Another Peculiar Return ala Craig Morgan

[Tbar]

Concerning listener #278 and my song, "Bless Those Serving The Red White & Blue," yet another peculiar refusal to forward for artist ala Craig Morgan. Here are the screeners comments:

Well done overall. Strong lyric. The production is well done. The sentiment is one most of us can relate with.
The theme at this point in time is a bit late for a recording. This is the kind of song that you have to be the first in line. Keep in touch with what is happening and be ready to pounce if the "news" gives you the "go" .

"Be ready to pounce if the news gives you the go?" Are you kidding me? We are still engaged in military campaigns, are we not? And regardless, since when is a song to support the troops "late?" And if the artist actually is Craig Morgan, do you not realize that he served in the Army for ten years? Seriously, I am really starting to second guess my decision to join Taxi.

BTW, if your a curious reader of this post, here is a YouTube link to my song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXiEI68YIwI

[Casey H]

Hi Tracy
Good song, well done. I'm assuming this was a listing for songs for an artist a la Craig Morgan. Could you post the text of the listing?

I don't know this genre well but I think the screener is saying that songs like this have been done before and therefore a new artist would not want to record another like it. New artists usually want to break out with something unique and new.

However, you may want to contact Taxi and ask about it.

Casey

[rnrmachine]

Hi Tracy,

I can understand your frustration. News that gives you the go..?? I believe I understand exactly what the person screening meant, but was North Korea threatening Nuclear missile strike IF the US didn't back off, not enough "go" for him? I suppose if the North actually launched a nuke, it would be a safe bet that it is time to release the "ready made" songs. I should write a metal jam called... "OMFG We're all Gonna Die"... just in case. hehe, just kidding The threat made by North Korea may not be real to him, but I assure anyone who reads this, North Korea believes 1000% that a threat of invasion from the US is VERY real. We are currently militarily active in how many countries? They have every reason to be concerned about a US invasion.. IF there was oil there???. The increase in the number of troops in the middle east... not enough "go" to offer musical continued support?? I think people pay attention to what they want to pay attention too and the person screening is apparently not paying too much attention to our military endeavors. What if all those anti war songs from the 70s had not continued support for the anti war movement?? It is a VERY odd thought had only half of those songs been published because someone said... wait for it... wait for it... wait for what?? For it to be over?? For more to die?? Not a well thought out comment imo. It seems the critiques have been full of them lately.

Obviously the song should be "set up" if someone was going to release it. So it didn't come out of left field. I do realize it is not big news atm but all the more reason to release a song imho. I have a feeling the person screening gets his/her news from "We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming". Anyway... A SIMPLE PR move would be to announce that the artist is in the studio recording a song because he feels that public awareness has died off and he wants to show the troops continued caring support for their sacrifices. Of course.. you need a PR venue to make such an announcement. Someone needs to inform that person screening.. artist MAKE WAVES, not get bobbled around by them!!!

I listened to your song a number of times through, stopped counting (was at 6) when I started pausing at spots to listen to certain parts carefully. Your song is missing a unique aspect to it, although it is very well done. If you can think of something different to sing, instead of "God Bless those serving the Red White and Blue" and do it in a conversational manner. You will have risen above what a more common songwriter would have written. I am not saying you are a common song writer, but IF someone asked me to write this sort of song...

The first thing I would do... is think something like (like you did) Red White and Blue, God Bless, support our troops, sacrifices made, things won and lost etc... then I would take a step back and think... ok... now how do I turn those common words that are associated with this material into lyrics... without actually singing those. Then, how do I choose my chord progression and arrangement so it will appeal to "target audience" in other words, be genre fitting, BUT without being typical. If you can do these things then you WILL be a hit song writer. Using the "red White and Blue in a verse context could work once, but as a hook it's just not going to impress people. It's not new. Now maybe try something such as... "To All Those Serving, We Support You" and mention the colors in a verse or a pre-chorus. Those lyrics are just an Idea and I certainly do not expect you to use them. But IF you want to use them in some manner or altered state that fits how you feel better then feel free too. I only mentioned them as a Idea as a "off the top of my head" type thing to show what I meant by altering them. "We Support You" would also be a bit more up to date with all the.. "support our troops" stickers that were out for a while. I wouldn't go with those lyrics exactly but I would continue to work down that path until I felt good about the lyrical hook... THEN I would build the rest of the song from there. The song sounds like it could have been whipped up at a open mic night. I am not saying your lyrics are like someone at a open mic night made them up with the blues band as they jammed standard 12bar blues out. They are obviously thought out more then that. Although put over a pretty standard blues jam. I know yours sounds a bit more country then blues but that is a standard blues jam there with the relative key giving it a standard country/blues jam sound. Not to mention the vocals are very country and would NEVER be confused with blues. It's still all very standard.

OR possibly, I would find a particular Soldiers story then put it into song format.. or just make one up. Of course I would keep the hook generalized because that is what works, but the verses would tell a specific story instead of using too many content specific generic lyrics. The lyrics I mentioned also fit your current hook spot... You may want to change that as well, maybe put a break in there with a odd chord to create a suspended moment then bring it back together. This will also show more musical superiority/diversity which translates to a more unique approach and less "awesome country blues jam night" in your music. If you want the song to be timeless I wouldn't be war specific if at all possible. When doing a "Soldiers Story" still try and keep it generalized. Such as trials, tribulations etc.. do not name specific battlegrounds, but call them hills and valleys. A specific example would be, "We fought for the city on the north plateau." is optimal over, "We fought for Down Town Baghdad"

Just all food for thought and please take this as someone trying to be of honest help.. not belittling or judgmental, just another caring musician that would love for us all to succeed.. even though we all cannot, that would be impossible. If we all could write hit songs... It would only raise the bar and then just a few would make it... we all can here on Taxi though!!

Good Luck in the future and I hope you get what you are after!! and.. if someday I post a song that needs a little help... if you think you can help even in the smallest way... please do. I need as much help as the next guy/gal!!! /hugzz

Rob

Sorry for the LONG- WINDED post.. I actually deleted some and chose not to say a lot more... I could write a book. HAHA

[Tbar]

Casey, thanks for the reply...here is the text to the listing:

NEO-TRADITIONAL COUNTRY SONGS for a male artist a la CRAIG MORGAN needed by the VP of A&R at a Major Nashville Label. Songs that have homey lyrics that focus on traditional values and the simple pleasures in life are what's needed. Hit songs only! To hear the desired style, listen to the referenced artist. Vocal and instrumental demo presentation must be top-notch! Please submit one to three songs online or per CD, include lyrics. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than Friday, July 23, 2010. TAXI #S100723CO

Rob, thanks for your in-depth input...lol. Regardless of what you would do, the screener apparently felt it was worth a forward as-is by stating that I should be ready to pounce if the wold situation changes. Of course, "ala Craig Morgan" might mean it is not actually for Craig Morgan, but there is no mention of it one way or another, and so it would seem the screener is not even aware that Craig Morgan was in the Army for ten years and often goes and performs for the troops via the USO. So another return that makes me think, "Why am I paying Taxi?" again.

[Casey H]

Hi Tracy
I think you should give a call or email Taxi and ask about it. My guess is it's what I said but it's far from my genre and if you make a polite inquiry they won't bite.

Best,
Casey

[Tbar]

Thanks Casey, I think I'll do that.

[rnrmachine]

Tracy,

Sorry if I seemed off base... IF I was the person screening it I would have forwarded it even though I feel it is a bit typical. Maybe I played TOO many open mic nights in my day. LOL

I certainly wouldn't have returned it because of the reason you said the the person screening said. That's just stupid, imho.

Good Luck,

Rob

[Tbar]

Hey Rob, thanks...I appreciate that. As writers, I think it is natural for us to analyze even the hit songs and say "I would have said this or done that," so no problem at all. I'm sure Taxi hears from people all the time who feel like they don't get a fair shake, but I'll call and see what happens.

[Tbar]

I called Taxi, and was not at all impressed with the girl who answered the phone. Especially when I told her the nature of my call and she said, "What you guys need to realize is..." Unbelievable. Still she informed me the protocol is to email the head screener and she gave me his email address. So apparently you can't call concerning theses things...and apparently they do bite a little bit. I'll see how the head screener responds but looks like I will most likely be sending a refund letter.

[rnrmachine]

Hey Tracy,

After some of the critiques I received since I rejoined, I have thought about asking for a refund for my remaining time left. I am not going to though, not yet at least. I am going to continue to work and submit to Taxi when I see a fitting listing. I am still willing to concede that.. even if some of the remarks were not professional, out right wrong and better left unsaid. Taxi MIGHT still be a good match for me ONCE I find my niche within "their way of doing things." IF I have no success with Taxi, but I continue to have success elsewhere then when renewal time comes I will not renew. So far when fellow musicians ask... "How is that workin' out for you?" and I tell them.. I'll let you know but nothing so far. I know damn well they are holding off a decision to drop the $300 pending my outcome. I do however have a bunch of 'em joined up on the other place where I have had some SMALL success.

BTW... I was watching CMT today and Chet Atkins was taking about his Red White and Blue song and discussing how amazed he was that people always seem to love it the best... or go crazy over it the most.. something along those lines. I'd like to see the screener tell him he shouldn't be playing it right now. That is live of course... just like I said about your song though, I bet it would go over AWESOME live!! If I was still playing open mic nights I'd probably play it right after Johnny be Good. hehe

Also, I was looking back at my old reviews after reading your post. This one hard rock/metal song that a screener told me wasn't BQ (broadcast quality and needed work) was apparently a good enough recording for MTV. I felt the screener just didn't get it... I made it sound live on purpose... and my solo, which the screener said, "Totally changed the feel" and apparently to him in a bad way, didn't bother MTV any. SO, thankfully I found a different place for that song or I would have continued to beat myself up over it.. thinking that I was sub par.. when I knew exactly what I was trying to do.. the screener just didn't get it... imho. Thankfully someone else "got it"!!

I sometimes feel like the a couple of the sceeners, if they were testing icecream, and they hated chocolate, no chocolate would EVER get through and chocolate lovers everywhere would be sorely lacking in their choices.

Rob