I TOLD YOU SO PART 3, 987, 294.....
Due to the excessive insanane phone mess I had over the past three days, (Yes, I finally got all my data back, songs back and everything except my notes back, and they still might be around), I was not able to do as much listening to the Jason Aldeen song Burning it Down. I did do that by going to WIKIPEDIA, and found out that BURNING IT DOWN was written by, wait for it.......
RODNEY CLAWSON and CHRIS TOMPKINS AND THE GUYS FROM FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnin'_It_Down
Imagine that!!!!!
The thing to take away is like that OLD JERRY REED SONG, "When ya hot ya hot!!!"
Phil, if I didn't know better, I think you are having a man crush, bromance WITH THESE GUYS! You just seem to be in love with everything they do, even their "down and dirty baby making music!!!!" LOL!
Here is the deal. About five years ago, Craig Wiseman, who is probably the current biggest money maker in country, was getting toward the end of his huge run of endless hits. Fla. Ga Line, had been a duo playing clubs and making their way into Nashville. Craig, started producing demos on them and writing with them. That led them to their deal, much the same way I was involved in the beginning of Frankie Ballard. I keep telling you that EVERY HIT WRITER IS DEVELOPING THEIR OWN STABLE OF YOUNG WRITER/ARTISTS. This is how cuts happen.
They became good friends, did retreats, got opening gigs, one thing leads to another.
They also were spending time writing with tons of writers along the way. I am sure (not totally but just how these things happen) that it is what led them to Rodney and Chris, who have been getting other cuts at the same time.
When someone gets hot (Fla. Ga. Line CRUSIN')/Chris and Rodney, there is an endless parade of record companies, publishing companies, producers, all coming to their door asking "What else ya got? What are you guys NOT RECORDING? CAN WE HAVE THAT?
So multiple songs start bouncing all over the place including their own. This was probably one of many that were in the can, and all hit kind of at the same time. I do think it is kind of funny Phil hit on three songs randomly that were all written by two guys.
Recently there have also been cuts by Hillary of Lady Antibellum on other artists like Casey Musgrave. So you see it across the board. Record companies look at "who is hot? What did their last record do? What can we get from them?
At the same time, all the up and coming writers and artists are trying to write songs with the people who are currently hot and who will be hot in the future.
Sometimes it just all flows the right time with songs that just work in the public. Then there will come a time where a new group of people will be coming in as well and those guys will be "The old guys..."
As in everything, you have to look BEYOND the song. There are always going to be some really great songs and artists that simply don't work no matter how much money or who puts them out. There are always going to be a few gems that just catch fire even though they shouldn't have. And there are ALWAYS going to be songs and artists that lead us all to ask HOW THE HELL DID THAT EVEN GET ON THERE?
There are a whole lot of reasons for it and the more you search, the more you find out BEHIND the scenes. The music business is a GIANT ICEBERG. Only a little part is on the surface. Much goes on behind the scenes that most people will never know about. Makes it really crazy when you are trying to think about "why does that rhyme work there when some evaluator just told me you couldn't do that?"
The bottom line is that it is NEVER just the song. IT ALL BEGINS WITH THE SONG, and that is true. But there are so many other things beyond that that you have to be aware of. And you can't just break those down easily.
OD, and Phil, maybe you should form your own duo at Frank Brown "OLD DOGS and TOO MUCH WINE" , start wearing thongs and cowboy boots and hats, and you guys can be the "NEXT BIG THING!' Phil can play poker at the Casinos and win you a record deal. You could travel from casino to casino in Phil's RV and you guys could tear up Fla!!!!
Realistically, I always go back to the same things.:
Always look for younger artists to attempt to write and interact with.
Write a LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SONGS WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
Write with as many situations as you can.
Use different subject matter.
Listen to current songs. Do song study.
Present yourself well.
Go out and perform or have your songs performed regularly.
If you do RECORDINGS try to have an artist involved and make it part of their overall push for success.
Support other writers with your attention and however you can help.
Repeat.
If you do all these you will up the level of your odds and increase your opportunities.
MAB