I listened to Hoagy Carmichael discuss his "all time" hit, for many generation called Star Dust. He said he was performing one day, and a tune ran through his head, which he soon forgot. He was on a college campus in Oklahoma, when the tune returned, and this time he was able to finish it and craft the poem (lyrics). Another interview was with Woody Guthrie, who commented that his songs often sounded familiar, and he replied with the advocation that of course we "steal" things we like from other musician's, just like standup comedy, but in comedy, you have to wait long enough that your audience doesn't already know the punch line.
I intentionally used the word poem instead of lyrics. Same thing, but truth is, you can write lyrics, poetry after, or before you have found a melody. Each dictating the other's needs, as the rules of rhyme and meter in poetry relate to the beat and the length of the delivery. There was a Vaudeville song with the title "How could you believe me, when I told you that I loved you, when you know I've been a liar all my life?" The measure of this title alone is four lines of a typical song. I probably saw more than a dozen amature contestant's sing this song on TV for the many shows that arose in the late 50's. The challenge was mostly; could they hold their breath long enough, or take breaths without bending the beat.
Clearly the above example was comedy and not music, but it still had a tune. Today we discuss two of my original song's with the Elf King's. I was mostly the flute player, but I took up guitar, so that I could join my co-founder in writing the majority of our songs. I had a few friends teach me a few chords over the years, but I had never invested in teachers, study or practice as I did with the flute. You will note in these two song's, the typical simple chord choices found in most rock and folk of the 50's and 60's.
The two songs are titled, When I'm with you, and You've got a song.
I don't have, or have not found an internal program to post either guitar signatures or music scores, but I will do the best I can until I find such app, as they surely exist.
When I'm with you has three sections, the main verse, a chorus and a transition.
The words go as follows for one and two.
Am C F Am, repeat's 4 times
I look in your eyes, and what do I see,
A love shining brightly, embracing me.
I look at your smile, and what do I feel,
I feel a love touch me, and I know that it's real.
F ( with an F9 accent) Am, repeats 4 times with a slightly longer landing on the concluding word Real.
Warm as the summer sun,
Makes me feel strong and young,
Like nectar to my tongue,
When I'm with you.
The transition part begins holding down all three bottom sting's on the 7th, then 5th frets with a standard D, followed by F, and repeats one more time. The lettered signatures of the first two chords would confuse for now.
With every storm there comes a calm,
The darkest night, there comes a dawn.
You can only live in the dark so long,
Before you see(k) the light.
I will introduce You've got a song, where I stole the first four chord's, entirely different rhythm, from a Pink Floyd song in their early years.
I hope you enjoy the pod cast lesson today.
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