tunesforyou

I would like to ressurect this post with my original line from Melissa Ethridge: I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath.

30 years ago, when I first started writing songs, I wanted to be a songwriter, and hoped I could find others to perform my songs. 30 years later, I still feel the same. I love writing for writing. I love that I have made people both laugh and cry with my songs. I love that I create them first for myself, but can then turn around and share them with others. I am driven to write. Money has never been my end game....although I can't say I haven't had my fantasies.....don't we all? Music lives inside me. When a song presents itself, I have to write it down. And that is the best thing I can do with my music. Anything else that comes from it would be wonderful gravy!

By Cheryl Wheeler: I must have been Ghandi or Budda or someone like that I must have saved lives by the thousands everywhere I went I must have brought rest to the restless and fed the hungry too I must have been something great to get to have you. Okay, so more than just a line.....but, still an all-time favorite!

So sad. When I was growing up, my family lived right down the road from him. I remember my parents loved sitting on the back patio on a nice summer evening and listening to him play. What a treat! I also had the opportunity to see him perform a few years ago in Gettysburg. Oh, and during my brief stint as a chimney sweep, I actually cleaned his chimney! LOL! He was a truly gifted man who will be sorely missed in this world. Of course if there is a next world, I'm sure they were all delighted to see him coming! Linda

For melodies, I occasionally use an old mini-cassette recorder just to make sure I don't lose the original sound I had in my head. Usually though, the melody is kept in my head and sung/played a ton until I record the song to my computer. I can't notate music, so a decent memory and a little luck are pretty important! lol For lyrics, I always use pen and paper. I keep a small pad out on my porch (where I smoke) and jot ideas down when I have them. Once a song is started, I work on the lyrics on that pad until I finally have them finalized. Then, I transfer them to a small notebook of lyrics. Finally, I put them on my computer so that I have them available to print out or upload. Generationally, I'm a bit of a dinosaur. Like Tom, I'm pretty sure my approach is probably all but irrelevant. But, it works for me! Linda

The line I posted to start this thread is, I believe, my favorite ever. But, there are others I also wish I'd written. You say it best, when you say nothing at all. and Old Mr. Webster could never define what's being said between your heart and mine. Both lines from "When You Say Nothing At All." Not sure who wrote it, but my favorite version is Allison Krauss. Oh, and: Tables are meant for turning and people are bound to change and bridges are meant for burning when the people and memories they join aren't the same Jim Croce, Lover's Cross - I could cite many Jim Croce lyrics I wish I'd written.

Wow! Now, that's a good one! Loving it! Linda

Bernd - This is one of my favorite classical pieces ever. And I love your guitar arrangement of it! Beautiful! So well played with the emotion that the piece deserves. Thank you so much for sharing this. Linda

Hey Mike - I think you misread my intent with this thread. I didn't intend to come across as "oh, poor me" at all! Yes, I could kick myself for not having taken up my friend on his offer! Who wouldn't? But, that's not the reason I haven't done much with my songs over the years. That's all on me, and I'm quite aware of that. Yes, you're right, there are millions of people out there who just might become my fans. Joining this forum seemed to be a good place to start testing some new waters. So, we'll see, right? But, I just started this thread as a place to share some stories that I think many of us have. Some of them make us cringe, and others make us laugh. I have some of each in my past. Linda

So, here's mine..... Years ago, I worked for a company writing training manuals for pulp and paper mills. Yes, if you want to know anything about recovery boilers, I'm your girl! Anyway, all lessons were also recorded and included with the lessons on cassette tapes. Yes, I know I'm dating myself.....no cds back then! We used a local recording studio to record our lessons. The guy that owned it was this wonderful man named Randy. I don't even remember how it came about, but at some point, he heard some of my songs. He even accompanied me on guitar one night at an open mic gig. Anyway, he loved my music. So much so that he offered to bring in some musicians and give me studio time to record a couple of demos of my songs FOR FREE! His studio was state of the art and he knew what he was doing. Any musicians he brought in would have been top notch too! I was so excited, flattered.....you name an emotion and I was it! But, guess what. I never took him up on the offer! I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself over that one over the years! OUCH! So, can you top that? Linda

I'm thinking of getting a keyboard to see if I can do any production work on my songs. On my local Craigslist, I found a Yamaha Clavinova CP-20 for $350, and a Yamaha PSR320 for $75. Both very different beasts I know. I'm not even sure if the CP-20 can be used to link into my computer. If anyone can tell me if either of these is a good buy, I would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance. Linda

As songwriters, we all hear those lines....the ones we wish had come out of us. But, if you could choose one, what would it be? I don't need to even think about what mine would be. It strikes me every time I hear it. Melissa Ethridge, from the song "Come to My Window": "I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath" For me, it doesn't get any better than that! What's yours?