Introducing: Consequential Lyrics

If you like your pop music with meaning, there's a very high likelihood that you've chanced upon a lyric that has touched a nerve.

The music blog and podcast series, Cassettes & Chocolate Milk is launching a project called Consequential Lyrics!

From Monday 26th August, Missy El (the girl behind all the tapes and the milk) will be curating weekly 40 minute podcasts looking at those the stories we extract from those very eloquent moments in pop.

Lyrics from Queen, The Beatles, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, The Smiths, Erasure and Roxette will be ripped from their context and liberally interpreted. There will be much heartbreak, warmth and honesty, but it doesn't end there...

The final episode of Consequential Lyrics will be a podcast exclusively made up of YOUR stories! That's right, we want YOUR voice recordings, describing the meaning behind those pop lyrics that mean so much.

In addition to the audio series, there is an accompanying Consequential Lyrics Zine. There will be a launch party for the 24 page A5 zine at Melbourne's Sticky Institute on Friday 6th September. The party starts at 6pm and will include live performances from Marcella Wright and Faith and Gasoline. The Facebook event details are here!

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

1. Choose that song and Google that lyric (if necessary).

2. Write a short script, introducing the song to the audience and explaining why this song and that lyric resonates with you. Feel free to quote the lyric and cite specific associations: places, times, dates, people! We want to know your story!

3. Record yourself reading your script. There is no strict length requirement, but anywhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes is fine!

4. Edit your voice recording into an MP3 file. To edit, you can use the free and easy sound editor Audacity. Make sure you record in stereo, 192 kbps, 44,000 khz!

5. Upload your MP3 introduction AND the MP3 of the song you're talking about to the Consequential Lyrics Entourage Box.

6. Wait til October 7th to hear yourself (and many others!) describe the meaning of their consequential lyric.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When is the cut-off for submission?

Tuesday 1st October 2013.

Can I contribute anonymously? 

Of course, there is no obligation to disclose who you are or who you are talking about. Saying that, we're looking for a compelling story so a bit of detail is always good!

Do I have talk about one of the bands you've talked about? 

No, you can talk about any lyric from any artist from any genre you like! If a song or an artist has already been covered in the original Consequential Lyrics series, don't feel deterred from talking about it in your contribution!

I've timed my script and it goes over two minutes. What should I do? 

There's always that option to tighten up your script a little but if you can't find a way to do that, don't simply cut off your story, mid-way through! We want to know why these lines mean so much to you.

I want to talk about this one song, but it has no lyrics. What should I do? 

Because Consequential Lyrics is a project that focuses on the meanings we extract from pop lyricism, we can't really accept submissions that do not have any lyrics in them. Sorry :(

I'm a bit daunted about talking about my feelings. Can you give some handy tips as to how to get started on my submission? 

Listening to the songs you love is a perfect place to start. If there is a line you love to sing, think about why you love that line, as opposed to any other line. What does it remind you of? Who does it remind you of? Where does it remind you of? Remember, Consequential Lyrics is a collaborative effort and everyone is in the same boat. We're all attempting to articulate those meanings which we're so naturally inclined to create, but which are so difficult to express. It's simply a story-telling exercise and we would love to hear your story.

I've written a script for my Consequential Lyrics submission. Can I send it to you to have a read through?

By all means, if you are in any way unsure of your submission, please email: elle(dot)gray(at)gmail(dot)com

WHO IS MISSY EL?

Missy El is Eleanor Gray, a Melbourne-based producer who creates podcasts, essays and online created content for the long-running music blog, Cassettes & Chocolate Milk. In the past she has produced and panelled many radio programs, television programs, interviews, documentaries, vox pops and commercials for stations SUB FM, SYN FM, SYN TV, Triple R and the SBS program, Alchemy. She loves conversation, blank/filled notebooks, mochas and London.

For further information or press enquiries, please email elle(dot)gray(at)gmail(dot)com