I used to get offended (mostly in secret) when people criticized my songs. It always happened to the most well-intentioned people. I wrote
this song a few years ago that I was totally proud of. I thought it was a lyrical masterpiece. The final product finally came out of the studio, produced and glossy, and I played it for my dad along with the other tracks in the album that I liked. I asked him what he thought and he says after a long pause, "It's nice but...I don't really get it. I like
that other guy's song better." Ouch. But duly noted. In retrospect, my song was a little cryptic. It was good at putting babies to sleep, though. Or so I heard.
Bless my dad. It takes real love to be honest with a songwriter. You never know how they're going to take it. My husband never fails to share his real opinions on my songs, solicited or not, and has witnessed/suffered a buffet of reactions. Sometimes I agree (rare). Sometimes I argue explain myself and defend the arrangement. Sometimes I give him the silent treatment, wherein I quietly resent him for picking up on my imperfections and knocking me off the awesome train, but also for being kind of right.
What I'm trying to learn right now is this: Gold is refined by fire. Iron is sharpened by iron. Anyone who wants to be a master at anything needs to be prepared for opposition, criticism (friendly or not), and even backlash. I'm learning that if I want to succeed at being a songwriter, with success being measured by the number of people wanting to listen to my music, I need to be open to criticism. Thick skinned, but open. Too many times in the past, I took criticism as other people's proof that I am mediocre. That doesn't have to be the case. I can take criticism as an opportunity to prove to people that I am good at what I do, because I can rise to the challenge.
So if you come in contact with a songwriter who asks for your opinion on a song they just wrote, please be honest. Their hopeful faces will want you to be nice and say things like "Oooh, I really like that part!" and "It's so unique!" because you think it's what they want to hear. Please. If you really love them, be honest. No songwriter ever got better by listening to people kiss their butt.
Speaking of which. Here's a semi-current song I'm working on. I wrote it last year and recorded a rough draft (which is what you will hear), and am considering resurrecting it. Any thoughts?
Click here to listen!
(for some reason I can't get it to be louder so turn it up...sorry...my mixing skills are zero.)
This Long Road
Copyright 2009 Music and Lyrics by Renee Geronimo
[Renee Geronimo - vocals, guitar; Mike Potusek - magical guitar]
Seven months still to go
I am counting down the moments and they’re passing so slow
Now the sun’s come and gone
And the small hours of morning, they linger on
And I need to sleep now
Bid today goodbye
Make tomorrow come
Refrain:
So that I can see you at the end of the road
This long road
This long road
Tell me I can see you at the end of the road
This long road
This long road
Ooooh...
Let the world pass me by
All the stop signs and borders and the clouds in the sky
Let it all fade to gray
For my eyes are trained forward, and they won’t look away
From you now
Bid today goodbye
Make tomorrow come
(refrain)
Bridge:
I know I am waiting not in vain, not in vain (x4)
(refrain)
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