The Test of a Good Melody
My sister writes songs. When she can’t think of a lyric, she sings fannies. Fanny, fan-fan; fanny, fan-fan. Since my daughter and I...
Songwriting and Jobs from Hell
Before I wrote lyrics, I wrote limericks. One of my favorites was about a friend’s boss (who shall remain nameless) who made unwanted...
Music Videos that Work, Work, Work
When I first heard “Work from Home,” by Fifth Harmony, featuring hip hop artist Ty Dolla $ign, I asked myself, “Why is this a hit?” I...
The Power of Relatable Lyrics
How can you not love a song that starts, “Work sucks, truck died, hot as hell outside, my A/C just broke?” The words in Chris Janson’s...
Heartbreak and the Story Behind a Song
If you write songs, you know pain. Why do I say this? Because for whatever reason, songwriters, like most creative people, seem to feel...
Music, Lyrics and 'Hot Damn'
OK, who wants to admit they’re jamming to, “ah-ya-ya-ya-ya I keep on hoping, we’ll eat cake by the ocean?” Not the most inspiring lyric....