I'll admit, I was nervous about achieving the goal I had set for the workshop: writing a song. I mean, talented songwriters lock themselves into expensive studios for months and produce nothing, and I had the idea that we could pull this off in two sessions of two hours each. Would we find the inspiration to write a great song?
Well, we had an amazing group, and after a discussion about poets and songwriters the kids wrote at least a dozen songs. Together we wrote one using the 'exquisite corpse' technique and would turn it into a song that next weekend. My friend Will Chambers came in to provide the musical talent. He had a melody in his head that morning and he played a rough version of it for the kids and showed them how their lyrics were arranged into the song structure. You could really see each kid's excitement as they heard the line they wrote. We had an amazingly talented group and I hope each of them will remember their first song after they acquire studio time and share their musical talents with the world.
Please check out the video produced by Bobby Cuadra and follow along with the lyrics the students wrote themselves:
There she stood where the waves met the sand
I wrote a song for her with the help of my band
For all of the riches in the land
All of our friends can lend us a hand
Leaving all weapons, completely un-manned
The elements, the elements, they all call to me.
My heart is locked out.
She is the one who holds the key.
A feeling in my heart I can't yet name
A thing so weird I'll never be the same
It is called misery and why are you here
I'm here because I just shed a tear
The elements, the elements, they all call to me.
My heart is locked out.
She is the one who holds the key.
Water is my enemy
Fire is no better
Wind the strongest of all
The elements, the elements, they all call to me.
My heart is locked out.
She is the one who holds the key.
