June 2004
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 9, No. 6
NEXT MEETING - 5:00pm Sunday, June 6th 2004
President's Letter
Dear Members,
Hey, there’s good news from our
membership. I like to report once in
a while to let you know what is happening in the ISG. Good things are always going on.
Our last meeting brought a nice surprise. Long-time member Wally Zober, a music publisher of note, visited the meeting; those with songs he critiqued were delighted. New member Darrell Monroe left at the end of the meeting with a big smile on his face, as Wally picked one of Darrell songs to be published (discussions in progress). Wally was very impressed with most every song he heard and congratulated those who contributed originals.
On another topic, our Guild has been without a secretary for a long time; I have been taking minutes myself. New member Jacque Fain took minutes last meeting and we’ll vote her in officially at our June meeting.
We’re hearing good songs every meeting. Keep writing and keep bringing them in for us to hear and critique. See you Sunday!
Russ Robinson
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Taboo Topics
By Matt Griffin
Writers of all kinds often wish to stretch themselves. Perhaps it’s an attempt to avoid being pigeonholed, or just a desire to go somewhere new creatively. I think most good writers want to try something different, at least occasionally. But what if you want to go where no one wants to go? Are there topics too taboo to even risk?
It’s a hard question, and a lot depends on what you have in mind for the song. If you have a rather nasty or risqué idea and just want to try that hat on for a while, go for it. But if you’re seeking commercial success and hope for public performances or radioplay, you’re going to have to consider a risky concept very carefully.
Certainly songs have been written that took those kinds of chances. Songs about child abuse, drug abuse, discrimination, and other difficult topics have had some success. In those kinds of songs, a little distance helps; frequently those tricky-topic songs are written in the third person, or by a first-person observer of someone else’s problem. A special touch is required to write about being the victim, without coming off sounding weepy or weak. If you’re writing your own terrible I-was-abused story, you have to be especially careful. If you put all of your pain into the song, it may be too excruciating for someone else to listen to. Use some emotional restraint, and tell your story in a straightforward manner.
Genre matters too. Risky won’t play in the contemporary Christian market. But explicit lyrics make the pop charts all the time. However, most of those songs are written by the artists themselves, or someone in their production companies. It may be a hard sell for an independent writer. If you want to try a song like that, remember also that your mother will hear it, and small children too. What you write matters if people are going to hear it; use your craft wisely.
Above all, don’t put the singer in a bad light; no one will want to sing such a song. Even if you’re writing songs to perform yourself, don’t paint yourself that way. If your song needs a villain, make sure it isn’t you!
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May 2004 Top 5
(1) Perfectly Vague Ed Kavetsky
(2) If Wishes Were Horses Darrell Monroe
(3) Nashville’s Keeping Me in Mind Darrell Monroe
(4) Sunrise Lloyd Marcus
(5) Father James Gavin
© 2004 ISG