Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 30, No. 05
May 2025
Live meetings are Cancelled due to Corona-virus.
However, we will be having on-line Zoom meetings.
The next zoom feedback session will be
Sunday May 1st at 5pm.
We will also send details closer to the date, under a
separate e-mail, and an announcement on the Facebook group page.
Please e-mail us at isgorlando@gmail.com if you need the zoom link.
Stay tuned for more info.
We are asking members to renew their dues for 2025. It costs only $5 per year,
and it helps us to defray costs for the zoom meetings.
We have 2 methods of payment. Either paypal to our treasurer Asli Goncer's
paypal account. The paypal access is at aslivision@gmail.com
or you can mail a $5 check to:
Asli Goncer
2849 Babylon Court
Oviedo, FL 32765
Either way, we appreciate your continued support.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
Two Craftsmen #2
By Jackie Mason
I had a song stuck in my head. It wasn’t really a song. It was a brief opening melody played by a flugelhorn.
It was just a few bars in length. It’s been in my head for four days. It’s an ear-worm. It’s still in my head.
The song is “God Give Me Strength” written by Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello. It was written in 1996.
Burt was in LA and Elvis was in Ireland. It was written on commission and to a five day deadline. It was
written for the movie “Grace of my Heart.” It was the first song they collaborated on and they communicated
by fax and phone answering machines. I would imagine it was a tight, stressful schedule. They were never
in the same room together while writing this song. I discovered an NPR radio show called “Fresh Air.” It was taped
in 1998 and Terry Gross interviewed Burt and Elvis. By this time they’d been writing together for two years and
had just released an album “Painted from Memory.” This is a very good interview. It’s worth listening to more
than once as it’s a lesson about song writing. There’s some theory to grasp.
https://freshairarchive.org/segments/pub-rocker-and-pop-songwriter-their-new-collaboration
They seem an odd collaboration at first glance. The edgey pub rocker and the sophisticated pop composer
were an unlikely couple to me. That was how I viewed it back in1998. There’s more here than meets the eye.
The secret is in their shared musical obsession. Burt knew about Elvis’s music influences. Elvis grew up in a
musical home. His mum worked in the retail part of the music business. There were always records coming
into the house. It was a wide variety of music styles. His dad was a singer and trumpet player in The Loss
Orchestra. Joe Loss was a big name in British show “biz” and in the 1930’s he topped the bill at the Astoria
Ballroom. He could be heard often on the radio. He was a favorite of the Queen. Here is a video of Elvis’s
father Ross MacManus singing “If I Had a Hammer.” It’s from 1963.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzFBn32gbWU
The duo went on to win a Grammy in 1999 for their song “I Still Have That Other Girl” which you may find
on the album “Painted From Memory.” There is a delightful video on YouTube. It’s a documentary titled
“Because It’s A Lonely World.” It’s from 1998 and was recorded for a tv show titled “Sessions at West 54th.”
Here Elvis and Burt discuss the album and present the songs with an orchestra. It’s enlightening and coupling
it with the “Fresh Air” radio interview we gain insight into how these craftsmen work together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9uWdhT2vRQ
I came to understand that Elvis was emulating his father and singing with a big band.
These songs are a challenge to sing. Elvis is stretching his vocal chops. I am not sure if I have a term to
address this musical style. I will add that they are a stretch for the listener but the payoff is delicious.
Bacharach’s arrangements are lush and large and there is jazz to be found in this music. I hear show tunes
because of the complexities in the stories that Elvis sings. It’s like an emotional dialogue. They may be torch
songs. Someone termed the style “baroque pop” but I don’t know what that means. I found a definition:
“Baroque pop is a fusion genre that combines rock music with particular elements of classical music.
It emerged in the mid-1960s as artists pursued a majestic, orchestral sound and is identifiable for its
appropriation of Baroque compositional styles and dramatic or melancholic gestures.”
That makes sense to me. Anyway that’s all I have. From the Song Motel keep writing songs and singing.
WebChatter
by CyberToad
9 Chord Progressions for 9 Different Moods
Another YouTube video from Mattie. It has given me inspiration for several new songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu5qT40pdv0&t=336s
I am always interested in FREE so here goes:
https://slatedigital.com/best-free-daws-music-production/
I am currently using Cakewalk (which is in the above article)
https://www.bandlab.com has the online baby sister DAW to Cakewalk, and has some neat features and
collaboration options. It is more geared to electronic music, but it has the ability to do audio and midi recording.
I have created a very rough YouTube video I like to call "Bandlab for the terrified" and I would love it if you
could take a look and give me feedback. This is the start of a playlist I am developing called
"Explora-Torials" https://youtu.be/nrEZPjxHNFo
Now for something completely different.... SusieCool's latest silly song.
Liberate the Penguin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at0JyrN3TCo
Thanks to Cindy Bear and Robert with the North Florida Folk Network:
https://www.nffolk.com/ for this song challenge.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association,
Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the
interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more
information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig or live stream announced here?
Members in good standing call SusieCool with your appearance schedule!
407-760-2153 or e-mail her the details at isgorlando@gmail.com
If you are interested in open mics in the Central Florida area, SusieCool has compiled a list.
Steve Hodak hosts several newly listed open mics on the Florida East coast. Please call ahead
before making any long trips.
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/open-mic-directory-central-florida
SusieCool is the admin for a Facebook group called "Orlando Creative Music Network"
where we give out info on songwriter meetings, playing circles, open mics, workshops and
concerts. We have a Facebook page for this group if you want to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/274152179716552/
Central Florida Folk ( https://cffolk.org/ ) is a massive supporter of Musicians, and have monthly
concerts at the Winter Park Library. The next one is Sunday May 18th at 2pm, featuring
Steve Cormier https://stevecormier.net/ with Barry Brogan (CFF's intrepid leader) opening.
The requested donation is $15, or $10 if you are a member.
https://www.facebook.com/centralflorida.folk/
New members and guests are always welcome!
© 2025 ISG