There was a time when I had my own writing room, with a white board and everything. And on that white board I scrawled the words, “In this room there are no mistakes.” That's a quote from Tunesmith, Jimmy Webb's book talking about the process of songwriting.   I got Tunesmith out of the library … Continue reading Saturday Songwriting: Del Shannon’s “Runaway”

Over the weekend I finished reading Jeff Tweedy’s “How to Write One Song.” He talks a lot about disappearing while writing a song, (or performing). How in a way, that’s the goal of the work. That, and connecting with ourselves and others through the work.   Talk about contradictory goals, disappearing and connecting. Yet, I … Continue reading Saturday Songwriting: The Axis Of Awesome

“Welcome to the Jungle” is not a song I'll be covering anytime soon. Nor will emulating Slash blazing through a guitar solo (not for lack of wanting to). So what can an Americana Aficionado like myself, (and likely yourself too), glean from a song like Welcome to the Jungle which lands at #467 on Rolling Stones list of … Continue reading Saturday Songwriting: Welcome to the Bo Diddley Beat

Every week, I aim to dig up a tidbit to share with you about music. I do a lot of that digging in Rolling Stones list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” This week my proverbial shovel hit “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ’n Roses with a clunk.  It’s an undeniably great … Continue reading Saturday Songwriting: The Blues

Into the Mystic is a classic Van Morrison Song, (and number 474 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time).  It’s simple enough for a guitar player who’s starting to learn chords, but as is often the case, there’s a lot that goes into that simplicity.  There’s the strumming that opens the song, … Continue reading Saturday Songwriting: Van Morrison – Into the Mystic