“Cliche is the enemy.  Cliche tells listeners (or readers) that you either do not know enough or care enough about your topic to communicate in more imaginative or energetic language.”

I wrote that to myself in a moment of clarity so that, whenever I was temped to simply lean on what “works” as a songwriter, I’d remember to wait.  This comes up again as I arrange the songs for this covers project. I am continually struck by the depth of creativity writers like Aimee Mann, Trent Reznor and Tom Waits bring to their craft.  Much of the reason these songs have rested so long in my soul is that they have given life and shape to thoughts, feelings, concepts.. realities.. that had either been shapeless or non-existent before my listening.  The word was sung and new things were formed in me; grief, healing, peace… old things were revived or reshaped; friendship, trust, courage..

I long for my work to do that.

In “Hopeful Imagination,” Walter Brueggemann writes: “I suspect that we lose vitality… when our language of God is domesticated and our relation with God is made narrow and predictable.”  I take this to mean that the pervasive use of cliche images and words to communicate, examine or celebrate ones relationship to or experience of God is much more serious than being simply a songwriting problem; It is reflective of a disconnect between artist and subject.  Quoting Bruggemann again: “Predictable language is a measure of a deadened relationship in which address is reduced to slogan.”

Cliche, at its worst, is the evidence of a compromise having been made in order to accommodate the Market’s desire to appeal to what is safe, unchallenging and strictly sellable.  Certainly, marketability is not an evil in and of itself; but should it become the driving force behind my creative choices, I am no longer making art, I am only making a product,.. a slogan; that it is, in fact, more important to make something sellable than to make something beautiful.

My experience of life has been varied.  My understanding of God has been characterized by passion, imagination and vitality.  I want my art to reflect this.

3 Responses to “A Few Thoughts on Cliche”

• ReallyGoodLookingGuy says:

  August 19, 2009 at 1:42 pm

  Does this mean your NOT going to do a cover of the hit; “5th Wheel” ?
• Forrest says:

  August 19, 2009 at 3:11 pm

  Great post!

  I’m a graphic designer and artist and constantly wrestle with this tension between the expected and the truly creative. It’s always encouraging to see how universal the creative struggle is.

  It’s telling that we use such cliche when communicating to God/about God. Our language (verbal, visual, musical, whatever) can be an incriminating indicator of our most unconscious feelings. This is especially interesting when we consider how God communicates to us.

  From what I’ve experienced, God communicates to us in ways that are the exact opposite of cliche. I think of the Bible as “Living Word,” or Christ being the most extraordinary and surprising manifestation of God, or how creation is constantly reviving itself and making itself new.

  To see God as creator — as an infinitely creative being — is profoundly inspiring to me, both as an artist and as a communicator. And it challenges me to learn to create and communicate in way that reflects this.

  Thanks for the great post!
• Justin says:

  August 19, 2009 at 5:52 pm

  ReallyGoodLookingGuy,

  to be honest, I hadn’t thought of it until you brought it up.

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