|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bruce Springsteen
I was always concerned with writing to my age at a particular moment. That was the way I would keep faith with the audience that supported me as I went along...I'm a synthesist. I'm always making music. And I make a lot of different kinds of music all the time. Some of it gets finished and some of it doesn't...The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with
Bob Dylan
My best songs were written very quickly. Just about as much time as it takes to write it down is about as long as it takes to write it...In writing songs I've learned as much from Cezanne as I have from Woody
Guthrie.
Paul McCartney
The great thing about John and I in the old days was that we didn't have tapes - but that was great because it focused us. We used to say to each other, 'if we can't remember it tomorrow, it's no good.'
How memorable is a song that you wrote last night and you can't remember this morning? It's not good
Joni Mitchell
You could write a song about some kind of emotional problem you are having, but it would not be a good
song, in my eyes, until it went through a period of sensitivity to a moment of clarity. Without that
moment of clarity to contribute to the song, it's just complaining
John Lennon
‘A Day In The Life ‘. Just as it sounds: I was reading the paper one day and I noticed two stories. One
was the drinks heir who killed himself in a car - one of the Guinness family. Tara Brown. That was the
main headline story. He died in London in a car crash. On the next page was a story about 4000 holes in
Blackburn, Lancashire. In the streets, that is. They were going to fill them all. Paul's contribution was the
beautiful little lick in the song ' I'd love to turn you on '. I had the bulk of the song and the words, but he
contributed this little lick floating around in his head that he couldn't use for anything. I thought it was a
damn good piece of work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Original Songwriting Centre • Founded 1967
International Songwriters Association • The ISA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Song Contests - Is There Any Money In Them?
Well, Abba may have made their breakthrough with the Eurovision Song Contest
but with Idol TV shows predominating, is there any real point in entering
songwriting contests nowadays?
And if so, which ones do you look at?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selling Songs - More Fun Than Writing Them?
Writing songs may be lots of fun - but selling them is even better.
If you want to know how to sell your songs, then click the pic
for the full story. 108 pages - 60,000 words, and it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking For A Hit Songwriter?
Singers, bands, and managers seeking hit songs, contact us daily.
If you are looking for top quality unpublished songwriting product,
our songwriters will happily oblige. Just click the pic!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Marijohn Wilkin
When Marijohn Wilkin received her first copy of Songwriter Magazine in 1981, one might have been forgiven for thinking that she was at the peak of her career. After all, she had a song recorded by the Beatles!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Gene Pitney
"Today's Teardrops by Roy Orbison was a big hit, but not my biggest
songwriting hit. That was Hello Mary Lou which I gave to Rick Nelson, and I've spent a lifetime analysing why it was as big as it was".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Sonny Curtis
"Leo Sayer, a songwriter himself, was in his hotel room, watching television, and on came More Than I Can Say in this K-Tel commercial and he said - 'Wow, I always wanted to do that song'. And he did!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Hal Shaper
"In the early days, I had no instinct towards fame or fortune, I just liked being a songwriter. I always used to wake up thinking, 'I can't imagine why everyone in the world doesn't write songs for a living!'"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Lionel Bart
"I wrote songs for Cliff for the film. The Living Doll song itself - one morning, I was looking at the Sunday Mirror, I think, and I saw this adverti for a doll that did everything. And I thought, "That'll do"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Songwriter Interview - Barry Mason
"I wrote a song called Girl Of Mine for Elvis and there were two versions made of that. One with just the rhythm section, for the fans, without The Jordanaires or violins - and that's the version I've got"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Song Percentage = How Much Cash?
"I signed the contract, but had no idea what money was likely.
My first cheque was $75.00 and I thought - that's probably right.
Then the bank clerk pointed out it was actually for $7500!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get Our Free Monthly Songwriting Newsletter
Enter Your Email For Our Free Monthly "Songwriting News"
Join The ISA
Join the International Songwriters Association free of charge
for the first three months? Click the ISA Logo below to learn more
Already An ISA Member?
A member already? On your registered PC? Log-in here to the Members' Site
ISA • International Songwriters Association (1967) Ltd
PO Box 46 • Limerick City • Ireland • Tel 061-228837 • Fax 061-2288379
ISA Website http://www.songwriter.co.uk • Editorial E-Mail jliddane@songwriter.iol.ie
International Songwriters Association Limited
Registered In Dublin, Ireland • Company Number 38917
Registered Address • High Chaperal, Raheen Heights, Limerick City, Ireland
Postal Address • PO Box 46, Limerick City, Ireland
| |
