Things I Learned This Year
If someone breaks your heart stay busy — Life isn’t complicated, people are — Getting your hopes up is good for your soul. These are just some of the realizations that came to me this year. I’m sure you’ll relate to at least a few. Have a Happy New Year my friends…Here’s to another chance to try. 💜
A Real Good Feel-Good Christmas Story
A few weeks ago I got a Facebook message from someone I didn’t know. It started out the way many messages via Facebook start out which is why I probably don’t check them all that often. “You don’t know me but”… And then — ”I found something I think you lost many years ago on the streets of NYC.” 🎄
And In The End — Part 3
I don’t know about you but my husband and I were bleary-eyed for days after this series. A similar-eyed friend texted suggesting we curate a support group so we can debrief, vent, commiserate, celebrate. We’d sit in a circle and pass around a talking piece. Because, we need to get it out of our system. But the Beatles will NEVER be out of our system. 😳💙
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.
Kacey’s RecLOVEry album
I can’t help but wonder whether artists create drama in order to have new material. Break-up to make-up. Make-up to break-up. Regardless, what speaks to me about Kacey Musgrave’s new release is the authentic detail and the stuff we discover as we drag ourselves through who-won-the-breakup. If the result of the break-up is an album this stellar I’d say Kacey won.
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.
New York State Of Mind
Perhaps we manifest our destiny via an unconscious poetic plan. We have the power. When it’s in front of us is all fantasy but when it’s behind us it all starts to makes sense. ❣️
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!
Paul 3,2,1
Looking back, Paul realizes that he himself is a fan of the Beatles. What a beautiful place to be in the back half of ones life. So many of us look over our shoulder with regret or wish for do-overs.
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.
Catching Up With Eric Bazilian
My pal Eric Bazilian has a rich history in pop music making. From founding member of the Hooters to the sole author of Joan Osborne’s 4x Grammy nominated “One Of Us” — a groundbreaking 1995 smash that raised the bar for working songwriters everywhere — Eric is still putting himself out there.
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.
