PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Immediacy of Opinions

I've written but a few songs ever meant to have meaning, purpose or social impact. If I have something to say, it's said lyrically. I write for personal enjoyment and fun. If you ask me, I'll typically say I can write a song about any topic one would request. I can but most likely it will be woefully lacking. I rush things and I can go back to every song I've recorded and find something wrong lyrically, arrangement, production or performance - most times, something with each of those elements because I rush and don't take care to critically examine and correct little and not so little things I'm capable of completing. Criticism is expected and deserved.


I love Noel96's critiques and analysis and if one of your songs get his review, you should feel like you've written a gold record because he has the knowledge and talent from years of study and he's seen something worthwhile to take some time with your song and to comment. It's a songwriters highlight to get one of his critiques. At the same time, I've paid money to have Taxi throw away one of my songs. None of my User Showcase releases have ever drawn the attention or comment from Dr. Gannon. He rarely comments, but you've done good work if he does take time to comment.

My guess is if any here on the forum ever achieves commercial success with one of their songs, it will likely to be viewed and interpreted by the public in such a way that was not foreseen by the writer.

As a songwriter, I look good on paper but that has not translated into me becoming a songwriter by trade or even to attempt to make a living from music. I'm curious to know if anyone has been writing longer than me. I had my first song copywrite in 1959. Anyone go back further? I've had a home recording studio of some type since 1968. I've had more than a dozen songs commercially released. I've sold a song to a two time Grammy nominated Producer and it's being distributed worldwide. I've had a song stolen. It's all a paper castle.

I have a long and storied love-hate relationship with songwriting, recording and performing. I've become frustrated at times and given away my entire studio worth thousands of dollars and lost all interest in writing, recording or performing only to rebuild it all again. I only enjoy performing when I'm actually performing. I do not like the preparation, practice or commitment of performing. I do enjoy being a sound engineer for bands and events.


Good songs and good songwriting success boils down to exposure. Read about Gordon Lightfoot, John Mellencamp, Bob Segar and so many others who were touring and playing many of their original songs years before they garnered a break and achieved fame. Their songs were always great songs but were not accepted or sought after by the public until the song became associated with the artist and their fame. If Steve Young, Bob Dean, Floyd Jane, Tom Adams, Bud and Janice, Tangmo, and countless others here on the forum are ever discovered and become a huge commercial success, their existing catalog will also be discovered and some of their work we've been enjoying may become staples and standards in the music industry.