1. "Everyday I Write the Book" by Elvis Costello
Mr. Costello is one of the most sophisticated songwriters of his generations. And that's saying something, especially when you realize that his major competitors are Patty Smith and Bruce Springsteen. He's that cool. I don't to say more. "Everyday I Write the Book" got very neat trick hidden inside. Elvis expresses how he sees his lover and their relationships. He outlines the major themes and plot points in the first verse. Then in the second verse he goes as far as telling the plan for several chapters. Third verse is all about the character and the way he is going to show it. The last verse tackle the aftermath - he even mentions this: "Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal / I'd still own the film rights and be working on the sequel". That tells everything you need to know about protagonist and how arrogant he is.
2. When I Write the Book" by Nick Lowe
Reflecting on ambitions to express your own experience in the other medium is little bit mind-bending if you think about in a moment, but Nick Lowe make it so easygoing you don't really need to think about it. The song is retells some episodes from life of a protagonist and declares his plan in adapting them in a form of a book. It is almost a free-form press-release for an upcoming release. It's like "Beware! I'm gonna rock!" The irony lies in the way it is told - those things mentioned in the song are so general and so unfocused - you get a notion that the protagonist actually has no idea what he's going to write about and the things will not go that well when the protagonist will move to the writing part. And that's a story for another song that you can imagine by yourself. Or you can listen to...
3. "Last Year's Man" by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen knows a thing or two about how hard it is to write something credible. "Last Year's Man" is a story of a man who got the story to tell but is unable to express it in the proper way. All he can do is to reflect, being knee-deep in a whirl of memories and thoughts while waiting when the moment to put it down will come. We don't know why he is hesitating but we get the understanding that the protagonist experiences problems with battling the fear of a blank page. That is something to identify with. He knows that there nothing to be afraid about. But he is paralyzed like some kind animal caught in the carlight in the middle of the road. Cohen sings: "an hour has gone by / and he has not moved his hand. / But everything will happen if he only gives the word" - there is a hope. He just needs to start.
4. "Mr. Writer" by Stereophonics
How about changing the perspective? This song is not really about writing but about readers demands to an undisclosed writer to tell it like it really is from his point of view. Reader, being unable to deal with his issues wants to get some kind of relief or closure from the artistic work of somebody else. I guess that guy is mental or something. He may be a stalker and maybe he's up to something. Or I'm overthinking it. Or it can be about literary critic in the guise of a responsible reader who bashes some arrogant scribe for his unexciting and yawn-inducing approach to his topic. Anyway, this song is written in a way you can't really know for sure what point of view it is following. Because of it you just think more and more about it.
5. "Paperback Writer" by The Beatles
Because of course it's The Beatles. This song dives deep into the psyche of the ruthless writing heck who will take any means necessary to break through. The writer is desperate for attention, he wants respect, he wants credibility and first and foremost - money and fame. He begs for an opportunity, pitches his idea, tells it in detail and he will take any amendments necessary to get along - take few pages out, make it longer, write more prolifically - all for sake of catching a break. Wow! What a pitiful, miserable being must be this guy?
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