[Lcjones]

Randomaire

Couple of things.....

Dont confuse being self-critical with self-disappointment. I'm not hardly disappointed or feel that I let myself down. I don't know how you came to that conclusion. If one can't be objectively critical of one's own lyric, how can one even think they can write a lyric, much less make critical assessments of someone else's lyric.

Writing in general may come easy to many folk, Writing a lyric is not general writing. Writing a commercially viable lyric is so far beyond general lyric writing, in a league of it's own, that very few people have the ability to get to that level.

No, I haven't "over-analyze" my work. I have looked at my work objectively with the eyes and ears of a A & R person who may listen to my work. In this case, the song/lyric is lacking. And they will say, go back and re-write it. Believe me. And that's only if they are interested in it. If the song/lyric doesn't hook them in 45 seconds or less, they will tell you to drop it or start over.

The difference here is I learn from my mistakes. My mentor has taught me a valuable lesson which I disregarded on this particular lyric. I didn't go back and re-write. And that is such a key element in lyric writing. Especially as a solo writer. In a collaboration atmosphere you have multiple thought patterns working to find the right words for a lyric. You can bounce things back and forth and eventually, if you're compatible, start reading where your co-lab partner is headed before they get there.

Writing and editing..... Well, if you are and that's your bag and you're satisfied with what you're writing, then by all means, do it. However, in handling the process in that fashion, you lose a great portion of serendipity that may occur during the "raw writing" moments of lyric writing. If you're editing as you go, you're concentrating on what you have already written instead of writing what's coming directly from the "muse" within you. So when you've penned that fantastic line and you stop to edit...... the moment is gone.

As to the sound alike-ness thing...

I do want to spin a particular sound. The sound I truly like is in the vein of Tom Petty. I love the jangle. But I don't want to be Tom Petty. Of course, I wouldn't mind one bit if someone would say, "oh, hey", that Chapman guy has a real Tom Petty quality". Two different things. While I admire Petty's tones, I don't particularly want to be know as a Petty sound-alike. What I am learning from Petty and Crew are the nuances in their music, the equipment they use in creating the tones they do and how Tom P, with help from others such as Jeff Lynn & Mike Campbell, work his words.

Actually, naming the song first is very cool. You've just done the hard work. Coming up with a hook! And now you have a subject to write about. Of course it doesn't always work that way. And in reality there is no right or wrong way. It's whatever best suits your needs at that moment in time.

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Les