The Song Anyone Could Write
2025 The Nashville-Wisco 24 - 20
Copyright Erin Wolf 2025

so you want to write a song
that anyone can sing
one that will get their toes tapping
well, all you need are three chords
at least, that's what John Prine said before
just make sure you've got the I (1), the V (5),
and the IV (4)

don't do what i just did and have a double-line
but don't worry, i made sure that they didn't look the same spelling-wise 
now i just have what we call, "an imperfect rhyme"
now i'll make it sound even better and better
all the time
(see what i did there?!)

oh, this is gonna be one of the most meta songs i write
oh, this level of self-awareness will give us a fright
but when you're doing The Nashville 24 from Wisconsin
sometimes gotta get a little creative
and this here is the song anyone could write
and i'm writing it tonight

well if you gotta capo
and you don't have the hand-width
to go up all and down the neck of
your instrument
capo will help make those strings a lil' shorter
and then the pitch will sound like this 
nice higher order

but this is the song
that anyone, oh anyone, could write
and i guarantee this is gonna be the worst,
most self-aware song of the night
and this song, it won't get me anywhere
in the limelight
oh this is the song that anyone, anyone, 
could write

here we go
we're playing weird dissonant notes
'cuz everyone loves a bridge
or a little tag or a hook
but no one could hook this in (pause)
except me tonight

oh this is the song that anyone, oh anyone, could write
'cept you've gotta sweet little jackass like me for the night
we're at song number 20 of The Nashville-Wisco 24
and maybe if i'm lucky,
i'll have better songs left in store

oh woah oh
*cackles*

20 - The Song Anyone Could Write - 25TNWI24

Official account of Erin Wolf for Song A Week 2019-present. • For 2016-2018 Song A Week archives, follow @erniwolf or click the link below.