Songwriting 101: Lovedrug

Today I’ll be going over a song I wrote a couple years ago titled Lovedrug. This particular piece is a great example of how simplicity in songwriting can be effective. It uses the popular I, IV, V, vi chords which I previously discussed here. If you haven’t already, I recommend reading that article first in order to get a better understanding of chord relationships and why these chords work so well together. Let’s jump right in!

Lovedrug is in D# Major and is divided into two main sections using the following chords:

Verse: D# Major (I) – A# Major (V) – C Minor (vi) – G# Major (IV)

Chorus: D# Major (I) – C Minor (vi)

These chords can be very tricky to play on guitar, but there’s something we can do to make it more straightforward. We can place a capo on the 8th fret which allows us to play these chords in the open position. This makes the song easier to play because it allows us to use basic chord shapes. In practice, you could then use the following shapes:

Verse: G Major – D Major – E Minor – C Major

Chorus: G Major – E Minor

For those that are unfamiliar, these shapes look like this:

Something to note is that we can easily transcribe songs to a different key while still using these same chord shapes by simply moving the capo up or down the neck. The reason I chose to use the key of D# Major (8th fret capo) for this particular song was because it was the best fit for my vocals. It’s often a good practice to experiment with your songs in different keys. While inexperienced singers may be limited with the keys they can use, it can provide a great deal of flexibility and even new ideas for how singers can perform the melody.  For Lovedrug I also experimented with using G Major and A# Major throughout the songwriting process.

Next let’s look at the song structure. I would categorize this song as ABABCBBC. Looking at each letter: A represents the verse, B represents the chorus, and C represents the bridge. My favorite part of Lovedrug was the chorus because the melody was particularly catchy, and therefore I wanted to emphasize this part of the song. To do this, I simply made it the most prominent part by repeating it four times in total. The only difference between the bridge and the verse is that the bridge uses a guitar riff instead of the verse melody.

Finally let’s take a look at the lyrics and melody:

I love to watch you squirm
Every time you lie
Feel the way it hurts

You get me high then you bring me down
Don’t know why I ever stick around
Hate to say, hate to say it now
Just a drug, just a drug, just a drug to me

Why did the fire die?
I want to watch it burn
Every single time

You get me high then you bring me down
Don’t know why I ever stick around
Hate to say, hate to say it now
Just a drug, just a drug, just a drug to me

The song is about an addiction to an unhealthy relationship. It highlights how we irrationally glorify the honeymoon phase with a partner and use it to justify lies and bad behavior. The lyrics are simple and easy to understand, but often times that’s exactly what a song needs to demonstrate its message clearly. I think I can accomplished that with this song.

For the melody I started with the simple idea of walking up a scale for the word “high” and walking down the same scale for the word “down.” After trying several variations I finally came up with the one I liked most. From there, I made several iterations of it and eventually picked one that ended up being the verse melody. Melody writing is often just coming up with 20 different ways to sing a single word- and then ultimately picking your favorite and expanding it.

Well that about wraps up Lovedrug. If you take anything away from this lesson I hope it’s that simplicity can do wonders with the right touch. It’s something you should always consider during the songwriting process because it’s easy to add too much. Thanks for reading.

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Pros and Cons of Universal Basic Income

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a concept that proposes to provide every individual with a regular and unconditional cash payment regardless of their income, employment status, or wealth. UBI has been gaining momentum in recent years, with advocates claiming that it could help eradicate poverty, reduce income inequality, and provide financial security to people. However, there are also concerns that UBI could be economically unsustainable and discourage people from working, leading to increased dependency on the state.

One of the primary advantages of UBI is that it could significantly reduce poverty and inequality. By providing a guaranteed minimum income, people who are struggling to make ends meet would have more financial stability, enabling them to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, and healthcare. UBI could also reduce the stigma associated with traditional welfare programs, which often have complex eligibility criteria and come with social stigmatization. This includes a transfer of wealth to care takers who are currently uncompensated for their labor.

Another advantage of UBI is that it could stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation. With a guaranteed income, people would have the financial security to take risks and pursue their passions without fear of financial ruin. This could lead to a surge in small businesses and startups, leading to increased economic growth and job creation.

However, there are also several concerns with UBI. One of the main criticisms is that it would be economically unsustainable. The cost of providing a universal basic income to every individual would be enormous, and it is unclear where the funding would come from. This could lead to increased taxes, inflation, or government debt, which could have negative consequences for the economy.

Another concern is that UBI could discourage people from working, leading to increased dependency on the state. If people receive a guaranteed income regardless of their employment status, some may choose not to work, leading to decreased productivity and economic growth. Furthermore, UBI could lead to a reduction in social welfare programs, which could negatively impact vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, and those with low incomes.

In conclusion, UBI has both pros and cons, and its implementation would require careful consideration and planning. While it could provide financial stability to those in need, stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation, and reduce poverty and inequality, it could also be economically unsustainable and discourage people from working. As such, any decision to implement UBI should be based on a comprehensive analysis of its potential benefits and drawbacks, as well as its economic and social impact in our future world.

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