Man there is some really great back and forth going on here, and it is really invigorating. Great questions, and great answers from MAB as always!
Phil, I feel your pain! About three months ago I was approached by a girl to write a song, she had an idea and a couple lines, I'm very, very easy to work with, I'll scrap a whole song sometimes and just go back with the title. It doesn't bother me to do that. Well I often will write a song to near completion when working with people via email, WITH that stipulation they understand I never marry my lyrics. Well I happened to write what I thought was a good basis for a song, or at least a start... Her reply was something along the lines of:
"What a great start, it's practically a song."
After reading between the lines that she wasn't to enthused about it, I just plainly replied "So what do you think? Do you want to continue along that story, go from another angle? Or just sweep?"
About two weeks passed with no response, to be honest I continued writing the song through as a pencil sharpener and loved it.
I asked her in another email casually feeling our if she liked it or not... She still beat around the bush, finally I just asked her flat out, albeit politely, her answer...
"Well it's a great song, but I just don't know if it is for me. I mean, like... it really just tells such a story! I just really don't like telling songs with detail, or telling any kind of real story, I (there's that word again) just like to express MY (there it is again) emotions and let the listener soak them in and let it really resonate and they see if thel they can identify with ME." (A trend is forming here?)
After I removed my jaw from the floor, I sent her a very pc reply and moved on about my day... I mean... Just... Wow.
Wes,
As MAB described you may be a different breed of Texan LOL I would NEVER claim to be from another state based on what people said about me, no way... You could water board me for a day and I'd die screaming Texas and those would be the last words from my dying lips!!!! LOL however MAB knows the respect I have for Nashville, and understand the politics involved, I'm for certain "a safe Texan" to visit Nashville! I know where my bread is buttered in the end, so I never speak ill of Nashville, to the contrary I often encourage others to stop it as well,I know one man won't change the mentality of the whole state but I try to do my part. Support Texas Country fine, but don't bash Nashville in the process is what I advise.
Real life scenario, a friend who is coming to my house to finish four songs we've had about 90% for over a year. He moved to Nashville six months ago, called me this post weekend, as we were setting our cowrite for tomm he was telling me some stage tricks to work crowds he's picked up etc. None that MAB wouldn't already know. That's neither here nor there, casual small talk between an artist and a writer (and friend!!! Remember that good F word!) He told me some funny things he did which I laughed, I.e things to win over an audience, I shared with him one I'd heard at a private performance from Gary P. Nunn one time, from stage he said, "Our CD's are for sale on the back table for $15 dollars, and our tip jar is up front here if you feel so inclined. Or we'd be happy to cut a deal if you'll just tip $14 up here we'll be happy to sell you a CD at a discounted rate of $1.00!!!" I'm sure that one is not new either, but it was funny and I remember it which is most important. It was witty, and memorable...
However my friend then said a couple nights prior a lady kept requesting a Sam Hunt song and he proudly replied he told her "no ma'am I prefer to play country music." Of course people laughed but I quickly replied with putting the brakes on... " Whoa, whoa man! I'd be careful saying those kind of jokes man, look you're in Nashville, Sam Hunt territory, and it's a small town man, what if someone from his camp was in the audience and tapping his foot to your music, enjoying your stuff, and JUST pretend he wanted to approach you about something, then all of a sudden you stay that????" "You hear that gunshot?" He laughed, and said "no why" I responded, "cause you could have just shot yourself in the foot and ended your career before it started!" You can't go cracking jokes like that in town, I'd advise against in Texas to be honest, but just be careful man. I believe he got my point...
Wes,
I'm with MAB as well with the whole lyrics thing, songramp as a whole is a community, so I don't want to discourage others from using to their full advantage! We are a family of sorts on this thread, but while I posted a couple of songs in my day, I don't anymore. I'm simply to busy getting "out of the living room" as MAB calls it, it's got me farther than any song posted in some forum, get out and meet people, or turn online friendships into real life like the time all of us took a group tour to Nashville
Phil, I feel your pain! About three months ago I was approached by a girl to write a song, she had an idea and a couple lines, I'm very, very easy to work with, I'll scrap a whole song sometimes and just go back with the title. It doesn't bother me to do that. Well I often will write a song to near completion when working with people via email, WITH that stipulation they understand I never marry my lyrics. Well I happened to write what I thought was a good basis for a song, or at least a start... Her reply was something along the lines of:
"What a great start, it's practically a song."
After reading between the lines that she wasn't to enthused about it, I just plainly replied "So what do you think? Do you want to continue along that story, go from another angle? Or just sweep?"
About two weeks passed with no response, to be honest I continued writing the song through as a pencil sharpener and loved it.
I asked her in another email casually feeling our if she liked it or not... She still beat around the bush, finally I just asked her flat out, albeit politely, her answer...
"Well it's a great song, but I just don't know if it is for me. I mean, like... it really just tells such a story! I just really don't like telling songs with detail, or telling any kind of real story, I (there's that word again) just like to express MY (there it is again) emotions and let the listener soak them in and let it really resonate and they see if thel they can identify with ME." (A trend is forming here?)
After I removed my jaw from the floor, I sent her a very pc reply and moved on about my day... I mean... Just... Wow.
Wes,
As MAB described you may be a different breed of Texan LOL I would NEVER claim to be from another state based on what people said about me, no way... You could water board me for a day and I'd die screaming Texas and those would be the last words from my dying lips!!!! LOL however MAB knows the respect I have for Nashville, and understand the politics involved, I'm for certain "a safe Texan" to visit Nashville! I know where my bread is buttered in the end, so I never speak ill of Nashville, to the contrary I often encourage others to stop it as well,I know one man won't change the mentality of the whole state but I try to do my part. Support Texas Country fine, but don't bash Nashville in the process is what I advise.
Real life scenario, a friend who is coming to my house to finish four songs we've had about 90% for over a year. He moved to Nashville six months ago, called me this post weekend, as we were setting our cowrite for tomm he was telling me some stage tricks to work crowds he's picked up etc. None that MAB wouldn't already know. That's neither here nor there, casual small talk between an artist and a writer (and friend!!! Remember that good F word!) He told me some funny things he did which I laughed, I.e things to win over an audience, I shared with him one I'd heard at a private performance from Gary P. Nunn one time, from stage he said, "Our CD's are for sale on the back table for $15 dollars, and our tip jar is up front here if you feel so inclined. Or we'd be happy to cut a deal if you'll just tip $14 up here we'll be happy to sell you a CD at a discounted rate of $1.00!!!" I'm sure that one is not new either, but it was funny and I remember it which is most important. It was witty, and memorable...
However my friend then said a couple nights prior a lady kept requesting a Sam Hunt song and he proudly replied he told her "no ma'am I prefer to play country music." Of course people laughed but I quickly replied with putting the brakes on... " Whoa, whoa man! I'd be careful saying those kind of jokes man, look you're in Nashville, Sam Hunt territory, and it's a small town man, what if someone from his camp was in the audience and tapping his foot to your music, enjoying your stuff, and JUST pretend he wanted to approach you about something, then all of a sudden you stay that????" "You hear that gunshot?" He laughed, and said "no why" I responded, "cause you could have just shot yourself in the foot and ended your career before it started!" You can't go cracking jokes like that in town, I'd advise against in Texas to be honest, but just be careful man. I believe he got my point...
Wes,
I'm with MAB as well with the whole lyrics thing, songramp as a whole is a community, so I don't want to discourage others from using to their full advantage! We are a family of sorts on this thread, but while I posted a couple of songs in my day, I don't anymore. I'm simply to busy getting "out of the living room" as MAB calls it, it's got me farther than any song posted in some forum, get out and meet people, or turn online friendships into real life like the time all of us took a group tour to Nashville
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