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Mar 3, 2003 Since becoming a writer I try to look at things with a little more depth and clarity. I envy the songwriters who have a beautiful vocal instrument to accompany their heartfelt pieces. Well, I envy most of them. Lately I have heard some songs on the radio that were so repetitious I downloaded them, listened carefully, and wrote down the words. Basically there were four sentences and then the chorus was one phrase sung four times. Then we heard another four sentences and the chorus repeated over and over until the very end. Now, it made sense that it was that way because I couldnt figure out how else I knew the song and had only heard it twice. Its because there was nothing else there. This is where I have to wonder how much time was put into the actual writing of the song. Many artists sing songs with great emotion and put a lot of thought into their words. Usually their muse comes in a personal form of something they recently went through or perhaps an unhappy childhood. Others enjoy making us think while we sing along and laugh as we realize what the words really mean. But there are those handful of artists, who you have to wonder, who do you know and what did you do to get someone to pay you for that music! Now I dont like to name names when I am complaining, so I will have to just refer to them as el artisto and let that be enough. Well just the other day while listening to the radio that either overplays one artist or plays way too much back to the eighties when a particular song came on. Instantly I recognized it as el artisto but with a new song. His previous song was so monotonous I had to turn it off whenever it came on. Why? Well because I spent half my day singing those same three phrases over and over and I irritated myself! This was a new song of his so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I yelled aloud, impress me you fool and turned it up. Needless to say, it was the same thing, new words sang over and over, same beat, and little writing with substance. We expect a lot out of storytellers. The only repetitious books out there should be the easy readers and Dr. Seuss, the ones that we grew up with and enjoy reading to our own children. As adults we arent looking for that kind of stimulation, we want something that takes us away, makes us think, and allows us to be moved or rocked to the music. El artisto did none of that for me. I sat there picking at my nails, finding myself getting angry, shouting out that I could write that and be rich, anyone could write that! and turned off the radio. I dont blame the radio stations, they dont have a lot to do with the play of the music, they are given it and do their jobs. I blame the artists, like el artisto who lack the good sense to either make more involved music or get out of the whole business all together. I appreciate he feels he has a skill but maybe music is not the way he should go. Beyond that, I miss out hearing the driving beat of the music because I am too busy fuming over the ridiculous nature of the words by the singer. But I dont want to harp on el artisto too much because already he is mentioned too much and that makes him popular and we dont want that. So I will casually and quickly banter about my second irritation, which is where one group takes someone elses song and tries to alter it or give it their own touch and that same song was just fine on its own. Why do that? Are you lacking that much in material that you must take their song and redo it? I say come up with your own material. While I imagine it must be hard to come up with a new way to do a love song that isnt sounding like someone elses at least you are trying and it is your own work. Rarely have I liked the newer version of a song, but there have been a few exceptions. I chalk that up to the fact that I was too young to know about the first one or the first singer didnt have a very good voice the first time. Either way, I just like to hear new things and allow it to move me in the way the artist intended. I find that with many artists who take the time to write with substance and sing with feeling. About the author: Nancy Jackson is a full time author and poet with works in Literati, Twilight Times, Anotherealm, Sonny World, and various anthologies. Her pasttimes include spending time with her loved ones, drinking wine, and lots of writing! Email Nancy Jackson: coryann93@yahoo.com ------------ Comment on this column in the forum. ------------ |
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