Songs in the Raw - March, 2009

I was having a nice chat with another songwriter the other night. I got off on this tangent for a while about writing a "hit." You know, those songs that you hear for the first time and you cant get it out of your head. These days you also have to factor in the songs that you don't really like but you her so many times on the radio that you cant get them out of your head. Some have the power of longevity and some fade away until VH1 does a show on "One Hit Wonders."

Anyway, I was saying that I have not felt like I've written a "hit" in a while. NOW, keep in mind that I have not ever had a real "hit". I am in a state of obscurity. No one knows who I am and no one plays my songs over and over again while they get ready for a Friday night. However, I have, sometimes, felt like I just wrote a really good song. It's a pretty cool feeling. You put the pen down and sit back with a grin saying "that actually sounds pretty cool."

I have been doing a ton of writing these days. I keep on chugging along with the weekly songs at Songs in the Raw. I've also been writing some great folks around Nashville. Anyway, my conversation with the other writer on Friday night led to to the rediscovery that it's not about writing "hits". It's about WRITING SONGS!! It's not up to me to determine which song will be a hit, if any. It's my job to write songs. It's the songwriter's job to see the world through song.

I've added a few new tracks to Songs in the Raw. Not saying that any of them are hits, but I am pretty happy about how they came out. "Growing Old" is a little diddy about how growing old is not all that cool. I've been reconnecting with a lot of my old friends. It's been great. At the same time, everyone has a story or two about some really bad crap that has happened to them. Sometimes, it's really really bad. The kind of thing that you would never wish on your worst enemies. We were 20 years old when we were friends and now, many years later, we've seen many fantastic and wonderful things, but also been put through the ringer. It seems the older you get, the tougher life is on you. So, "Growing Old" is about that. "No matter how you slice it, growing old is hell."

Another track at Songs in the Raw is "Alive and Well". I was pretty happy with this tune when I wrote it cause it has a little bit of that sticky factor. It's basically about a girl who broke my heart and how I really don't care what she's doing. "To me you're dead" is one of the lines in the song and I'm sure that we've all felt that way once or twice.

I hope that you go over and check out Songs in the Raw. The third song I posted is called "My Own Angel". Everyone needs their own angel. Mine would need to know how to hang out in late night pool halls, make sweet tea and find me some bar-b-q.

I ain't writing hits, I'm just writing songs....and I like it that way....although it would be nice to write a hit every now and then.

head over to Songs in the Raw and let me know what you think!

Peace,
Jon

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