As a songwriter, you may be familiar with folders or notebooks filled with old songs that have been forgotten. It may have been years, even decades since you’ve last looked at one of these songs. As you look back, you may find a multitude of emotions come over you. Anything from inspiration to sadness. If you haven’t looked back on old songs yet, you should try it out! Here is what you can expect when diving into the past.
Seeing How Far You Came
Looking back at your old songs is a great way to see how you’ve evolved as a songwriter. You might notice that your lyrics have become more poetic, or your flow has significantly improved. You may also notice that you have also improved and grown as a person. If you find that you have a habit of comparing yourself to others, look back at your old lyrics. The only person you can compare your growth to is your past self.
Inspiration
Even if you look back at some old lyrics you wrote back in the seventh grade and cringe, there may still be some hidden gems throughout these old songs. Inspiration doesn’t discriminate who it comes to, so you might find that your younger self has loads of inspiration to share with your current self. So, when you look back, be sure to look with an open mind.
Reliving Old Memories
Songs act as snapshots in your life, and together you can build an autobiography. When you revisit a certain song, you can most likely think back to what was happening that prompted you to write that song. Revisiting these memories is good for remembering where you were and exploring what you were feeling during that time. You can also see if the old song can be applied to your life now – and if it does, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Bringing Up Things That Still Need Healing
You may also find that looking back at older songs may bring up unresolved feelings. If you find that a song is still evoking strong, painful emotions, it may be time to dive into those feelings further. Is there something that you are attached to? Or is there something that is hard for you to let go? Looking back at old songs can help you grow even further as a person by shedding light on what still needs healing.
When you look over your old songs, go into it with an open mind! You never know what you’re going to find, whether it is inspiration for a new song, or uncovering something deep and forgotten. Your songwriting journey is unique to you, so keep writing! And one day, you’ll be able to look back and revisit your current songs as new chapters in your musical biography. Happy writing!
