Week #11: SHINE DOWN

This week I worked on a song called "On Saturday" all week long, and when it came to Tuesday, I still was done with it. I wasn't satisfied, I couldn't decide what parts of the song cut, or if the song was fighting to be two separate songs, it was frustrating. Late last night after hours of working on "On Saturday," I decided to give it up for the week, it wasn't going to happen in time. Then I was left with the daunting task of writing a completely new song from scratch. It was already midnight and my song was due the next morning. I started going through my song idea recording blips and came across the chorus of SHINE DOWN. It was only the chorus, I plucked it out on guitar and decided I could write verse, chorus, lyrics and a bridge right then if I needed. I started writing down lyric ideas and then I woke up.... I must have fallen asleep... It was 5:00am and I was sleeping by my guitar, and computer. I slept for a few more hours but woke up at 9:00am to try to finish the song. Luckily I got it all done in time.

Check it out:

INSPIRATION:
Once I started playing the song out on my guitar I decided that the verse lyrics should be about trying to find faith, or someone who has not been able to find faith. All week I worked on a workshop of a new play called GAYBY, by Richard Patterson. I had the privilege of directing this new play about a gay man who doesn't believe in God, until he discovers that he's having God's next child. The lyrics were inspired by one of the characters in the play. I dedicate the song to GAYBY.

52 Extras: Better at Guitar

After eleven straight weeks of playing guitar, I've actually started to get a bit better. It doesn't take me hours and hours to be able to play the little songs I write. I'm now able to play through them pretty well after just a couple of times. This marks the first week that I shot my 52 Songs video in one take, without having to try over and over, which is a BIG improvement. lol. I've also started playing around with new chords, key changes, strum patterns, strings, etc. Hopefully that will be reflected in future songs.

Last week you may have noticed that I tried playing the piano. It wasn't that great, but I was pretty shocked at how easily it came to me. I did take two years of piano in high school, and three years in college, and then I taught high school choir which required LOTS of piano time, but still I never thought I'd be able to do that. Hopefully there will be more of that to come as well.

I'm taking this song writing class with emerging composer Adam Gwon, and I'm loving it. It's challenging me to write songs for characters in musicals in different scenarios and I'm sure I'll post the results of those in future weeks. So stay tuned. Now I'm off to catch up on my shows....

Week #10: BURN THIS LOVE

This week I challenged myself to write a POWER BALLAD, after sitting in Rockefeller Center with a friend listening to the Body Guard soundtrack on repeat. We turned to each other and said "No one writes songs like this anymore!" So... that was the start of the challenge... meanwhile I had made plans to meet with NY songwriter, Kyle Struck to work on something for the project this week. I asked her if she'd mind writing a power ballad and she was all for it, so we met in her Hell's Kitchen apt, and threw around ideas for hours. Finally we agreed on a title, BURN THIS LOVE (down), and we started from there. If it were actually being recorded by a diva we'd slow it down a bit, raise the key, add timpani, and violins and stuff, but this is a very early demo... as you're listening try to keep in mind that we're NOT, nor have we ever claimed to be power ballad diva singers, lol. Hope you can get past that, and hear the potential of the song...

Check it out:

INSPIRATION: 
We got the idea of burning love down, somewhere during our hours of throwing around ideas. It started with talking about fire and flames, and then we did an idea map, and liked the word burn. We blurted out BURN THIS LOVE DOWN, and we thought of a village or house, and the idea of burning it down and leaving no survivors. We liked the idea that when you know a love has gone wrong, you just want to burn it down and start over. The thoughts, and memories, and pains, and flames of passion, and sexual attraction are all still there, and they don't go away.... if only we could burn them down.....

Week #9: A SEPARATE PEACE

With all of the ceremonies for 9/11 I was moved this week to write a song about world peace. It's very cliche but it's still something we need desperately. I wanted to write a song that could be sung and taught to children (since Rainya Moser gave me the idea to do a song for kids last week). This isn't exactly a kid's song, but I made sure the lyrics and melody were simple enough to be sung by children. This song is dedicated to the families affected by the 9/11 attacks in remembrance of those they lost....

On a lighter, and related note, this week marked the first time (it happened 3 times this week) that someone recognized me on the street and told me they loved my songs and were following. I must say when Emily Lozow (the second person to come up to me) approached me at the 9/11 memorial in Times Square I was completely shocked. I immediately wanted to become her friend....  so I did.... which led to two nights of amazing times... (Opening Night of FOLLIES on Broadway, and opening night of ELAINE STRITCH SINGS SONDHEIM AGAIN: WHY NOT?!) .... this could be the start of something good.  Well, last night, after we went to see Elaine at the Carlyle, I was freaking out a bit because I hadn't finished a song for this week... Emily helped me sort through my thoughts, and helped out with a few of the lyrics as we walked thirty or so blocks.... cause we were just having so much darn fun.... GREAT GAL!!!!

Check it out:

INSPIRATION:
The song title of course comes from the title of the famous novel, which borrowed it from Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.... "I have made a separate peace," in reference to being at peace with yourself. For me the song teaches that we each have to find our own peace with everyone's differences so that everyone in the world can live in peace. Until the day terrorists, or bully's can make peace with themselves and realize that our differences shouldn't threaten them, then we will never have our peace.

52 Extras: I Believe We Can Each Live Equally

It's been ten years to the date, since the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, and Washington in 2001. I was a sophomore at North Texas, in my choral conducting class when our instructor Paul got an urgent phone call from his wife. She told him about the first attack and we couldn't believe it, then she called about the second attack and turned on the old radio to find out what was happening. It was a nightmare from thousands of miles away, and I can't even begin to imagine what it was like here in New York City during that time. Talking to New Yorkers about September 11th, is unreal, and I know there's nothing I can do to erase their painful memories except continue working towards peace. It is definitely possible for everyone in the world to live peacefully, but it has to start with ourselves. We have to spread peace and love to every friend, neighbor, acquaintance, and stranger we meet. We have to teach the next generation, not only to love all walks of life, but to teach their children the importance of loving all walks of life. We CAN coexist.

After the attacks on September 11th, 2001 an artist at the University of North Texas created an American Flag with the World Trade Center made out of the red stripes. It was striking, and the image stayed with me for all these years. I wasn't able to find that image again, and I haven't been able to find the artist who created it, but I recreated it myself because the idea of America is truly a great one. The idea that all people from all walks of life can coexist no matter how different they are, is a beautiful, brilliant, idea. It's an idea we have still not perfected, but an idea worth perfecting. I decided last night that I would write this week's song about that idea, we may not all believe the same things, but I believe we can each live equally. Spend this September 11th spreading love to your neighbors, and respecting everyone around you, regardless of your differences.

And no matter what you do, NEVER FORGET what happens when people don't respect our differences. I hope everyone has a blessed day, sharing their kindness with others. Peace be with you, and everyone in the world.

Week #8: TEXAS RAIN

This week, the drought in Texas raged and over 1,000 homes were destroyed when several forest fires spread due to the massive winds, and dry land. Texas needs rain really bad right now. Rewind to July when I was walking down the streets of the rain filled NYC with some good friends from Texas. I mentioned to them that I had just started my 52 songs project, and somehow or another Rainya and I decided to write a song together called Texas Rain and we hummed out a few bars that I recorded immediately. Fast forward to this week, and it seemed like Texas needed all the thoughts and prayers it could get so I messaged Rainya on Facebook and we decided to work on the song.... via FB Chat.

Check it out:

INSPIRATION:
In the song, a man compares the woman he loves to Texas Rain - it doesn't come often, but when it does it replenishes everything, and Texas is beautiful once more. Rainya and I had been talking about writing a country song together, and then it started raining, it's been raining a lot in NYC, and Rainya said something about needing Texas rain, and I said "that's our country song." I immediately sang my little chorus to Rainya on the street and she immediately suggested that the drought was a metaphor for his heart without her love. Writing a song together when you're across the country is soooo much fun. A million thanks to Rainya, for lending her talents (she's a novelist y'all!) to my 52 Songs project.