The Clive Continuum

Clive Smith has been around for an awful long time. Awfully long. An enigma, a maverick, a pioneer; he has described himself as these things and many, many more. Now, with the weight of experience crushing his increasingly fragile mind and body, he has begun developing The Clive Continuum, a series of works that act as his passing of the flame to younger artists and visionaries. Learn from his mistakes, for if it could ever go wrong, it went wrong for Clive

"Lyrics" (see also: "Side Projects")

Lyrics are one of the hardest parts of songwriting to master. But a master I have become. It wasn’t easy and it isn’t a glorious business either. When you write music as good as mine they can often be pushed into the background with only the most perceptive of listeners looking below the surface. But this here blog is my way of sharing my secrets with you, to help make the world a better place.

Of course, just telling you would be too easy. Clive don’t take the easy way out. So, in order to push myself and further develop my skills (I’m living proof of how important that is), I will pass this advice to you through the medium of Song Lyric. That’s pretty clever isn’t it?

So just for you, here it is:

The Key To My Success

By Clive Smith

I was walking down the street the other day

Hopin’ life’ll pan out the Clive Smith way

When I get a phonecall – yes I’m mobile now

Magazine editor needin’ the Clive Smith know-how

“Tell me Clive’ he said in a friendly tone

“How’d y’get a lyrical style that’s all your own?”

I said I’ll tell it to you straight, I’ll tell it to you good

That way there’s no fear I’ll be misunderstood

My flow flows on and I’m sharp as hell

I got an eye for detail and I rhyme real well

My political style will get you under my spell

Where Clive’ll go next, no-one can tell

But the key to my success; I aint eager to impress

Just tell it like it is and tell ‘em I’m the best

A clever metaphor, to prove I’m better or

I use the assonance, when I get the chance

You better get outta town, I’m throwin’ the gauntlet down

Clive Smith is the greatest to ever come around

Coz this man aint a clown, don’t make me beat you down

No chancer gonna take this master’s crown

But you want advice, well I can dish it out

You want a hard hitting lyric, you gotta fish it out

I’m talking intellect, nothing else will earn my respect

There might be a thick pop star but I aint met ‘em yet

The truth is a weapon and the song is my cannon

I like sugar in my tea and my toast with jam on

Sometimes you get a line that don’t make sense

But if it rhymes it sounds cool, and that’s the best

My flow flows on and I’m sharp as hell

I got an eye for the ladies and I rhyme real well

My sexual style will get you under my spell

Where Clive’ll go next, well no-one can tell