Write From The Heart / Edit For Commercial Success

[Casey H]

HiI read this somewhere on these boards as advice that someone picked up a the rally or from studying songwriting. It really is great advice. Most of us write what's in our hearts. Where we struggle is taking that first pass and, as required, de-personalizing it and making it have that "universal appeal". I have a lot of work to do in this area and I know it. Like most of us, I fall in love with the true story that inspired a song, or the first words that came out of my head. There ARE many times when those first words are the best and changing them only makes it worse. I have a lot of examples of that in my own songs where I wouldn't change the words for anything. But, the reality is for the commercial world (unless you are an artist selling your own CDs), we sometimes need to pull back from what we have "married" ourselves to...One thing I've wrestled with (even though I know the right answer to this from a commercial perspective- no advice requested) is I really enjoy writing songs with more specific, quirky story-lines such as "Physical World" (very specific about a woman at my gym) or "I Had Lunch With Your Wife Today" (How many films want a song about THAT?), etc... My songwriting influences are acts that wrote like that (Lovely Rita Meter Maid?), etc... I know I am not an "act", I am a songwriter so I need to change... I can still do some songs like that for fun, but I know my future songs will be less specific.The other side to this editing has nothing to do with whether or not a song has too specific of a storyline. It's changing those first words to which we became married, if they just aren't the best ones for success--- they are SO DAMN HARD to change, but we often must. I don't think I would ever even attempt to write country because of the need for "perfection" in lyrics. It would drive me batty... I have a lot of respect and empathy for those of you who do and tenaciously pursue your country dreams. You are able to edit and edit and edit... Anyway, we should never stop writing from our hearts. Each time we do, we need to decide if what came directly from our hearts is commercially viable (if we care about that), and work it from there. Oh, and there is nothing wrong with writing for pure art as long as we don't complain when no one forwards it. Casey

[twilsbach]

I know I struggle with that too, less and less as I grow as an artist and a songwrite, but I got an interesting perspective on that a couple weeks ago.There is a show called Iconoclasts on the Sundance channel (I think). They had Paul Simon on and he was talking about writing his lyrics and spoke about a particular song that he had written and was playing it for friends/colleagues etc. before recording it. Got the some commentary from everyone that a certain line needed to change, and he did eventually change it. So even someone whos written as many hits as Paul Simon has deals with that particular artistic pull.

[tedsingingfox]

Casey, we've already had some discussion about this, so you know I can relate.One of the best things out of Jai Josefs' melody magic class was his division between the Muse and the editor. Intimately tied to each other, but completely seperate entities. And his biggest statement was to NEVER use the editor to write your songs...lyrically, melodically, rhythmically.Let the muse do the writing. Let the editor come in later and polish.He even mentioned an old New Yorker cartoon of a man sitting at a typewriter. In the thought bubble above his head was this beautiful woman with long flowing hair and robes wafting in the breeze, with stars and music coming out of her mouth. Behind her was a woman in a taught business outfit with her hair pulled back in a severe bun, wearing thick buddy holly glasses (or steve a gilbert glasses, as the case may be ) and carrying a briefcase. The caption (and I'm paraphrasing here) read, "Now that we've shared this magic moment, my friend will be taking it from here."We have to build a relationship with both of them. We need both of them. I need to become better friends with the editor.Ted

[guscave]

I was stuck with this same problem for many years. I even went through this same dilemma while I was signed to a major label, and I struggled with it afterwards when I decided to write for other Artists. It was very hard for me to part with what I considered my little masterpieces… But what helped me to get over this problem was when I began co-writing with lyricists that I had great respect for.Back in the late 90’s I began to co-write with a couple of very talented writers who were signed as staff writers. They would pour over every line and edit it until it was perfect. Sometimes they could find that perfect line in a couple of minutes, other times it would take days, but the results spoke for themselves. One guy got over 20 songs published in just 1 year resulting in 8 cuts. Their attention to details and patience taught me the importance of letting go and re-writing.