Kel

Here goes... Catch of the Day! I went to the river with my fishing pole, Baited the line, cast into the hole. To my suprise what happened next Was the biggest damn prize I've had in my net! Tony the Trout took the bait real fine, Swivelled and swerved and sweated the line, He zigged and he zagged and zigged again, But I rocked and I rolled and I reeled him in! I told my buddy 'bout my angling score, Didn't believe what I put in store. So he wanted evidence and I can't blame, If he told me the story I'd be wanting the same! Headed home with a half baked plan Of providing proof of my pelagic ham I looked and I loaded and I laid it thick And I did the deed and I dared a trick. Everyone knows that a fisherman's truth Ain't exactly the same as a chicken's tooth! I called my partner said to come round quick I had all I needed that would do the trick Out the back there was a table laid And on a silver platter was the catch of the day! Mango curry and mild mint sauce And some great green grapes, peeled of course. He balked then he buttered a corn bran bun And he fed on the fish from the market run.

For the record, my 11th was a blast, my 30th was a hoot and this last one was lovely. Thanks for your best wishes, Kel

Thanks guys

Les so languidly laid it down that Never, nowhere, nothing found Will ever be so near complete As Songs Stuffers stepping up to compete!

Once I get an idea, I hammer it out in 5 to 15 minutes, but may take months of rewriting to get it right. It is a pretty well established philosophy that hits aren't written, they are re-written. I hardly ever (okay never) put pen to paper then step up the mic. I usually let a lyric sit untouched for days, weeks months before going back to it. I have been working on a lyric this week that I first wrote in March 2013! I have way more lyrics than songs... so far! Kel

Try chordpulselite. You can download it for free and play around. Basically it makes backing tracks in a variety of styles from ballad to dance to reggae etc. Easy and quick to put some sound behind you.

most country songs are written in major keys despite being about lost love, broken hearts, dogs running away or horses dieing. they generally use a minor chord to emphasise the sad bit. Kel

John, Who listens to David Bowie, I mean, hello? Les is a rocker! Bowie at best was a marionette in funny makeup! Les, remember Paradise By The Dashboard Lights? Hell I'll show you! http://www.metatube.com/en/videos/137535/Glee-Paradise-By-The-Dashboard-Light-FULL-Performance-HD/ Really, David Bowie and Bing Crosby? I bet Bing never said yes to that! Kel

Big Deal! [Him] It's been a while since I been round this way And I can see some changes you have made. Your grandma's lace on that old rocker by the fire, And all your trophies on the mantle your callers can admire. [Her] What makes you think You can come crawlin' round my door The last time I saw you walkin' away I swore I wouldn't see you no more! [Him] I know I'm taking a chance And I don't have any right To be callin' round after what I done... [Her] You're right about that I ain't forgotten that night I think you better just be gettin' on gone! [Him] I just got one thing to say, then I'll be on my way... [Her] I know you know I couldn't care less! [Him] I guess I have that comin' but I thought you should know [Her] Come on, this'll be good! [Him] You'd find out soon enough any way... [Her] And tell me can you get to the point? [Him] I'm comin' back to town, so I'll see you around... [Her] Not if I be seein' you first! [Him] And before you say, "Big deal!", I'm comin' back for real! [both] Big Deal! [Her] It's been a while since you been round this way And I can see time has left it's mark on your face. Your old guitar, that you strummed as you sang, Has been restrung so much it's lost it's twang... [Him] What makes you think That I have come back for you After the way you treated me long ago There's nothing that I'd rather not do.., I swore I wouldn't see you no more! [Her] I know you're taking a chance And you don't have any right To be callin' round after what you done... [Him] You're right about that I ain't forgotten that night Just got to say my piece then I'll be gettin' on gone! [Him] I just got one thing to say, then I'll be on my way... [Her] I know you know I couldn't care less! [Him] I guess I have that comin' but I thought you should know [Her] Come on, this'll be good! [Him] You'd find out soon enough any way... [Her] And tell me can you get to the point? [Him] I'm comin' back to town, so I'll see you around... [Her] Not if I be seein' you first! [Him] And before you say, "Big deal!", I'm comin' back for real! [both] Big Deal! [Him] I just got one thing to say, then I'll be on my way... [Her] I know you know I couldn't care less! [Him] I guess I have that comin' but I thought you should know [Her] Come on, this'll be good! [Him] You'd find out soon enough any way... [Her] And tell me can you get to the point? [Him] I'm comin' back to town, so I'll see you around... [Her] Not if I be seein' you first! [Him] And before you say, "Big deal!", I'm comin' back for real! [both] Big Deal!

Shaye, I think you may be confusing songwriting with arranging. As a songwriter, all you really care about is the lyrics and the melody. And while it's good if you can notate the music, you really don't have to. It helps immensely to the write the lyrics though! Some will say as the songwriter you also set the chords, but I've heard both sides of that argument and given 10 years of piano I'm sure you'll know what chords sound good under a melody. As long as you can sing the melody, you really don't need to worry about notating it. Simply record it. I have heard very humble "demos" submitted to publishers that resulted in hit songs once an arrangement was organised by the publisher. Of course, it's a competitve market and the more you can do the better, but songwriters aren't necessarily proficient in musical notation and theory. Some can't even play an instrument or read music! If you imagine a building. The architect had the vision, he may or may not have used a draftsman to draw the nitty gritty plans, but a builder lays down the bricks and mortar. I doubt many architects can lay bricks good enough to keep a brickie out of work! Don't stress about what you can't do, just do what you can. Sing, play, record. Cheers, Kel

http://forums.songstuff.com/topic/33747-21-remembered/#entry214721

Gratz Goldy... that's the ticket!

Yeah I remembered that after I put them here, but in here, they will always be available to anyone visiting, or revisiting the challenges, and I suggest everyone post here as well. Cheers, Kel

It was a job we'll done Goldy. Cheers Kel

Hi Goldy, You might want to recount the syllables in your first line! Nice effort, I think. I'd rethink the title to simply, "Unstoppable" but other than that all good for me. Cheers, Kel

Just a Tool I see you struttin' round town In your backward cap, Acting as if you're a real cool cat. But I know better, You're just a scared little boy Yeah, it's just an act, Yeah, that's a fact. You got your entourage But you don't have me, And now you know that you never will. And I know somethin' You don't want your fans to know Yeah, but you can chill Yeah, wait until... RAP I update my status and you're out in the cold I found a real man and the truth be told He's way better lookin' and he's got some moves, He's in his own class yeah the man is smooth. We saw you spit on your fans Boy that ain't so cool And nobody now will even follow you. And I know somethin' And the world will soon know it too, Yeah, you is just a fool Yeah, just a tool. Obviously, the "event" is the infamous spitting on his fans incident that one Canadian teenage pop "star" seems to think is a great way to act, and maybe he is also the tool? Oh, and Justine obviously has a new beau... 　 Remembered I saw the news today Told of a great man passing I want to be remembered that way. All I do is sing Don't fix anything How can I be remembered that way? As I walk on the stage I beam my sweetest smile I want to be remembered this way. When I start my show Everybody knows How can I be remembered this way? RAP I know you're there and always will be By my side ready to support me I want to leave a legacy That's greatest than the world has seen... And in the news today A singer tries to change the world. How I want to be remembered this way. All I do is sing My music has to bring A way for me to be remembered this way. Nelson Mandela's passing is the event as you probably guessed, and in this one Justine is expressing her wish to be remembered as he is. And hopefully she will choose this song to do it... Now to post in the Critique forum.... Cheers, Kel

All credit to Rick

http://soundcloud.com/rick-glynn/married-man-recording-check Here it is. I can't say it's a "classic" Straight song, but he is doing things a litle differently these days. Cheers, Kel Thanks to Rick Glynn of ClairCreekProject

Welcome Glass

I'm going to take a different tangent and ask why you want to register copyright on your songs? Are you about to have them published? Is somebody else about to record them? Are you performing them live? Is somebody else claiming them as theirs? If your answer to all these questions is NO, why register them? If you have posted them to Soundcloud you have published them to some effect, but usually, published tends to mean transferring them to something tangible that you can hold; typcally (I believe) a CD or sheet music. If you simply want to establish ownership of them, you probably have enough claim now... they are datestamped on your computer, they are datestamped on Soundcloud to the date you uploaded them. You can post them here too, and there will be a second set of datestamping. Personally, I don't "register the copyright" on anything. If something is going to get picked up, I'll have it included in the contract. However, since you can register up to 14 individual songs in a collection, why not wait until you have 14 and then do it? I know $35 isn't a lot of money, but if you get feedback on your songs already registered, and you decide to change them, you'll need to re-register them again, and maybe again. Do you really need to do it? Cheers, Kel

Thanks for your input James, but it's done and dusted now. A few minor tweaks went in to adjust for flow and rhythm, but it's in final stages of production now. Rick is doing his QC at the moment.

Here it is: http://soundcloud.com/rick-glynn/married-man-recording-check A Married Man [One] I came to this mountain When you set us both free You knew what I needed Was time just for me I know it was hard, But it was something you had to do... This time that you gave me Got my mind back on track All my thing's in the pick up It's all in the back I'm on my way home To you... 　 [Chorus] I got a tank full of gas No time on my hands My pickup is loaded and ready to drive I've come to my senses Yeah I've changed all my plans I'm heading back to you with only one thought on my mind, We can make all those plans And together we'll stand In that chapel by the sea And you can make a married man, out of me. 　 [Two] Fire on the mountain Getting harder to breathe No wall of flames though Will be stopping me Getting to you Tonight... Smoke on the highway Can't see through the trees Tight grip on the wheel There's no stopping me Getting back home Tonight... 　 [Chorus] I got a tank full of gas No time on my hands My pickup is loaded and ready to drive I've come to my senses Yeah I've changed all my plans I'm heading back to you with only one thought on my mind, We can make all those plans And together we'll stand In that chapel by the sea And you can make a married man, out of me.