Song Club #40: Breath
How can breath, both literal and metaphorical, guide your melody or lyrics?
This morning, I was reflecting on the simple, constant rhythm of breathing—the kind we barely notice, yet it sustains us through every moment. It got me thinking about how breath shapes music too, not just in the obvious way of supporting a singer's voice, but in the way songs use pauses, inhales, and exhales to carry emotion. Breath reveals vulnerability and tension, and it shows up everywhere in lyrical imagery—gasps of relief, sighs of desire, breathlessness of heartbreak.
So, this week, let’s tune into the power of breath in our songwriting. How can breath, both literal and metaphorical, guide your melody or lyrics? How can the spaces between sounds be just as important as the sounds themselves?
Big love and keep going,
Lucy
SONG PROVOCATIONS
Write a song inspired by a deep sigh.
Start with the moment someone sighs—whether in relief, exhaustion, or sadness—and build the story around what led to that breath.
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