Hi Lucian! Quite an Interesting Discussion you've created. IF you've read many Songs/Critiques from Big Jim & I, you'd realize we're not ALL Bible-Bangers here at JPF. &, yep, there's a LOT of Country-Oriented Lyric-ing goin' on..(Tho I'd kinda yearn for some Rap Writers to show us their stuff more-often...KNOW you're Out There/What's Keepin' Yas?)

ANY Critique on a Song is Just One Person's Opinion. It always helps to remember The Beatles got shot down by a Fair Number of Labels 'cuz they weren't Originally-Perceived as Anything Spectacular. Living (& Selling)-Well is certainly the Best "Revenge" as far as Critics Go. Tho..alas..ya MAY just have to settle for the Former..even if you write/perform some of the Greatest Stuff ever-Penned..unless ya get EVERYTHING Right..(Which, JMO, includes The Luck Factor.)

Anyways, "Kind" vs "Savaging" Crits: I think I always got MORE outta The Latter Kind..as far as Improving My Wares. As far as GIVING Crits, I tend to be more Humane (because I remember some really STINGING Ones I got Early-On that USED to Hurt) & TRY to offer some (Usually) Line Sugs on How To Improve What's-Here.

As for the Newbees who Disappear-Forever...perhaps they're out growing the Necessary Thick-Skin & "Shall-Return"... If Not, I still wish 'em well...at Whatever Else they're Taking Up.

SOME of us here write BOTH "Artistic" (& shall I say "For FUN" Ones) as well as the Occasional "Commercial Ones"..since, yeah, schmucks that we are, we DO wanna make some Early Retirement from all this Rejection-after-Rejection-after-OMIGOD..It's a WINNNER..Game.

As for Ande's Question, yep..I've oft-enough found a Great Hook thrown-away/contained in a Fellow JPF'er's Lyric...& asked for an OK/or just plain offered-a-Co-Write time-to-time. I believe in giving Credit Where-Due..when the Idea's Not Totally My Own.
(& maybe once or twice just Offered A Steak Dinner for the "lifted line"..when the Urge to Write was just TOO-intense to stop doin' the thing, knowin' full-well to probably expect a Lawsuit if the thing ever HIT!)

I'd hope ya stick with us here, Bro L, partly 'cuz this shouldn't be an All-Yank Songwriting Board. It's a Global Economy...it's now Global Musication...& Open Minds WILL Prevail in whatever constitutes "Artistry" and "Success".

Best Wishes & Best of Luck, whatever ya decide, Amigo!
Big Guy-Hug,
Ol' Stan


Last edited by "TampaStan" Good; 12/08/08 01:11 PM.