Originally Posted By: Roger Brown
Several of my peers have tried to write a song with Pattison. The reviews weren't good, at all.

I'm of the opinion that while he often has/shares good suggestions or tips, there's too many people who take what he says as songwriting gospel - to be followed to the letter or be doomed to songwriting purgatory forever. So I suppose I have less of an issue with Pattison himself and more with the near idol-worship he sometimes gets.

I taught a commercial songwriting course at a local community college for a few years, and one point I stressed in every class was "I can't teach you how to write songs, you either can or you can't. If you can, I can show you some things that can possibly make you better. But if you can't write at all, I can't help you." That's been 100% true from what I've seen in my professional career.

I read Jimmy Webb's book on songwriting ("Tunesmith") when it came out around '93. By that time, I had already had a lot of cuts, but I was/am such a fan of his writing I read it anyway. …

I never once had anyone hand me a book called "Rules Of Songwriting That You Must Obey".
Amen.

If it was that easy, everyone could just do it, right?

I agree that the craft can be improved with help but, if the basics aren’t there, no amount of classes, YouTube videos or books can make it happen.


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