Write Me A Song | A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty

Welcome to episode 15 of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty!
We've got such a super special episode for you today! It's our season 2 finale! Thanks so much for listening and hope you enjoy the episode. And don’t forget, you’re always welcome to join in and write a song of your own!
To stay up to date with all episodes and news, subscribe to Write Me A Song:
Subscribe now

🎵 Episode 15: Write Me A Singalong (Live Show!)
This week we took our podcast to a real live audience and hosted this episode at Theatreship in London.
We brought friends (and fantastic songwriters) Josh Flowers and Tessa Rose Jackson to the stage with us, to share their own ideas about songwriting and their responses to the prompt: to write a singalong song.
The aim of the game was to create a song which has an element of audience participation to it. And what better space to try it out with a live audience?
Listen to the episode to see how everyone gets on!

🎹 Songwriting Homework #15
This week, we want you to write a singalong song.
Here’s your homework:
Write a song which contains a refrain or element of question and answer.
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.

📚 Episode References
🎧 Josh’s music on Spotify
🎧 Tessa’s music on Bandcamp and Spotify

🎸 Find Us Elsewhere…
Listen to Edwards’s music
Sign up to Edwards’s newsletter
Listen to Olivia’s music
Read Olivia’s Newsletter
Write Me A Song Instagram


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writemeasong.substack.com

Welcome to episode 13 of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty!
It’s only a couple of episodes left before the end of season 2! Thanks so much for listening and hope you enjoy the episode. And don’t forget, you’re always welcome to join in and write a song of your own!
To stay up to date with all episodes and news, subscribe to Write Me A Song:
Subscribe now

🎵 Episode 13: Write Me An Oak Tree
this week we’ve got a special guest: British-Australian songwriter Jamie Doe, also known as The Magic Lantern. Together we dove deep into the ways that songwriting is a meaning-making tool. Process, tools, inspiration: it’s all in this episode.
Jamie asks Olivia to take an ‘acorn’ of an existing idea and grow it into a full song.
Listen to the episode to see how she gets on!

🎹 Songwriting Homework #13
This week, we want you to turn an acorn into an oak tree.
Here’s your homework:
Go through your voice memos or scraps of lyrics to find a small idea that abandoned or forgot about. Maybe it’s a verse, a chorus or a chord progression and a line of melody.
Listen and ask yourself the following questions:
What do you already have?
What do you need more of?
What could this song be about?
Use the answers to guide the rest of the songwriting process.
Record it and share it with us!
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.

📚 Episode References
Mentions from today’s episode:
💻 Jamie’s website
🎧 Jamie’s album, To Everything A Season

🎸 Find Us Elsewhere…
Listen to Edwards’s music
Sign up to Edwards’s newsletter
Listen to Olivia’s music
Read Olivia’s Newsletter
Write Me A Song Instagram


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writemeasong.substack.com

Welcome to episode 13 of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty!
It’s only a couple of episodes left before the end of season 2! Thanks so much for listening and hope you enjoy the episode. And don’t forget, you’re always welcome to join in and write a song of your own!
To stay up to date with all episodes and news, subscribe to Write Me A Song:
Subscribe now

🎵 Episode 13: Write Me An Oak Tree
this week we’ve got a special guest: British-Australian songwriter Jamie Doe, also known as The Magic Lantern. Together we dove deep into the ways that songwriting is a meaning-making tool. Process, tools, inspiration: it’s all in this episode.
Jamie asks Olivia to take an ‘acorn’ of an existing idea and grow it into a full song.
Listen to the episode to see how she gets on!

🎹 Songwriting Homework #13
This week, we want you to turn an acorn into an oak tree.
Here’s your homework:
Go through your voice memos or scraps of lyrics to find a small idea that abandoned or forgot about. Maybe it’s a verse, a chorus or a chord progression and a line of melody.
Listen and ask yourself the following questions:
What do you already have?
What do you need more of?
What could this song be about?
Use the answers to guide the rest of the songwriting process.
Record it and share it with us!
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.

📚 Episode References
Mentions from today’s episode:
💻 Jamie’s website
🎧 Jamie’s album, To Everything A Season

🎸 Find Us Elsewhere…
Listen to Edwards’s music
Sign up to Edwards’s newsletter
Listen to Olivia’s music
Read Olivia’s Newsletter
Write Me A Song Instagram


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writemeasong.substack.com

Welcome to another episode of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty!
Take a listen to this week’s songwriting challenge and don’t forget we’d love you to get involved too! Scroll down to read this week’s homework and the submission link.
To stay up to date with all episodes and news, subscribe to Write Me A Song:
Subscribe now
🎵 Episode 12: Write Me A Musical
This week Olivia challenges Edward to invent a musical number for a famous film.
Listen to the episode to see how he gets on.
🎹 Songwriting Homework #12
This week, we want you to take a famous film, and create an ‘I Want’ song for it.
Here’s your homework:
Read this Stephen Schwartz quote: “the job of an “I Want” song is not to move the action forward, but to set up the desire of the leading character that will drive the action for the rest of the show.”
Choose a famous film and think about the main character: what is their deep desire? What do they want at the beginning of this story?
Write a song from their perspective.
Record a demo and send it in!
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.
Share Your Work

📚 Episode References
Mentions from today’s episode:
🎥 Die Hard
🎟️ Tickets for our LIVE SHOW in London on 13th Nov!

🎸 Find Us Elsewhere…
* Listen to Edwards’s music
* Sign up to Edwards’s newsletter
* Listen to Olivia’s music
* Read Olivia’s Newsletter
* Write Me A Song Instagram


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writemeasong.substack.com

Welcome to Episode 11 of Write Me A Song: A Songwriting Podcast with Edward Randell and Olivia Rafferty!
Thanks for sticking with us on this journey as we venture into the next batch of episodes. Take a listen to this week’s songwriting challenge and don’t forget we’d love you to get involved too! Scroll down to read this week’s homework and the submission link.
To stay up to date with all episodes and news, subscribe to Write Me A Song:
Subscribe now

🎵 Episode 11: Write Me A Non-Rhyming Song
This week Edward challenges Olivia to write a song that doesn’t rhyme.
Listen to the episode to see how she gets on.

🎹 Songwriting Homework #11
This week, we want you to write a song with no rhymes!
Here’s your homework:
Write a song with no rhymes!
Try to fit the words and melody together so they fit each other in terms of syllabic stresses.
Use repetition and rhythm to create a sense of ‘coming home’ for the listener, instead of rhyme.
Often non-rhyming songs can be confessional, or mimic the rhythms of speech. Consider this when writing!
Record a demo and send it in!
Upload your song to be featured on the podcast or newsletter below.
Share Your Work

📚 Episode References
Mentions from today’s episode:
🎟️ Tickets for our LIVE SHOW in London on 13th Nov!
America by Simon & Garfunkel
Hand in my Pocket by Alanis Morrisette
Hyperballad by Björk


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writemeasong.substack.com