A rainy day produces a rainy song. So it was that I saw my broken umbrella being dried and was inspired to write a song titled (no surprise) "Broken Umbrella".
So I took out my guitar and started strumming which led to the tune. Took me a little more time to write in the lyrics as I tried to tie the words to the rain and umbrella. A rather short song.
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I have been wanting to write an upbeat song and this was my attempt.
Initially, I would say it was inspired by Rosie Thomas's "Say Hello" (title). However, after completion, I think it had some Obi influence, which is a now defunct UK band. Somehow, I feel that it sounds like a hippy song.
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Written in December last year, this was inspired at a time after I watched a couple of musicals I think. I was inspired to write a duet in a musical kind of setting and had the idea of the relationship between the sun & the moon in my mind. Originally I named it "Like the Moon & Sun" for want of a better name at that time, I didn't want it to sound too cliché with "sun & moon" (and definitely not like the restaurant!). So I changed it to "Moon-Sun Wait". Also becoz I started the song with reference to the moon. It sounds weird still, but never mind lah.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not a song of hopelessness based on the "sun-never-meets-moon" theory. It is in fact a more positive song based on the fact that the moon gets its shine from the sun (a reflection of the sun), hence the words "am I like it, waiting for the sun, to shine its light upon my face". Just like a girl waiting for someone to light up her life.
I also tried to be metaphoric in the lyrics where in the 1st verse, the girl is the moon, while in the 2nd verse, as a reflection of the 1st verse, the guy is the sun. Notice the "like the moon" and "like the sun" references, also the way it's written with "to shine its light..." "that warms her...". Also little things like "night" vs "day" between the verses. These all tie in too to the concept of the moon's shine as a reflection of the sun.
I was imagining one of those classic scenes where the girl is on the balcony (Romeo & Juliet?) looking up at the moon and singing the 1st verse, followed by a guy who is somewhere else, wishing away. Haha...must have been dreaming of a "hero" who will rescue the girl from the loneliness.
The chorus is actually depicting the search of "The One" where there will be no one but the 2 leads meant for each other. I was even thinking of a reprise of the chorus later on after the 2 finally get together where the lyrics would change to:
I've found my true love
A love that's meant to be
A love that’s just for you and me
There can be no other
’cause that’s the way it is
’cause you’re the chosen one for me
A fantasy love song.
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I had the title of the song in mind for a few months and when I attended a songwriter’s showcase, I was inspired to write a Chinese worship song with this title.
A brief summary:
The 1st verse is about being a little scared or reserved, but God says do not be afraid.
The 2nd verse is about God being always near, not letting us be lonely or hurt, sheltering us.
The chorus talks of God stretching out His hand to lead & guide us, so that we will not stray or get lost, transforming our hearts to be godly.
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I actually wrote the lyrics as a poem for a poetry workshop I did as an elective in my Uni days. So recently, while trying to get some inspiration, I went to dig up the folio and this was a poem I could put a tune to.
It's about someone who has lost a loved one and is grieving over it. The “voiceless pit” is the heart. It is silent in emptiness, in a world of its own. The pain it feels can’t be expressed. Will the heart ever be alive and sing again?
If I recall correctly, I actually wrote this like God was actually counselling this person and closes with asking the person's heart to sing again.
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This song was written as a sort of songwriting exercise when someone suggested that we could all try to write a song with the chord progression C F G C Am F G C and see if they would sound the same.
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I started writing this when I was in a 'loner' mood one day. It also arose from a discussion with my friend about the "visible" and "invisible" loner. That was back in 2005, when I wrote the verses. However, I got stuck at the chorus, and didn't get to pen it down till 2007. Due to the lapse of time, the tune for the chorus seems a bit disjointed from the verses, but it's what I could come up with!
About the lyrics:
Sometimes, one feels a loner, like someone inconspicuous, in a sea of crowd. Loner In A Crowd is a depiction of this and the lyrics gives a form of visual image of this loner, who fades away into the crowd. Nobody can be close; even though they might see you (physically), none can understand you, an outsider.
I especially like the first 2 lines because of the playing around with words by re-arranging the same words to give you an image, which pretty much sums up the feel of the song. If you noticed too, in the chorus, there's a slight change in auxiliary verbs used for "none can see you" & "none would see you", which has a purpose. The 1st half of the chorus is rather passive, as the protagonist just fades out, like some invisible being...also like none can really understand you even though they "see" or think they see you. The 2nd part with the "would" is more the stand of the protagonist - like putting on a "mask" so that none should see you (charade in an "alien" world).
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This song is not uploaded here (yet), but I'll talk about it first since it's a rather old song of mine.
This song happened when I was inspired by this song “Lover of My Heart” and also, on a particular day, I was prompted/convicted to say “All I Want is to Live For You” and that’s how the song came about.
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I wrote this song way back when I just got my guitar. At that point, I only knew how to play 3 chords (G, C, D), so I used it to create this song. It was inspired by this poster I saw before: which had the caption "I asked Jesus "how much do you love me" and He stretched out His hands and died". I wrote it as a lullaby-like song, like a conversation with GOD.
We often ask Him how much He loves us, and He replies that His love is more than we can comprehend. Our lives are so precious that He was willing to give up His Son for us, His children. And we are in safe hands as He calls us to go to Him.
Reply
Alright, I should post write-ups on my songs here, so here they are!
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Ilsa Kong / Blog
Broken Umbrella (Oct 2009)
A rainy day produces a rainy song. So it was that I saw my broken umbrella being dried and was inspired to write a song titled (no surprise) "Broken Umbrella". So I took out my guitar and started strumming which led to the tune. Took me a little more time to write in the lyrics as I tried to tie the words to the rain and umbrella. A rather short song.
Reply
Hi (June 2009)
I have been wanting to write an upbeat song and this was my attempt. Initially, I would say it was inspired by Rosie Thomas's "Say Hello" (title). However, after completion, I think it had some Obi influence, which is a now defunct UK band. Somehow, I feel that it sounds like a hippy song.
Reply
Moon-Sun Wait (Dec 2008)
Written in December last year, this was inspired at a time after I watched a couple of musicals I think. I was inspired to write a duet in a musical kind of setting and had the idea of the relationship between the sun & the moon in my mind. Originally I named it "Like the Moon & Sun" for want of a better name at that time, I didn't want it to sound too cliché with "sun & moon" (and definitely not like the restaurant!). So I changed it to "Moon-Sun Wait". Also becoz I started the song with reference to the moon. It sounds weird still, but never mind lah. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a song of hopelessness based on the "sun-never-meets-moon" theory. It is in fact a more positive song based on the fact that the moon gets its shine from the sun (a reflection of the sun), hence the words "am I like it, waiting for the sun, to shine its light upon my face". Just like a girl waiting for someone to light up her life. I also tried to be metaphoric in the lyrics where in the 1st verse, the girl is the moon, while in the 2nd verse, as a reflection of the 1st verse, the guy is the sun. Notice the "like the moon" and "like the sun" references, also the way it's written with "to shine its light..." "that warms her...". Also little things like "night" vs "day" between the verses. These all tie in too to the concept of the moon's shine as a reflection of the sun. I was imagining one of those classic scenes where the girl is on the balcony (Romeo & Juliet?) looking up at the moon and singing the 1st verse, followed by a guy who is somewhere else, wishing away. Haha...must have been dreaming of a "hero" who will rescue the girl from the loneliness. The chorus is actually depicting the search of "The One" where there will be no one but the 2 leads meant for each other. I was even thinking of a reprise of the chorus later on after the 2 finally get together where the lyrics would change to: I've found my true love A love that's meant to be A love that’s just for you and me There can be no other ’cause that’s the way it is ’cause you’re the chosen one for me A fantasy love song.
Reply
牵引 (Sep 2008)
I had the title of the song in mind for a few months and when I attended a songwriter’s showcase, I was inspired to write a Chinese worship song with this title. A brief summary: The 1st verse is about being a little scared or reserved, but God says do not be afraid. The 2nd verse is about God being always near, not letting us be lonely or hurt, sheltering us. The chorus talks of God stretching out His hand to lead & guide us, so that we will not stray or get lost, transforming our hearts to be godly.
Reply
Will You Sing Again? (2000, 2008)
I actually wrote the lyrics as a poem for a poetry workshop I did as an elective in my Uni days. So recently, while trying to get some inspiration, I went to dig up the folio and this was a poem I could put a tune to. It's about someone who has lost a loved one and is grieving over it. The “voiceless pit” is the heart. It is silent in emptiness, in a world of its own. The pain it feels can’t be expressed. Will the heart ever be alive and sing again? If I recall correctly, I actually wrote this like God was actually counselling this person and closes with asking the person's heart to sing again.
Reply
主的救泉 (Mar/Apr 2008)
This song was written as a sort of songwriting exercise when someone suggested that we could all try to write a song with the chord progression C F G C Am F G C and see if they would sound the same.
Reply
Loner in a Crowd (2005, 2007)
I started writing this when I was in a 'loner' mood one day. It also arose from a discussion with my friend about the "visible" and "invisible" loner. That was back in 2005, when I wrote the verses. However, I got stuck at the chorus, and didn't get to pen it down till 2007. Due to the lapse of time, the tune for the chorus seems a bit disjointed from the verses, but it's what I could come up with! About the lyrics: Sometimes, one feels a loner, like someone inconspicuous, in a sea of crowd. Loner In A Crowd is a depiction of this and the lyrics gives a form of visual image of this loner, who fades away into the crowd. Nobody can be close; even though they might see you (physically), none can understand you, an outsider. I especially like the first 2 lines because of the playing around with words by re-arranging the same words to give you an image, which pretty much sums up the feel of the song. If you noticed too, in the chorus, there's a slight change in auxiliary verbs used for "none can see you" & "none would see you", which has a purpose. The 1st half of the chorus is rather passive, as the protagonist just fades out, like some invisible being...also like none can really understand you even though they "see" or think they see you. The 2nd part with the "would" is more the stand of the protagonist - like putting on a "mask" so that none should see you (charade in an "alien" world).
Reply
All I Want Is To Live For You (2002)
This song is not uploaded here (yet), but I'll talk about it first since it's a rather old song of mine. This song happened when I was inspired by this song “Lover of My Heart” and also, on a particular day, I was prompted/convicted to say “All I Want is to Live For You” and that’s how the song came about.
Reply
Dear Child (2001)
I wrote this song way back when I just got my guitar. At that point, I only knew how to play 3 chords (G, C, D), so I used it to create this song. It was inspired by this poster I saw before: which had the caption "I asked Jesus "how much do you love me" and He stretched out His hands and died". I wrote it as a lullaby-like song, like a conversation with GOD. We often ask Him how much He loves us, and He replies that His love is more than we can comprehend. Our lives are so precious that He was willing to give up His Son for us, His children. And we are in safe hands as He calls us to go to Him.
Reply
About my songs
Alright, I should post write-ups on my songs here, so here they are!
Reply