Artists on "How To Write A Song & Other Mysteries"

[DudeAsInCool]

Artists Andrew Bird, Suzanne Vega, Darrell Brown and Rosanne Cash are heading up a music blog over at the New York Times on the mysteries of Songwriting. Here's a snippet of wisdom from Andrew Bird:

"I loved performing but I found out quickly that singing disco cover songs on the “amazing ascending and descending” Coca Cola Tomorrowland Terrace stage at Disneyland six nights a week would pay the bills but it would not bring the likes of Clive Davis or Ahmet Ertegun down to check out the “credo” artist shaking his booty in an orange and purple polyester jumpsuit singing “Le Freak” by Chic — especially when I was singing the back-up vocal (“Aaaahhhhhh, freak out!). So after a year and a half at Mickey and Minnie’s house, I saved up enough money and quit. I immediately went out and rented an upright piano from Hollywood Piano Store and started trying to write songs. It was a good move. It worked.

These many years later I usually find myself in in Nashville, Los Angeles, New York, London or some other city, sitting at a piano with my laptop computer, No. 2 pencil and pad with another songwriter or artist. We then proceed to vent and hash out our thoughts and feelings, our anger and frustrations, our longings and hopes and try to gently coax them into the shape of a song. And that song must have the three H’s in it: Honesty. Humanity. And hooks."

Read more at the their New York Times' Blog: "Measure for Measure"

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About the Authors

Andrew Bird is a Chicago-based singer, songwriter, violinist, guitarist and whistler. His Web site is andrewbird.net.

Darrell Brown is a songwriter, arranger and producer who has written hit songs for dozens of recording artists, as well as music for film and television.

Rosanne Cash is a Grammy award-winning artist who has released 14 albums, most recently "Black Cadillac" (2006), and 11 No. 1 singles. Her Web site is rosannecash.com.

Suzanne Vega, a singer and songwriter whose success in the 1980s helped establish the acoustic folk-pop movement, has released eight albums, including the platinum-selling "Solitude Standing" (1987) with the hit single, "Luka," and the 2007 recording, "Beauty and Crime" on Blue Note Records. Her Web site is suzannevega.com.