The Story in a Song: Melodic Narratives
Workshop 1: The Literal Story in a Song
Welcome to the very first Story in a Song workshop: a four-part love-letter to music and writing running throughout June at The Joy of Fixion!
Here’s what to expect:
Find the music in your words with this weekly workshop series. Each lesson will invite you to immerse yourself in a varied playlist of songs to inspire new ideas, characters, settings, scenarios — all that jazz (and maybe some actual jazz).
We’ll explore songs that are secretly tiny stories. We’ll learn how to translate a melody into a literary mood. We’ll borrow songwriting techniques for our fiction. We’ll get inspired by love songs and heartbroken songs, revenge songs and revolutionary songs. We’ll step into the music and discover whole worlds of people and places that only exist for three-and-a-half minutes at a time.
By the end of the month, you’ll look at (and listen to) music in a whole different way — and maybe even make it a more integral part of your writing process.
This month, I’ll be posting up a new workshop every week, containing:
A playlist of songs based on a specific aspect of story creation (eg: narrative, character, setting etc)
An exploration of ways we can learn from music to play with structure and style in our writing
A choice of writing exercises to help you generate and develop your story ideas
An invitation to write, share and talk about music and writing and creativity and all the wonderful crossovers between them…
Today’s workshop is a free-for-all — but if you enjoy it, you can join in with the rest of the series for just £5 by upgrading your subscription here:
My Musical World
A Brief Intro: Why music? Why me? Why this?
I was older than I care to admit when I realised not everyone ‘sees’ music. I think it must be a kind a synaesthesia — if I close my eyes, I can visualise a song pulsing and snaking out of the darkness in neon shapes and swirling lines, blooming into flowers, exploding into metallic shards, and surrounding me in forms I can’t even describe.
The closest I can compare it to is that segment in Fantasia where the conductor explains the way different tones and instruments create a range of waves and sounds:
And sometimes it goes far beyond colours and shapes — because when there’s a story in the song, my writer-brain starts forming whole scenes, characters, plots and worlds. I always loved a good long road trip when I was a kid for this very reason: the opportunity to plug into my Walkman and daydream for a few hours, letting the songs take me on a whole other journey.
These days, I’m very rarely not listening to music. I listen to it while I work, while I write, in the car, out on walks, when I’m going to sleep. Which might explain this ridiculous (and questionable) stat from my last Spotify wrapped:
I have a playlist for everything: individual playlists for my various works-in-progress and atmospheric background vibes for writing; music for concentration, for working out, for rainy dog walks, for driving; an incredibly specific 50-hour list of “songs that would be perfect for the end credits of a hypothetical film or TV show” — even a playlist for cleaning the bathroom (apparently I need a mix of dubstep, grime and high-speed pop to don the rubber gloves).
Music is intrinsic to my day. It reflects (and shapes) my mood, it tracks my life history like an audio journal, and it fuels my creativity in a way I didn’t quite realise until I started writing this series.
In fact, I don’t think I could write at all if I didn’t have music. It’s inspired my stories in so many different ways over the years, and it’s an endless resource for developing future stories. Which is exactly what I’d like to share with you in this series.
Because I’m guessing you’re here for the love of music (and writing), too.
So let’s get stuck in:
The (Literal) Story in a Song
Last summer I had the joy of teaching and writing at the Flash Fiction Festival in Bristol (honestly, the most fun you can have in under 1000 words). Quite aside from its brilliant line up of workshops and events, it’s possibly even more famous for its nightly karaoke sessions, hosted by the editors of SmokeLong Quarterly.
So, when someone passed me the sign-up sheet, it only felt fitting to choose songs that could also work as a piece of flash fiction.
On the first night, I sang Landslide— a delicate snowy extended metaphor about the precariousness of love and the fleeting nature of time, as we learn to live with the fact that everything could come crashing down at any moment.
On the second night, I sang Space Oddity (in my best Bowie twang) — a tiny capsule of space exploration gone wrong, full of tension, tragedy, transcendental experiences, and questionable scientific expertise.
And on the way home, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the other songs I love that tell a great tale. So I started a brand new playlist: Storytelling Songs. Turns out there are a lot of them. And so many different ways of telling a story through music. Eventually, my original playlist soon became so unwieldy that I had to split it into different categories, which is how this workshop series came to be!
But this isn’t exactly a new concept. Oral (and aural) storytelling is millennia old, as generations of humans passed down folk stories, recounted historical events, told fairy tales, and shared morals, warnings and life lessons. (Cool fact: the earliest proof of manmade musical instruments dates back 35,000 years!) And for many reasons, this was often most effective, memorable, and entertaining when delivered through music.
We’re still telling stories through songs — even though we have many other ways of conveying important information to one another — because, well, sometimes it just hits different that way. Some songs are an expression of feeling, from celebration to catharsis. Some songs explore complex thoughts and emotions that we may continue to struggle to process, even as the music gives us comfort. Some songs give us meaning, or send a message, or give us a brief insight into someone else’s soul.
And some songs do some — or all — of the above, by creating a narrative.
In my completely made-up definition, a ‘storytelling song’ presents us with a character (whether fictional or based in reality) who experiences some sort of narrative arc, and a premise that reaches some sort of conclusion — or at least sets up the potential for a broader story beyond the song itself.
Some of them have a clear beginning, middle and end. Some of them are more abstract or open-ended. Some are retellings of true stories or legends. And some simply hint at a fictional situation and leave us full of ‘what ifs’.
But all of them invite us to step inside the world of the story, if only for three-and-a-half minutes.
And if we take that invitation, and let our writer-brains take the wheel, we can go to some very interesting places…
A Narrative Playlist
Enough intro. Let’s actually listen to some music, shall we?
Our first playlist (below) contains a collection of straight-up story songs — tunes that overtly and concisely tell a tale.
If you can, I recommend finding a quiet spot, putting on some headphones, and dedicate your full focus to your listening session. Maybe close your eyes. Really hear and imagine the story you’re being told. Let the music surround you and let your creative mind wander for a while. It can also be useful to look up the lyrics so you can fully process the story in a textual format.
(P.S. There’s no right or wrong way to do this by the way. This playlist is just a selection to get you started. Listen to a few, or the whole lot. Skip any songs you’re not into. Pick out the ones you know and love, or try out the ones you’re not so familiar with. Listen on shuffle if you prefer. And create your own storytelling song playlist!)
(If you don’t use Spotify, you can also access the full playlist on YouTube HERE.)
Do any songs conjure up vivid imagery or scenes in your head?
Did a particular lyric or line stick with you?
Is there a concept or narrative you want to explore further?
Scribble down your thoughts and set them aside for a moment — we’ll look at what we can do with those ideas shortly — but first, let’s explore what we can learn from the stories inside these songs:
Storytelling Song Narrative Techniques
This week, we’re going to primarily think about structure, and all the different ways you can tell a story — whether in song or prose form.
We can learn a lot from the efficiency of storytelling in songwriting. It really is a lot like flash fiction, because there is such limited time to establish a situation, introduce the characters, and build the shape of a story.
And when you start paying attention to how a story-song is crafted, you might find elements that you could adapt to your own writing.
I mean, just look at the variety of styles and structures we have going on in this playlist alone…
Some songs have a clear narrative arc and resolved ending:
A young man accidentally shoots a lone traveller and has to face the consequences of his fatal mistake = I Hung my Head, Johnny Cash
Betty’s teenage romance with a member of a motorbike gang from “the wrong side of town” goes tragically wrong = Leader of the Pack, The Shangri-Las
An outlaw is chased down by a posse after committing murder = Smackwater Jack, Carole King
Some songs show us a snapshot moment within a character’s life, but leave the wider context (or consequences) up to us to imagine…
A young woman receives the news that a local boy has committed suicide. As her family discuss the incident around the dinner table, her own involvement in his story starts to unfold… = Ode to Billie Joe, Bobbie Gentry
A man seeks advice on how to break up with his partner (interpretations vary on whether the woman giving the advice is a friend or another lover) = 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Paul Simon
A woman decides to test her husband’s loyalty by catfishing him with a made-up admirer who reminds him of her younger self = Babooshka, Kate Bush
Some songs retell a familiar story in different ways, for example: two young lovers on the run…
An ill-fated pair of young lovers attempt to rob a convenience store with a replica gun = Me &You VS the World, Space
Another, slightly better fated pair of young lovers do the same thing, only get away with it = Take the Money and Run, Steve Miller Band
And hinting at tragedy again, a young woman attempts to escape her violent, controlling father to marry her lover = Iuka, The Secret Sisters
Some songs follow the struggles (and life lessons) of characters going through trials and tribulations:
Tommy and Gina are just doing their best to get by, hoping that love is enough to keep their dreams alive = Livin’ on a Prayer, Bon Jovi
A woman drops out of school to take care of her alcoholic father, forever dreaming of clawing her way out of poverty and escaping her hometown with her partner = Fast Car, Tracy Chapman
A mother mourns her son after he falls into a life of drugs and violent crime during the HIV epidemic =Waterfalls, TLC
Some songs focus on the events of a singular day:
A young man narrates (or hypothesises?) a seemingly low key day seeing friends, getting food, hooking up with an old flame — but in the times following the LA riots, what really makes this a ‘good day’ is the lack of police harassment and gang violence = It Was a Good Day, Ice Cube
A woman attempts to combat her malaise and please her neighbour by weeding her garden but suffers a sudden asthma/panic/allergy attack = Avant Gardener, Courtney Barnett
A woman considers the easy-come, easy-go nature of life after she steals an old man’s wallet and is subsequently mugged by her one night stand = Don’t Bother None, Mai Yamane
Hopefully by this point you’ve started to notice the variety of storytelling elements at play here. Even though a lot of these songs share similar subjects or structures, each of them approaches the narrative in a distinctive way.
So pick out a few songs from the playlist (or your own favourites) and think about the techniques they use to tell their story.
For example:
Where do they start? How do they end?
The Grave by Don McLean gives away the ending in the first lines (or the title, really) before subverting our expectations of the soldier’s fate, unravelling the tale like a fable. And at the end, we find ourselves back at the grave with an additional layer of horrifying metaphor.
In contrast, the narrator-protagonist of Ode to Billie Joe by Bobbie Gentry (so damn good I’m mentioning it twice) drops us right into the middle of a conversation, showing us the reactions of her family members through her eyes, but never revealing what really happened up at Chocktaw Ridge.
How do they build up tension, reveal information, and head towards a climax?
In You Stay Here by Richard Shindell uses a devastatingly simple repeating motif to reveal the desperate situation of a family trying to survive, as a father ventures out of their shelter to seek out supplies, food, weapons — and finally, a sense of meaning for their suffering.
In Space Oddity by David Bowie, we follow communications between intrepid astronaut Major Tom and Ground Control, with the mood quickly changing from celebration to panic as he runs into technical problems. Tom’s awe-struck delight at floating through zero gravity adds an extra element of tragedy as his signal slowly fades out of range…
How does the style, atmosphere and tone affect the mood of the story?
Some songs match their mood pretty accurately — like the melodramatic soft rock of Livin’ on a Prayer or the quintessential 2000s teen movie tone of Teenage Dirtbag.
But others create a stark dissonance between style and substance. Goodbye Earl by The Chicks raises a gleefully upbeat chorus of ‘na-na-na-na-nahhh-nahhhs’ after revealing the murder of the abusive ex-husband, and the Chicks clearly enjoy throwing a few final taunts in the final reprise.
Similarly, Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People is one of those songs whose story is so at odds with its vibe that it took me a few plays to actually listen to the lyrics and realise how terrifying “you better run, better run” truly is.
Do they use an overt storytelling approach or is the story framed in a more subtle way?
I’ve included two (maybe three) songs that tell similar tales in different ways: The Devil Went Down to Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band, and The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie by Colter Wall. In both stories, the devil tempts a young musician into selling his soul. In Georgia, the young man out-fiddles the devil and wins his golden prize. In Suit and Tie, the young man falls for the lure of improving his guitar skills and loses his soul.
They also tell their stories in contrasting styles. Georgia sets the premise and intention of the devil right up front, and feels like a true folk tale. Suit and Tie frames its story as a confession to the local reverend, as the young man recalls — and regrets — how he was fooled by this demon in disguise.
(As for the third song, you could also probably include Tribute by Tenacious D for its somewhat similar storyline…)
How does the choice of point-of-view contribute to the story’s impact?
There’s a range of first person and third person perspectives on this playlist (and even a second person perspective in Fast Car), and some really subtle ways of playing with POV to bring us closer to the characters or add a particular feeling to the song.
In Pickin on Me by Skunk Anansie, the narrator describes suffering at the hands of a bully, but the entire song is steeped in empathy — focusing on the backstory of the bully and his circumstances, and the knock-on effects on her own behaviour, highlighting the senselessness of the whole cycle.
Or in Those Days Are Gone, and My Heart is Breaking by Barton Carroll, the story is told in the form of a letter to ‘Danny Boy’ as the narrator recalls their youth together, their dreams and aspirations, and how his life ultimately turned out, signing off with a heartbreaking, lingering pathetic fallacy:
And if this gets to you, I hope it find you well
There's not much else
Out here it's been rainin'
Turning a Song into a Story
So, what can we do with the stories we find in songs?
Time to go back to your initial notes on the playlist and explore those thoughts a bit deeper:
Do any songs conjure up vivid imagery or scenes in your head?
Did a particular lyric or line stick with you?
Is there a concept or narrative you want to explore further?
Choose the story-song you felt most drawn to (for any or all of the above reasons) and listen to it again (and again), adding more detail to your notes and letting your ideas multiply and develop.
Sketch out the structure of the story within the song: where it begins, how it builds, if the ending leaves us hanging. What are the major ‘plot points’? Is there a narrative shape you’d like to borrow?
Think about the mood and emotion of the piece; how it makes you feel; what moves you or makes you uncomfortable. How does it achieve this? How could you replicate it?
Note the concrete information set down in the song — names, places, actions, dialogue — everything we know for sure. Does it spoonfeed the story or give us just enough to go on?
And then look for the gaps in information — the assumptions, the subtext, the deliberate omissions, the conflicting interpretations. Can you imagine what might fill those gaps?
Finally, flag up the words, lines or details that the singer emphasises the most; or the moment where the music reaches a peak; or the key changes; or there’s a shift in tone. How does this help to shape the overall arc of the narrative and drive the meaning home?
You might even want to repeat this analysis with a few contrasting songs — or take a particular aspects from one or another. Whatever makes your creative instincts tingle…
Then try one of these three approaches to turn your song into a whole new story:
Writing Exercises:
1. Expand, Explore, Explain
Does your chosen song-story make you wonder about what happened afterwards? Or what led up to this moment? Or are you dying to fill in the blanks of those mysterious subtexty sections?
Did Tommy and Gina every get the whole way there? What did Billie Joe throw off the Tallahatchie Bridge? How did that guy finally leave his lover?
Expand the existing story beyond its lyrical boundaries. Explore the unknowns. Add extra context to explain different angles and hidden shadows within the song. Use the original as a jumping off point and let your imagination free.
2. Adapt, Rewrite, Transpose
Do you want to tell the same story in a different way?
Perhaps you could rewrite the whole thing from an entirely different perspective: tell us the story of Waterfalls from the son’s perspective, or give us the paramedic’s POV as they turn up at the Avant Gardener narrator’s house, or show us what it’s like being at Ground Control while Major Tom’s mission falls to pieces.
Or perhaps you could take the general storyline and structure and transpose it into an entirely different place or time or scenario — just like the two Devil songs played with the same concept (or, y’know, how The Lion King is basically Hamlet).
Or strip the narrative right back and just borrow the bare bones, eg:
A story about the vicious cycle of bullying (Pickin on Me)
A story about the adventures and misfortunes that befall a young person who sets out to seek their fortune (The Rocky Road to Dublin)
A story about a ‘good day’ that has a darker underlying meaning (It Was a Good Day/Perfect Day)
Take the structural parts you love and remix them!
3. Respond, Acknowledge, Reflect
Take an even more abstract approach and simply use the song to springboard an exploration of your own feelings on a similar subject: love, revenge, nostalgia, heartbreak...
Perhaps there’s a lyric or line that prompted a whole train of thought completely outside of its context. Follow that train! See where it goes.
Or maybe you want to respond to the song in a deliberately self-conscious, meta way. Acknowledge its existence and get into a direct dialogue with it.
A great example of this technique is Because When Dr Houseman Says, “When I’m Wrong, I Say I’m Wrong” by my talented friend Sumitra Singham — a clever reflection on the dad from the movie Dirty Dancing (okay, it’s not a song, but it’s pretty music-adjacent, right?).
Bonus: And if one of your chosen song-stories brings up a really strong memory for you (particularly if it connects you to a specific person), try this extra little exercise:
Now: write
Find the story in a song however feels right for you:
Freewrite your way into an idea while listening to the song.
Write a poem, a piece of flash fiction, or a random scene of a hypothetical novel.
Draft an outline of a story.
Play with some of the techniques you observed earlier.
Or just make a note of all the things you love and admire about the songs you’ve chosen and let your thoughts percolate.
Whatever you do, I would LOVE to know what you end up writing about, and which narrative songs hooked you. So please share how you got on!
Also feel free to share any other inspiring songs that aren’t featured here. I have had the most glorious time putting together playlists for these posts, but I had to make some tough decisions to keep them from getting too long… And I’m well aware there are many, many hundreds of thousands of songs and artists and genres I’m not familiar with, so please help broaden my listening horizons by adding your favourites in the comments:
Next week:
In Part II of The Story in a Song workshop, we’ll be looking at songs that bring to life memorable characters, ensemble casts, and emotionally-charged relationships.
If you’re already a paying subscriber to The Joy of Fixion, next week’s post will be automatically delivered to your inbox bright and early Monday morning.
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See you then!
Happy listening/writing :)