The Beginning of the End: Ins and Outs of Songwriting

Our focussing topic for the next Forge (May 14th) is: Beginnings and Endings.

"Intros" and "Outros" seem to be significantly less popular today than throughout the "progressive" songwriting of the 60s and 70s. These are parts are distinct musically from the main body of the song and, if you will suffer me to speak logically, act as introductions and conclusions. 

Beginnings and Endings can drift in and out like slow boat down a canal or a marching band coming from streets afar, or they strike you and awake you like gunshot or a thunderclap. Do you want to start with a hook or a slow build? What fits?

But we don't need to only look at intros and outros for beginnings and endings. We can look at the first word of the song, the first line or the first verse, and see how each sets the tone. Ditto regarding the last word, etc. of the ending and how it leaves the listener. What feeling or thought has been achieved? Academic writing style guides suggest you alter the syntax (word order) to put the most important word at the sentence's end. 

Suffer me again, songwriter and critics, to make a foolishly metaphysical comment regarding beginnings and ending in song. I hazard to say that all good beginnings are borne out of some greater ending. Like people, songs are not born ex nihilo, out of nothing. From what death is your song born out of? What is the context you wish to evoke (and perhaps subvert) with your song? In regards to endings, what new beginning comes from this end?

But to not get too lost in the outerspace of metaphysics -- let me say pragmatically that beginnings tell your audience "hey, it's time to listen" while the endings say "okay, now clap!" This is a subtle art, so watch experienced performers to pick up on all the ways they queue their audiences.