Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Who's Writing This Song Anyway?

This past week I've been watching the interviews play back to me at the film editing sessions for my upcoming documentary "Platinum Rush". 
Oliver Wood, Eric Bazilian, Julie Gold and Steve Forbert in particular.

One commonality that I am hearing from these accomplished songwriters is how their strongest songs seem to "write themselves". In other words, there's not the usual "i have an idea" followed by trying some chord changes out, writing down a handful of lyrics, scratching out the bad ones and eventually getting a ruff sketch recorded to be worked on later. I'm talking about a killer song literally existing with minimal effort in minutes!
But wait, there's more....and less!

Julie said she placed her hands on the newly-delivered childhood piano her parents shipped to her then first apartment and "From a Distance" was written by the time she lifted her hands back up.
Bazilian, in an effort to show his wife how multi-tracking works literally sang "One Of Us" straight through into the microphone. Yes, "what if God was one of us" and all the other amazing lines in his million selling Joan Osborne hit simply fell out of his mouth in one take. ONE TAKE.
The others had similar stories.

But here's the catch:
Before and after their worldwide smash hit songs were "magically born" they wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote. Some of those other songs were good. Some make Rebecca Black seem like Paul Simon. Regardless, an endless parade of songs were being written.

Their stories only support what I've found myself to be true over the years. Eventually your songwriting "muscles" will be so well-oiled, by regularly writing, that the potential for divine intervention is greatly heightened. If and when the stars do align for a moment of mind-blowing sheer brilliance, your skills will be ready to execute it like a mother (you-know-what-er)!
If you don't write regularly, even when you're not inspired, the magic may come but you will be caught with your pants down.

And a naked no-hit wonder is no way to go through life.

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