Hey, Steven, I agree. Put it out there and if it's really a great song, someone somewhere will notice.
There's a lot of crap that songwriters push to music executives: that's why they have filtering systems (like secretaries) who weed out the junk. I understand that an average publisher, producer, or A&R man listens to say 100 songs submitted per-week. Out of those 100, only one or two are GREAT songs: ones that have radio appeal, and appeal to the masses. That's what they are looking for to break in a new artist. The other stuff can be album fillers. But you need that big hit to get noticed.
That's why few record companies listen to unsolicited tapes/CDs anymore: very few songs are GREAT: either crap. or just average. I can see their point. They are busy. They don't have time to listen to mediocre stuff all day long when they can listen to seasoned, well-crafted songwriters already on board with their company who have proven themselves with hits.
Great songwriters know their craft, they have the formula down. But they are rare. Some examples: Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Burt Bacharch, Phil Collins, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Paul Anka, Paul Williams, Irving Berlin, Rogers & Hammerstein, The Beatles, The Eagles, Barry Manilow, The Bee Gees, Aerosmith, im Croce, Cat Stevens, Bon Jovi, etc.
All the above are consistent: they know their craft and are successful year after year. That's NO accident or luck. Yes, a one-hit wonder is luck: "Wild Thing" or "In The Year 2525". But great songwriters keep writing great songs, even with the change of times. The creme always rises to the top (eventually). Part of it is luck (maybe 50%), but the other 50% is hard work, perseverance, and GREAT TALENT. Luck will come to those who are great. Seasoned musical professionals (publishers, producers, A&R people) will know when they hear that "something special" (meaning "consistency").
I say all this because I know: I worked for London Records as a songwriter in the early 1970's. I learned a lot back then. Nothing has changed, only the style and expression. The tools and techniques still apply, and everyone is still looking for a great hit, a song with a great hook, a well-structured lyric and melody,
something said in a unique way but yet adherent to basic lyic writing, and so on.
It hasn't changed. Get really good at your craft, shoot for writing hit songs (that's what the bigwigs look for), and worry about your other creative expressions (album cuts) later on. Remember. record executives look for songs that will fit into a radio station's list (time-wise, topic wise, and so on). A well-structured song has to be between 3 minutes and 4 minutes long: any longer, the radio won't fit it into their playlist. Shorter won't work either. Long songs like "Stairway To Heaven"? It's because it's Led Zepplin and they were ALREADY famous when they pulled that off. A beginner can't get away with that.
Luck plays a big part (and more so, timing for who needs what and when). But great writers create their own luck by having the goods to deliver when an opportunity arrives. Got a great song for Celine Dion that her producer needs? If you don't, then forget the luck: if you had it, it might open the door (the right song, the right time, the right person, the right need). The luck would be in getting her producer to listen to your song in the first place. If you can make it past the secretary (or sway her to pass your song on), then you've got that started. How? Try phoning them. Talk to the secretary. Get an agent or manager who can do the same. Ask an A&R person to listen to your song on your website. Or simply mail in your song (professionally): 90% of CDs/cassettes look like crap when sent in, so you can eliminate 90% of your competition by just being professional and following up with a phone call. Create your own luck by being professional, knowing what the industry wants, and presenting it in a professional manner. Have a lot of songs that are well-structured, hit potential, commercial, and varied (ballads, medium-paced songs, fast songs, etc.). Then you can have a library to send someone who needs this for this person at this time!!
Mike Freze
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