How do I know when my song is finished?

A question discussed by songwriters all the time. And the answer is: When the song is finished!

Okay, sounds vague and unclear, but a song is finished when you, the songwriter, say it is. And there are no time limits on the completion date. I recently read an article about Bob Dylan who recorded a half-finished song in 1973. The song titled ‘Wagon Wheel’ was completed some 25 years later by Ketch Secor and eventually became a platinum hit for Darius.

Here is the mantra: I know my song is finished when a feeling inside of me says it is.

That said, I know songwriters who never think their songs are finished. They just keep on writing them. Tinkering forever.  It could be one word, or one melodic idea that doesn’t seem right and continues to gnaw away at them to fix. They ponder the spot in the song that doesn’t feel right until they think they have landed it, and then they re-access this decision and begin to rework the spot again. Overworking a song isn’t always a wise idea. The core feeling that was the impulse of the song can easily disappear. Another, more traumatic thought, is that the song cannot be completed. Sometimes songs must be left unfinished. Sad but true!

Here's another way of thinking of it.  Just imagine if James Taylor decided that deep down inside, he didn’t like the melody to I’ve Seen Fire and I’ve Seen Rain. Not sure if at this late date he could get away with changing it. The melody is burned into our musical memories.  I can hear it on a news report: James Taylor changes melody to Fire and Rain!!! 

So, when is a song complete? It is when you feel that you are satisfied with your song, and it is the best you can create as a songwriter. It is when you feel it is time to move on to the next song you are going to write, and it is also when your song is a hit and everyone in the universe is singing it.

Randy Klein is available for song analysis and critique, master classes, and private lessons. info@randyklein.com