February 2007
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 12, No. 2
NEXT MEETING Super Bowl Party! 6:00pm Sunday, February 4th, 2007
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us. Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do. For more information, visit our website at www.isgorlando.org .
Officers:
President/Treasurer
Russ Robinson (407) 851-5328
Vice President/Member Reception/Newsletter
Matthew Griffin (407) 903-1212
Secretary
Jacquelyn Fain, crosstyes1@yahoo.com
Website
Carlos Colon (352) 326-4295
Archives
Barbara Ross (407) 862-2795
Super Bowl Party!
Folks, we usually have a very low turnout at the February ISG meeting because it’s against the Super Bowl. So why fight it? This year, we’re having a Super Bowl party instead of the meeting!
Where: Matt Griffin’s house (directions below)
When: 6 PM Sunday, February 4th till game’s end
Why: you’ve got to be kidding!
Food/drink: Matt will provide drinks and munchies
Directions from town: take I-4 towards Disney, get off at Universal exit. At end of ramp, turn left onto Hollywood Way and then right at light onto Turkey Lake Rd. Go through 4 more lights (last one at Vineland Rd ), then make 2nd left onto Lake Marsha Dr . Follow Lake Marsha Dr for more than a mile, make the last right before the dead end onto Sand Pines Estates Blvd. Take your 2nd right; 2nd house on left is 6211 Merridith Erin Ln.
Directions from Disney: take I-4 towards town and get off at Universal exit. At end of ramp, turn left onto Universal Blvd , then make next left onto Hollywood Way and continue as above.
President's Letter
Dear Members,
Happy Valentine’s Day. Yep, it’s that time of year again. Now, how many of you are working on a love song, or even a song especially about Valentine’s Day? That’s the type of song almost any writer can put together. Just let your mind go back to a time you were really interested in someone, and put those feelings on paper. Hey, if you never had such an experience, then just pretend! Pick out your favorite movie star and let them be the object of your affections. Bring your song to the March meeting; we have other plans in February.
Matt has come up with a good idea: since no one usually shows up for the February meeting because of the Super Bowl, we’re going to have a Super Bowl party instead. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Look for the details elsewhere in this newsletter.
Wow! How about this great weather we’re having here in Florida ? See, that’s another subject we can put into song. We have a lot going on, and sometimes have trouble finding time to compose. How about going to bed early one night and use the time to think about putting a song together? I did that one night recently, but didn’t turn the lights back on so I could see to put it on paper. The next morning at breakfast, I tried to remember it but my mind went blank. I wonder how Irving Berlin and some of the other greats did their writing?
See you Sunday at Matt’s and, as always, looking forward to it. Till then!
Russ
Songs That Say Something
By Matt Griffin
As any of you who has been to an ISG meeting knows, I’m picky about words. Picky, picky, picky. In my humble view, every word matters if you want your song to actually say something.
How many times have you heard a song about nothing? It always surprises me how many such songs make it to radio airplay these days. To me, it says something about the sorry state of the music industry. Many solid hits of the 70’s and 80’s are getting remade into new hits, which says to me that good songwriting craft still matters to the average listener. Heck, my music-savvy daughter is listening to ABBA and the Beatles, both groups of which had great songwriters as well as great musicians.
Yes, the music part is seriously important. But why write a song with throw-away lyrics when you can write good ones? Why write good lyrics if you can write great ones? For those wordsmiths among us, I think it’s often a time thing; it just takes longer to polish the words. And for those of you who couldn’t write a decent line to save Elton John’s life, our guild is full of would-be Bernie Taupins looking for interesting music to work with.
And yes, all of the words matter. The goal is to compose a lyric where every word contributes. Song lyrics are usually brief; you don’t have a lot of time to tell your story or make your point.
If you’ve got a pretty good lyric already, look it over for throw-away lines. Maybe you added a line because it makes a cool rhyme, but it doesn’t really add anything to the meaning of the overall song. Or worse, it doesn’t really fit with the rest of the song, or doesn’t sing well. By all means, take the time to reword or replace that line. You can always do better!
If I’ve put together a relatively complete lyric, I look for the weakest line and rewrite it. Then I look for the weakest line in the revision, and rewrite that. Keep that up for a couple of hours, and you’ll have a significant upgrade over what you started with. Isn’t that worth a couple of hours?
However you decide to handle it, make sure that your song actually says something when you’re done. J
ISG Bulletin Board
Jeff Mason’s gig schedule:
Appearing At O'Keefe's Irish Pub, Fridays & Saturdays from 5pm, musicians welcome!
115 S. Rockingham Tavares, FL, 352-343-2157
Appearing at Tijuana Flats on the Patio (weather permitting), Thursdays at 6pm
444 S. Hunt Club Blvd , Apopka , FL 407 774 0402
Lead Sheet preparation by Carlos Colon. A simple lead sheet contains the melody, lyrics and chord symbols. For more information, visit my website at www.cecoriginals.com and click on “Lead Sheets” at the top of the page. Website design also available. Use your website address in advertising. Newspapers, business cards, fliers, to name a few and let’s not forget the use of email. Send your link to potential clients. For more information, visit a few of my clients sites at http://www.ticopeach.net/clients.htm.
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.
We’re always looking for material for the newsletter. If you have any information that you would like to see added to the newsletter, please see Matt Griffin at the meetings or email him at isgorl@cfl.rr.com . Please keep your articles brief and to the point. Print deadline for the newsletter is approximately two weeks prior to the monthly meeting.
Classified advertising may be placed free of charge to members in good standing with the ISG . For more information on display advertising and/or classified advertising for non-members, please call Russ or Matt or email: isgorl@cfl.rr.com .
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Place your classified ad or gig announcement here! Free to ISG members as always! Just get your text to Matt by the print deadline (usually the Friday 16 days prior to the monthly meeting); email is best ( isgorl@cfl.rr.com ).
New members always welcome!
January Top Songs—Results of monthly critique session
(1) When You Talk About Christmas by Art Cappuccio
(2) Punk-a-Bye by Ester Starling and Mike Kondol
© 2007 ISG