A songwriter sits in a dimly lit studio trying to find the right lyric

Rhona Cathcart August 06, 2025 3 1

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Psalm 49:4 (NIVUK)

4 

I will turn my ear to a proverb;
    with the harp I will expound my riddle:

A songwriter is in a studio booth on her phone. 

“No, don’t worry, you aren’t paying for them. I sent them all home about an hour ago. (Listens) Yes, I know how important it is, and no, I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder. I promise I’ll have something by the morning (listens) Something good, yes.

[She hangs up]

(Muttering to herself, she plays through a few chords on the guitar) This shouldn’t be so hard. I used to write a song a week. I remember when I couldn’t not write songs. They seemed to pour out of me. When did I stop having something to say? (Ruefully) Probably the moment I became famous. Now where was I?

(Begins to speak rhythmically)  “Hear, give ear, no fear” (She stops playing) But I am afraid. That’s the problem. What if I’m not as good as I thought I was? What if I only had one memorable song in me? (she puts down the guitar and picks up phone) I’d better tell Sally I’ll give the advance back. No one wants a songwriter with nothing to say. Unless…(slowly puts phone down) I write about what I don’t know. Ha! There’s a lot I could say about that. 

[She picks up the guitar again, playing and murmuring and making notes as the scene fades]

Prayer:

Compassionate God

When the music falters, and our voice wavers

When we aren’t sure any more whether we have anything worth saying

Whether anyone is listening 

When the world and its woes and our own insecurities silence us 

Incline our ear to you 

That we might find our place within the music of the spheres

Amen