I have had songs published and pitched by several of Nashville's top houses.
Sony/Tree (now Sony/ATV), Polygram (now Universal), BMG, Almo-Irving, Starstruck, Millhouse...

This is not one of them.

It WAS, however, the first Nashville publishing contract I signed.
With a "boutique publisher".
Meaning... small, not well-connected, not necessarily effective at placing anything...

Mama Price Music. I met "Mama" Price the first time I visited Nashville.
While waiting outside The Bluebird Cafe to see a Writer's Show.
Her office was in the basement below The Bluebird.
We struck up a conversation and she asked to hear what I had with me (a 4-song cassette).
So we went to her office so she could listen...

She flipped over "Praying For Rain"... which surprised me because I had been given contracts to sign for the other 3 songs earlier in the day (by another small publisher on the Row that I had seen) - those she didn't care about at all.
She stayed in constant contact - she really wanted the song. I finally sent her the signed contract about a month later.
(I never signed the other three since the publisher did not follow up and I was wary, this being my first try at this).

Mama Price worked this song for the next year and a half - until her untimely death from a heart attack.
Her big dream was to get it to Garth Brooks, sure that he would take it to #1.
Pretty sure she never found that path... like I said, not well connected.
But it is nice to have someone truly committed to getting a song cut.
With the bigger houses, you are lucky to get a song worked for more than a couple of months (or weeks, for that matter).

I was fairly green at the "commercial" game then and this song was not strong enough to be of any interest to the bigger houses once I had that access (I would not have even shown it to them - by then I had moved past this).
But it was nice to have a place to start...and it served as a springboard for all that would follow...

(As you listen, keep in mind this is circa 1992...sometimes hard to believe that was 25 years ago)


PRAYING FOR RAIN

she seems to need me most when it's raining
when the skies are turning gray
when she hears the roar of a distant thunder
she always moves my way
snuggles close so i can keep her safe
when the heavens seem untamed
so i'm watching those clouds
roll in from the west
and i'm praying for rain

   i'm praying for rain
   in biblical proportions
   let the skies open wide
   let that storm raise some cain
   weatherman says that it won't let up
   god, let him be right for a change
   conditions are right
   i'm holding her tight
   and i'm praying for rain

she loves to feel that sun shine
it lights her up inside
when skies are clear, she shows no fear
she needs no place to hide
first sign of lightning
she's in my arms again
so i'm watching those clouds
roll in from the west
and i'm praying for rain

   i'm praying for rain
   in biblical proportions
   let the skies open wide
   let that storm raise some cain
   weatherman says that it won't let up
   god, let him be right for a change
   conditions are right
   i'm holding her tight
   and i'm praying for rain

conditions are right
i'm holding her tight
and i'm praying for rain

she seems to need me most when it's raining...




The BAND:
RealTracks in style: 1827:Bass, Electric, PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
MIDI SuperTracks in song: 2101:Piano, Rhythm PopModernGrooveA-B Ev16 075
RealTracks in song: 635:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RootsRockDirty Ev 100
RealTracks in song: 630:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopAmericanDirty Ev 120 (A:arp)
RealTracks in song: 839:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm PopBalladClean Ev 085 (A:arp)
RealDrums in Song: PopPromiseEv16^1-a: Snare on 4, HiHat , b: Snare, Open HiHat



Hope you enjoy the look back.
Comments welcome.
Have at it.

floyd

150+ Songs produced using BIAB RealTracks
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