What is the Wagon Wheel method of songwriting???

In brief because I can`t rewrite my whole book here. The Wagon Wheel Method refers to the concept that most great songs have lyrics that all refer back to one main theme.
Amateur songwriters usually write in what we call the train method. Their lyrics jump from subject to subject like cars in a train. Kind of like...she looks like love.....then I went to her house....she doesn`t like pink flowers....why is the radio still on...if she only knew......
my heart used to belong to another......her brother`s cool...etc. They wind up with five or six song ideas inside of one song.

The Wagon Wheel Method says all the lyrics should relate to one idea like the spokes
relate to the hub of the wheel. Kind of like....she looks like love.....her hair is shining in the sun....she looks like love....her touching touches everyone......I look at her from near or far shining love like shining stars.... if you say she looks like love,,,you may never know how right you are. I just thought of that off the top of my head. It`s
not great but I hope it illustrates the point. She looks llike love is the hub of the wheel
All the following phrases relate back to the hub in some way.
There, I hope that gives you guys an idea of what I mean by The Wagon Wheel Method.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Crazy About Music :) on November 7, 2009 at 2:06pm: Awesome J.C !!! Sharing your song writing experience is absolutely fabulous ! Your support and encouragement of musicians is very much appreciated and I'm certain many will benefit. You are a very kind, giving person :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Linda J on November 8, 2009 at 12:20am: That makes a lot of sense and keeps things from becoming random. Thanks for sharing your expertise here on the site. It is very helpful and insightful.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by J.C. Phillips on November 10, 2009 at 2:28am: No problem. I know for a fact that you can`t keep it unless you give it away. A number of very wise men taught me that.

Linda J said:
That makes a lot of sense and keeps things from becoming random. Thanks for sharing your expertise here on the site. It is very helpful and insightful.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by fist bangin' mania on November 16, 2009 at 12:47am: That's cool man...I think I'm an amateur song writer though, from what you wrote. Because I kinda liked the first one, and when I write lyrics, I actually like to kind of mess with people...you know...kind of make them figure it out. I would think that if the music's good enough, that they would spend more time trying to understand what the writer meant, and also maybe inspire them to take it their own way. I didn't know that was called the train method nor have I even heard of the wagon wheel method. I'll keep that in mind and any more songwriting advice would be appreciated.

Thanx; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Angie Davis on January 22, 2010 at 10:13am: I really like the way your expressed this concept. I tend to write this way most all the time, but never quite knew how to describe it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ANGELA WARNER as ChocolateHilton on February 1, 2010 at 6:24pm: Yes Sir!

thank you

Angela; ▶ Reply to This

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