When Is a Song Finished?
That's your decision to make, and of course you may change your mind later. Market changes and artistic growth can lead you to change a song that was finished years ago. A better question may be, “Is it complete?” Or, “Is it done, for now?” Here's a handy checklist to help you determine if a song is complete:
Does it say everything it needs to say?
Is everything said in the best possible way?
Does each line say something?
Is there any unnecessary information that doesn't add to the song?
Are the tenses and viewpoints consistent and easy to follow?
Are the parts of the story in the best possible order?
Do the words of one section connect well to the next?
Do the melodic elements flow and connect from section to section?
Is the song's length approximately where you want it to be?
Does it
A change often made in completed songs is “editing down” for time. Radio stations want songs in the two-and-a-half to four-minute range. While it's true that many songs outside these parameters have become hits, it's much easier to get airplay for a three-minute song than for a five-minute song. Solutions may be as simple as speeding up the song a little (be careful not to push the tempo to a pace that rushes the singer or ruins the feel of the song) or removing or shortening intro sections and instrumental passages that aren't adding anything important to the song. Cutting out entire verses is an option; advanced options include condensing two verses into one, cutting a verse in half, or using an implied chorus — a severely shortened chorus (usually just the first line) that leads directly to the bridge or to a fadeout.
A song may sometimes end up being rewritten after it's a hit. Charlie Daniels' rewrite of “Uneasy Rider” provided him with another hit years after his original version.
You may also find it prudent, from time to time, to edit for content and market. Certain words, topics, situations, or portrayals of racial or ethnic stereotypes may hinder a song's chances of being recorded or played. It's not only what you say, but how you say it: A rap song can get plenty of airplay with a line like, “Keep gettin' hassled by the cops. Fo' a playa, the heat never stops.” But a line that goes: “Metro cop Nazis got me in stitches. / Get me an Uzi they'll be dead sons of … ” probably won't get played. Neither of these examples would be appropriate language for a country song — they just aren't consistent with this particular genre. Keep in mind the intended audience for a song and adjust the language to get the story or message across to that group.
As you become a better writer, go back over your catalog of songs every so often to fix problems that you couldn't solve (or didn't see) back in your newbie days. You may also want to regularly check the language, situations, and musical content of your songs to see if they are relevant in the current market.
