When I was asked to write this book last November, I did not have a clue as to what it would be about. My career highlights had been discussed in many magazines by many writers and I felt enough had been said about me already. It was the thought of actually 'helping' someone avoid some of the troubles that I encountered in my journey that convinced me to go along with it, and so far I'm glad I began...and I hope you are too.
When I was young, early teens, I was a rather serious fella. I had a paper route and when I could I would read the papers with some intensity. I remember my mom takin' note of me doin' so, and heard her remark to one of her friends about me bein' 'serious'. I took that to mean a good thing, so I guess I sort of developed it somewhat. I was other things as well, but in this chapter I would like you all to take me 'serious' if you don't mind.
Are you a serious songwriter? Is your music meant only to make people money or is it meant to make them think? If you are in the singin' or production end of things, the same question goes to you. What's your story? You need to answer this question because life will insist on it, sooner or later. Here are a few things to ask yourself to give you a serious answer to the above question:
1.The song, "MAKE IT REAL", by the JETS, isn't that one of the best songs ever? (nice goin', JETS)
2.You know that good music is 'good' medicine, right?
3.When 'RAP' was new, many sport teams got together and came up with a little 'team-rap', and everyone thought it cool. The major networks news teams did no such thing. Do you think they thought themselves 'cool enough'?
4.You know you need 'balance' in your carreer, so is there a 'serious' piece on your 'to-do list?
Look, Jackson Browne once told me this 'truism', and it still is just that, " One man plants and another one waters, but it's God that makes things grow." Here then is the first 'serious song' I ever wrote, just before the presidential elections of '88:
"IT'S A DIFFERENT DAY, MY FRIEND"
1.
YOU SEE ME WEAK AND WORRIED, YEAH, BUT THE CLOCK IS MIS-LEADING
IT'S ACTUALLY TOMORROW AND I'M FEELIN' FINE
I'M READY TO ADMIT MY HAIRLINE IS DEFINITELY RECEDING
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GOT A HOLD ON MOST Y' ALL, AND THAT'S MY PLAN
VOTE REPUBLICAN.....VOTE REPUBLICAN.............RE-PUB-LICAN......
2.
WHO FREED THE SLAVES....WHO KEEPS THE GRAVES....WHAT FLAG WAVES IN THE NIGHT?
STAR-SPANGLED NIGHT WITH ALL MY MIGHT AT MONDAY NIGHT...FOOTBALL
CHECK-OUT THE TEAMS...MIXED-RACE TEAMS...BEAUTIFUL SIGHT... FOR THE WORLD T' SEE
TOUCHDOWN BY MCMAHON...VOTE REPUBLICAN...RE..PUB...LICAN
chorus
LINDA RONSTAD, YOU BRAT..BRUCE, YOU'RE BEIN' BAD...YOU'RE BEIN' 'HAD', WHATEVER
DUPES,,DUPES..DUPES..DUPES..OOPS..OOPS..DUPES..DUPES.. WHATEVER
SHUT-UP AND SING....SHUT-UP AND SING...WHATEVER
3.
IT'S ANOTHER DAY.... IN AFGHANISTAN...DON'T YOU CARE....DON'T BE SQUARE
THIS AINT THE SEVENTIES...THANK GOD, WE MOVED-ON DOWN THE LINE
IT'S ANOTHER DAY TO BE GLAD YOU ARE FREE, BREAKIN' TACKLES BY THE PAIR
BE SERIOUS, MY FRIEND...VOTE REPUBLICAN....REEEE....PUUUBBB...LICANNNNNNN...YEAH...
fin
copyright1988 bigEAST Music
Whatever
