TAXI Whore

[wignelson]

This song would never get by the screeners because it's over five minutes long. It won't fit in the cookie cutter here, but I thought you guys might like to hear it anyway.I always thought of a Dolly Parton voice for this, or perhaps Squids, but who am I fooling?My songs are a little out of the box for the most part.That's why I'm quitting TAXI. They never told me you can't be original.http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewpri ... 54708“TAXI Whore”By Wig Nelson c.2008(First Verse)I saw your truck this mornin' –It was out at The HideawayStruck me as kinda’ curious cause -I know they’re closed todayI guess you had a good time –Weren’t in no shape to driveYou were just havin' funOut on the run - to prove you were still alive(Second Verse)I was wonderin’ if you missed me –And if you knew that I calledI’m not really sure if you’re over me –Or if you still care at allNow I don’t mean to crowd your lifestyle –Or work you up in a fightBut I thought you like to hear – after all of that beerThe way you got home last night(First Chorus)They saw you ridin’ with ‘at TAXI whoreI guess that you don’t need me anymoreSo go back to your social scene of the crimeWe all know what she does at closing time(Third Verse)I know I called you crazy –When you ended up in jailWith the young bucks from the rodeo –And none of you could make bailI paid for all your freedom –You didn’t have to sell your souls Now to my surprise – you get the no bell prizeCause you don’t know for whom the bell tolls(Second Chorus)When you go ridin’ with ‘at TAXI whoreEvery time you step behind her doorMy heartache has to take another hitBut that was then and now I'm . . . over it(Instrumental Break)(Third Chorus)You're ridin’ with ‘at TAXI whoreThought you were the one I was lookin' forBut now I see the company you keepWill end up causin’ me to losin’ sleep(Fourth Verse)I know that you are a good man -That’s always been easy to tellYou're always there to lean uponAnd hear a sad tale as wellI know that she's gonna' bring you downAnd I have to watch you fallIt brings tears to my eyes – when I realizeWhere you’re goin’ after last call(Fourth Chorus)Ridin' with ‘at TAXI whoreYour reputation's bound to hit the floorIf you stop and call me up insteadYou’ll never be too late to get me out of bed Wig

[jwebbinspired]

Gonna miss you around here Wig, sorry to see you going. Your stuff has always been very original and I respect that.I also like your vocal on this tune. You've written better tunes than this, but I'm not going to say I didn't enjoy this Andy

[wignelson]

Apr 16, 2009, 5:02pm, TAXI wrote:"My songs are a little out of the box for the most part. That's why I'm quitting TAXI. They never told me you can't be original."Nice title Wig We publish our listings for all to see before they join so they can make an educated decision as to whether or not their music fits what the industry is asking us to find. Sorry it wasn't a good fit for you. Be well, good luck in all endeavors.MLI guess I'm not all that educated, ML. Does that mean that I'm not entitled to my refund?Wig

[michael11]

When I read through this thread I thought it was a joke,especially when I got to the response by ML.I realise now it isn't!!! Sorry it didn't work out Wigs.It might be worth mentioning that the person I see getting the most deals is billg with his pal Wade and they are turning out very convincing covers,with the odd diversion into the comedy market. Michael.

[allends]

Apr 16, 2009, 2:40pm, wignelson wrote:This song would never get by the screeners because it's over five minutes long. It won't fit in the cookie cutter here, but I thought you guys might like to hear it anyway.Hi Wig! I remember bouncing ideas back and forth with you on this song. I couldn't resist the urge to share my impressions with you because your title was so provocative in the context of the forum! Anyway, it was fun and I am glad to have gotten to know you this way. I count this experience as one of the many side benefits of being a TAXI member. WARNING: UNSOLICITED ADVICE! For what it's worth, I have several heart-felt original tunes on my page. People that I respect often tell me that some of my precious, unique songs really connect with them on a deep level. Words can't express how happy I feel when I learn that another human being understands and appreciates me so completely. But you know what... these songs aren't selling, because there isn't a market for my particular personal brand of heart-energy. So here's my 2-prong solution: Love-love-love, andWrite-write-write!By being open and free to experience love everywhere I can tune-in to the hearts of others, and by tuning-in to others I can write from the heart and connect with the needs of others in new and exciting ways. Limitless, boundless love opens doors to new avenues of expression, including commercially viable ones. <Yay!> It hasn't happened for me yet, but I know it will. All I have to do is keep at it.I'm a middle-aged man, but I'm just getting started. Never stop learning: That's my attitude. Allen

[wignelson]

Apr 18, 2009, 4:16pm, cameron wrote:Hey Wig,I get a little frustrated with Taxi's screener format too. After 15 Taxi returns on one particular song, I got it published the first time I tried pitching it directly to a publisher. Besides that, tastes are so subjective that I'm convinced that screeners can't possibly know exactly what the customer wants any more that you know what the screener wants. That's why I try to pitch directly if I can. That's a big IF because Taxi has lots more contacts than I have, at least at this stage in my career. I understand why they're so picky, but sometimes what's good for Taxi is not what's good for me.Nevertheless, the cream does eventually rise to the top, and Taxi mostly just reflects what the industry wants, so I don't think they can be blamed when our material doesn't fit into the neat little categories the industry has defined. It's a fact of life that if we're going to write songs for others to record there has to be an artist that it fits. I don't think Dolly Parton is going to sing a song called "Taxi Whore", so who could you see recording this? Your voice is very strong and your songs are often compelling. This particular song does take too long to get to a somewhat low-key chorus, but it's pretty cool otherwise. My feeling is that if you want to actually sell some of your music-- rather than just having something to play for friends and family-- you either need to make your own CD and market yourself as a singer/songwriter OR start writing songs that fit other artists. That's a choice we songwriters all have to make. In my case my voice made that an easy decision. I don't think it would be that hard for you to write commercial songs if you tried, as you write very good melodies and lyrics. Either that, or develop an artist in your mold and try to market him/her.Anyway, I hope you'll stick around the forums as I enjoy hearing your songs whenever you post them.CamThanks for the comments, Cam,Dolly Parton? Hmm, I can picture her agent reading a treatment for "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" and saying. Hey, that's a natural for Dolly. She's strong enough to sing this song. So is Bonnie Raitt.But I have no way to reach them and pitch the song.Obviously I couldn't submit it through TAXI.And I think that that is a shame. It's only a metaphor as are most of my songs. When I wrote My Lobotomy Baby, obviously it wasn't about a person, but rather the whole punk music movement.I wrote it a very long time ago and I have a signed letter from Dr. Demento asking me if he could play it on his radio show.I guess he can take things in perspective and not take the whole thing too seriously.Perhaps an example for us all. You say, Dolly wouldn't sing this and ask who do I think would.I'd have to say just about anyone who is not afraid to take chances.Everyone feels so comfortable being a scared little rabbit afraid of what someone else might think. I'll bet Dolly Parton is not scared of anything.You seem to have a paradigm in play about what people will or will not sing. I don't think I share that opinion. I always leave a little hope in play that I might hear something totally different.I have to think that there are thousands of "commercial" sounding bands out there like Death Cab For Cutie or Uncle Tupelo. That's fine for them and they have a place in the music scene.But I have to maintain hope that there is a place for something new and a little outside the box.I joined TAXI for the sole purpose of making a connection to a publisher. That's all, just one connection for my five volumes of music that I have copyrighted over the last 30 years. I was foolish to think that TAXI could connect someone new and original. TAXI only connects people who sound like someone else. The a la syndrome.Whatever, I make mistakes every day. TAXI is just one of them for me. Hopefully, they will refund my money when I ask them for it and I can move on.I'll still participate in the forum here because I feel that some people are genuine and take an interest in my music.Good luck with your music, Cam. Oh yeah, and take some chances, will ya'?Wig

[Casey H]

Apr 18, 2009, 5:20pm, wignelson wrote: ...Dolly Parton? Hmm, I can picture her agent reading a treatment for "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" and saying. Hey, that's a natural for Dolly. She's strong enough to sing this song. So is Bonnie Raitt.But I have no way to reach them and pitch the song.Obviously I couldn't submit it through TAXI.You seem to have a paradigm in play about what people will or will not sing. I don't think I share that opinion. I always leave a little hope in play that I might hear something totally different.I have to think that there are thousands of "commercial" sounding bands out there like Death Cab For Cutie or Uncle Tupelo. That's fine for them and they have a place in the music scene.But I have to maintain hope that there is a place for something new and a little outside the box.I joined TAXI for the sole purpose of making a connection to a publisher. That's all, just one connection for my five volumes of music that I have copyrighted over the last 30 years. I was foolish to think that TAXI could connect someone new and original. TAXI only connects people who sound like someone else. The a la syndrome.Hey WigMy post is not at all about taxi. It's about pitching songs to publishers. When I first started writing songs, getting them demo'd, and sending them to publishers some years back (on cassette back then!), I quickly learned how they listen. They wanted a killer hook within the first minute and if they didn't hear it, they couldn't care less. It had to clearly stand out from the verse, have melodic excitement such as a 'lift', etc. There is a difference between fresh new ideas (which they DO seek out) and less-than-great songwriting.I still have a file with all the letters that came back from publishers (when they replied at all) saying "pass" or "hook not strong enough". I get the feeling that you think that the song on this thread would get picked up by a publisher. But it wouldn't. No publisher will get excited by a song that takes 1:30 to get to a weak chorus. With respect to THIS song, it's definitely about the songwriting. I'm not saying that with attitude towards you- we all need to get better and I'm no different.Taxi is not the only way to get your music heard and sometimes their screening standards are overly tough. But regardless of what path you take, I sincerely hope you'll be open to the fact that improving your craft has to be a big part of the plan. In any endeavor in life, the "it's them, not me" approach is extremely limiting.I wish you the best, and I would be thrilled to hear one day of your success. Best, Casey

[allends]

Apr 18, 2009, 5:20pm, wignelson wrote:...I joined TAXI for the sole purpose of making a connection to a publisher. That's all, just one connection for my five volumes of music that I have copyrighted over the last 30 years. Ya know, I have to admit that I felt something similar when I joined. I had a couple of songs that I thought were awfully sweet & I was looking for a way to get them signed. It took me a while to realize that's the wrong way to approach the music business in general - let alone TAXI. The right approach turns out to be: learn-adapt-improve, learn-adapt-improve, learn-adapt-improve, learn-adapt-improve... you get the idea. I may be wrong, but I think the only kind of originality the music industry wants is whatever the music gurus predict the public wants badly enough to pay for. So unless an artist's originality is poised to become the next big thing, they'll be better off using their creative talent to create projects that target an already thiving market. I wouldn't call that the "a la syndrome"; I'd call that reaching out and connecting with your audience. Anyway, Wig buddy, despite the fact that I don't agree with some of the things you said, I'm really glad to hear that you have some success pitching to the Dr. Demento show. Here's to many-many more successes for you & your treasure chest of songs!! All The Best,Allen

[wignelson]

Apr 18, 2009, 5:58pm, hummingbird wrote:Apr 18, 2009, 5:20pm, wignelson wrote:TAXI only connects people who sound like someone else. The a la syndrome.With that statement you insult everyone on this board who has been forwarded, or who has been forwarded & signed. Big Blue & Logan with their terrific rock songs, Matto with his great Latin songs, Chuck with his world vibe, and many others who have been successful, according to this sentence... that would mean that their music has no heart, no soul, no spirit. Bullshit.Commerical doesn't necessarily equal unoriginal or uninteresting or homogenized. Just like non-commerical doesn't necessarily mean knock-your-socks off cool.I can appreciate everything else you say, that your music is radically different, and it's hard to find a market for it.I'd say then, use your terrific creativity to come up with new and original ways to market your music. Blaze a trail. Be different. If there are people out there who would buy music like this (and I think there is), then figure out how get it to them yourself. Find bands and singers who would record & perform your music. Show everyone how wrong they are when they say it's not commercially viable. Whatever you do, don't stop writing because you have a unique voice.Sorry to hear that you think I am speaking bullshit or disparaging anyone, Bird. I would never do that. I don't mean to insult anyone who is successful submitting through TAXI. I have respect for all my peers and cheer on their successes.All I was trying to say is that due to the a la syndrome, the listing are always looking for something that sounds like something else.If you have found a listing that says "Looking for something new and different" then you have better eyesight than I do.You don't know who I am as a person and I don't know who you are. All we can do is try to get an idea through the words that we say. Somehow you think that my words say that everybody is worthless except me. I think that's not what I try to do. I support many musicians and their efforts and tweak their lyrics. Let me state for the record, (although it won't do any good - you hear what you want to hear) I am 100% behind any success that artists can achieve through any means, not only TAXI. It's a real tough nut to crack and everyone who does deserves a lot of credit.Wig

[wignelson]

Apr 18, 2009, 6:08pm, hurowitz wrote:Apr 18, 2009, 5:20pm, wignelson wrote: ...Dolly Parton? Hmm, I can picture her agent reading a treatment for "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" and saying. Hey, that's a natural for Dolly. She's strong enough to sing this song. So is Bonnie Raitt.But I have no way to reach them and pitch the song.Obviously I couldn't submit it through TAXI.You seem to have a paradigm in play about what people will or will not sing. I don't think I share that opinion. I always leave a little hope in play that I might hear something totally different.I have to think that there are thousands of "commercial" sounding bands out there like Death Cab For Cutie or Uncle Tupelo. That's fine for them and they have a place in the music scene.But I have to maintain hope that there is a place for something new and a little outside the box.I joined TAXI for the sole purpose of making a connection to a publisher. That's all, just one connection for my five volumes of music that I have copyrighted over the last 30 years. I was foolish to think that TAXI could connect someone new and original. TAXI only connects people who sound like someone else. The a la syndrome.Hey WigMy post is not at all about taxi. It's about pitching songs to publishers. When I first started writing songs, getting them demo'd, and sending them to publishers some years back (on cassette back then!), I quickly learned how they listen. They wanted a killer hook within the first minute and if they didn't hear it, they couldn't care less. It had to clearly stand out from the verse, have melodic excitement such as a 'lift', etc. There is a difference between fresh new ideas (which they DO seek out) and less-than-great songwriting.I still have a file with all the letters that came back from publishers (when they replied at all) saying "pass" or "hook not strong enough". I get the feeling that you think that the song on this thread would get picked up by a publisher. But it wouldn't. No publisher will get excited by a song that takes 1:30 to get to a weak chorus. With respect to THIS song, it's definitely about the songwriting. I'm not saying that with attitude towards you- we all need to get better and I'm no different.Taxi is not the only way to get your music heard and sometimes their screening standards are overly tough. But regardless of what path you take, I sincerely hope you'll be open to the fact that improving your craft has to be a big part of the plan. In any endeavor in life, the "it's them, not me" approach is extremely limiting.I wish you the best, and I would be thrilled to hear one day of your success. Best, CaseyThanks for your advice, Casey,You will be thrilled one day by hearing of my success. But don't worry, I'll never forget the little people. Seriously, though,This thread has to die out. I doubt that anyone is interested in the remix of the song. It had it's day in the studio (actually about two hours) and will now rest in peace.Wig