Get Back
The Beatles pulled us into a place we didn’t know existed — a world of uncontrived, un-calculated delicious madness...of minor to major to minor again, of dropped measures and bizarre segues. Yet, the absence of logic never made so much sense. Anything was possible. They cooked with spices we never tasted. It was like we were all virgins and we shall never get that flower back. I miss them. I miss something having that much power over me. ❤️🧡💛💚💙
The Fempire
The members of SONA are by no means all women. But we did start out that way. On Friday night we received an invitation to Writers Block — an event hosted by a passionate new group of creators. By Writers Block they weren’t referring to a lapse of inspiration but rather what it is exactly that’s blocking the fair share of song royalties from getting into the pockets of the writers who write the songs.
It was a beautiful evening and so, because many of us gals haven’t seen a lot of each other lately we met up pre-event at my humble abode (which I was able to purchase because of Pre-Streaming income), watched the sunset, drank some wine and talked about how to support this new coalition.
Easy On Adele
Simplicity goes a long way. Adele need not appear on SNL as a musical guest and perform in a space suit or a garter belt. She can stand there and just sing because she’s that good. That mesmerizing. That classy. No multi-media light show flashing behind her. No twerking. She’s a modern day Barbra Streisand. God knows there was room for another.
Just Walk Away Renée
I stood on the stage of The Bitter End for the first time when I was 24. Same age as my daughter is now. 24 was a good year not just because I was young but because I was fresh, fearless and pride-free. That’s what young is supposed to be. Open to falling in love with fools, not seeing the forrest for the trees. It was absolutely wonderful. But ‘now’ is good too. For different reasons. I’m wiser. Confident. I don’t need to go back. (But I wouldn’t mind visiting for a couple of nights) ☺️
A Day Without Facebook
There was a time we survived just fine without social media. We had landlines and stationary. If we wanted to promote ourselves we found a way. I know I know I know — that’s pretty hypocritical coming from me as I promote new songs, books, Grammy Noms. I’m the Queen. But I like to think I mostly converse about a world and culture that’s interesting and strange and mad and beautiful.
Separating the Artist From The Art
Once a creation is released into the universe it exists as separate energy. And entity. The writer may own the copyright but the people own the feeling. It’s out there. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.
You Get Me
I co-wrote “You Get Me” for Michelle Branch's Spirit Room. ”My favorite thing about the lyrics,” says Michelle, “is…it was saying, ‘I’m different, and you embrace the differences in me, and I don't have to fit in the mold to be accepted by someone.’ I think that's a really important message for younger people.” I concur. It's true for older people as well! As we 'grow up' we definitely get more comfortable in our skin. But that 'wanting to be accepted' never fully disappears...
Top 50
I try to combine my old-school sensibilities with the realities of hit-making in the streaming-verse. We have to pay attention to what’s trending and then superimpose those trends with whatever makes us unique. If you want to be a Pop Songwriter study and respect the Top 50. You don’t have to like all the rules but you’ve got a learn them before you can break them.
Random Acts
I recently fell in love with the music of an artist oblivious to the fact that she was already in my life. What connected the dots was a random act of kindness (and a click) that lead to this unexpected surprise. Now, I don’t think we should entertain these random acts because we believe we’ll be rewarded. It is my view however, that when the Universe sees us dispensing kindness it conspires to extend it in many directions…but only if the Universe is sure that was never our expectation.
Leave It To Lorde
“Forget all the tears that you cried it’s over,” I think we know what she’s referring to… 🦠! But alas she might have spoken too soon. (So have many-a-TV ads ‘welcoming us back.’ ) That said, “It’s over” can be taken as any pre-summer-bummer worth moving on from. And “Solar Power” is a fun song to listen to as the backdrop!
Memory Lane
I’m sure this must happen to you too: you get in your car … your phone talks to Bluetooth … a random song starts playing from iTunes. It sounds familiar. You’re trying to place it. When it gets to the hook you realize, “Hey I think I wrote that! Wow, it wasn’t half bad…for it’s time.” You smile. Do you keep listening? If you do, you’re gonna be there for a while especially if you’ve written as many songs as I have.
Out From Under (His Eye)
When I wrote the lyrics to “Out From Under,” a track Britney Spears recorded for her 2008 album Circus, I was thinking about how we feel when we’re trying to get ‘out from under’ the influence of love. But after I heard Britney’s recent leaked testimony — about how her father has had control over all major aspects of her life and finances — it occurred to me that maybe what SHE was thinking about when she sang it was getting out from under the influence of him. That’s way worse than a broken heart.
Top 5 Pop Songs Ever
Beloved songs are like chips in our souls that embed themselves and stay with us forever. I guess it’s a good problem there are too many. I betcha can’t name just 5.
So You Want To Start A Blog
Blog. I hate the word. It sounds like “blah” which is synonymous with boring. Or worse — “blah blah blah” — a monotonous drone (of someone’s personal predilections perhaps). It also rhymes with clog which reminds me of congestion. I wish they called it something else. But if you believe the way you see the world is worth sharing, if you feel you have a unique slant on things even if it’s not popular or hip, forget about what the word evokes. Be brave and and go for it.
Eurovision
I was never a huge fan of TV Talent competitions. Maybe I know too much about what goes on behind the scenes — unfavorable contracts, song ownership grabs — or maybe it just feels like ‘how did we get here from there’? Would Dylan or Carole King have gotten a Golden Ticket? I doubt it. Not enough melisma. That said, I’m pleased about this win.
Love Is War
It was 2010. Britney Spears was making a new album. I felt like I had some momentum because she recorded another song I wrote “Out From Under” for her previous album Circus. Songwriters all over town were partnering up and trying to come up with something undeniably Britney. One night I sat down at the piano with a glass of wine. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what the girl had been through. How might she feel if she were STILL trying to get over Justin? I didn’t know for sure that’s where her head (and heart) was at. But you have to start somewhere.
Appreciating Josh Groban
I was perplexed. Josh Groban was a curious choice to be the special guest speaker for an all-woman week-long songwriting seminar I participated in recently. He certainly has a golden voice and I hear he’s a lovely human but couldn’t they have found someone with lady parts? There are loads of them out there. 😳
#PAY$ONGWRITERS!
We were always underpaid. It’s just there was enough flowing down from the top of the waterfall so our time was better spent trying to write another song that would catapult us to the top. But when the invisible stream came along and hijacked our mechanical (physical) royalties we weren’t able to sustain ourselves any longer. The rumble of discontent has grown into a deafening roar. I’m happy to report there are quite a few initiatives circling the zeitgeist to effect change.
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.
