How do you start off a song?

[pennywill]

For me it depends on the purpose of the song. I almost always start with the music. If it's for a movie, I watch what I am scoring for about a million times and get the feel. If it's to sell something, I use the product name or catch phrase to get the meter and also the feel. If it's for a specific set of lyrics, I haven't written them, so I mumble away trying to set them. Usually however, I just sit with the guitar or jam away on the piano and see what comes up (sounds like throwing up...I hope not).