Songs of Inspiration Part 1
PHOTO : JODI DUNLOP
WRITING
Stefanie Blondal Johnson is a singer-songwriter and frontwoman of the Canadian garage pop band Mise en Scene . She works as a visual artist and consultant based in Gimli , MB . www . miseensceneband . com .
By Stefanie Blondal Johnson
Songs of Inspiration Part 1
I
always thought I was born in the wrong decade . There is a certain melancholy and memory that I have about a time I never existed in . I ’ m certain that I am not alone in these sentiments , yet as a result , the music that tends to call to my soul and speak to my heart is from a different time . Maybe it ’ s their timelessness or maybe it ’ s a deep personal connection to how I relate my own existence to them , but these songs have shaped my life and my songwriting . They are the songs that have never left me , that have grown with me in my life , that have taught me my craft and about life . Like any good song , they continue to be my friend through the good times and the bad .
The following songs , through their honesty , poetry , and emotional complexity , have inspired my songwriting the most . I truly believe that you can only write about what you know , and the artistry lies in how you describe those emotions through your song . The following songs have taught me this honesty , sincerity , and truth , all aspects I value so much in songwriting .
Big Star – “ Thirteen ”
“ Maybe Friday I can Get tickets for the dance And I ’ ll take you ”
When I first heard this song , I stopped . I put everything down and just sat and listened . I was immediately transported to my childhood , as a young girl learning about love for the first time . The sweetness of the vocal delivery , the way they play the acoustic guitars like a story , the simplicity of the arrangement transcends me to a memory I love to revisit . The magic of music is that it can take you to places your memory would have never remembered .
Bob Dylan – “ Positively Fourth Street ”
“ I wish that for just one time You could stand inside my shoes And for just that one moment I could be you Yes I wish that for just one time You could stand inside my shoes You ’ d know what a drag it is to see you ”
This is a timeless “ f * ck you ” song I think everyone wishes they wrote . I find it very difficult to tap into that kind of personal anger that Dylan is expressing in this song . I personally find it difficult to properly describe these emotions in a poetic way . I wish I could write a song so direct , so honest , and so on point . I find myself whispering , “ I couldn ’ t have said it better myself ” every time I hear “ Positively Fourth Street .” I ’ ve listened to this song several times during different frustrating and conflict-ridden times in my life and it applies every time . That ’ s how you know it is an exceptional song ; it stands the test of time and circumstance .
Leonard Cohen – “ Chelsea Hotel No . 2 ”
“ I don ’ t mean to suggest that I loved you the best , I can ’ t keep track of each fallen robin ”
This is the first Leonard Cohen song I fell in love with . There are many that I adore , but this one was the first to connect with my soul , and you never forget your first love . It is one of the first songs I learned how to play when I was teaching myself how to play guitar . It takes me back to when I was living in Montreal , studying at McGill and wanting to write songs .
This song is about his time with Janis Joplin at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City . It talks about the music scene , its struggles , the struggles of love … It was a special moment in time . He remembers her well , the fame , the scene , and the loneliness . To me , this song marks the beginning of my songwriting journey . I began performing in Montreal when I was in love with this song , and it reminds me where my passion comes from and why I started doing this in the first place . Listening back now as I have progressed further in my music career , I find myself identifying with the struggles he discusses in relation to him and Janis , and the sometimes seemingly desperate reality of a musician ’ s journey in music and love .
Bob Dylan – “ Abandoned Love ”
“ We sat in an empty theatre and we kissed I asked ya please to cross me off-a your list My head tells me it ’ s time to make a change But my heart is telling me I love ya but you ’ re strange ”
This song is about the internal struggle one feels when it is time to leave a lover . Again , this is the most honest song I can recall about this very universal situation . This is why Bob Dylan is revered as one of the most influential songwriters we ’ ve ever known . I think everyone falls for Bob Dylan ’ s lyrics at some point in their lives because he is able to make you feel like he is speaking directly to you and your situation .
I have often prescribed this song to friends who are struggling with a relationship and don ’ t know whether to continue in it or not . You will know by the end of it whether you should abandon your love with that person or not . If you side with Dylan ’ s perspective , you ’ ll know its time to throw in the towel . This song has given me so much perspective on the phases of love and understanding its cycles . For me , what is so inspiring about this song is its ability to bring you to a tipping point in your own life . A song ’ s ability to inspire a change in your life or its direction makes it a very powerful piece of art .
58 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN