No Surrender . . .

An Intimate Look Into Mondays Writing Session . . .

The week is off to a great start.
Both studios are up and running . . . For now. lol

Last night was productive.
First we discussed some business issues, then we briefly discussed album production stuff and the studio upgrades, then we proceeded to write.

I'm not sure which we'll go with, but we are 3/4 of the way finished with a song called "Surrender" or "I surrender" or "I Surrender To You" or "Sweet Surrender".
What do you think?

It's a song I initially started and came in with. It's about how one might get entangled in an argument with their loved one, then in the middle of it realize how pointless it is. You forget what you're even fighting for, or why. How you'd much rather love this person, rather than fight with them in the first place. Our time is too short, life is too short. Who's right or wrong? Who cares, just surrender for Christ' sake!
Why fight? when we can . . . Well, you get the picture . . .

I will say that as a guy, we can sometimes get into trouble with the greatest of ease and sometimes it's a lot less work just to accept your defeats gracefully, if you know what I mean?

I came up with the initial song idea, vocal melody, lyrics to the chorus and one line of the verse, while driving at 4:30 in the morning. I've written a lot of full songs while driving. One week back in December I happened to be driving every morning at 4:30 and I came up with a song a day doing that. Then I filed them away for later. Note to self: If I ever get writers block, just go for a long drive at 4:30 in the morning. It seems to work well for me.

I write a lot while driving, but that time of morning is songwriting on steroids for me, for some reason. I don't know if it's that I'm still half asleep, fresh, or what, but it works. . .

Anyway, last night we worked on it together and it's turning out really well. All we need is lyrics for the 2nd verse and then it can be added to the record list. A week ago, or so, I was doing what I call jamming on the piano and I came up with a classical piece that I thought Hmm . . . I need to use that in a song sometime. While working on the song last night, the part just kinda popped out of me and we both got excited about trying to make it fit into the song. Jimmy had an idea for an additional part for it, so we worked that out. Just when it looked like we wouldn't be able to find a place for it in the song that ultimately felt right, it finally found it's comfortable place underneath the bulk of the guitar solo section.

We have written some clever, complex and profound lyrics for our songs. For this one, as well as for a few others, we decided a simplistic approach was better for the lyrics. Sometimes less is more. . .

I had a hard time getting this one out of my head and into a form that I could show Jimmy. This is unusual for me. I basically had two different versions. One on guitar and one on piano. I showed Jimmy the guitar version and we proceeded to work on that initially. For whatever reason, he really took to this one more than usual. At one point he said - "I hear piano on this one, Bret". Well, he was in luck as I had already been there. The two parts were different, but they complimented each other and we were able to make them work together really well. We took what I had and added to it and by the end of the night we had the whole arrangement and all of the parts, minus the second verse lyrics.

While working on it, we both were singing different sections and by the end of the night Jimmy had settled into singing it all the way through, while I worked on the licks , etc., for the piano part. It hit me how good his voice sounded on it, so I suggested that he be the one to actually sing it. He also came up with some great stuff for the guitar solo, so you can guess who'll be playing that. It's a great song and I can't wait to hear it recorded . . .

Now, aside from finishing up a lot of lyrics on various songs, I will be recording my acoustic guitar parts for the album so far, for the rest of this week. At least. I'll also do more writing on other stuff.
Jimmy is also back to tracking over in his studio too. Hopefully the equipment continues to cooperate with us.

Wednesday it'll be back to writing together. We both have new song ideas waiting in line, as well as a great deal of songs already at various stages of completion to work on. We tend to work on a lot of songs at once, as well as at any time throwing another one into the mix. While touching on them all, when the lightning of inspiration strikes us on one of them, then we focus on that one. Who knows what's next.

We'll probably finish off "Surrender"(or whatever its called) and "Holy War" first of all.
 "Wounded" just sort of came out of nowhere in the midst of all of it. It's already on the record list.

 A lot of times we start and finish a song in one sitting. Some have to simmer for awhile. Every now and then, it's downright painful and hard work to finish some of them. They come in all shapes, ways and forms.  Some come from me, some from Jimmy and some to both at once while working on something else. Some come from a musical part. Some just a title. Some a melody. Some a lyric. Some from our long conversations about things in life, both our own and observation of others lives, or just life in general. You just never know, but when it happens it's usually magic. At least by the time we're done . . .

- Bret