Validation - Part 3 of 3

Part 3 of 3

In another segment, Marie was talking about the song "Live Like You Were Dying," which was co-written by Craig Wiseman. She points out the "Nashville No-No" in the song when it starts, "he said I was..." and the song never tells you who "he" is. She pointed out that NSAI's eval service would most likely point this out and it goes to show you why you don't ignore your gut to follow the textbook way of doing it. Again, a point of validation to me personally, as I've said this all along.

My song Fireproof - http://www.reverbnation.com/jimmyanderson/song/14528640-fireproof - was one of the ones I sent in to NSAI toward the end. He didn't get it... First he said that I repeated statue and should have used a different word. He also said my line "into the furnace bound" was wrong - it should have been "bound for the furnace." He missed the fact that they were "tied up" and not "headed for." SMH Guess he didn't go to Sunday School. ;-)

I'm actually proud of that song in that I told the same story of the Hebrew guys, but used rhymes that were NOT the standard ones you hear in songs on that topic. I think the song is unique and a good bluegrass song, but he didn't think so. But I'm not changing it for him... :-)

Marie points out later in the episode that's "it's a really good organization." I must stop here and concur. I have "met" via the forums people from other parts of the country and had good conversations with them as well as gained at least one co-writer. I say "at least" one because there's a song we worked on together called Wandering Eyes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mCF82pVz_4 We have others in the works and there is a lady I "met" there that I'm also collaborating with, but we've not finished anything yet due to MY time constraints.

Steve and Marie both mentioned their own - um - lack of enthusiasm with their experience with the song evaluation service. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that feels that way. Wandering Eyes, for example, was sent in for eval by the other co-writer and he was told "ebb and flow" is not conversational English. That's for Americana, not country, and it should be changed. Well I happen to like Americana and I enjoy being "labeled" as such.  --- do third graders know what ebb and flow means? ;-)

I will say that I had one GREAT eval from lucky #13... I sent in Reflections of You - http://www.reverbnation.com/jimmyanderson/song/15988985-reflections-of-you - and he gave me encouragement as well as some GREAT ideas. The link above is actually where I re-wrote it based on some of his suggestions, and I do think it's a much stronger song. His particular eval would probably make a good checklist of great writing tips. The other eval's I got, though not necessarily "bad," were not helpful as they didn't give me anything to help me convey the message, but instead were filled with what I did "wrong."

I've also decided to stop calling myself an aspiring song writer. That makes it sound like I'm "not there" yet. It's true I don't have a cut - or a hold - or otherwise made any money, but that does NOT take away from the fact that I *am* a songwriter. I have written songs. Period. I don't tell people I'm an aspiring musician, but that I *am* a musician, and have been for years.

Steve addressed me in a later part of the show when he mentioned writers like us will "keep on keeping on" and our audience will find us. Six or twelve months ago that would have been harder to believe, but with the recent "Old Farts and Jackasses" movement, I have faith that "my type" of traditionalistic music is actually in demand. Maybe not the high demand that Kountry radio inspires, but demand nonetheless. Again, a point of validation.

(And no, Steve, that's not what I'm into - LOL)