JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Isn't This What it Should Be All About?

I want to share this quote about a song a peer heard and reviewed on SongRamp:

"I'd classify it as plain GOOD! No analysis, just thank you for brightening my day with this cute, slick, creative, entertaining song. ~ John/Pianoman (Hey! he took my knickname)! He can have it, and duke it out with Joel about it.

Brightening up "his" day? I'd say that sums up why most, if not all of us, do our music! Sharing moments that are made brighter! (Writer to listener back to writer)!

I know we all get kudos on our songs, but reading that phrase, "thank you for brightening my day" is really something to know.

John

I agree, John. I have begun to listen to what is not always said, instead of what I wanted to hear. It's easy to offer compliments in order not to hurt someone's feelings or not to be disrepectful. So, now, I read the faces in the audience when I perform, and pay little attention to the applause or the compliments. When you catch a person unaware as he or she is listening, it's a much truer read on your song and/or your performance. For a songwriter to touch someone with his/her song so much that it "brightens my day".......that's the true art of songwriting.
John

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J
Music is my passion..my joy and my second career..and I'M LOVIN' IT!
http://sounclick.com/johnwebbsingersongwriter

Well, I didn't write the song I was singing at the Farmer's Market a few weeks ago, but I think it was a "Sam Cooke" classic, and then when that 80+ year gal strooled past the front of the stage w/her walker and looked up at me and gave me the biggest wink, well, she made my day as I hoped I made hers

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Steve West
Steve's Website
Steve's Myspace site

John,

You mean to tell me that "The Hokey Pokey" is wrong?

Seriously, I got a call from a friend on Sunday who had played at a cafe on Saturday...She had a new song, very personal & sad, and several people came up to her afterwards and told her how touched they were by it....& yes, that's what it's all about!

Midnite



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Satchel was right...Something is gaining on me....
www.jackcouldntmakeit.com

John, here's another example of songs touching the hearts of others. Several years ago, I was asked to write the music for a play that was being written by the director of the local community theatre. It was my first undertaking of this size, but I was up for the task. One of the songs was to be a love song, not a love song as we think of love songs today, but a love song in the "classical" sense. I already had a song written that would suit these perameters, but the words did not fit. So, I rewrote the lyrics to fit the "classical" style. The first time I auditioned this song for the director, who is a chain-smoker and a pacer, he stopped doing both, sat down, and listened. That was a victory in itself. His comment was that the song was exactly what he was looking for....EXACTLY. Now, if you know anything about community theatre directors, you know that he had just given the best compliment. So, I refined the rough edges, reworked the key to fit the leading lady, and then was ready for her to hear it. On the night she first heard it, we all were sitting around on stage just working on music. I did not expect what happened when I sang the song for her(the leading lady). I was concentrating on the music and the words, and did not look up until I had finished. At that point, she jumped up with tears in her eyes, and ran off the stage in a tizzy. I was bewildered, but the director quickly assured me that there was nothing wrong and that her reaction was real and personal, and that, with that song, I had achieved my goal as a songwriter. After 15 minutes of waiting, she returned to the cast and said she had not ever been touched by a song like she was by that one, and that she was going home and hug her husband.
On opening night, I was playing guitar as backup, and I concentrated on the audience. As she was singing the song, I noticed many patrons wiping their eyes as she sang. I must tell you, it was an amazing feeling. I think I had had doubts about my songwriting up to this point, but after experiencing this reaction, there was no doubt about it:
I WAS A REAL SONGWRITER!
Just had to share this with you.
John

Wow John Webb! That was really something to read about. To have ALL THAT happen has got to be as big for you as any Grammy or JPF award for others! I MUST hear this song! Not to judge, but to enjoy and share eve more of your experience. I got chills for you just reading about it, so I can only imagine what it ws like for you, through all thsoe "stages" of presenting the song!

Congrats! And thanks for sharing.
John

Cool! To move someone at that age, (not that it's an really old age), IS rewarding. Good for you Steve! Good for her too!
John

Cool!!!! Music is GREAT! Isn't that something, to have your friend feel that good to want to call you and tell you about it?!
Sharing the good vibes ona and on!

John,

It was way beyond cool!...My Friend was a 'song contest junkie'...All those nickle & dime contests that drain your wallet $20 & $50 at a time(totally unlike the JPFolks Awards)....

But she would enter these contests, looking for some validation,,,& then she would call me up & I would have to talk her off the ledge because she 'only' got an 'honorable mention',,,but 'please', they would encourage her, enter the contest again next month. & I would plead with her...

"Don't Dahlin', please don't! You're a helluva writer & you don't need some two-bit contest to validate it!"

And she would always say,

"I know, I know, but I'm just a neurotic New Jerseyite & I just can't help myself."

Until the other night.....She finally got it! & we sang Hank William's "I Saw The Light" & several other "Eyes Finally Opened" songs over the phone...

Yeah John...:-)

Midnite






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Satchel was right...Something is gaining on me....
www.jackcouldntmakeit.com

I couldn't agree more with "this" being the reason we do what we do. That and not being able to not write. Don't know about anyone else, but there are so many times that I feel literally hammered by my Muse... an uncontrollable need to put pen to paper, fingers to keys or strings, and then the magic happens.

Nothing comes close to learning that something created from within yourself, in some way touched another person. I'd like to share a couple of instances that have really touched me.

A couple of years ago, I was contacted by a woman who runs a home for abused/neglected children. She just wanted to let me know that her "kids" would regularly ask to visit my website to listen because the music really helped make them feel better. All I could think was... WOW That is what it's all about.

I've been contacted out of the blue regarding one song, in particular, (Winds of Change) that has touched different people for different reasons. On one occassion I was told that it had helped someone go through a difficult death in her family. (again, just wow!) I was recently asked for permission to have the song featured at the upcoming Niagra Brain Injury Conference, with the lyrics being included in the program. Evidently the director of the conference, which is also called "Winds of Change", had been searching online for a poem to include in the program when he ran across my song. He explained that he felt it was surprisingly perfect for what this specific conference was all about, and that he believed it would really touch the patients and families who would be in attendance. That brief musical touch... the connection.. it truly *is* what this is all about.

I can't accurately describe how much learning things such as these means to me. It's as magical as the creation of the songs.

Thanks for such an inspiring topic!!

Colleen
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"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." FDR
http://www.colleengray.com
http://www.mp3.com.au/colleengray
On MySpace

[This message has been edited by ShadesofGray (edited 08-31-2006).]

Thanks John , so glad to hear you feel about music in that way. And after listening to Colleen's music it is no "mystery" how it affects peoples lives. It is beautiful...I totally agree with what she has just said here. I chose to make my "day job" working with the elderly and rehabilitaion centers. And the ages in the elderly homes are getting younger every day (or am I just getting older? Hmmmnnnn..) I am constantly told by the staff , that there are certain people who only come out for the music when I'm there. At first I didnt believe it, so I began to visit with these particular people to find out why, as I have no "majic formula" here. One by one they told me that my music makes them "feel good" that it "has some kind of energy" or has a certain "connection to a place inside them" that I'm reaching. Yes WOW This caused me to actually break down in tears after leaving & sitting in my car reflecting on their words as they had no idea what they had just done for me. And it is usually when I am having a really bad day myself,when things like this happen,but then I think about what a struggle it is for them EVERY day.
So to be "instrumental" in THEIR healing process in any way makes me truly KNOW that I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and I'm EXACTLY where I should be.
I wrote a song called "Garden In My Heart" for a woman who lost her child to domestic violence. I met her at a bus station. We were just sitting there and she started talking to me about Spring coming & how she used to do a lot of gardening, but not since she lost her son because her heart wasn't in it anymore. I went home & wrote that song. I sing it every October for the local Womens Shelter's annual vigil service for domestic violence & abuse, and one by one people come to tell me how much the song "touched them." I could not be Blessed any more than this.... Sue

www.soundclick.com/susanlainey

[This message has been edited by laineytunes@yahoo.com (edited 08-31-2006).]

I had an idea there would be stories based on this topic, but the depth of each is really tremendous! Magical moments for sure! Meaningful to the extreme.

Thanks for sharing such experiences, Bob, Colleen and Susan in those recent replies!
Wow! What a groupd of people! And this is just a tiny sample of JFP we're hearing from! Imagine ALL the heartfelt stories there would be if all chimed in. Talk about a crash! Crash of emotions too,,,,,the good kinds!

Amazing reads here! More magical details than I expected already. Keep 'em coming for all to share in the most incredible art form, MUSIC!

John Daubert

Really been enjoying reading all the stories - very moving and inspiring....

I felt the kind of thing people are talking about here earlier this year. My wife went into the hospital for 3 days for an operation. I got it into my head to write a song for her as a get well present. I had an extra bonus in that her Mom came down and, when we were't at the hospital, I had her back at home laying down fiddle tracks for the get-well present.

Well, my wife came home and I played her the song. She loved it. Unfortunately, she had complications from the operation and had to go back into the hospital for what ended up being an additional 11 day stay - most of it spent with her in quite a bit of pain.

I'm reasonably certain her return visit to the hospital was not caused by the song

Anyway, she tells me to burn every song I'd written for her (about 8 at that point) to a CD and bring them with me to the hospital along with her portable CD player.

Now when my wife likes a song, she will play it over and over again. I slept most nights on the couch in her room and I would commonly wake up to hear her playing her "get-well" present. Then she'd start it up again. And again. And again....

Heck, the song was wearing thin on me at that point and I wrote it!

But she said it helped her feel better...

Don't really know what I was feeling then - pride doesn't feel right. Maybe just plain happiness that I wasn't completely powerless to help her after all. Anyway, felt good, whatever it was...

Scott

Yes Scott! Happiness for her spirit to be lifted by those songs! In this crazy world of hearing nothing but we should be there, we shouldn't be there, and all the politics of extreme sides, it's great to read about pure happiness and love! Especially when about someone like yourself.

Oh,,,,,,and the songs were being played over and over by her because you didn't give her any other CD's! Brainwashing, I think they call it!
But hey! It worked! lol

Hey John,

I've got a lot of 'what it's all about' stories,,,mostly because I've confined my gigging for the last 5+ years to a regular Sunday brunch gig at a local cafe, where the 'regulars' have become family & bring their families in to celebrate birthdays with us(from 1 year olds to 85 year olds) Once we had a married couple(semi-regulars)dropp in because the husband was going in for surgery on Monday & was overly paranoid. When his wife asked him how he wanted to spend his (potentially)last day on earth, his only request was the Sunday Brunch...It was a simple hernia operation & it went fine,,,but we were honored.

But my biggest honor, was being asked if we'd be willing to have dinner & play a few songs at a local 'Hospice' that was dedicated to taking care of homeless, dying AIDS patients...How could we refuse? It was an honor!!!

Another honor, is to play at nursing homes. Anytime you play for an audience that will never be able to contribute $ to further your career, but will give you 'warm fuzzy reminders' of what it's all about,,,well, some things Mastercard just can't buy!

And in an effort at full disclosure...While playing the Sunday Brunch, where parents bring their kids to expose them to 'live music'...Well, I've got a legion of adorable 5 year old groupies who I hope will remember to look me up 15 years from now 'When I'm 64'....:-)

Midnite(fill in the blank here)Bob



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Satchel was right...Something is gaining on me....
www.jackcouldntmakeit.com

Hi Guys!

I agree 100% and if I had one wish It would be to brighten the day of millions...

Peace
Sub

Millions! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

But touching, (butt touching?) one heart could be just as meaningful, as you could never read a million stories with the same attention that you could with one. But yeah, wouldn't be a bad idea to see for ourselves, since I don't know for sure. Let's let each other know if we ever reach that many. "The Race to a million hearts".

Could pass by many along the way going that fast though.

YOU should be heard by at least a hundred anyway!

John

Hey, John. It's me again. I just had to share this recent story with you folks. This past weekend I performed at the Bluebird Cafe during the Sunday Writers Night. I started off with a song I wrote one week after 9/11/01. It's called THAT DAY IN SEPTEMBER. I decided to do this one since the 5th anniversary of 9/11 is coming up shortly. Given the light, humerous, uptempo songs that usually are played there, I thought it would be a gamble. I have performed enough that applause really doesn't mean that much to me, but, facial expressions mean a great deal more. During the song, there was no movement, no talking, no squirming (I think even the waitresses stopped)....all eyes were rivoted on me. When I finished, there was just the slightest sigh and then a really nice applause. What a great feeling!
Just wanted to share that with you.
John

Very touching and meaningful, John. Songs come in all sizes, and each will fit some in a crowd. Sounds like that one fit them all. Congrats. Must have been something special for sure. A special moment that will most likely stay with you, and them.

Thanks for sharing. Blue Bird too! Very good.

John D