New Songs

So after the songwriting class, I went home stoked. I wrote a ballad called "This Pain Will Pass" which was a rich piece, but unfornately, a little like bread that is really yeast heavy. So I let that one rest while I whipped up another one based on an object-writing piece I wrote on "spring". It was about forbidden love.

My 14 year old daughter listened to it and she said it was okay. Politely, eyes averted. I asked her which one I should share, this new one called "Secret You and Me" or the first one I wrote from last year called "Wishing on a Star"? She said "Wishing". Which clued me in that maybe this new song wasn't so hot. My husband called the "Secret You and Me" an "affair" song.

So with heart about as heavy as that yeast bread, I set out to write a new set of lyrics. Yesterday, I tweaked it and came up with something I thought was infinitely better. It is a love song (nothing illicit!), "You're Lyric to Melody" which was a lot of fun to write. And I owe it all to my oldest daughter.

She's a great critiquer because she is honest if she doesn't like something. If she squirms then I know I have pushed the envelope. If she says it's good, she means it. She also gives me suggestions of alternate phrases especially to poetry, which she writes.

***
I took my song to a songwriter's critique meeting last night. I just had to go this time if only to redeem myself from the Christmas party.

Right before I performed my new song, I stared at the page thinking I have forgotten it! Fortunately once I started strumming, I remembered. (It was so cool to have my own acoustic-electric guitar to play, and it sounded great!)

The critique: my audience liked the musical metaphors I used. But they said I could vary, take up a notch, the chorus. Someone said she liked the "organic grassy" feel of the song. Mmm, Norah Jones? Colbie Caillat style?

(I felt bad critiquing this one guy about his song, but I guess it is part of being a songwriter, having a thick skin? And I was a little paranoid about sharing my song, especially after the president/host passed around a release form for us to sign we won't sue for plagiarism!, but I guess if someone actually thought my song was brilliant enough to be copied than I am lucky.)

I will take this feedback and revise my song in time for the second and last part of my songwriting workshop Saturday.

My husband calls songwriting my latest obsession. Sigh. Coz it is so true.