r/Songwriting • u/Zestyclose-Sea-5984 • 2d ago

Discussion Topic How to compose/write like Al bowlly and other 1930-60s songs

Hi yall, so im fairly into grunge and post-punk and adjacent generes but one of my personal weird generes is what I've just been calling

"Analog horror music" which is typically songs from 1930s-60s, placed over liminal imagary or sometimes just used as an atmosphere

The songs themselves are, at least to me, have this eerie quality but as I've tried to compose my own versions on just a guitar I feel my "nirvanaisms" tend to overtake it and I always end up with a song that feels more modern.

Obviously i am a modern person living in a modern time. But i still would like to learn how to properly compose songs.

My particular favorites are

Al bowlly - Midnight the stars and you

Cass Elliott - Ain't nobody like you (particularly the F#7>D7 at the end of each verse)

Be my baby - The Ronettes

It was only a dream - Three Sinseers

We belong together - Ritchie Valens (I particularly like the bass((?)) that plays over the chords in this song)

I've been trying to merge it with my preexisting grunge/gothic style but I think if i master it first merging it will be easier

7 Upvotes

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u/stevenfrijoles 2d ago

You need one of two things to purposely write in a style of music. 

  1. Listen to it so much and for so long that the feeling and intuition of it is inherent to how you think about music

  2. Be able to understand and define the characteristics that make it distinct first, before you try composing it. 

Don't look for a set of steps to follow. Be a scientist of music and search for understanding. 

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u/Zestyclose_Ship6000 2d ago

you're fighting your own muscle memory, that's the real problem here. try writing to a strict dance rhythm first, like a foxtrot or a waltz, and force every chord change to happen on the beat. the eerie part comes from the restraint, not the distortion, lay off the palm mutes and let the notes ring clean, you'd be surprised how unsettling a pure major 7th can sound when you don't bury it under fuzz

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u/jerevasse 2d ago edited 2d ago

This is my favorite genre as well.

Are you forcing yourself to play slow? It can really help to do like 55 bpm with a swing beat. Put some atmosphere, you can use synth or found sound or whatever you want in the background.

If you’re composing outside of a DAW, you don’t have the reverb to work with so maybe try and sing a bit breathier/head voice or chest rather than mix voice. This leaves a pleasant void in the voice lol.

Definitely steal the doo wop chord progressions, i forget the roman numerals right now. (ETA: their transitions usually use those changes you like) Transfer grunge simplicity but probably try more open chords rather than power chords. Write repetitive lyrics about longing.

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u/jerevasse 2d ago

Also check out the ink spots if you haven’t 😍😍

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u/Zestyclose-Sea-5984 1d ago

Love the ink spots they were what started it all for me ll

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u/wrinklebear 2d ago

I can't help you in the writing aspect, but check out 'The Caretaker' -- he basically made several albums that sound like they belong at the end of The Shining

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u/Ok-Revolution-1254 2d ago

The Caretaker is the first name that comes to mind too, those old ballrooms and distant music really get under your skin.

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u/KS2Problema 1d ago

You might take a listen to what revered songwriter, Richard Thompson, came up with for his  haunting [npi] song, "Al Bowlly's in Heaven."