Life is lyrics … waiting to be written

There are so many “rules” in song writing … according to the “pro’s.” You shouldn’t write whiny songs, you shouldn’t write angry songs, that song would go better if it was in third person … blah blah blah.Producers, labels, agents etc will tell you that you have to follow the rules in order to make it. Well guess what?! I’m throwin’ the rule book away. If some thing I experience causes me to write in pain or in anger or in love … I’m going to be true to myself and the God who created those emotions. I’m going to be myself … and write like myself … and sing like myself. I’ll say it again … I’m throwin’ away the rule book … rebelling against the song authorities. Me … rebel? Come on now … does that surprise anybody?

“They” say …. angry songs don’t sell. Um … Alanis Morissette sold a lot & she has released quite a few angry songs. So many that I affectionately refer to her as “Alanis More-upset”

“They” say songs that don’t make sense won’t sell. Um … “I am the walrus” … ring a bell?

All that said … I am throwin’ out the rule book!!! I will be comfortable singing country or folk or contemporary Christian, some times I’ll be barefoot on stage & other times I’ll have my combat boots on … with my purple hair … be it angry songs … songs that don’t make sense … or songs directed at some one. I am me & the only way I want to “make it” is in being true to myself.

I have recently had a devastating event in my life … oh so recent …. if a song I write through this is an angry song & it bothers you … well then … don’t listen to it.

If I write a song about the rudeness I receive from some one about my tattoos & you don’t like it … well then … don’t listen to it.

If I write a song about a child I lost and you think it’s too depressing … well then … don’t listen to it.

I won’t be sugary sweet in all my songs .. because I am real. I won’t be depressed in all my songs … because I am real. I won’t be silly in all of my songs … because I am real. I will, how ever be all these things in some of my songs … because I AM REAL! As a “real” person … I experience all these emotions at various times … and because I’m a writer, these emotions inspire lyrics.

I hope that if there are songs I write & sing that you don’t like, that you will continue to listen to things I release … maybe some day I’ll say something that touches your heart or speaks of your journey.

I have noticed that I have written more in the past 2 months than I have in quite a while. You see my family moved completely off grid. We don’t want to pay an electric bill nor gas bill nor water bill etc. So, we finally moved toward our dream. We bought a cabin & some land and are taking steps toward self sufficiency (but being God reliant). Any way … this is the lifestyle we have dreamed about for years. We love it. We’ve been busy with “farm” work … setting up our homestead, caring for animals, getting settled etc. But I always took time to write. Well … still … I didn’t write nearly as much as I have since moving out of our cabin in to a temporary rental (we decided that because of weather, we needed to move, weatherize the cabin & then move back in) … any way. I had been wondering why I’ve been able to write so much. I realized it today … we didn’t have a radio, stereo, CD player, mp3 player … nothing. I turned my Windows media player on for the first time and waves of emotion hit me. I know it sounds silly but I realized then that for the past 2 months, we’ve been where we had music or sound other than our the ones we make and when I realized it tears started to sneak from my eyes. I love music … it runs through my veins & beats in my heart. I’m going to talk to my husband about getting a solar panel & a couple batteries specifically for running our music “station.” Eventually I will have a recording studio run off of solar power & a wind turbine.

Life is lyrics waiting to happen. Words will inspire & move you … but the music can too.

I’m shopping publishing companies. To share royalties or not? I’m thinking it would be worth it to share, if taking that step got me to where I’d like to be!

I’ve been lost in a pad of paper. Not really but kinda. Life got a hold of me as well … my family moved from one state to another, as we have many times before. This is our final destination though. We’ve actually bought property & have an off grid cabin that we are adding on to. Some day I’ll have an off grid recording studio … powered by wind and/or solar.

Back to being lost in a pad of paper … I have been doing a LOT of writing. A lot of lyrics for myself & the upcoming CD but also some lyrics for others. I’m enjoying branching out to other genres too. As much as I write, I’ve been living life too. I really *do* believe that  life is lyrics, waiting to be written.

Production on the CD had come to a complete stop for a while. I had issues with the studio & team of musicians I was working with. Really the issue was with the studio owner. It was resolved … very slowly but it did get resolved. I’ve found a new team to work with so the gears will be grinding again soon.

Collaborations are on the horizon … I can’t wait to share those!!!

I’ll post again soon now that I remembered my blog password <blush>

For some reason, at some point in all my years I learned to micro-manage … everything in my life seems to be compartmentalized.  I keep every aspect of my life in individual boxes, with file cards on some internal shelf. The “room” is of course nice & tidy … everything over organized … childhood memories in one area, my life as a wife in another, mommy-hood in yet another area … I guess one could say that my life is well organized but really it’s exhausting having to always keep up with the micro-managing. Hopefully you realize that I’m speaking symbolical  & know that I don’t think there are rooms, shelves & boxes in my head to store all this. Any way … all that to say that I’ve been trying to break out of the habit of micro-managing my life. I’ve been working on 2 different CD’s over the past few months. One is a true to life CD filled with my personal memories & life experiences. The other is a contemporary Christian CC with praise, worship & lyrics that speak of the things God does for us. Well, God is a large part in every aspect of my life … so why should I keep the 2 CD’s separate? I will keep the title, “On A Personal Note” for the CD but it will have contemporary Christian songs as well as some true to life memories & such. I am really excited about this!!! Best decision I’ve made in a while, actually!!!

Ok, the blog has successfully been switched over. Those of you who are on the Networked Blog site may be getting a flood of posts in the next few minutes. If it does happen, sorry … it’s just from updating the server & shouldn’t happen again.

I am a wife, mom, home school teacher, songwriter & recording artist … those are my priorities. I tend to throw other things in to the mix at times and that usually does nothing but distract & frustrate me. Take the current web site issues … I have been building sites for years with usually, little or no problems. This time however, I have been frustrated with graphics, codes, line up’s and a new program. This has not only frustrated me beyond all get-out … but also has delayed some other more important issues. As part of some changes I’m making in my life, I am handing my web issues over to some one else. I’ll just stick to what I know best .. singing & song writing!

The CD looks to be delayed but I am working my hardest to make up for lost time. I’m guessing by the end of February now or early March. Hopefully I’ll have some new songs posted in the next few weeks though … as well as at least one Fan exclusive!

I’ll be back with more updates some time tomorrow!

By the way … Happy New year!!!

Here we are, less than 2 months from launching the CD. I’m plugging away in the studio & at the “Creation Station” (what I call the desk area that I write at) LOL

Wow … the life of a songwriter can sure get crazy. It’s so hard for me to put my pen down some times. It seems that lately, every where I look I find inspiration for one song or another. I have had sessions where the wave of creativity seems never ending … but this time it’s amazing, even to me. I guess that’s what happens when you stir up the gifts God has given you. Speaking of gifts … check out what I won by going to HOPE INK . The artist held a contest so I entered my name & commented on which print was my favorite. What a blessing it was to find out I won!!! The print is hanging right over my desk now, to remind me to use & be thankful for the gifts God gave me.

So the blog every day for a month challenge is over … phewwww, I made it (thanks to my dear friend Rhenda). I’m still going to try to blog every day .. though I don’t know that I always have that much (if anything) to say LOL