not. The important issue is: You can.
+
+	The point of lyric analysis isn't to discover what a given writer intended to do. That's a fool's errand. Rather, lyric analysis digs into effective songs to discover what makes them work, to unearth tools for our own use.
+
+	Take the songs that move you and go beyond what they say and see how they're put together. You'll see how the film score of structure creates an extra dimension, adding emotion at every turn. Then use these structural tools to make your own songs dance.
+
+	Let's finish by looking at the five elements at work in Don Henley and Bruce Hornsby's “The End of the Innocence”:
+
+	Remember when the days were long
+
+And rolled beneath the deep blue sky
+
+Didn't have a care in the world
+
+With mommy and daddy standin'by
+
+	Stable or unstable? Right. Stable. And how stable was my childhood? Well, my childhood had an even number of equal-length lines that rhymed perfectly at the second and fourth lines.
+
+	But happily ever after fails
+
+And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales
+
+The lawyers dwell on small details
+
+Since daddy had to fly
+
+	Stable or unstable? Right. Stable. And where is it the most unstable? Right. The last line, where daddy leaves. How did daddy's leaving affect me? Well, it made me feel like my life sped up with consecutive rhymes, then dropped me over the edge with a short, unrhymed line. Darn it, daddy!
+
+	But I know a place where we can go
+
+That's still untouched by men
+
+We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by
+
+And the tall grass wave in the wind
+
+	Stable or unstable? Hmm. Both? Yes. An even number of lines with matched alternating line lengths, rhyming lines two and four. That's what I'm promising you — a place where everything will feel stable again. But alas, though it might still feel better, there's not much you can do about the damage daddy's leaving did. No matter how stable the place we go feels, there's that darn men/wind consonance/additive rhyme, making everything hang. Real stability is now just an illusion. No perfect rhymes in sight.
+
+	You can lay your head back on the ground
+
+And let your hair fall all around me
+
+Offer up your best defense
+
+But this is the end
+
+This is the end of the innocence
+
+	Stable or unstable? Yep — very unstable. We'll never get our innocence back. Our life is always destined to be an odd number of unequal-length lines topped of by another consonance rhyme, defense/innocence.
+
+	A remarkable journey, where the structure supports — indeed, helps create — the emotional intent of the song.
+
+	Structure is your film score. Learn how to use it. Learn the effects that various structures can create, and use them to support your own ideas. Sometimes, you can even use them to create emotions underneath what you're saying.
+
+	In the next chapter, we'll take a systematic look at the effects of various structures. Fasten your seatbelts.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER NINETEEN
+
+
+
+
+
+	UNDERSTANDING MOTION
+
+
+	O
+
+
+
+	ne of the best ways to give your lyric extra punch is to understand how to make your lyric move, and how to make that motion support what you're saying — how to create prosody.
+
+	Sometimes, you may accidentally trip onto this sort of writing, unaware of the choices you're making. But if you tune into your lyrics' motion consistently, you'll not only write and rewrite your songs more effectively, but, more important, you won't rely on lucky accidents or divine inspiration to drop those good bits into your lap.
+
+	Lots of great ideas float by every day if we're awake and pay attention to what's inside us and around us. But it's how we deal with those magical ideas that create a better song.
+
+	In this chapter, we'll look at how lyric structure creates motion, which, in turn, creates emotion to be harnessed in support of what you want to say. You'll find plenty of exercises ahead to shape your motion muscles. If you do them all, you'll finish this chapter with tools and abilities you probably don't see now. I promise.
+
+
+
+
+
+MOTION CREATES EMOTION
+
+
+	We feel something when a song speeds up, slows down, wants to move forward to the next place, wants to come to a resolution, and then arrives at home.
+
+	All by itself, the motion we create can take listeners on an interesting journey — a journey of feelings and attitudes. Lyric structure, all by itself, can:
+
+	 	move us forward to create excitement, anticipation, or an expectation of what's coming next.
+
+	slow us down to create a sense of holding back or a sense of unresolved feelings.
+
+	draw attention to a specific word (a spotlight), creating surprise, delight, humor, or any important emotion.
+
+	resolve, creating a feeling of stability.
+
+	leave us hanging and unresolved, creating a feeling of instability.
+
+
+
+	Again, motion creates emotion.
+
+	The primary emotion-producer in a lyric is the idea — the intent of the lyric, expressed in words and phrases. Since words “mean something,” they create emotion. If we also understand certain structural principles, we can amplify and support our ideas with dramatic results.
+
+	When we look at lines like this:
+
+	Turn down the lights, turn down the bed
+
+Turn down these voices inside my head
+
+	— Mike Reid/Alan Shamblin
+
+	It makes us feel something. And I'm suggesting it's worth investigating what it makes us feel and why.
+
+	In lyrics, there are two elements that create motion and emotion:
+
+	1) the words and ideas themselves, and
+
+	2) the overall lyric structure, which consists of:
+
+	a. groupings of lines, and
+
+	b. line structure, a combination of three things:
+
+	 	rhythm of the line
+
+	length of the line (line length is determined by the number of stresses in a line), and
+
+	rhyme scheme used in the combinations of lines.
+
+
+
+	When you control the way a lyric moves, you're able to affect your audience on two levels simultaneously, rather than just on the level of meaning.
+
+	Motion creates emotion. Or, maybe better: Motion creates and supports emotion.
+
+	Let's first look at how the motion of a lyric, using four of the five basic structural elements (we'll leave out rhyme types) — an even number of lines, matched line length, stable rhythm, and stable rhyme scheme — can create a stable feeling:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 That saved a wretch like me
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 I once was lost, but now am found
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Was blind, but now I see
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	It's a stable common meter; the first and third lines both have the same line length, as do the second and fourth lines.
+
+	The rhyme scheme is abab, the same configuration as the line lengths (a four-stress line followed by a three-stress line, then another four-stress line followed by a three-stress line). The rhythms move along in a regular duple pattern (da DUM).
+
+	To notate the way a structure moves, let's use capital letters (e.g., A, B, C) to stand for lines that have both the same line lengths and the same rhyme scheme. Each line labeled with the same letter will:(1) rhyme with, (2) have the same number of stressed syllables as, and (3) have the same basic rhythm as every other line in the section with the same letter, as shown here in the far right column:
+
+
+
+
+
+	When these features (line length, rhyme, and number of stressed syllables) line up, the section's motion becomes clearer. This will also help you understand and control the way musical phrases work with lyrical phrases and help to you organize them in stable or unstable ways.
+
+	Once you get a feel for it, you'll be able to control motion in the real world of lyric writing, where mismatches can create productive tensions, as when rhyme scheme differs from the arrangement of line lengths. (For example, you can create tension when you have four equal-length lines that rhyme abab instead of aaaa. We'll see more of that later, but for now, let's keep it simple.)
+
+	In cases where the arrangement of line lengths doesn't match the rhyme scheme, we'll simply omit the capital As and Bs.
+
+	So, the five elements of structure, our friends from chapter eighteen, make your lyric structures move:
+
+	 	the rhythms of the lines
+
+	the arrangement of line lengths
+
+	the rhyme structure
+
+	the number of lines
+
+	the rhyme types
+
+
+
+	Let's review each of these elements to see how and when they affect motion.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Rhythms of the Lines
+
+
+	The rhythm of a line is the first structural thing you hear in a song.
+
+	After hearing only the first line of a song, you don't yet know much about the motion of the whole section, but you might start to have a sense of what the intended emotion could be.
+
+	Rhythm is a prime mover in songwriting, and it can get complicated really fast. It has so many facets. In terms of its effect on our lyric sections, we can at least say this:
+
+	 	Regular rhythms create stable motion.
+
+	Irregular rhythms create less stable motion.
+
+	Two lines with matched rhythms create stability.
+
+	Two lines with unmatched rhythms create instability.
+
+
+
+	Since lyric rhythms work so intimately with musical rhythms, we'll have to leave the majority of this subject to another time. Look at chapter three of my book Songwriting: Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure, and also my online course “Writing Lyrics to Music,” available through patpattison.com.
+
+	For now, we'll stay with fairly regular rhythms and concentrate our efforts on the effects of line lengths, rhyme scheme, and number of lines on the movement of a section.
+
+	Structurally, the first line, by itself, communicates motion with its rhythm, and also with its length. It sets a standard, preparing us for what's to come in the remaining lines in the section. For example:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	It's a steady duple rhythm (moving in twos — da DUM), and is four stresses long.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Arrangement of Line Lengths
+
+
+	By the end of the first line, you know another basic structural piece of information: line length.
+
+	Starting at the second line, you will create structural motion, either by:
+
+	A) matching the first line, which will stop the motion, as seen here:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 = A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 = A
+
+
+
+	 	B) or not matching the first line, which pushes the motion forward, as seen here:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 = A
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't find a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 = B
+
+
+
+	 	Because these lines aren't matched, the structure keeps the motion moving forward, rather than slowing down or stopping it.
+
+	So, line lengths can create motion by the end of line two.
+
+
+
+
+
+The Rhyme Structure
+
+
+	The earliest I can hear rhyme structure, and the motion caused by it, is at the end of the second line:
+
+	Example 1: aa rhyme structure with lines of matching length
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	But often, we don't hear a section's rhyme structure until after line three:
+
+	Example 2: aba rhyme structure with the second line having a different length
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	And sometimes it takes until the section is over before we are able to identify the rhyme structure:
+
+	Example 3: xaxa rhyme scheme
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa tired and worn
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A single quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Note the way the line structure and the rhyme structure line up in this example as compared to the previous examples.
+
+	Line length and rhyme scheme are two independent tools. When they match, they form a couplet and the motion stops (example 1). But often, rhyme structure is created later than the motion created by line lengths (examples 2 and 3).
+
+
+
+
+
+The Number of Lines — To Balance or Not
+
+
+	Obviously, you don't hear the total number of lines in a section until the end of the section, so it's one of the last two determiners of motion. Strong expectations have already been created by rhythm, rhyme scheme, and line length, but we still don't know for certain how the section will end.
+
+	In a stable section, the final line delivers resolution. An even number of lines gives it a solid footing. The expectations set up by the section are fulfilled, as in “Amazing Grace.” We feel like it's said its piece and really means it.
+
+	In an unstable section (like in “Can't Be Really Gone”), the final line could create a surprise or feeling of discomfort because the expectations are not completely fulfilled. An odd number of lines can certainly create a sense of discomfort. The final line could also lean forward toward the next section, in many cases moving into a contrasting section (e.g., a verse moving into a chorus).
+
+
+
+
+
+The Rhyme Types
+
+
+	As we saw in the previous chapter, the kind of rhyme you choose can affect the stability of a section. More remote rhyme types will destabilize even the more stable constructions, as in lines 9–12 of “The End of the Innocence”.
+
+	As you go through the exercises in this chapter, try using stronger and weaker rhyme types in some of the closing positions to see what differences they make. We won't put rhyme types into the mix here, since there is more than enough work to do with just line lengths, rhyme scheme, and number of lines. No need to multiply examples with different rhyme types. But you already know what a huge tool rhyme types can be, so please stop every now and then to try out other possible types in the same structure.
+
+	With the tools you're about to acquire, you'll be able to control how stable or unstable your section will be — anything from a granite boulder to a wobbly table to a capsizing ship.
+
+
+
+
+
+STABILITY VS. INSTABILITY
+
+
+	Okay, it's time to get practical. You'll be looking at wheelbarrows full of different kinds of sections, organized according to their numbers of lines, and listed from the most stable sections to the least stable sections.
+
+	Think of the following examples as a handy reference guide to stable and unstable structures, there for you to try in support of that idea you've got. Is the idea stable or unstable? And then you go through the examples to find something that might work for you.
+
+	We'll start by looking at two-line sections, then spend a bit of time on three-line sections. Though three-line sections are more rare as standalone sections in lyric writing, looking at them will give you a good view of what causes a section to move. Then we'll go on to four-line and five-line sections, and, finally, a few interesting six-line sections. Since larger sections are usually made up of smaller pieces, understanding how these smaller sizes move will get you ready for pretty much anything else. If you stay with it and dig into each example to see how it feels, you'll add a whole new dimension to your lyric writing.
+
+
+
+
+
+Combinations Of Two Lines
+
+
+	Here are all the possible two-line sections, listed from most to least stable. Stable asks you to stop:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent and really broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	It stops. You can feel the resolution.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent and really tired
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Even though the lines don't rhyme, their matched lengths give a feeling of balance or stability. Not as much as if they rhymed, but enough to keep you from wanting to lunge forward. It feels a little more stable than this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent and broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Even though these rhyme, they rhyme in different positions — most likely on different beats in the musical measure. There's a little stronger push forward here. So line length is a stronger motion creator than rhyme, huh? Yup. Unstable lines ask you to keep moving:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't find a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	This is the least stable. It leans forward really hard.
+
+	Here's an interesting lesson in motion: a longer line, followed by a shorter line, like this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't find a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	leans ahead harder than the opposite:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I couldn't find a ride
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	The longer line has matched the shorter line on its way by. Which is not the case here:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't find a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	You can feel the difference. Remember this, since it will also apply to larger structures: Longer followed by shorter is less stable than shorter followed by longer.
+
+	In working through these examples and the ones to follow, we'll stick to the staple four-stress, three-stress, and, later, five-stress lines that make up most lyrics. But once you absorb the principles, you'll be able to apply them to any line lengths.
+
+
+
+
+
+Combinations Of Three Lines
+
+
+	The possibilities of three lines, listed from most stable to least stable, are:
+
+	 AAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This is the most stable of the three-line sequences. It seems almost to close down — almost to resolve. You can look at it as AA+A, and it depends on whether you see the third line leaning back or looking forward for more. The principle of sequence says it's looking to pair off, since we heard a pairing (a resolving couplet) after line two. Even if we feel the third A leaning back, the structure still feels a bit off balance. Either way, it feels less than complete.
+
+	If you think otherwise, remember that sometimes what you're saying can influence your structural ear. In the sequence above, line three is about what he did because of what she said. The idea feels completed. But he still doesn't feel happy about it. But look at this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This feels a little less resolved, since the idea is less resolved. This is where it gets fun. Watching structure influence content, and content influence structure. Composition, in regard to songwriting, is the activity of mixing and matching these elements.
+
+	John Mayer uses the AAA effectively by simply repeating the title of his song “Your Body Is a Wonderland”:
+
+	Your body is a wonderland
+
+Your body is a wonderland
+
+Your body is a wonderland
+
+	After the first and second verse, it feels like he wants more, leaning ahead. Only after the bridge does he finally say it four times, bringing the events to their conclusion.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 26
+
+
+	Write an AAA structure, first using ideas that come to a conclusion, and then using ideas that feel less resolved. How much difference do you feel in the stability of the section?
+
+	 ABB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained like hell the day I left my place
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+	 	The longer first line actually seems to create a bit of expectation for a matching A at line four. Though this is still unstable, it is relatively stable for a three-line sequence. Perhaps there's a difference if we begin with a shorter line:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Now, it doesn't seem to lean as hard as it did with the longer first line. With the shorter first line, it feels more stable — almost like its own section. The singer feels almost resigned to leaving, like he's accepted his fate. Interesting.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 27
+
+
+	Write an ABB structure, first with a longer first line, then with a shorter one. Keep them as much the same as possible. Do you feel a difference in attitude between them? Structure can support or even sometimes determine the attitude of the character.
+
+	 XXX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared and smiled at me
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to rest a little while
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	This more “floats” than leans forward. There is no rhyme sequence established here, so few expectations are raised. It sort of “suspends” him — he feels like he's just hanging out, waiting to see what happens next, but with no hurry.
+
+	 AAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a little while
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	This leans pretty hard, too, though not in the same way, since our expectations are a little less clear; maybe the resolution would be AABB, or maybe AAB AAB. If we complete it either way, it becomes a stable section. But if we use it as a three-line section, it would be pretty unstable.
+
+	If it were a pre-chorus or bridge, we could maybe use the third line's vowel sound from while (which is asking to be rhymed) to illuminate an important vowel sound in the oncoming section — for example, in an oncoming chorus where the title of the song was something like “For One Smile in a Million.” The while in line three, hanging there unrhymed, will emphasize smile in the chorus. Nifty tool, eh?
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 28
+
+
+	Make up your own title, and, using it as the first line of an oncoming chorus, write an AAB structure leading up to it, with the third line targeting a vowel sound in the title. Try not to target the end rhyme. Instead, give the words inside the title a sonic boost. Then rewrite the third line (B line) to target a different vowel sound in the title. As in the sample that follows.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped, completely dumb
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Now the third line targets the short-u sound in the title's one, high-lighting it and emphasizing it in the chorus.
+
+	There's also:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped, completely still
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	For one smile in a million 

+
+	Now the third line targets the short-i and l sounds in million, highlighting it and emphasizing it in the chorus.
+
+	Now we've targeted the rhyme position. Note that the effect not only highlights it, but it also creates a bit of a sense of resolution. It feels like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me
+
+			 x
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped, completely still
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 For one smile in a million
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Targeting the rhyme position is neither wrong nor right. It creates a different, usually more resolved feeling than if you target interior vowel sounds. It depends on the feeling you want to create. You control it.
+
+	 ABA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a little while
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This is not only the most unstable of the three-line sequences, it also positively cries out for a resolving fourth line with three stresses and a rhyme with while. This three-line structure establishes a clear pattern, so we know what's coming next.
+
+	With this structure, we're looking at three-fourths of a common meter section, so the conclusion is more than obvious. It's interesting to see how the same principle would work with a different arrangement. Instead of longer / shorter / longer, let's try shorter / longer / shorter:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched the Tulsa road
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a while to grab a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	You can still feel the strong lean forward, now expecting a four-stress line rhyming with bite. It seems to lean even harder with a five-stress line in the second position:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched the Tulsa road
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a little while to grab a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	I'm not sure why this raises more expectations than the four-stress line. Perhaps it's because it feels like more of a departure from line one.
+
+	Of course, if you complete the sequence, you have a stable four-line structure. If you leave it as a three-line sequence, then you'll be moving pretty strongly into the next section. Perhaps this might make an interesting pre-chorus structure. Again, you could use a sound at the end of line two to target an important sound in the chorus. For example:
+
+	Pre-chorus
+
+	I hitched the Tulsa road
+
+I stopped a little while to grab a bite
+
+She stared, and then she spoke
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	We hear like with more intensity: “Baby I like what I see.” We could try targeting baby:
+
+	Pre-chorus
+
+	I hit the Tulsa road
+
+I stopped a little while to grab some shade
+
+She stared, and then she spoke
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	We hear baby with sensual overtones. Compare this to if we don't target:
+
+	Pre-chorus
+
+	I hitched the Tulsa road
+
+I stopped a little while to grab a drink
+
+She stared, and then she spoke
+
+	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	Now we get no extra sonic action in the chorus, and line two's drink is still waving his arms for attention, wondering if he'll ever meet a nice noun or verb to hook up with.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 29
+
+
+	Make up your own title, and, using it as the first line of an oncoming chorus, write an ABA structure leading up to it. Make the second line's ending vowel target a vowel sound inside your title. Then rewrite the second line's ending again to target a different vowel sound in your title.
+
+
+
+
+
+COMBINATIONS OF FOUR LINES
+
+
+	Understanding basic three-line motion helps you understand how to move a section forward and how to stop it. It gives you the ability to control motion, and therefore use the way a structure moves and feels to support your ideas — for example, making the structure move haltingly when the protagonist is unsure of what to do next. Your study of three-line sequences not only helps you understand how and why lines float or raise expectations by pushing forward, it also shows you how to resolve the section, often with just one more line.
+
+	We'll now look at four-line sections from most stable to least stable; some of them pretty stable, some that fool you a little, some with little surprises, and some that are still unstable and moving forward.
+
+	 AAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Lots of stability here — it's basically Eenie Meenie Miney Moe. It has two balancing points: at the end of line two and at the end of line four. This is as solid as a structure can get. Relatively speaking, it doesn't move much, since it stops you in the middle, breaking into two matched two-line sections. The third A connects a bit with the first two, so, as we saw in the three-line AAA section, the lean forward toward the last line is pretty weak. So the last line isn't quite as much a “point of arrival” as it will be in other structures. The spotlights aren't as bright. If this were a chorus, it would be a good opportunity to put the title in both the first and last line:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	It's a nice surprise to hear it repeated, but we weren't being pulled inexorably toward it. The journey was much more steady, almost matter-of-fact. The structure portrays an attitude.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 30
+
+
+	Match the AAAA structure above using your own words and your own title at the top and bottom.
+
+	 AABB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a bit to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+	 	With AAB we get a stronger push forward than AAA gave. We've heard a different sound and now are looking to pair it with another B. We still get a complete stop at the end of line two, and then again creating two two-line sections. A very stable structure. When the protagonist says something using this structure, he/she's telling the truth. It's a stable fact.
+
+	 ABAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A single quarter light
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Boy, does this stop dead. Common meter, fully resolved but full of motion. We get a push forward by the shorter line two, then a big push when we hear line three match line one in length and rhyme. As before, ABA raises strong expectations for the repeat of B. This is called common meter for a reason. It's everywhere.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 31
+
+
+	Find five examples of common meter in songs you know. It shouldn't take long.
+
+	 XAXA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa tired and worn
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 A single quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Now we're missing the big rhyme push forward at line three; the line length pushes, but without the additional momentum rhyme creates. This moves forward pretty strongly, but without the urgency we feel at line three of ABAB.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 32
+
+
+	Modify your earlier ABAB structure to an XAXA structure. Feel the weaker push at line three?
+
+	 ABAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	We saw this structure in chapter fifteen, a deceptive resolution; it's a great way to call extra attention to the last line. Make sure there's something there worth looking at. ABAA is also a handy structure for putting a title on top and bottom:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	The same targeting strategy we saw before works here, too: If a verse were ABAA, you could use a sound in the verse at the end of line two to target an important sound in the chorus. For example:
+
+	Verse
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She smiled at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	As before, we hear like with more intensity: “Baby I like what I see.” Again, we could try targeting baby:
+
+	Verse
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She smile at be before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	Now we hear baby with the same sensual overtones. Compare this to if we don't target a vowel sound in the chorus:
+
+	Verse
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get some grub
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She smile at be before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Chorus
+
+	Baby I like what I see 

+
+	A wasted second position? Maybe not. But it's there for the picking if you want it.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 33
+
+
+	Make up your own title, and, using it as the first line of an oncoming chorus, write an ABAA structure leading up to it, with the second line targeting a vowel sound in the title. Try not to target the end rhyme. Instead, give the words inside the title a sonic boost. Then rewrite the end sound in your second line to target a different vowel sound in the title.
+
+	 XXAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched my way to Tulsa
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This is a surprise. We had no expectations after either line two or three, so the resolution we get at line four surprises (but doesn't fool) us. It's resolved all right, but without much pushing or raising expectations to get there. Resolution coming out of chaos, as it were, which can be a useful tool to support a similar motion of ideas. It's pretty unstable for a resolved section.
+
+	Vary the rhyme, but not the line lengths, and you'd get something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped a while to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	The lights still go on the last line, but not as brightly, given the more balanced journey through line lengths.
+
+	 XAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A single quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 And such an appetite
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Still stable, but getting less so. Again, changing both the rhyme and line length gives us a clearer view of the motion.
+
+	With the shorter A lines above, the sequence leans a bit forward, almost as if it were asking to duplicate itself for balance. It still feels closed, but a bit unstable, certainly less stable than this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She stared at me a while
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	As usual, longer lines following shorter lines create more stability. Think of longer lines as laying a foundation under the shorter line above them. This version of XAAA is pretty stable, as it would be if all the line lengths matched, like this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She stared at me a little while
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 She said the day had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	What creates the instability in all three versions is the odd number of A's. There's a mismatch between the number of lines, and the number of matched elements. The structure doesn't push forward very hard, it more “floats,” because when we get our first match at line three, we have an odd number of lines preventing the rhyme and rhythm match from creating stability. We don't quite know what to expect next, making the final A create what feels like a stopping place, but without much fanfare when it arrives.
+
+	 AABA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This structure fools us, too, but not drastically. To the extent that we expect a match for B, we're fooled when it resolves with A.
+
+	This structure doesn't move much. It balances after line two, so there's no push forward there. The B line provides the only push, but only by being different and asking politely to be matched. We get a little spotlight on the last line.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 34
+
+
+	Make up your own title, and, using it as the first line of an oncoming chorus, write an AABA structure leading up to it, with the third line targeting a vowel sound in your title. Then, find a different end vowel for your third line to target a different vowel sound in your title. Then see what happens when you target the end rhyme.
+
+	 ABBA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a bit to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta really broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+	 	As you'd expect, the longer line at the end of the example above makes it feel pretty resolved. But it feels less resolved with the longer lines inside:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 As thunder rolled across the sky
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta really broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	It certainly feels less stable with the shorter line on the outside. Look at it with equal-length lines:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 As thunder rolled across the sky
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	In poetry, this is called an In Memoriam Quatrain, after Alfred Lord Tennyson's lovely poem of the same title. He used an ABBA rhyme scheme and equal-length lines, creating a suspended feeling at the end of each quatrain, much as you'd do in a eulogy. The structure's feeling was so appropriate for the message of his poem (an actual eulogy), that the abba rhyme scheme has carried the poem's name ever since.
+
+	ABBA structures float. I think it's unresolved, but sometimes it's a close call. No matter, though; it's the effect of the structure that counts. It leans a bit, asking maybe for:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 As thunder rolled across the sky
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta really broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I knew I'd have to stay the night
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Or maybe even:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 As thunder rolled across the sky
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta really broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress said she'd maybe take me home
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Then vanished in a lovely puff of smoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+	 	ABBA is an interesting section. Check out the verses to James Taylor's “Sweet Baby James.”
+
+	 AAAX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Bummed another ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	This is an unstable section. As you've already seen, AAA doesn't push very hard, but it does lead us to expect another A, so when we don't get it, we still want it (the targeting principle). Most likely, we'll look for a whole section to match it:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Bummed another ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd closed her eyes before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Said the time had come to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 To vanish in a puff of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A phantom in the night
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	See the verses in David Wilcox's “Eye of the Hurricane” on page 163 for an effective use of this eight-line sequence.
+
+	Another possibility for this structure is to use the X line as a title position, like this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Looking for something more
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Okay, even though it's a dumb title, you see the point: The structure supports the content.
+
+	 AXAX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a room
+
+			 x
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+	 	This one pushes ahead pretty hard, asking for a match to line two. When the match isn't forthcoming, we fall forward. This might be a good technique for setting up a title:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a room
+
+			 x
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Lighting the fire inside
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Here's a more normal version, with lines two and four matching lengths:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a quiet room
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Lighting the fire inside
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Each structure is what it is, but always keep an eye out for what else it could become — for what could come next.
+
+	Here's AXAX with a longer last line:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I bummed a meal, bummed a smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found a place to sleep before it rained
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Again, the section with the longer last line feels a little more stable, since it has matched line two's length (our expectation) on its way to the end. Still, it's pretty unstable, but not as unstable as it was with the shorter line.
+
+	 XAAX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched a ride to Tulsa
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a bit to get a bite
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta really broke
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+	 	As usual, the second A takes the wind out of the sails by throwing off any expectations of what might come next. It doesn't push forward too hard, and the section continues to float.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting lost and worn
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped a bit to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter light
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A lotta really broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	This version looks forward, hoping for a stable place to land, wherever that might be.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 35
+
+
+	Using the previous example, see if you can find our friend a landing place.
+
+	 XXXX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter short
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 A lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Or:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 A lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter short
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Or:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 A lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 2 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I stopped to get a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter short
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa getting worn and frayed
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Or this, unrhymed, with equal-length lines:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and frayed
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped a while to get a bite
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 Found myself a quarter short
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 A lotta broke, a lotta bent
+
+			 x
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+
+
+Food For Thought
+
+
+	How does each section feel? Though all of them are unstable, which one feels most unstable? Least unstable? Why?
+
+	We've now seen some of lyric writing's most stable sections, excellent for supporting stable ideas. Of course, having four lines doesn't mean you have to stop there. Unstable four-line sequences often add more lines to stabilize or resolve themselves. But stable four-line, and they often do, to wondrous effects.
+
+
+
+
+
+COMBINATIONS OF FIVE LINES
+
+
+
+
+
+Groups With Only One Matching Element
+
+
+	In this first group of five-line sequences, listed from most stable to least stable, any odd lines don't match anything else, including each other. This often creates a “floating” effect. The sections that feel most stable are often the ones that surprise us by feeling resolved without us expecting the resolution. Call it “unexpected closure.” These structures are probably most useful as verses, though they can also work effectively as choruses, given the proper combination of ideas.
+
+	 AAAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I watched her turn around to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	The fifth line is an unexpected closure, and though it tips a tad toward a sixth line, it just as much leans back in warm companionship with all the other A's. Line five would be an excellent place to repeat a title that's been stated at line one:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I watched her turn around to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	 XAAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home for good
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I watched her turn around to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Expectations play leapfrog here. After line three, we want to stop with the matching As, but we can't because of the odd number of lines. When the number of lines is even, the number of As is odd, and so on. It's resolved (unexpected closure) at line four, so the fifth line is an unexpected closure, too. You can feel its instability, like it might just want to move again to balance the number of lines. It's a nice place to spotlight an important idea.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 36
+
+
+	Write an XAAAA section that ends with a stable idea, then juggle the lines so it ends with an unstable idea. Can you feel how the content and structure interact?
+
+	 XXAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home for good
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't start my car
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	As we saw above with XXAA, we have unexpected closure at line four.
+
+	Line five creates another unexpected closure, but one that leans forward. We have a pretty strong push for a sixth line, since we could use both another line and another A to even things up.
+
+	Let's try it with longer As:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A place that had some grass and apple trees
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Where I could finally find a little peace
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+	 	Pretty stable. Does the closure at line four fool you, or simply surprise you? The answer depends on whether you have any expectations after the first three lines.
+
+	It's clear that a place that had some grass and apple trees stabilizes the section after four lines. If you can predict what should come next, you have expectations. Frankly, I don't have any predictions after line three — it could go anywhere. Thus, the resolution we feel is something we didn't expect — unexpected closure. It's more of the same at line five, with two lines in the spotlights here.
+
+	 XAXAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 My thumb my only ticket
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	EXERCISE 37
+
+	Your turn to describe how this one behaves.
+
+	 XXXAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home for good
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't start my car
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I thought I'd try some thumbing
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+ =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This feels like it stops, too, though it's predictably off balance because of the odd number of lines. This one's a floater, though there may be a little voice asking for a 3+ line ending in numb me.
+
+	 XXAXA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home for good
+
+			 x
+
+			 5 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I couldn't start my car
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopping at the roadside
+
+			 x
+
+			 2+ =X
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This one is clearly open after line four, without much of a push forward after line three, except by our preference for stable, even numbers. It resolves, unexpectedly, at line five, but floats everywhere else. Even after line five, it feels like it might want to move. Perhaps a 2+ line ending in low ride would settle things down? What sort of ideas would this XXAXA structure support?
+
+	 AAAAX
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I watched her turn her back
+
+			 x
+
+			 3 =X
+
+
+
+	 	Five-line systems ending with an X will be the most unstable.
+
+
+
+
+
+Groups With Two Matching Elements
+
+
+	In this first group with two matching elements (As and Bs), the first two lines are different, creating forward motion. They are listed from most stable to least stable.
+
+	 ABABB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 With not a word to say
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Her smile began my day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Closed and stable, with the additional line leaning more backward than forward. You get a nice spotlight at the end.
+
+	 ABAAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Her smile began my day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Interesting case here. Line four fools you — call it a “deceptive closure”: You expected B, but got A instead. Then, at line five, you get what you originally expected but where you didn't expect it, so it's a cross between expected and unexpected closure, making it feel a bit more stable.
+
+	 ABBAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find another place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I told the waitress I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I watched her turn her back to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This one is interesting. Look back at the ABB structure in “Combinations of Three Lines” on page 198 to see the effect created here. Check out the first three lines of the second verse of Gary Nicholson and John Jarvis's “Between Fathers and Sons”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Now when I look at my own sons
+
+			 a
+
+			 3+ =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I know what my father went through
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 There's only so much you can do
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	How stable does this section feel? Do you have any expectations of where it might go? Probably not. Whatever you do, it will stay pretty unstable unless you match it with three more lines of ABB.
+
+	 ABBAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find another place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I told the waitress I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Her smile began my day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	It looks like we've started a second ABB sequence with the addition of AB, asking for the next B, something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 She said she'd let me stay
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	But the push doesn't seem too strong, since the sequence, though visible, doesn't seem too audible. This five-line sequence feels a bit unstable, but only a bit.
+
+	 ABAAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to grab a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 And watched her turn her back to go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	There's a deceptive closure in line four, thus creating an unexpected closure in line five. As we saw in chapter fifteen “Spotlighting With Common Meter,” the structure leans forward to match the B line with something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Have a lovely night
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	There are four As but five lines, leaning a little for a sixth line. It stops at line five, but it's not a hard stop. It's a bit of a floater without a sixth line.
+
+	 ABABA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 With not a word to say
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I told her then that I was broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This leans forward looking for another B. The alternating sequence is responsible for this feeling.
+
+
+
+
+
+More Groups With Two Matching Elements
+
+
+	In this next group, the first two lines are As, creating a system that stops at the couplet before continuing.
+
+	 AABBA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find another place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Nothing left to do but go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This feels pretty stable. Though it has two couplets, the shorter third and fourth lines keep it leaning a bit, like a limerick. The final A seems to stop rather than start a new sequence, as if it's simply referring back to the opening AA.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 38
+
+
+	Rewrite this AABBA with three-stress As and four-stress Bs. What difference does it make to the stability of the section?
+
+	 AABBB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find another place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where no one knew my name
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	This also feels pretty stable. It has resolutions at each couplet. The third B feels less like it's starting a new sequence and more like it's simply joining the party. There's nice spotlights on the fifth line.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 39
+
+
+	Rewrite this AABBB with three-stress As and four-stress Bs. What difference does it make to the stability of the section?
+
+	 AAABB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation took the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where no one knew my name
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	This feels strangely stable. It should be crying out for another B, but it doesn't seem to. It's as though the feel of the couplet interferes with the request the sequence makes for two sets of three to create an AAABBB sequence. Perhaps it's having to move to an odd-numbered B that softens the push forward.
+
+	If you kept the line lengths and only rhymed the last two lines, it would float a lot more, and you'd get something like Gary Burr's “Can't Be Really Gone”:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Her hat is hanging by the door
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 The one she bought in Mexico
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 It blocked the wind and stopped the rain
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 She'd never leave that one
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 So she can't be really gone
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	A six-line version of AAABB would feel more balanced:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation took the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where no one knew my name
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To start my life again
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 40
+
+
+	Rewrite the AAABB example with three-stress As and four-stress Bs. What difference does it make to the stability of the section?
+
+
+
+
+
+Groups With Three Matching Elements
+
+
+	Listed from most stable to least stable, these structures are groups with As, Bs, and Cs. Technically, any unmatched A, B, or C should be called an X. I think it's clearer here if we don't use Xs.
+
+	In the first group, the first two lines are different, creating forward motion.
+
+	 ABCAC
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation on the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Where I could finally find a little peace
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	Line four suggests that a sequence is taking shape: ABCABC. Then you get the closing element immediately. To the degree that line four raises expectations that B will be matched, line five fools you, thus creating deceptive closure. You get very strong spotlights at line five.
+
+	 ABCBC
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a spot where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Where freedom rules the day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where I could finally find a little peace
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	This is stable, and it seems to carry a little milder surprise at line five than ABCAC. You don't hear the sequence starting again at line four with an A, so it doesn't direct you forward as strongly. But once you hear B, the sequence kicks in, even though it's “out of sequence.” Another deceptive closure.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 41
+
+
+	Choose either ABCAC or ABCBC and target to a title from the unrhymed line. Construct a title that matches the unmatched line in both rhythm and rhyme. Target an inner vowel of the title line rather than the end rhyme.
+
+	 ABCBB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a spot where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Where freedom rules the day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where peace has come to stay
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	You can feel the effect of the longer C line on the motion if you compare it to this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find a spot to breathe in
+
+			 c
+
+			 3+ =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Where freedom rules the day
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Where peace has come to stay
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	The longer “C” line “sticks out,” calling attention to itself, diminishing the feeling of XAXA's expected closure, and making line four float just a tad. When we shorten the “C” line, the structure really closes.
+
+	The shorter C brightens the spotlights on line five by allowing line four to resolve solidly.
+
+	 ABCAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation on the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Nothing left to do but go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This feels unstable. It feels like it should continue forward, perhaps to something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Spend my hours to see what I could see
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	Again, the arrangement of line lengths here can change how it feels. Consider:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find a place to shelter
+
+			 c
+
+			 3+ =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation on the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Nothing left to do but go
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 42
+
+
+	Describe how the shortened line in the previous example affects the structure's motion.
+
+	 ABCAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to find a place where I could breathe
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation on the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Where no one knew my name
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Unstable. This one pushes forward pretty hard, to something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Spend my hours to see what I could see
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	Even with a shortened third line:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 It rained the day I left my home
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 To find a place to shelter
+
+			 c
+
+			 3+ =C
+
+
+
+		 			 Salvation on the open road
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Where no one knew my name
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	It still wants to move to:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 To lose this helter skelter
+
+			 c
+
+			 3+ =C
+
+
+
+	 	That's the power of sequence.
+
+	Though, mathematically, there are more possible combinations of five lines, this should more than suffice to increase your awareness of structural motion.
+
+
+
+
+
+COMBINATIONS OF SIX LINES
+
+
+	 ABCABC
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Miles to go, no promises to keep
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Without a word to say
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She led me off to bed and off to sleep
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	This sequence moves relentlessly forward to a satisfying and resounding resolution at line six. It's the six-line version of common meter, working according to the principle of sequence.
+
+	 ABABAA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 The waitress stared before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Then asked if I could stay
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She vanished like a puff of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I heard the chimes and then I woke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	This closes after line four (ABAB), with a final couplet finishing it off. It's very stable, especially when the couplet matches one of the elements of the quatrain.
+
+	 ABABCC
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I had to get away
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Without a word to say
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She led me off to bed and off to sleep
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+		 			 No miles to go, no promises to keep
+
+			 c
+
+			 5 =C
+
+
+
+	 	This also stops after line four (ABAB), with a final couplet closing it down. Very stable. The final couplet decelerates a bit with the longer lines, but makes up for it with the immediate (and thus accelerating) rhyme.
+
+	 AABAAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Miles to go, no promises to keep
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 And presto in a puff of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She led me off to bed and off to sleep
+
+			 b
+
+			 5 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Another solid citizen. It's a favorite structure of Leonard Cohen's. It doesn't push forward as hard as ABCABC, since the opening couplet stops the section. It's also harder for sequence to kick in, though it's in full force at the end of line five.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 43
+
+
+	Rewrite AABAAB with B=3 stresses. Is there a difference in how the section feels?
+
+	 ABABAB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to grab a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A half a dollar light
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me before she spoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 And offered me a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+	 	Another solid citizen, though the final AB might clear its throat a bit, wondering whether the larger ABAB sequence will be matched again to make ABABABAB. So, just a touch of instability — looking forward to another AB.
+
+	 ABBABB
+
+
+
+	 		 			 With miles to go and promises to keep
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Without a bed without a place to sleep
+
+			 a
+
+			 5 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me and when she spoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 My past became a puff of smoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+	 	This feels stable, though we might add another line, something like:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I felt my spirit finally breaking free
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+	 	With this added A, it still feels stable, perhaps more stable than the six-line section. Interesting, those line lengths.
+
+	But look what happens if we shorten the As:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 With promises to keep
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 Without a place to sleep
+
+			 a
+
+			 3 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 She stared at me and when she spoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 My past became a puff of smoke
+
+			 b
+
+			 4 =B
+
+
+
+	 	It feels a bit more solid. Again, it shows the power of line lengths. The challenge with this structure is that it doesn't establish sequence, and thus doesn't raise much expectation, giving it a tendency to float.
+
+	 ABABBA
+
+
+
+	 		 			 I hitched to Tulsa worn and soaked
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 Stopped to grab a bite
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 A little bent, a lotta broke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+		 			 A half a dollar light
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 She offered me a ride
+
+			 b
+
+			 3 =B
+
+
+
+		 			 And vanished in a puff of smoke
+
+			 a
+
+			 4 =A
+
+
+
+	 	I like how this one plays tricks. Two unexpected closures, but in reverse order, creating a nifty surprise to support her vanishing act. Neat.
+
+	At this point, because you've done the exercises and understand the principles of motion, you should be able to construct all sorts of sections, both stable and unstable, using whatever number of lines you need to say what you have to say.
+
+	You're an expert at assessing and controlling motion. Now use that skill to create motion supporting your lyric's message. Have fun.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY
+
+
+
+
+
+	FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION
+
+
+	BUILDING THE PERFECT BEAST
+
+	O
+
+
+
+	hMyGod, Artie, stop!” yells Herbie. Artie's '69 VW microbus wobbles over to the side of the road, next to a cream-and-baby-blue Maserati convertible parked in the lot. “Boy, I'd like to drive that beauty. Looks like it really flies.” “Whew,” whistles Artie, “look at it — low, wide wheelbase, scooped front, rear foil. Definitely built for speed.” A physicist or aeronautical engineer could give a more precise description, but Artie and Herbie have it nailed anyway. As much as they love Artie's microbus, they know it won't win any races, because it isn't built for speed. But that Maserati sure could. Intuitively, they apply the principle form follows function. If you asked them the right questions, they'd be able to describe the two ways this principle works:
+
+	 	When you look at an individual car, you can figure out what it's built to do (function) by its design (form). Conversely, when you build a car, you figure out its design by what you want it to do. If you want a racecar, build it heavy, wide, and lower in front than in back so the wind will press it to the track. If you want an economy car, build it light and shape it to cut wind resistance. You already know this as the principle of prosody.
+
+	When you look at two cars, you see whether they're different or the same. When they're the same design, they should have the same function. When they have different designs, they should have diff erent functions. This is the principle of contrast.
+
+
+
+	It doesn't matter whether we're talking about cars, rhyme schemes, architecture, or lyrics.
+
+	As a writer, you'll usually look from a car designer's perspective — from function to form. You know what you want to say, so you have to design form to support your ideas.
+
+	As we've seen, your tools for designing your lyric's shapes are phrase lengths, rhythms, and rhyme schemes. For example, say there's a place in your verse where emotion gets pretty active or intense. You might try putting rhymes (both phrase-end and internal rhyme) close together, and try using short phrases. Like this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You can't play Ping-Pong with my heart
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 You dominate the table
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 My nerves are shot, you've won the set
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Your curves have got me in a sweat
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 My vision's blurred, can't see the net
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 I'm feeling most unstable
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Built for speed. The consecutive rhymes, “set/sweat/net,” slam the ideas home. The internal rhymes, “nerves/curves/blurred” and “shot/ got,” put us in overdrive. The acceleration creates prosody, the mutual support of structure and meaning — form follows function.
+
+	You can think of rhyme as a car's accelerator: The closer the pedal is to the floor, the faster the car moves. The closer the rhymes are to each other, the faster the structure moves. The farther away the pedal is from the floor, the slower the car moves.
+
+	Let's see what the ride would feel like if we toned down the rhyme action in the previous example:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You can't play Ping-Pong with my heart
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 You dominate the table
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 My nerves are shot, I've come apart
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 You wink and smile, still feeling playful
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Weak and numb, I miss the mark
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Feeling most unstable
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Out pops the rear parachute. Prosody evaporates, or at least diminishes, when the rhymes are spread out into a regular pattern. But the short phrases in lines three, four, and five still press on the accelerator. If we lengthen some of the shorter phrases, we let off the gas even more:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You can't play Ping-Pong with my heart
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 You dominate the table
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 My nerves are shot, I've really come apart
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 You wink and smile, still feeling pretty playful
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Weak and numb, I really miss the mark
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Feeling most unstable
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Look at what happens if we ease off on the rhymes, too, pushing them further apart:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You can't play Ping-Pong with my heart
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 You dominate the table
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 My nerves are shot, at last you've won the point
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Your slams have put me in an awful sweat
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 My vision's weak, can't even see the ball
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 I'm feeling most unstable
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Now the structure acts more like a slow-moving '68 VW microbus, while the meaning still dreams of checkered flags on the Grand Prix Circuit. Bad combination.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 44
+
+
+	We might as well destroy prosody completely while we're at it. This time, you do it. Rewrite the example below so lines three and five contain one long phrase each, instead of two shorter ones. Be careful not to rhyme.
+
+
+
+	 		 			 You can't play Ping-Pong with my heart
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 You dominate the table
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 

+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Your slams have put me in an awful sweat
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 

+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 I'm feeling most unstable
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Compare your result to the original and you will see what an important role structure can play in support of meaning. If you're careful how you build your form, you can make it work for you. Tend to the prosody of form and function, and your structure will become a powerful and expressive ally rather than an obstacle standing between you and what you really meant to say.
+
+
+
+
+
+THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTRAST
+
+
+	Herbie and Artie know the difference between their microbus and the cream-and-baby-blue Maserati. No big mystery — they're built different. This is another way to look at “form follows function.” Simple logic: Things that look the same should do the same thing. Things that look diff erent should do diff erent things. A microbus is not a Maserati.
+
+	Verses in a song should all have the same function — they develop the plot, characters, or situations of the song. That's why they're all called verses. Because the verses all have the same function, they should all have the same form. Easy, huh?
+
+	Or this: When you move from a verse to another function — for example, to a chorus function (commentary, summary) — the form should change: the rhyme scheme, phrase lengths, number of phrases, or rhythms of phrases. Maybe all four.
+
+	“Form follows function” is the real rationale behind what often look like silly rules:
+
+	 	All verses should have the same rhyme scheme!
+
+	Change the rhyme scheme when you get to the chorus.
+
+
+
+	Look at this verse and its chorus:
+
+	Southern Comfort
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Spanish moss hanging low
+
+Swaying from the trees
+
+Honeysuckle, sweet magnolia
+
+Riding on the breeze
+
+Southern evenings, Southern stars
+
+Used to bring me peace
+
+But now they only make me cry
+
+They only make me realize
+
+	Chorus
+
+	There's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+You're the only cure
+
+For this aching in my heart
+
+I've searched everywhere
+
+Tried the bedrooms, tried the bars
+
+But there's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+	Each section contains, roughly, the same number of phrases. No contrast there.
+
+	The verse rhymes its alternate lines, except at the end, where it accelerates with a couplet. The chorus rhymes every other line, too, without the couplet acceleration at the end:
+
+
+
+
+
+	Still not much contrast between the sections. The verse contains two complete sections of common meter rhythm. The only variation is the extra stressed syllable in the last line:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 SpĂĄnish mĂłss hĂĄnging lĂłw
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Swåying fróm the treés
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 HĂłneysĂșckle, sweĂ©t magnĂłlia
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Ríding ón the breéze
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 SoĂșthern Ă©venings, soĂșthern stĂĄrs
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Ășsed to brĂ­ng me peĂĄce
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 But nĂłw they Ăłnly mĂĄke me cry
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 They ónly måke me réalizé
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	That's a lot of common meter, but there's more. Look at the chorus:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 There's nĂł SĂłuthern CĂłmfort
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 Unléss you're ín my årms
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 YoĂș're the Ăłnly cĂșre
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 For this ĂĄching Ă­n my heĂĄrt
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 I've seårched éverywhére
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 Triéd the bédrooms, triéd the bårs
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 But there's nĂł SĂłuthern CĂłmfort
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 Unléss you're ín my årms
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	Although most of the phrases have three stresses, the section still leans toward common meter:
+
+	 	The balancing phrases are three stresses, the signature length of common meter.
+
+	The opening phrase is longer than three stresses, three plus — a normal variation of common meter's four-stress line. When you want two sections to contrast, the opening phrase of the new section must make a difference immediately. If you don't make a difference there, don't bother.
+
+	The two three-stress phrases with extra weak syllables are in the same positions as four-stress phrases in common meter, leaving only two contrasting phrases in the entire chorus. And they're the same length as half the lines in the verse.
+
+
+
+	Essentially, by the time we finish the chorus, we have been through four common meter systems. That's a lot. Imagine the boredom by the time you finish four more:
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	I've tried my best to ease the hurt
+
+Leave the pain behind
+
+But evenings sitting on the porch
+
+You're always on my mind
+
+Southern Comfort after dark
+
+Helps me face the night
+
+But there's nothing to look forward to
+
+'Cept looking back to loving you
+
+	Chorus
+
+	There's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+You're the only cure
+
+For this aching in my heart
+
+I've searched everywhere
+
+Tried the bedrooms, tried the bars
+
+But there's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+	Ho-hum structure. If the lyric's meaning were more interesting, there might be some hope, but it's not that interesting. Even if the meaning shone in eleven shades of microbus DayGlo, the structure still should help the meaning, not hurt it.
+
+	The bridge finally delivers a contrast:
+
+	Bar to bar
+
+Face to face
+
+Someone new takes your place
+
+No one's ever new
+
+I always turn them into you
+
+	But by the time we get to the bridge, it's too late; everyone has wandered off for a hot dog. Then there are two more lumps of common meter for the tombstone:
+
+	Chorus
+
+	There's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+You're the only cure
+
+For this aching in my heart
+
+I've searched everywhere
+
+Tried the bedrooms, tried the bars
+
+But there's no Southern Comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 45
+
+
+	with the chorus. You might look at Jim Rushing's “Slow Healing Heart” or Janis Ian's “Some People's Lives” for how to handle eight-line structures. Alternately, you might try unbalancing the structure by shortening it. Try it before you read further.
+
+	The rewrite below balances six lines against two, rather than dividing the verse into two four-line sections of common meter:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 SpĂĄnish mĂłss hĂĄnging lĂłw
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 BĂłwing frĂłm the trees
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 HĂłneysĂșckle rĂ­ding Ăłn the breĂ©ze
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 SĂłuthern Ă©venings, sĂłuthern stars
+
+			 x
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Swéet magnólia níghts
+
+			 x
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 Uséd to bring me hårmony and péace
+
+			 a
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 Låtely théy just måke me cry
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 They ónly måke me réalize
+
+			 b
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+	 	Chorus
+
+	There's no Southern comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+You're the only cure
+
+For this aching in my heart
+
+I've searched everywhere
+
+Tried the bedrooms, tried the bars
+
+But there's no Southern comfort
+
+Unless you're in my arms
+
+	Now the verse and chorus look different. Even Artie would notice. Though this lyric could still use major rewriting, at least its structure isn't stuck in the mud.
+
+
+
+
+
+Prosody and Contrast
+
+
+	Of course, contrast between sections can also add prosody:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 If I went into analysis
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 And took myself apart
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And laid me out for both of us to see
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 You'd go into paralysis
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Right there in my arms
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Finding out you're not a bit like me
+
+			 c
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Ready or not
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 We've got what we've got
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 Let's give it a shot
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+		 			 Ready or not
+
+			 d
+
+
+
+	 	The chorus really zips along by changing to short phrases and consecutive rhymes. The speed is really a result of contrast; it seems so fast only because the verse has been so leisurely. Paul Simon's “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and Beth Nielsen Chapman's “Years” both work on this same principle. Here's the first verse and chorus from “Years”:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Stresses (with musical setting)
+
+
+
+		 			 I went home for Christmas to the house that I grew up in
+
+			 6
+
+
+
+		 			 Going back was something after all these years
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 I drove down Monterey Street and I felt a little sadness
+
+			 6
+
+
+
+		 			 When I turned left on Laurel and the house appeared
+
+			 5
+
+
+
+		 			 And I snuck up to that rocking chair where the winter sunlight slanted on the screened-in porch
+
+			 9
+
+
+
+		 			 And I looked out past the shade tree that my laughing daddy planted on the day that I was born
+
+			 9
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 And I let time go by so slow
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 And I make every moment last
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 And I thought about years
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+		 			 How they take so long
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+		 			 And they go so fast
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	The verse lines are lingering and relaxed, just like the daughter. The chorus shows how fast years go by, accelerating the pace with shorter phrases. Not only is there contrast, but the contrast supports the meaning. Even within the chorus, the longer phrases slow time down, while shorter phrases step on the accelerator.
+
+	Chapman sets the first two lines into four bars of music. The last three also fit into four bars, but the last line, and they go so fast, is only one bar, supporting the lyric prosody perfectly. Nice stuff.
+
+	Become a designer; fit form to function. When you run with the LA fast-track set, step out with the Maserati. But when you want to join Artie and Herbie for the next Grateful Dead concert, go in style in the DayGlo microbus. Stop to consider what you need, and then build it. Have an effective, interesting structure ready for any occasion.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
+
+
+
+
+
+	THE GREAT BALANCING ACT
+
+
+	COURTING DANGER ON THE HIGH WIRE
+
+	I
+
+
+
+	magine a high-wire artist at the circus. There she is, arms extended, stepping ever so carefully along the thin wire. Step. Wobble 
(Gasps from the crowd!) Steadies herself. (Audible relief.) Step. Ooops. Step 
 No doubt she could move smoothly and quickly across, but she is making (or barely making) her aerial journey for our pleasure and excitement.
+
+	She plays with our emotions, knowing we will remember her trip long after the lights and noise fade to nothing.
+
+	Writing lyrics is a high-wire act: The way you keep or lose your balance makes all the difference to your audience. Sometimes a little aerial drama may be just what you need to get and keep your listeners' undivided attention.
+
+	Here's a very simple balancing (or unbalancing) technique: Control the number of phrases in your sections, and you can learn to keep or lose your balance in just the right places.
+
+	In general, assuming that phrase lengths are more or less equal, and the rhyme scheme moves more or less evenly, an even number of phrases creates a balanced section; an odd number, an unbalanced section.
+
+	The simplest case is repetition. An even number of phrases creates a stable section:
+
+	Your body is a wonderland
+
+Your body is a wonderland
+
+	While an odd number creates an unstable section:
+
+	Your body is a wonderland
+
+Your body is a wonderland
+
+Your body is a wonderland
+
+	Not a hard concept, but a very useful one. You can get the same effect without repetition, like this three-phrase section:
+
+	How am I to reach you
+
+When am I to touch you
+
+How am I to hold you
+
+	Common meter pairs off its longer second and fourth phrases and its shorter first and third:
+
+	Mary had a little lamb
+
+Its fleece was white as snow
+
+Everywhere that Mary went
+
+The lamb was sure to go
+
+	In this example, the two short phrases of the third line add up to equal the first phrase, giving us another balanced piece of common meter:
+
+	Yes I'm the Great Pretender
+
+Pretending that I'm doing well
+
+My need is such, I pretend too much
+
+I'm lonely but no one can tell
+
+	But if we trim it to three phrases, it unbalances:
+
+	Oh yes I'm the Great Pretender
+
+Pretending that I'm doing well
+
+I'm lonely but no one can tell
+
+	How do we use balancing and unbalancing? Stated simply, unbalanced sections make you want to move to find a stable spot. Balanced sections stop motion; they pause for a rest. Balancing and unbalancing a lyric in the right places gives you at least four audience-grabbing strategies:(1) spotlighting important ideas; (2) pushing one section forward into another section; (3) contrasting one section with another one; and (4) setting up a need for a balancing section or phrase.
+
+	Watch the high-wire work of Janis Ian and Kye Fleming in this lovely lyric, “Some People's Lives”:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some lives wear out
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Like old tennis shoes
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 No one can use
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 It's sad but it's true
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 3
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's eyes
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Fade like their dreams
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Too tired to rise
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Too tired to sleep
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 4
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people laugh
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 When they need to cry
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And they never know why
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Bridge
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people ask,
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 If tears have to fall
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Then why take your chances?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Why bother at all?
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 5
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 And some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Are as cold as their lips
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 They just need to be kissed
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 3
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 'Cause that's all they need
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+
+
+1. SPOTLIGHTING IMPORTANT DETAILS
+
+
+	This is the easiest and most practical use of balancing. When a section has an even number of phrases, the sections stops for a rest along the high wire. The pause allows the spotlight to shine on the last phrase. The first verse of “Some People's Lives” uses the position well:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	That's all they've got is the climax of the section. The balancing position allows us to savor it by letting it rest in the spotlight a few seconds. Note, however, that the rhyme scheme, abbb, is a little unstable. Though the line lengths and rhythms match, we have the same effect at the end of line three that we saw earlier in the second verse of “Fathers and Sons” — the abb rhyme pattern raises no expectations:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Adding the fourth line provides a balancing position, but we still have an odd number of rhymes:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Compare how it feels to this:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they cease
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	Now it feels really stable. The stability actually adds an emotion (motion creates emotion).
+
+	Whereas the real version's rhyme scheme, because it's unstable, adds a different emotion:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Isn't it sad? It makes me feel like something's missing. It's especially noticeable when you look at the first three sections together:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some lives wear out
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Like old tennis shoes
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 No one can use
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 It's sad but it's true
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	Both verses have the unstable rhyme scheme abbb. The chorus is very stable. So we have two unstable sections (sad lives), moving into a stable section — “our love makes me stable. I wish everyone had this kind of love in their lives.” If the rhyme scheme in the verses were stable, the arrival at a stable section in the chorus wouldn't have the same power:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some lives wear out
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like old tennis shoes
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 No one would want
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 It's sad but it's true
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	Now we feel stable for the whole trip. The chorus, and therefore the singer's gratitude for the love she receives, is diminished by the stable rhyme scheme. The chorus is less of a landing place than it is in the original version.
+
+
+
+
+
+2. PUSHING ONE SECTION FORWARD INTO ANOTHER SECTION
+
+
+	Rhyme scheme can create instability, but you can get even more dramatic results with an odd number of lines. It can work wonders when you want the audience to hold their breath. Ian and Fleming teeter on the wire in verse four, then pause (gasp), then they step forward into a balanced chorus:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 4
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people laugh
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 When they need to cry
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And they never know why
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	The chorus settles us down, but some tension still remains. Three phrases plus four phrases still leaves us a little uneasy. The last phrase of the chorus is a question; the problem of loneliness still looms for some people.
+
+
+
+
+
+3. CONTRASTING ONE SECTION WITH ANOTHER ONE
+
+
+	The number of lines in the first three verses of “Some People's Lives” are even and balanced:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 1
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Run down like clocks
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 One day they stop
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 That's all they've got
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some lives wear out
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Like old tennis shoes
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 No one can use
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 It7's sad but it's true
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Verse 3
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people's eyes
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Fade like their dreams
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Too tired to rise
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Too tired to sleep
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	The contrast with these balanced sections gives verse four its power.
+
+	We expect stability. Instead, it totters on the brink for a moment:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 4
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people laugh
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 When they need to cry
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 And they never know why
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	The crowd tenses up and begins to sweat. Will she fall?
+
+	Another way to unbalance a section is to add a phrase. Look again at “The Great Pretender.” Verses one and two are balanced, so we expect verse three to be balanced as well:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	Yes I'm the Great Pretender
+
+Pretending that I'm doing well
+
+My need is such, I pretend too much
+
+I'm lonely but no one can tell
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	Yes I'm the Great Pretender
+
+Adrift in a world of my own
+
+I play the game but to my real shame
+
+You've left me to dream all alone
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	Yes I'm the Great Pretender
+
+Just laughing and gay like a clown
+
+I seem to be what I'm not, you see
+
+I'm wearing my heart like a crown
+
+Pretending that you're still around
+
+	The extra phrase in verse three is a surprise. Line four, the balancing position, is still a spotlighted power position, but the extra phrase stumbles forward on the wire to turn additional spotlights onto the most important phrase in the song.
+
+	Ian and Fleming pull the Great Pretender trick at the end of “Some People's Lives.” The balanced first and second choruses set up the surprise of the third chorus:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Chorus 3
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 'Cause that's all they need
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	The crucial idea gets bathed in spotlights.
+
+
+
+
+
+4. CREATING A NEED FOR A BALANCING SECTION OR PHRASE
+
+
+	The real beauty of “Some People's Lives” is that the two short sections, verses four and five, each prepare us for a headlong pitch to the saw-dust. Chorus two left us queasy, since we were still struggling to balance an odd number of phrases (seven):
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 4
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people laugh
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 When they need to cry
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 (unbalancing) And they never know why
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Chorus 2
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Doesn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	The bridge balances again with an even number of phrases:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Bridge
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Some people ask,
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 If tears have to fall
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Then why take your chances?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Why bother at all?
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	But again, verse five loses its balance (the crowd holds their breath 
):
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Verse 5
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 And some people's lives
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Are as cold as their lips
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 (unbalancing) They just need to be kissed
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	The last chorus tries to get home, but seems to end short of the platform:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Chorus 3
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody tell them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody see
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Didn't anybody love them
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Like you love me?
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+	 	The crowd remains restless. Things still wobble on the high wire. The bridge / verse / chorus last system certainly did need something more, a need set up by the unbalanced three-phrase verses. Something more finally arrives, in spades: 'cause that's all they need.
+
+	Spotlights blaze onto the extra phrase as it balances the entire last system with an even number of phrases (twelve), and steps onto the platform at the other side of the high-wire journey. We breathe a sigh of satisfaction and relief, not only because we have arrived, but because the trip has been fraught with danger and the result has been so satisfying. The last phrase stands firm and strong in the carefully prepared balancing position and delivers its message forcefully: Love is all you need. The crowd goes wild.
+
+	You can try this stuff yourself. First try some simple balancing and unbalancing of a single section. Take something like:
+
+	Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+Catch a tiger by the toe
+
+If he hollers let him go
+
+Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+	Add a phrase:
+
+	Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+Catch a tiger by the toe
+
+Take him to a picture show
+
+If he hollers let him go
+
+Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+	Take one away:
+
+	Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+Catch a tiger by the toe
+
+If he hollers let him go
+
+	Or maybe:
+
+	Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+Catch a tiger by the toe
+
+Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 46
+
+
+	Pick a couple of your own lyrics and try it. Then take the next step and surprise us by unbalancing a section we expected to be balanced. Set up the surprise by starting with a balanced section, like:
+
+	Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+Catch a tiger by the toe
+
+Take him to a picture show
+
+Eenie meenie minee moe
+
+	Eenie meenie minee may
+
+If he hollers make him pay
+
+Fifty dollars every day
+
+	The technique works best in lyrics with at least three verses. Try it, taking small steps at first, and advancing further until you can work without a net.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
+
+
+
+
+
+	SONG FORMS:
+
+
+	(IM)POTENT PACKAGES
+
+	S
+
+
+
+	ong form should be your friend, helping you deliver your message with power. But too often, an inefficient or inappropriate form weakens your message, weights it down, and drags it helpless and sagging into the dust. Beware, oh beware, of song form. Consider it carefully before you choose.
+
+	Verse / verse / chorus / verse / verse / chorus is a common but relatively impotent song form. We've all used it, but, if your experience is anything like mine, too often you've gotten mixed results. This song form probably attracts more of the dreaded “seems too long” comments from friends, co-writers, publishers, producers, and even mothers than any other song form does.
+
+	There have been some great songs written in this form, so why pick on such a successful form? What makes it inefficient?
+
+	Simple; v / v / ch / v / v / ch repeats the same melody, chords, phrase lengths, and rhyme schemes four times. Four times is a lot. You risk boring your listeners when you make four trips through the same structure. Your verses, especially the crucial fourth verse, had better be very interesting to risk all that repetition. At best, if your message is powerful and compelling, the v / v / ch / v / v / ch song form won't get in the way, but at worst, you risk it working against effective delivery of your message.
+
+	Look at this version of Jim Rushing's “Slow Healing Heart,” arranged as a v / v / ch / v / v / ch lyric:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	When I left I left walking wounded
+
+I made my escape from the rain
+
+Still a prisoner of hurt
+
+I had months worth of work
+
+Freeing my mind of the pain
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	I had hours of sitting so lonely
+
+Singing sad songs in the dark
+
+Feeling my days
+
+Slipping away
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start
+
+Nothing moves slower
+
+Than a slow healing heart
+
+	Using two verses before the chorus runs a small risk. Sometimes publishers (bless their hearts) might say “it takes too long to get to the chorus.” But here, the problem comes more from “commercial considerations” than boredom.
+
+	After the chorus, verse three starts the second system:
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	How I prayed for blind faith to lead me
+
+To places where I'm not afraid
+
+Now I'm doing fine
+
+Both in body and mind
+
+But some hurts take longer to fade
+
+	Now the crucial fourth verse. Here's where you run the risk of making the song seem too long:
+
+	Verse 4
+
+	There's a part of me still on the lookout
+
+Alert for those cutting remarks
+
+Looks that are sweet
+
+Soon will cause you to bleed
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start
+
+Nothing moves slower Than a slow healing heart
+
+	Now, go back and read the entire “Slow Healing Heart” lyric without the interruptions. Does it seem too long? Maybe, maybe not. The answer can vary for individual listeners. All I know is that it's a risk — even if verse four is killer, it's still a risk. If you can avoid the risk effectively, you should. There are three risk-avoidance techniques outlined in this chapter. Get familiar with all of them.
+
+
+
+
+
+First Risk-Avoidance Technique
+
+
+	Try dumping a verse. This is not as easy as it sounds, because unless you've written a real dead dog for one of your verses, you probably need at least some of the material in each one. So try to select the most important stuff, on a sort of “best of” principle, and distill one verse from two. Let's try it with verses three and four. How about this as a distilled verse:
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	There's a part of me still on the lookout
+
+Alert for cutting remarks
+
+But the sweetest of words
+
+Only sharpen this hurt
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Or how about this:
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	How I prayed for blind faith to lead me
+
+Away from those cutting remarks
+
+Now I'm doing fine
+
+Both in body and mind
+
+But woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Now, go back and substitute each one into the lyric. Read the whole thing together. Why did you keep reading? Go back and read the lyric with each distilled verse.
+
+	This resulting verse / verse / chorus / verse / chorus song form is more streamlined. It gives the second chorus a boost by seeming to get to it early — a distinct advantage. And the distilled verse is often stronger than the two separate verses it came from.
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 47
+
+
+	What do you think of my distilled verses? Did I lose too much, or did I keep the necessary stuff? You try it. Distill the original third and fourth verses into one verse of the same structure. Remember to end the verse with the refrain: Weak is a slow healing heart.
+
+
+
+
+
+Second Risk-Avoidance Technique
+
+
+	Turn one of the verses into a bridge, making the overall form fit the following structure:
+
+	v / v / ch / v / ch / br / ch.
+
+	Be careful with this option. A bridge is a contrasting element, both in structure and in content. You'll have to change both the structure and the kind of information you give.
+
+	Maybe this will work:
+
+	Verse 3
+
+	There's a part of me still on the lookout
+
+Alert for those cutting remarks
+
+Looks that are sweet
+
+Soon will cause you to bleed
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start
+
+Nothing moves slower
+
+Than a slow healing heart
+
+	Bridge
+
+	I pray that someday
+
+I won't be afraid
+
+But some hurts take longer to fade
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start
+
+Nothing moves slower
+
+Than a slow healing heart
+
+	The move to future tense in the bridge helps shift away from the verse material. Shorter lines and a three-line unbalanced section (rhyming AAA) change the structure.
+
+	Now, take a minute to go back and read the whole song in the new form. Whad'ya think?
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 48
+
+
+	Now come up with your own bridge to fit “Slow Healing Heart.”
+
+
+
+
+
+Third Risk-Avoidance Technique
+
+
+	Keep all the lines, but restructure both verses into a single unit. Of course, this means more than not skipping a space between verses on your lyric sheet. It means changing the form of the verses so they don't repeat each other. Here's the actual full lyric by Jim Rushing:
+
+	Verse 1
+
+	When I left I left walking wounded
+
+I made my escape from the rain
+
+Still a prisoner of hurt
+
+I had months worth of work
+
+Freeing my mind of the pain
+
+I had hours of sitting alone in the dark
+
+Listening to sad songs and coming apart
+
+Lord knows I made crying an art
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start
+
+Nothing moves slower
+
+Than a slow healing heart
+
+	Verse 2
+
+	How I prayed for blind faith to lead me
+
+To places where I'm not afraid
+
+Now I'm doing fine
+
+Both in body and mind
+
+But some hurts take longer to fade
+
+There's a part of my feelings ever on guard
+
+Against looks that are tender and words that are hard
+
+I still remember those cutting remarks
+
+Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+	Chorus
+
+	A slow healing heart
+
+Is dying to mend
+
+Longing for love
+
+Lonely again
+
+When a spirit is broken
+
+And the memories start Nothing moves slower
+
+Than a slow healing heart
+
+	Look how the verse structure works:
+
+
+
+
+
+			 Rhyme
+
+			 Stresses
+
+
+
+		 			 When I left I left walking wounded
+
+			 x
+
+			 3+
+
+
+
+		 			 I made my escape from the rain
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 Still a prisoner of hurt
+
+			 b
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+		 			 I had months worth of work
+
+			 b
+
+			 2
+
+
+
+		 			 Freeing my mind of the pain
+
+			 a
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+		 			 I had hours of sitting alone in the dark
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Listening to sad songs and coming apart
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Lord knows I made crying an art
+
+			 c
+
+			 4
+
+
+
+		 			 Woe is a slow healing heart
+
+			 c
+
+			 3
+
+
+
+	 	The first half is basic common meter, in three-quarter time, with a rhyme acceleration in the third line. The second half moves two by two in four-stress couplets, creating a whole diff erent feel (which will force a musical change). Rushing creates two interesting, unified verses rather than four helpings of the same structure. Big difference.
+
+	Any of these three risk-avoidance techniques solve the problem created by the verse / verse / chorus / verse / verse / chorus form. They will help structure work for you, rather than risking songs that seem too long. Even if every line of all four verses is to die for, you can reorganize them into a form that delivers power rather than sags. All it takes is time, energy, and — most importantly — focus on the importance of potent song form. It's worth the work.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
+
+
+
+
+
+	SONG FORMS:
+
+
+	(IM)POTENT PACKAGES II
+
+	B
+
+
+
+	ored? Try a little variety. That was the principle behind chapter twenty-two, where we looked at the verse / verse / chorus / verse / verse / chorus form.
+
+	Here, I want to look at another common form — one that also risks boredom: verse / chorus / verse / chorus / verse / chorus. Here's a sample that we'll title “Love Her or Leave Her to Me”:
+
+	You're living with a woman you ain't true to
+
+Playin' round but keep her hanging on
+
+If you don't want her, let me have her
+
+You won't believe how fast I'll grab her
+
+You'll hardly even notice that she's gone
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	You're out all night while she's alone without you
+
+Just for fun she calls me on the phone
+
+She comes to me, I play the friend
+
+I know she'll love me in the end
+
+As long as you keep leaving her alone
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	Well I guess some men got no appreciation
+
+They never see the finer things in life
+
+When they leave the best behind 'em
+
+Someone else is bound to find 'em
+
+Won't be long she's someone else's wife
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	Not a bad lyric. It chugs along nicely for two verse / chorus systems, developing its ideas with light, cute structure. The third system, however, seems to fall a little flat, not so much for what it says, but because we've seen its structure twice before. There's nothing wrong with the form — the form just doesn't help add interest. Let's look at some options to use instead of this third verse / chorus system.
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 1
+
+
+	The most obvious boredom quencher is to insert a contrasting section — a bridge — between the second and third system. As usual, the contrast should be significant. The structure of the bridge should be different from the verse and chorus structures, including a different rhyme scheme, a different number of lines, and different line lengths. It should also say something different.
+
+	When you're writing a bridge, start by looking at what you've already said, then look for a missing piece. In this case, we know the speaker wants the wife, and that the husband is fooling around. We know the wife calls the speaker and that the speaker has plans. But we don't know what makes her so desirable. This might be an interesting angle, especially since the third verse starts:
+
+	Well, I guess some men got no appreciation
+
+They never see the finer things in life 

+
+	EXERCISE 49
+
+	A bridge focusing on her qualities would lead smoothly into the third verse. Start by making a list of her qualities — things she is, things she does. Draw the list from your own experiences. Do a little object writing. For example:
+
+	Kicking through the fallen leaves, gold-brown and red. Cheeks flushed and soft, glowing with the afternoon sunlight. You don't speak, I don't dare speak; our shoulders touching, lingering a little, skin electric, breath coming a little faster. You step slowly, patiently, listening to the leaves swirling and dancing in colors as we move together.
+
+	Your object writing will create a mood and character for you to respond to. Then try a few bridges. Be sure your bridge is a contrasting section. Keep it short and effective.
+
+	Simply inserting a bridge is always an option when you need a boredom breaker. The risk here, though, is that the lyric may get (or seem) a little long because it returns to a verse again before the chorus.
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 2
+
+
+	Another option is to create a verse / chorus form that stops with two verse / chorus systems, creates a bridge as a contrasting system, then moves to a chorus: verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus.
+
+	Again, be careful. A bridge isn't a verse — it doesn't do the same job or use the same structure. It is a contrasting section. Verses usually develop plot. A chorus usually steps away from, comments on, or summarizes the verses. In our lyric, the verses develop the situation, the chorus gives a warning. A bridge will have to take a different angle.
+
+	You're living with a woman you ain't true to
+
+Playin' round but keep her hanging on
+
+If you don't want her, let me have her
+
+You won't believe how fast I'll grab her
+
+You'll hardly even notice that she's gone
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	You're out all night while she's alone without you
+
+Just for fun she calls me on the phone
+
+She comes to me, I play the friend
+
+I know she'll love me in the end
+
+As long as you keep leaving her alone
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	Leave the finest things behind, an'
+
+Someone else is bound to find 'em
+
+	Love her or leave her to me
+
+Keep her or let her go free
+
+Don't go two-timing her
+
+'Less you're resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+
+
+
+
+EXERCISE 50
+
+
+	Try substituting the bridge you wrote for the one I wrote. Do you like how it works?
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 3
+
+
+	If you can't translate your third verse into a bridge — say that you really need that third idea as a verse — try a verse form that thrives on three-idea development: the AABA verse / refrain form.
+
+	This song form has been around a long time, mostly because it works so well. Let's try it for our three-verse lyric, using the title as a refrain:
+
+	You're living with a woman you ain't true to
+
+You play around, she sits home faithfully
+
+If you don't want her let me have her
+
+Wait and see how fast I grab her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	While you're out she gets a little lonesome
+
+What to do, she's got her evenings free
+
+She calls me up, I play the friend
+
+I know she'll love me in the end
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+Boy just keep your blinders on
+
+You'll never notice when she's gone
+
+	I'm glad some men got no appreciation
+
+The finest things are just too hard to see
+
+You just keep two-timing her
+
+Soon you'll be resigning her
+
+Love her or leave her to me
+
+	An AABA song form is effective because it creates a strong sense of resolution when it moves back to the third verse. The first two verses define “home base,” then the bridge takes you away from home — away from the familiar structure. When you come back to the third verse, you come back home to familiar territory. It's a real homecoming, seeing the old neighborhood again after a long trip. The tension created by moving away has been resolved.
+
+	An AABA's last system is actually bridge / verse, providing a nice contrast to the opening verses, as well as sponsoring the homecoming parade.
+
+	The temptation to write verse / chorus / verse / chorus / verse / chorus is sometimes strong. Resist it. Look instead for forms that present your ideas in more potent packages.
+
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
+
+
+
+
+
+	PROCESS
+
+
+	M
+
+
+
+	y friend Bob Nicksic calls. “Got an idea,” he says. “You'll love it. It's about a girl whose parents fight all the time. Whenever they do, she goes into this fantasy world and sings a little song.” Pause.
+
+	Right. Like I'm going to guess. “We will, we will rock you?” I offer.
+
+	“Nope.”
+
+	“Was I close?”
+
+	“She sells seashells! Neat, huh?”
+
+	It was weird, not that that ever stops me. But she sells seashells?
+
+	“Hmm,” I say.
+
+	“No. Think about it. I've got some ideas for verses. Listen.”
+
+	I press record on my machine. Here's what he gives me:
+
+	Planted in the hallway
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+Shaken by the shouting
+
+Growing wise beyond her years
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mommy's voice is rain
+
+She's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	And then she sells seashells
+
+'Cause her mind can't handle any more
+
+So she sells seashells
+
+On the shore
+
+	She knows daddy's leaving
+
+But this time he says good-bye
+
+Mommy's chest is heaving
+
+This time she doesn't cry
+
+	Daddy bends to kiss her
+
+Sea spray on his face
+
+	?
+
+
+
+
+
+	Yup, pretty weird. But there was something about it — the sort of spooky that slips in when you're not looking. It was slipping in. Besides, picture a singer in the studio getting to the chorus and stiffening for the tongue twister. Better yet, picture people trying to sing along. Irresistible. It appealed to the sadist in me.
+
+	I need to get the lay of the land. Time for a little object writing. I think the most productive place to look is at the title, since that's the centerpiece of the song.
+
+	Seashells
+
+	Buried, scooping sand with little mouths like front loaders; Rrrrr of the ocean their motors as they excavate tunnels, trenches, digging to China. Bodies heaped on broken bodies, clattering as waves break and wash over them, polishing and shining, smooth and tumbling. Pick one up, glistening in the sun, rings etched in spirals circling deeper and deeper, little whirlpools sucking, letting me float and spin dizzy like rolling down a grassy hill, the trees in green blurs appearing and disappearing humming in my ears, ringing like waves, like listening to the ocean in a shell. Hold it up, can you hear the ocean. No, the sounds of infinite space tucked in spirals, lost planets bobbing and sinking, the chill and emptiness. Wrap your arms around yourself. There is no warmth or comfort here, winds churning, waves tumbling, tides rolling like huge voices back and forth between continents, sea foam spilling in spirals circling and crashing over shells, crushing them to sand and dust, building into dunes, shifting, disappearing, piling up again.
+
+	Not that I'll use it all, or even any of it, but the process of object writing helps me find out what I have to offer that originates from my own unique sense experiences. The closer I stay to my senses, the more real and effective my writing will be. The front loaders are out of my childhood and may not be helpful in the scene Bob gave me. I like the shells digging to China. The carnage on the beaches and the trenches could well lead to a World War I scene. The spirals etched in the shells may be useful, since the song seems concerned with the consequences for the girl of the parents' breakup. Listening to the shell is a means of escape, though in this world the escape isn't a prosperous one. I like the tides as a metaphor for the parents' voices. The dunes are nice.
+
+
+
+
+
+CREATE A WORKSHEET
+
+
+	Before I look at the lyric, I'll make an abbreviated worksheet for additional stimulation. I want to find the sonic lay of the land for the keywords so far: sea, shells, shore, sand, tide.
+
+	Sea has no final consonant, so we'll look at perfect rhymes, then additive rhymes.
+
+	Debris has wonderful possibilities. Think about a beach scene and let it echo through your own senses and imagination.
+
+	I'll pass on three-syllable adverbs like breathlessly. First, I'm not a real fan of adverbs in lyrics; second, rhyming the secondary stress with a primary stress sounds awkward. Ditto for three-syllable nouns like memory and rhapsody. I'll stick to words ending on a primary accent.
+
+	Disagree isn't bad in this context, but probably not very evocative. I think it's already shown in the verse about thunder and rain. Free is overused. No thanks. You've never used plea in your life unless you've been in court. Why use it in a lyric just to get a rhyme? Referee is tempting, but it takes me somewhere I don't want to be in this song. Refugee is terrific. So, I found two stimulating perfect rhymes: debris and refugee. On to additive rhymes.
+
+	Remember, the less sound you add, the closer the rhyme is. The least possible sound comes from the voices plosives, b, d, and g. Nothing under eb. Recede is nice. Seaweed is possible. Maybe bleed. Nothing helpful under eg.
+
+	On to the unvoiced plosives, p, k, and t. Deep and sleep. Where do they take you? Streak gives me a beach sky at sunset. Perhaps streaked. I'm a sucker for bittersweet, though I don't see what's sweet in this circumstance. Maybe retreat for the waves' ebb and flow.
+
+	So here are our rhymes for sea: debris, refugee, recede, weeds, bleed, deep, sleep, streaked, retreat.
+
+	We'll look up perfect and additive rhymes for shell. Additives are particularly effective because l, together with the vowel, make all the sonic connection you'll ever need.
+
+	Swell, as in ocean swell. If I could get swelling around the eyes, too, so much the better. Hell is too dramatic — it's one of those words that seems to mean so much more than it conveys. Like soul. Avoid those clunkers. Carousel has the circles and childhood. Maybe, though it seems a little off -center for our beach scene.
+
+	That's it for perfect rhyme.
+
+	Now browse in the rhyming dictionary through short-e + l + anything else. All I can find is withheld and help.
+
+	Okay. Try consonance rhymes, since we're dealing with l. (Change the vowel and keep the final consonants — remember?) Stay with closely related vowel sounds, either short-a or short-i. Nothing under short-a + l. Short-i looks better: chill, spilled.
+
+	Here's our rhyme column for shell: swell, carousel, withheld, help, chill, spilled.
+
+	Shore ends in another strong consonant. We'll look at perfect rhyme, additive rhyme, and consonance rhyme. This time, you let each word carry you into its possibilities: roar, pour, storm, outworn, torn, blur, search, submerged, curled.
+
+	For sand, we'll look at perfect rhyme, family rhyme (since the consonants after the vowel belong to phonetic families), and subtractive rhyme (dropping either consonant after the vowel).
+
+	I find nothing interesting under perfect rhyme except the tired old hand/understand/command nonsense.
+
+	Let's subtract d, since it's the least noticeable sound. Nothing good. Maybe ran.
+
+	Let's substitute for d from the plosive family (b, d, g, p, t, k): chant.
+
+	Substitute for n from the nasal family (m, n, ng): slammed, stamped.
+
+	Continue through the rest of the short-a + n columns: inheritance.
+
+	Our results for sand: ran, chant, slammed, stamped, inheritance.
+
+	Not bad. Our last word, tide, ends with a plosive. If it were plural, tides, it would also contain members of the fricative family (f, th, s, sh, ch, v, z, zh, j) after the vowel. Lots of places to look. Perfect rhymes: glide, slide.
+
+	Into the plosive family: inscribed (patterns etched), flight, harbor light.
+
+	Go to the plural, tides, and subtract d: sacrifice.
+
+	Look at the s family: still life, revived, rise, arise.
+
+	Our final results for tide are: glide, slide, inscribed, flight, harbor light, sacrifice, still life, revived, rise, arise.
+
+	So here's our abbreviated worksheet:
+
+	 	sea
+
+	shells
+
+	shore
+
+	sand
+
+	tide
+
+
+
+
+
+	Use the worksheet for reference. Remember, its main purpose is to get additional ideas and pictures. It is a brainstorming device, not a rhyme-finding device. It's a nice reference, though. Ask Stephen Sondheim: He uses worksheets all the time. Back to Bob's original ideas.
+
+
+
+
+
+Round One
+
+
+	Planted in the hallway
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+Shaken by the shouting
+
+Growing wise beyond her years
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mommy's voice is rain
+
+She's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	And then she sells seashells
+
+'Cause her mind can't handle any more
+
+So she sells seashells
+
+On the shore
+
+	She knows daddy's leaving
+
+But this time he says good-bye
+
+Mommy's chest is heaving
+
+This time she doesn't cry
+
+	Daddy bends to kiss her
+
+Sea spray on his face 
 ?
+
+	Look at the chorus. I don't really know what the verses will end up doing, especially since even the rough verses are incomplete. So I don't want to make too early a commitment to a lot of ideas in the chorus. It's best to keep it streamlined and simple at first. My first job is to make sure the verses set up the title. Additional lines can come along later when I'm sure the title works with the verses. So:
+
+	And then she sells seashells
+
+'Cause her mind can't handle any more
+
+So she sells seashells
+
+On the shore
+
+becomes:
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	The first two verses seem backwards. The reaction is before the action. Try this instead:
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mommy's voice is rain
+
+She's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Planted in the hallway
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+Shaken by the shouting
+
+Growing wise beyond her years
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	Better opening. Now look at the line before the chorus (I call it the trigger line because it releases its meaning into the chorus; whatever the trigger line says will determine how we see the chorus):
+
+	Shaken by the shouting
+
+Growing wise beyond her years
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	I don't get the connection. And I want the first chorus to be the clearest of all. So we need a stronger trigger line. How about:
+
+	She hums a tiny melody
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	Better, but I still don't quite get the connection. How about:
+
+	She hums this tiny melody
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	Now the chorus becomes her tiny melody. It's important to take time to work on your trigger lines. They are power positions, but more important, they are the last thing you hear before you enter your chorus. Always take time to check them, the earlier the better.
+
+	The chorus seems pretty locked in just the way it is — something the little girl can sing, at least in the first system. A commentary line like 'cause her mind can't handle any more seems inappropriate.
+
+	Let's finish the verse. For now, how about:
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Wise beyond her years
+
+She hums this tiny melody
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+	Our whole first song system is:
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mommy's voice is rain
+
+She's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Wise beyond her years
+
+She hums this tiny melody
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	It seems to work okay. It sets up the scene, and it sets up the chorus pretty clearly. We'll work out the kinks later.
+
+	Bob's third verse has the fight turning into a separation. Something unusual is happening:
+
+	She knows daddy's leaving
+
+But this time he says good-bye
+
+Mommy's chest is heaving
+
+This time she doesn't cry
+
+	Not bad development. Daddy's leaving should increase her isolation; in fact, it will change her life. So what can we do with daddy's good-bye?
+
+	Daddy bends to kiss her
+
+Sea spray on his face 

+
+	I was tempted to start looking for ideas with a rhyme search for face (avoiding some of the ugly possibilities like that time will not erase or gone without a trace). I would have gone for family rhymes like safe or rage, or additive or subtractive rhymes like waste or stray. Even assonance rhymes like ache or rain would work, since they would provide a sense of a closed section, yet leave it hanging a little bit, which is perfectly fine in this context.
+
+	But wait a minute: sea spray on his face?
+
+	Where the hell did the spray come from? In my mental picture, they're inside. Sure, spray could be a way of saying tears, but if there is no place for the spray to come from, it's confusing. A metaphor has to be grounded in something real. If they were on the beach, sea spray on his face would be just fine. It could be both what it actually is, plus more. Remember to ground your metaphors in reality. They must have a legitimate place in the context. So I've got to decide. Are they in the house or at the ocean? I can't just assume that my mental picture is everybody's mental picture. I've got to make it everybody's mental picture.
+
+	It also seems like this verse has got to be the little girl's verse. It seems like a waste of space to let daddy linger. He said good-bye three lines ago — get him out. We have to set up the little girl's isolation. How about this for verse four:
+
+	Shuts the door behind her
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Days stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She's isolated inside her room. Let's look at the trigger:
+
+	Days stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	Now the little girl becomes she in the chorus. She's in her room (in my head) with the sands of time (it's suggested rather than stated, which is actually pretty neat) stretching out before her. Plus, we get the overlay of the little song she sings in the first chorus. Not bad.
+
+	So here's box two so far:
+
+	She knows daddy's leaving
+
+But this time he says good-bye
+
+Mommy's chest is heaving
+
+This time she doesn't cry
+
+	Shuts the door behind her
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Days stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	The whole thing:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 1)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+She's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Wise beyond her years
+
+She hums this tiny melody
+
+Hands over her ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	She knows daddy's leaving
+
+But this time he says good-bye
+
+Mommy's chest is heaving
+
+This time she doesn't cry
+
+	Shuts the door behind her
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Days stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells by the shore
+
+	I like common meter for the verses. Sort of nursery rhyme-ish with a lot of musical flexibility. I thought Bob would be impressed. I call back. “What d'ya think?”
+
+	“Words okay. But who's ‘she’ in the first verse? Sounds like the mother is the one that's scared, not the daughter. And who isn't crying in the third verse?”
+
+	Right. “Call you back.”
+
+
+
+
+
+Round Two
+
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 2)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's too scared not to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Wise beyond her years
+
+She sings this tiny melody (rather than hums, since the chorus has words)
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore (I was tapping in threes, and the repetition felt right and sounded good)
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving (more direct)
+
+	This time it's good-bye (better rhythm match; more direct)
+
+Mama's chest is heaving Too upset to cry (clearer reference to mama; more elegantly stated)
+
+Baby shuts the door behind her
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Days stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	I really liked her hands cupped over her ears, like she was listening to the ocean rather than the fight. I think sings sets up the first chorus even better. And it's clear who the daughter is and who the mother is. I call back. “What d'ya think?”
+
+	“Not a bad sketch.”
+
+	Sketch? “Thanks,” I mumble. “What else do you think it needs?”
+
+	“Some of the lines are a little weird. Could be more elegantly stated,”
+
+	he says, tossing one of my favorite critiquing phrases back in my face. I hate being on the receiving end of those little grenades.
+
+	Back to it. I thought maybe, in addition to looking for better lines, I'd take a shot at a bridge that looked ahead to her later life — sort of the consequences of her childhood isolation.
+
+
+
+
+
+Round Three
+
+
+	Here's attempt number three. (Instead of looking only at the rewritten lines, read it all the way through each time to immerse yourself in it. Otherwise, the changes won't make much sense or difference.)
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 3)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch (the double negative was too complicated)
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back her tears (wise beyond her years was a cliché, plus it led to a dead end)
+
+She sings this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall (it wasn't clear what door she shut; better rhythmic match)
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Years stretch out before her (Takes us deeper and further into her life)
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Patterns etched those years before (like patterns on seashells)
+
+Circle through her life
+
+She wanders down the beach alone
+
+Watching tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	The bridge sort of fell out like that. It seemed like the right idea, but something bothered me about it. Structurally, it was the bridge from Paul Simon's “Still Crazy After All These Years,” with the telltale short last line. But how bad could that be? I love that bridge.
+
+	Maybe the last line could be longer to slow everything down, like the bridge in Paul Simon's “Train in the Distance.” How bad could that be? I love that bridge, too. No one would know, unless I told them. Plus, it would give me more room to “state it more elegantly.” Let's try it:
+
+	Patterns etched those years before
+
+Circle through her life
+
+She wanders down the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides (this came from debris in the worksheet)
+
+	After trying this, it hits me. This bridge can't be in common meter — the verses already are. I'd fallen into the same old trap of locking into a pattern mentally and writing it automatically. C'mon, stupid, a bridge is supposed to contrast, and you've got to make a difference right away, at the first line. I liked the five-stress last line, so I tried it in the first line, and decided on a three-line bridge for a little asymmetry:
+
+	Years have etched their patterns in her life
+
+She walks the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	Better. I hope Bob likes it. Sometimes my preference for asymmetry drives him nuts. Go back and read version three with the new bridge.
+
+	Before I call, one more thing. I've written at least three articles insisting that you check every lyric you write from all points of view.
+
+	This one was a third-person narrative. I have to check out first-person narrative, with the little girl as the speaker:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 4)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+I'm too scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back my tears
+
+I sing this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Stumbling down the hall way Escaping to my room
+
+Years stretch out before me Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years have etched their patterns in my life
+
+I walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Hmm. It doesn't work very well, does it? There's got to be a tense change for it to make sense. The little girl has to be looking back from adulthood:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 5)
+
+	Daddy's voice was thunder
+
+Mama's voice was rain
+
+I was scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back my tears
+
+I'd sing this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy said he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest was heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Stumbling down the hallway
+
+Escaping to my room
+
+Years stretched out before me
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years have etched their patterns in my life
+
+I walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	The move from past-tense verses to a present-tense bridge works. And each chorus has her cupping her hands over her ears and singing her little song, even as an adult. Kind of a spooky effect.
+
+	Now let's try it as a second-person narrative, on the model of Bob Seger's “The Fire Inside”:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 6)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+You're too scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back your tears
+
+You sing this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	You stumble down the hallway
+
+Escaping to your room
+
+Years stretch out before you
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years have etched their patterns in your life
+
+You walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Oops. The chorus has to stay in third person. That's the attraction of the song. But the third-person chorus doesn't work very well with you, especially the second and third times. Goodbye to second-person narrative.
+
+	So it's between third- and first-person narrative. Close call. Look at versions three and version five side by side:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Version 5
+
+			 Version 3
+
+
+
+		 			 Daddy's voice was thunder
+
+			 Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's voice was rain
+
+			 Mama's voice is rain
+
+
+
+		 			 I was scared to watch
+
+			 Baby's scared to watch
+
+
+
+		 			 The hurricane
+
+			 The hurricane
+
+
+
+		 			 Shaken by their shouting
+
+			 Shaken by their shouting
+
+
+
+		 			 Choking back my tears
+
+			 Choking back her tears
+
+
+
+		 			 I'd sing this tiny melody
+
+			 She sings this tiny melody
+
+
+
+		 			 Hands cupped over ears
+
+			 Hands cupped over ears
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Daddy said he's leaving
+
+			 Daddy says he's leaving
+
+
+
+		 			 This time it's good-bye
+
+			 This time it's good-bye
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's chest was heaving
+
+			 Mama's chest is heaving
+
+
+
+		 			 Too upset to cry
+
+			 Too upset to cry
+
+
+
+		 			 Stumbling down the hallway
+
+			 Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+
+
+		 			 Escaping to my room
+
+			 Escaping to her room
+
+
+
+		 			 Years stretched out before me
+
+			 Years stretch out before her
+
+
+
+		 			 Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+			 Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Years have etched their
+
+			 Years have etched their
+
+
+
+		 			 patterns in my life
+
+			 patterns in her life
+
+
+
+		 			 I walk the beach alone
+
+			 She walks the beach alone
+
+
+
+		 			 Searching through the
+
+			 Searching through the
+
+
+
+		 			 leavings of the tides
+
+			 leavings of the tides
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	Make your own list of pros and cons for each version. I like the intimacy of first person. Here, however, we lose some immediacy in past tense. The distancing of third person can be effective, but we really don't feel that much distance because the present tense verses are so immediate.
+
+	What locks in my decision is the way the third-person bridge flows into the chorus. She in the bridge becomes she in the chorus!
+
+	Now, stop to think: Is there any reason to try a version of third person with the verses in past tense? Yup. Process. Go back to version three and do it.
+
+	I don't like it. It loses our treasured immediacy. So the verses stay in present tense.
+
+	One more thing. How about keeping the narrator focused on the little girl the whole song? We could put the bridge in future tense (never forget future tense — sometimes it can work miracles):
+
+	Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+She 'll walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells 

+
+	A big difference in focus. I really like the future tense. It moves into the present-tense chorus just as effectively, and it keeps the speaker looking at the little girl in her room. So here's what we've got:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 7)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back her tears
+
+She sings this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Years stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years have etched their patterns in her life
+
+She walks the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	There. Point of view and tense check out. Finally, let's look to see how effective the form is. Right now, it's verse / verse / chorus / verse / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus.
+
+	When we get to verse four, we've seen the same structure three times, threatening to make the song feel too long. So what are our options?
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 1
+
+
+	Dump verse four (or three). That would give us the more streamlined and effective form of: verse / verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus. Look at verses three and four again. Can we dump one?
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Years stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	Try reading from the top, leaving out verse three. She doesn't seem to have a reason to stumble down the hall, nor is there a basis for the dramatic lines years stretch out before her / like sand and shifting dunes.
+
+	We need to know daddy's leaving.
+
+	We can't do without verse four, either. We couldn't get into the chorus effectively.
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 2
+
+
+	Combine verses three and four into one effective verse:
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Years stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	Four ideas, each one two lines long. Maybe the bridge can cover the final two lines.
+
+	Years stretch out before her
+
+Like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+She'll walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	They're not the same, but let's suppose that the bridge will at least suggest the last two lines' idea. We're left with:
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+	Let's get rid of mama's reaction and adjust the rhymes:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 8)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back her tears
+
+She sings this tiny melody
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Baby stumbles to her room
+
+They won't hear her cry
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+She'll walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	What do you think? Certainly the form is more effective. I miss the picture of mama, and its drama. I like the way the bridge fills in for the last two lines of the old verse four, though. Let's see what else we can do.
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 3
+
+
+	Rather than identical verse structures, change the structure of verses two and four so the same structure doesn't repeat four times. The structure of verses two and four still match each other. Let's work with the first song system:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's voice is rain
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Baby's scared to watch
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 The hurricane
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Shaken by their shouting
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Choking back her tears
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Hands cupped over ears
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 She sings this tiny song so she won't hear
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Changing the rhyme scheme and extending the last line in verse two gives us a nice contrast with verse one. The two structures are related, but verse two develops and will force musical development as well.
+
+	Let's see if we can we play the same trick in the second song system:
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Daddy says he's leaving
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 This time it's good-bye
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's chest is heaving
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Too upset to cry
+
+			 a
+
+
+
+		 			 Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+			 x
+
+
+
+		 			 Escaping to her room
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Lost inside her childish tune
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+		 			 Years stretch out like sand and shifting dunes
+
+			 b
+
+
+
+	 	Not bad. This is the result:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 9)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Shaken by their shouting
+
+Choking back her tears
+
+Hands cupped over ears
+
+She sings this tiny melody so she can't hear
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+Escaping to her room
+
+Lost inside her childish tune
+
+Years stretch out like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+She'll walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+Option 4
+
+
+	Change verses two and four into transitional “pre-choruses” to go between verse and chorus. Extend verse two into two five-stress lines:
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Cold and shaken, choking back her tears
+
+She sings this song, hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Not bad. Let's see about the second song system:
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby disappears inside her room
+
+Years stretch out like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	The transitional sections have the virtue of forcing a strong musical development. Each song system becomes an integrated unit. Here's our result:
+
+	She Sells Sea Shells (Version 10)
+
+	Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+Mama's voice is rain
+
+Baby's scared to watch
+
+The hurricane
+
+	Cold and shaken, choking back her tears
+
+She sings this song, hands cupped over ears
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Daddy says he's leaving
+
+This time it's good-bye
+
+Mama's chest is heaving
+
+Too upset to cry
+
+	Baby disappears inside her room
+
+Years stretch out like sand and shifting dunes
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+	Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+She'll walk the beach alone
+
+Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+	She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+	 		 			 Version 9
+
+			 Version 10
+
+
+
+		 			 Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+			 Daddy's voice is thunder
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's voice is rain
+
+			 Mama's voice is rain
+
+
+
+		 			 Baby's scared to watch
+
+			 Baby's scared to watch
+
+
+
+		 			 The hurricane
+
+			 The hurricane
+
+
+
+		 			 Shaken by their shouting
+
+			 Cold and shaken, choking back her tears
+
+
+
+		 			 Choking back her tears
+
+			 She sings this song, hands cupped over ears
+
+
+
+		 			 Hands cupped over ears
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sings this tiny song so she can't hear
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Daddy says he's leaving
+
+			 Daddy says he's leaving
+
+
+
+		 			 This time it's good-bye
+
+			 This time it's good-bye
+
+
+
+		 			 Mama's chest is heaving
+
+			 Mama's chest is heaving
+
+
+
+		 			 Too upset to cry
+
+			 Too upset to cry
+
+
+
+		 			 Baby stumbles down the hall
+
+			 Baby disappears inside her room
+
+
+
+		 			 Escaping to her room
+
+			 Years stretch out like sand and shifting dune
+
+
+
+		 			 Lost inside her childish tune
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Years stretch out like sand and shifting dunes
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Years will etch their patterns in her life
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She'll walk the beach alone
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 Searching through the leavings of the tides
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, she sells seashells
+
+
+
+
+
+		 			 She sells seashells, seashells by the shore
+
+
+
+
+
+	 	Perhaps the final choice is a matter of taste, but the important part is the process — developing alternatives is what makes the decisions based on taste possible.
+
+	Maybe I could have written lines in option three and option four that would have made me like them better, but my choice is number two. I like the way the second verse sets up the chorus both as her little song (with cry in the sense of call) and as a commentary (“they won't hear her weeping while she sells sea shells”). No, I don't expect everyone to get it, but it's still there resonating and making the emotions richer. Plus, given the last line, they won't hear her cry, their patterns in the bridge now refers both to the parents' patterns and the patterns etched by the years.
+
+	My next step: Fax Bob. Then call. Confidently, already salivating at the prospect of watching the blood drain from the demo singer's face when the first chorus comes around, I say, “What d'ya think?”
+
+	Minutes pass. He clears his throat. Is he trying to torture me? I suddenly understand my students' suffering as I sit in silence looking over and over their lyrics. Finally he says, “A three-line bridge?”
+
+	I knew it.
+
+	Of course, we're not done. Now the setting process begins, and things may change radically. But I'm ready for anything, since I've gone through the process thoroughly.
+
+	“Wait till you hear the music I've started for it,” he says.
+
+	Oh goody. My turn.
+
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX
+
+
+
+
+
+	CO-WRITING:
+
+
+	THE “NO”-FREE ZONE
+
+	T
+
+
+
+	he best advice I ever got on co-writing was from Stan Webb, my first professional co-writer. When Tom Casey, a VP at SESAC in Nashville, set up the appointment for me, he asked Stan to talk to me a bit about the Nashville co-writing process, a process that dominates the songwriting culture there.
+
+	I was waiting in the SESAC writers' room with my notes and titles, some complete lyrics, some song ideas, but I was feeling pretty nervous. I am, after all, a big-time professor at the biggest-time music school in the world — Berklee, where I teach lyric writing, and, like most writers, I'm a bundle of insecurities. What if I can't come up with anything? What if he thinks all my ideas are dumb? (They don't look too good to me right now.) What if he thinks I'm a fraud? Not only would that humiliate me, but it would put my students' credibility in question, too, and it'd be all my fault. Why am I here? Maybe I should leave while there's still time. Couldn't I say I got food poisoning?
+
+	Too late. The door opened and there stood Stan Webb, my co-writer for the day, a guy with hits. Stan is a burly guy. He looked a bit shaggy, wearing bib overalls, a tattered T-shirt, and work boots, looking like he'd just come off the farm (which, in fact, he had — he owns one, bought with songwriting royalties). He came in, and then he did something curious: He shut the door, re-opened it, shut it again, and then pushed hard to make sure it was closed. Hmm. Was he worried about folks listening in and stealing our good ideas? I was deeply concerned just with having a good idea. I'd be so relieved if I managed to just have one that, as far as I was concerned, the secret listener would be welcome to it.
+
+	He sat down opposite me on a couch and seemed to size me up. He grinned and said, “Is that door closed?” Yikes. “Yes, it is,” I answered carefully, not knowing where he was going with this. Was it a secret initiation? “Good, I'm glad it's closed,” he said, “because you can probably tell by looking at me that I'm gonna say some of the dumbest things you've ever heard.” I stayed quiet. I was more worried about what he thought of me. He went on, “And if you do your job right today, you're gonna say some of the dumbest thing I ever heard, professor or not.”No doubt there, I thought. He grinned again and said, “But, as long as that door is closed, nobody needs to know how dumb we are. I won't tell if you won't.”
+
+	He told me that he hoped I didn't mind, but Tom had asked him to talk to me about the co-writing process in Nashville, so he wanted to tell me just a couple things before we got going on a song. I told him to take his time.
+
+	He said, “Say everything that comes into your head. Say it out loud, no matter how dumb it is. Don't censor anything. If you say something really dumb, you might give me an idea that's not quite as dumb. And then I might have a decent one that gives you a better one that gives me a great one. If you'd never said the dumb one, we would never get to the great one.
+
+	“So that means that we'll never say ‘no’ to each other. A co-writing room is a ‘no’-free zone. If you suggest a line and I don't like it, I just won't say anything. Silence is a request for more, more, more. It says ‘just keep throwing stuff out there.’ When either one of us likes something, we'll say ‘yes.’ Otherwise, just keep going.”
+
+	We had a great writing session. I lost my fear of looking like a fool. I came up with a lot of dumb ideas, and my dumbest idea of all led us to the best part of the song. We really did say everything. And the silences were golden — what a great way to ensure that we always get the best out of each other. Nobody has to defend anything, and the only ideas in the song are automatically ones we both love. The “no”-free zone gets the best out of both writers. There are no arguments, and there never needs to be compromise.
+
+	I've always been grateful to Stan for his wise advice that day. It helps me every time I co-write, but also every time I write. My inner critic (my most frequent co-writer) has also learned to abide by the “no”-free zone. And Stan's words still echo in the songwriting classrooms at Berklee College of Music, where hundreds of students have worked in the “no”-free zone, and have had great co-writing experiences because of it.
+
+	Thanks, buddy.
+
+	I'll add some advice of my own to Stan's, because, in Berklee writing classes, we talk about writing a lot. Lots of process, lots of techniques. And it really helps their writing — learning what goes into it, what tools are available. My students learn to talk about writing very well. They are good technicians, as well as good writers.
+
+	Thus, my advice: Never talk about writing in a co-writing room, especially about technique. Telling what you know about writing isn't writing. You're supposed to be writing, not talking about it. Stay inside the song, inside the characters. Don't run away to the intellectual level. Most people are tempted to talk about those wonderful technical effects in their lines — assonance, rhythm, deep thoughts, metaphors — out of fear to cover their bases and try to dress up what they're afraid might be a dumb idea in academic robes. A dumb idea is still dumb, even with professorial robes on. Don't worry about dumb. Just write. And write fearlessly.
+
+	Don't be afraid to write crap — it makes the best fertilizer. The more of it you write, the better your chances are of growing something wonderful.
+
+
+
+
+
+	PERMISSIONS
+
+	“Between Fathers and Sons” by John Jarvis and Gary Nicholson. © Copyright 1986 Tree Publishing Co., Inc., and Cross Keys Publishing Co., Inc. All rights administered by Sony/ ATV Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Can't Really Be Gone” by Gary Burr. © Copyright 1995 Gary Burr Music, MCA Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by Permission.
+
+	“Child Again” by Beth Nielsen Chapman © Copyright 1990 BGM Songs Inc. (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Closing Time” © Copyright 1992 Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Dress Rehearsal Rag” © Copyright 1967 Leonard Cohen Stranger Music, Inc. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“The End of the Innocence” by Don Henley, Bruce Hornsby. © Copyright 1989 Woody Creek Music and Zappo Music. All rights administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“The Eye of the Hurricane” by David Wilcox. © Copyright 1989 by Irving Music Inc. and Midnight Ocean Bonfire Music (BMI). All Rights Reserved. International rights secured. Used by permission.
+
+	“The Fire Inside” by Bob Seger. © Copyright 1988, 1991 Gear Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Give Me Wings” by Don Schlitz and Rhonda Fleming © Copyright 1986 by MCA Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“The Great Pretender” by Buck Ram. © Copyright 1955 Panther Music Corp. Copyright renewed. International rights secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Hasten Down the Wind” by Warren Zevon. © Copyright 1973 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. & Darkroom Music. All rights administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Kid Charlemagne” by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. © Copyright 1976. Used by permission of the Publisher.
+
+	“One More Dollar” by Gillian Welch. © Copyright 1996. Used by permission of the Publisher. “Slow Healing Heart” by Jim Rushing. © Copyright 1984 Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Some People's Lives” by Janis Ian and Kye Flemming. ©1986 Irving Music Inc. and Eaglewood Music (BMI) and MCA Music Publishing. All rights administered by Almo-Irving Music Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Still Crazy After All These Years” by Paul Simon. © Copyright 1974. Used by permission of the Publisher.
+
+	“Strawberry Wine” by Matraca Ber and Gary Harrison. © Copyright 1996 EMI Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Top of the Roller Coaster” by David Wilcox. © Copyright 191991 Irving Music Inc. and Ocean Bonfire Music (BMI). All rights administered by Irving Music, Inc. (BMI). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Train in the Distance” by Paul Simon. © Copyright 1981. Used by permission of the Publisher.
+
+	“Unanswered Prayers” by Pat Alger, Larry Bastian, Garth Brooks © 1990 Major Bob Music, Inc. (ASCAP) / Mid-Summer Music, Inc. (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot. © 1976 Moose Music Ltd. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Where've You Been” by Don Henry, Jon Vezner. © Copyright 1988 Cross Keys Publishing Co., Inc. All rights administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	“Years” by Beth Nielsen Chapman. © Copyright 1990 WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) and Macy Place Music (ASCAP). All rights administered by WB Music Corp. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+	All original examples contained herein, unless where otherwise attributed are by Pat Pattison, © 1979–94 by Featherrain Music. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/Chartwell.py b/Chartwell.py
index e477966..fa091b9 100644
--- a/Chartwell.py
+++ b/Chartwell.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ import torch
 # -------------------------
 # Knowledge base selection
 # -------------------------
-BOOK_DIR = 'Books/Procedure'  # just a string
+BOOK_DIR = 'Books/SongWriting'  # just a string
 book_files = []
 
 for f in Path(BOOK_DIR).rglob('*'):