Tears From The Sun - could be a metaphor for God crying

They Paved Paradise - could be a metaphor for destroying the tree’s.

The fact that Stings metaphor is used in conjunction with a simile is irrelevant.

This ‘potluck random generation method’ is one to brainstorm idea’s. It’s not a writing session. It’s a brainstorming session.

In fact, after sitting in writing sessions with Gary Benson and Maxi Priest (and my sister currently writing will Paul Barry) I can tell you that the best stuff isn’t always ‘thought through’.

One more thing… you’re quote.

“The point of the metaphor is that one noun is expressed as another, not that one noun is contrasted or set off at a weird angle by being described in an unconventional way.”

If you’re writing metaphors with that one sole definition you’re missing a whole heap of possibilities.

Now *I* don’t mean to be pedantic, but here’s that definition again…

A metaphor is the expression of an understanding of one concept in terms of another concept, where there is some similarity or correlation between the two.

Shamir

Sting’s is a simile (see the word ‘like’), which makes it less hardcore and immediately relatable, Joni Mitchell’s (asides from the deliciously alliterative p sounds)is just juxtaposition of two inherently contrasting images (its not obvious that something else is being described either as a paradise or a parking lot), but I’ll agree that the Michael Jackson satisfies the metaphorical criteria.

And then the excercise….. doesn’t actually produce metaphors? The point of the metaphor is that one noun is expressed as another, not that one noun is contrasted or set off at a weird angle by being described in an unconventional way.

For example, er…

“The paint is peeling from my perfect frame/And your white spirit’s entirely to blame”

It’s a bit of awful lyricry, but its a nice example of an extended metaphor. Do you see how the ‘perfect frame’ could be a metaphor for a happy life, and the idea that the paint is being stripped by the ‘white spirit’ shows how this happiness is being ruined?

The best way to come up with a metaphor is actually to think about it, rather than to use some kind of potluck random generation method.

However your, ‘not actually a metaphor’ method is still good for coming up with some rather obscure images though, which could be useful if that is your songwriting style.

I’m sorry for being such a pedant