The Amil Nitrate Diary.

Sometimes ideas for song titles will occur to me out of nowhere. A recent idea was 'Amil Nitrate'. Not terribly original but I wrote it down anyway. Chemical names were a title trend for a while weren't they?

So how can I start a song with this title? Just because I think it sounds good isn't enough, I'd need more meat to get serious about beginning it.

What do I know about amil nitrate anyway? Unsure of it's official purpose, I do know that in recreation it puts you off your trolley. I know that in such a situation it's probably best not to drive and uuh...... that's about it. Not a lot to go on. But I did at least live through that once.

But that's still not interesting enough. It needs a twist. My limited teenage experience with a minor mindbender needs a certain element to flesh it out. Fiction! Who am I to think that my humble life experience alone could be enough to breathe substance into something as exalted as a lyric? (Yes, I can see you nodding).

Realizing long ago that lyric writing didn't necessarily have to be 'about me' was a revelation. Writing songs specifically about ourselves in our own voice is something we all do automatically when we first start writing songs, but only a true craftsman goes on to make it their thing. It's very difficult and to attempt it early on is like trying to run before you can walk. One major exponent of it, and my favourite, is Joni Mitchell. I'm terrified of going anywhere near it after I hear her. Let's find an example.......