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Writing Songs: Basic Composition
Trivia: Which American painter created the 1942 work Nighthawks, depicting people in a downtown diner at night?
RetireHub
December 06, 2025
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Today we’re sharing fun tips on Writing Songs: Basic Composition, along with the best deals, fun trivia, and more!
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On This Day in 1969, The Rolling Stones’ Altamont Free Concert took place in California. Intended as a “Woodstock of the West,” the event drew an estimated 300,000 people and featured performances by Santana, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the Rolling Stones. However, the concert became infamous after violence broke out near the stage, marking one of the most turbulent moments in rock history and symbolically ending the optimistic 1960s counterculture era.
Writing Songs: Basic Composition Made Simple
Songwriting may look mysterious from the outside, but at its heart, it’s simply storytelling set to rhythm. Whether you’re jotting ideas in a notebook, humming melodies on your morning walk, or finally ready to bring a lifelong dream to life, writing a song is far more approachable than many people think. With a few foundational steps, anyone can start shaping their thoughts and emotions into music.
Every great song begins with an idea—a feeling, a memory, an image, or even a catchy phrase. Think of this as your spark. It doesn’t need to be profound; it just needs to be something that feels true. Once you have that spark, brainstorm related words or lines to create a small pool of inspiration you can pull from as you write.
Next comes structure, the skeleton of your song. Most modern songs follow a simple layout: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. The verses tell the story, the chorus delivers your central message, and the bridge adds something fresh—a twist, a shift in emotion, or a new angle. You can follow this pattern or bend it however you like, but understanding the basic framework helps when you’re just starting out.
With your structure set, focus on melody, the tune that carries your words. Don’t worry about music theory at first—your voice is already a built-in instrument. Try singing your lines in different rhythms and pitches until something clicks. Often, the melody will reveal itself naturally when you’re deeply connected to your lyrics.
From there, add chords or accompaniment. If you play piano or guitar, start with simple progressions (like C–G–Am–F) and adjust based on the mood you want. If you don’t play an instrument, humming or using a basic music app is perfectly fine. Simplicity isn’t a limitation—many iconic songs use only three or four chords.
Finally, revise gently. Songwriting is a creative process, not a test. Swap out a word, polish a phrase, or tighten a melody line. Or don’t—sometimes a raw, imperfect line is the exact magic a song needs.
The joy of songwriting comes from honest expression, not perfection. If you follow your curiosity and trust your instincts, you’ll be surprised by how naturally the music starts to flow.
What Sounds Like The Most Challenging Part of Songwriting To You? |
Yesterday’s Poll Results: What Helps You Stay on Top of Your Medications?
Wow—this poll shows a runaway favorite! A whopping 70% of respondents rely on a pill organizer, making it by far the most trusted tool for keeping medications on track. Everything else trails significantly, with phone reminders and written calendars tied at just 7% each. A small group still prefers caregiver or pharmacist support (2%), while 4% are still working out a system. And interestingly, 9% say they use something completely different. Overall, the results highlight just how powerful a simple, tangible organizer can be for staying consistent and confident with daily meds!
TOP COMMENTS
“I love using my phone to help me because it’s easy for me to add or remove medications, such as my seasonal allergy meds. I am also able to log the time I took the med. So helpful!”
“I use a pill organizer. I have to take one of my medications 3 times a day with a meal. Keep it in my pocket. Always close by.”
“As my list of meds has grown, I realized I needed a detailed list to have available for all doctor's appointments. I make a PDF of the file and email it to myself and my wife so we always have a copy on our phone. It's been a game changer when providing updates to doctors (especially those I see infrequently).”
“I use the mail order pharmacy, so I get three months at a time. I have 5 weekly pill organizers, so I only have to fill them every five weeks. That's a real time saver. I take a lot of meds so doing them all at once helps me immensely. I also keep an updated meds list up on my fridge and take one to my doctor's appointments for them.”
“I use both a pill organizer and my phone is set as a reminder for the times I need to take my meds. The reminders are very handy when I'm busy and don't realize the time of day.”
“Thankfully I only take 2 medications daily, 1 injection weekly so I have it as a repetitive routine. Not at a point that I need any prompts.”
“After brushing my teeth before bedtime, I take three medications and I take them out of the medicine cabinet. At the same time. I take out my three morning medication’s that way when I’m brushing my teeth in the morning the first thing I see is my reminder laying on the bathroom counter for me to take. It’s such a routine that I don’t even have to think about it!”
Embracing the Empty Nest: How Saying Goodbye to the Kids Opens the Door to a New Chapter
When the children move out and the house quiets down, many parents feel a mix of grief, nostalgia, and disorientation — a normal response to a major life transition. Yet this same “empty nest” phase also offers a meaningful opportunity for rediscovery. Freed from the daily routines of child-rearing, many people find renewed freedom to reconnect with their partner, revisit long-delayed hobbies, travel, focus on health, or seek new challenges in career or education.
Emotionally, it can take time to adjust — the shift from full family life to quiet evenings can stir loss and wistfulness, and even affect a sense of identity. But with awareness, openness, and self-care, parents often make the transition successfully. Many report stronger marriages, revived friendships, new hobbies, and a restored sense of purpose. Far from being an end, the empty nest can become a doorway — a chance to redefine life and relationships, reclaim personal time, and embrace a fulfilling second act.
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Slang Phrase of the Day
Phrase: Spiffy
Meaning: Spiffy means stylish, neat, or looking especially sharp and well-put-together. It’s often used to describe someone’s outfit, haircut, or overall appearance when they look extra polished.
In a sentence: “Everyone at the community luncheon said Harold looked especially spiffy in his new navy blazer and crisp white shirt.”
Good News of the Day
After a Century Away, Vultures Soar Again — Completing the Wildlife Restoration of ‘Europe’s Yellowstone’
More than 100 years after vultures vanished from the Carpathian Mountains, conservationists are reintroducing them to the Făgăraș region of Romania, marking the final step in restoring what’s been dubbed “Europe’s Yellowstone.”
These scavenger birds — once lost due to hunting, poisoning, and habitat loss — are vital to a healthy ecosystem, performing nature’s cleanup duty by consuming carcasses and controlling disease spread.
The return follows successful rewilding of other keystone species like bear, wolf, bison, and beaver. With vultures back, the region inches closer to a fully functioning, wild-rich landscape — a vast 2,000 km² park envisioned as a European conservation jewel.
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RetireHub Trivia
Want more trivia? Play our “Nostalgia Trivia Game” on our site! We add fresh questions daily, so there’s always something new to test your knowledge.
Not into trivia? No worries! We’ve got plenty of other fun games to enjoy, like:
Which American painter created the 1942 work Nighthawks, depicting people in a downtown diner at night? |
Which playwright wrote the absurdist play Waiting for Godot? |
The currency called the lek is used in which country? |
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