Can I Have Your Attention?
Pop songs are getting shorter and shorter. A recent report finds that by 2030 the average length of a hit song will be 2 minutes. That’s about half the length of what it was in 1990. James Shotwell says “it’s not about writing the most incredible song that anyone’s ever heard it’s about getting them to listen to it.” That’s a shame. Writing the most incredible song was always a fun goal. Something to shoot for.
Rock Star
You know how a song’s middle-8 is a departure? And when you finally get back to that last hook you’re absolutely delighted? Well, same with life. Every so often I need to take a break from my raison d'etre in order to return to it later with enthusiasm. No matter how young or old you are I recommend it highly. 😍
For The Dreamers
A go-to co-writer is someone who continually delights you. They bring out colors you didn’t know you had. Because they believe in you, you’re on your game when you’re with them. Little do they know it’s because THEY are special. THEY are having an effect on you! Maybe we need to let them know more often how much we appreciate them. Feel free to tell about or post a pic one of your favorite collaborators in the thread below. Let’s honor the creative spirit of the people who bring out the best in us.
Jukebox: The AI of Music
As if songwriters aren’t struggling enough with dwindling digital royalty rates and competition for song placements, will we now have to compete with thousands of compositions composed by non-humans as well? I feel fortunate that I never had to think about this stuff as a young songwriter. Diane Warren was my biggest fear! I’m more grateful every day that I came up in an innocent time when a Jukebox was a music-generating device in a diner into which we dropped a coin and pressed B5 or C8 to hear out favorite tune.
“Drivers License”
How does an 18 year-old girl who can’t have that much experience writing songs professionally tap into her feelings so effortlessly? Well, perhaps she’s simply downloading the truth instead of following an emotional pop-chart algorithm that would guide one through a proven formula. Newsflash…algorithms don’t have hearts. We’re all trying to write hits when we should be ignoring the algorithms and just telling the truth.
Never Underestimate The Power Of A Girl & Her Pen
Although this piece shines a light on poet laureate Amanda Gorman, WriteGirl — whose motto is “Never underestimate the power of a girl and her pen“ — plays a significant role in her journey. And Lord knows with all the ‘likes’ and ‘ums’ overtaking conversation, the brevity of messaging, not to mention the vanishing of punctuation we could use all the young poet laureates we can get.
#Anti-Social Media
My heart isn’t in the game. An appetite for promoting my own endeavors is waning. When I scroll my feed I hear what sounds like noise. My own noise included. So now...first thing every morning before checking my email, or any texts I might have missed from the night before I grab a coffee and sit in my yard and just be. In fact before I take a sip I hold the mug to my nose and breath it in so as to “pre-extend” the experience. Life isn’t just about our purpose or our calling, but the more subtle beauty going on around us.
Are You a John or a Paul?
You may ask ‘why do we have to choose?’ We don’t. But why not? It’s fun. Do we ultimately prefer John’s heady, trippy world or Paul’s tales of imaginary (and not so imaginary) friends, lovers, mothers, dogs —Maxwell, Rita, Mary, Penny, Martha, Lady M…It’s a long and winding road.
That’s So 2020
2020 cheated everyone out of something. A canceled wedding, a canceled tour, a deserved vacation or the worst... the loss of a loved one. Like all of us, I’m looking forward to a new year and I’m hoping it’s all up hill from here. (Read on for my most recent 2020 moment.)
Splits Before Hits
How do you measure a contribution — a catchy title vs. an entire first and second verse? What if Jack writes 90% of the lyric on the hook but the room was stuck on the pay-off line until Will spouted it in one fell swoop after being verbally MIA the whole session? Suddenly the whole song comes to life. Is there some objective scale on which to weigh a song? Let’s discuss.
Dark Horse vs Joyful Noise
Recently I was asked to consider signing an Amicus brief in support of the “Dark Horse” position in an infringement suit filed by the writers of Flame’s “Joyful Noise.” Newsflash, if it were your song in the test tube you may not want me on the jury. I tend to hear similarities my colleagues don’t. That said I’m concerned that the onslaught of lawsuits of late are threatening the creativity of my community. Still, I want to be thoughtful about each individual case. So let’s take a deeper dive.
Thankful
“I don’t write because I think I have something to say. I write because if I don’t, everything feels even worse.” — (Lily King — “Writers & Lovers”) I’m thankful to have a passion for a process that can usher me through the gamut of ‘lifely’ emotions. Life just wouldn’t be the same if I couldn’t write my way though it.
Exhale
For 4 years I didn’t have a President. He said as much. Don’t we all deserve a President even if it’s one we didn’t vote for? I remember all the social media posts after the 2016 election urging everyone to “let the healing begin.” But how can healing begin with a leader who doesn’t promote healing? Now we have one. If we want one. I’m not holding my breath but maybe, just maybe, if we can make it until Jan 20th, there is hope.
Almost Doesn’t Count
I’m eternally grateful to Suzan Koc for pitching the track to Atlantic Records’ Craig Kallman in 1997 when it had nothing to do with the purpose of their meeting. 😳 That’s what a song publisher was all about back then. Turns out “Almost Doesn’t Count”’ actually counted…a lot. And looking back I can honestly say, I’m glad that idiot broke my heart.
Minding Your Songwriter Business
Every so often I take a break from writing about me me me to give a heads- up on initiatives that you you you should be aware of if you’re a professional songwriter or plan to be one some day. After all being a consumer of digitally delivered music is awesome but getting paid for CREATING digitally delivered music is a bit more complicated. This piece will help you get ready for 2021.
Everything Is Material
I woke up totally devoid of my plot. Couldn’t write a note or a word. But an invasion of house-flies gave me purpose. It’s no wonder we lose the plot once in a while. Especially at the 7-month mark of isolation in our respective bubbles...yearning for some OPB (Other People’s Bubbles) and the state of our Democracy is in peril and not everybody believes that Black Lives Matter and we’re throwing water on our roofs in California.
I Wouldn’t Want It Any Other Way
What do you do when the industry shuts down for the summer and you had your heart set on filming a video to support the release of your latest single, “Bitch 2.0”? You cry. And then you call your friends and ask for HELP!
Up On The Roof
My eyes were drawn to Jessica Childress in a yellow dress with a matching face-mask. You can’t miss her. She was looking like the Statue of Liberty to me. And I thought, 'how hopeful: a woman and artist-of-color standing strong it this pivotal moment in the history of our country.’ There’s so much more going on than Covid 19.
Wet And Gushy
I offered up some lyrics last week in a co-write. My collaborator asked if I’d dirty them up a bit. (I didn’t disagree. I can be a little vanilla sometimes.) He suggested I reference “WAP” (Aka “Wet Ass P***y”), Cardi B’s new single which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and broke the record for the largest opening streaming week in US history. I just wasn't sure I was that girl for the job.
To Lighten Your Heart
I was thinking of putting my blog on pause for a while —thought maybe I’ve been bombarding you with too much Life According to Me. But then I received several random emails from lovely ppl telling me how much they enjoy it. So…I’m back. And I never even left. 🤭 I thought I’d share a few things that happened this week that in retrospect make me smile. I hope they do the same for you. 🌺
