For A Song

FOR A SONG

By: Carole Blake

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the expression “for a song” means: for a very small amount of money…as in “I just bought this new car for a song!”

As far as I’m concerned, it means something else entirely. I’ve been writing songs for many years – lyrics only, collaborating with several talented composers. I absolutely LOVE writing them…whether pop, country, children’s songs, ballads…whatever! If someone gives me a melody, the words simply pop into my head…and then I write them down. I seem to have no problem with the rhyming…or timing! (See what I mean?) And of course, sometimes the words come to me first, and then I find a composer to add the music. I’ve created several videos and uploaded them into YouTubes, and it always makes me smile when I watch them.

When I was in my early 30s, living in Long Island, New York, I first realized that I might just have this talent. I found out about a songwriting class that was given in Manhattan once a week at night. At the time I had two young kids, and I was a busy Mom, but I decided to try it. I drove to 57th street every Wednesday night and learned the ins and outs of songwriting. I met a few collaborators there, and one was a lovely young lady from Connecticut named MaryJo. We wrote several songs together, and our first one – titled “Bag Lady” – about the shopping bag ladies you’d sadly see on the New York City sidewalks – actually won us an award!

So now it’s about forty years later, and I’m still writing songs! I recently co-wrote a song titled “Me Too” about the strong women of today’s world who “just won’t take it anymore!” I made a YouTube of it, and I’ve been trying to get it out there to the #MeToo and #TimesUp groups as well as other such groups. The problem is: I’m in my 70s, and I barely know Twitter (although my son has tried to help me), and I can’t seem to get this song to them. Also, I recently watched the Grammys, and although I enjoyed Elton John, I could barely watch most of that show. I certainly had problems hearing the lyrics! So…should I forget about songwriting? But I’d miss it so much. The “Me Too” song is truly one of my best! I would LOVE a well-known singer to record it. I don’t care about being ‘rich and famous’, I just want my song to be enjoyed and to help the cause.

So here’s a link to the YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN2fEj1FBkc

If anyone out there can help me out…it’s yours! FOR A SONG!!!

© 2018 C.Blake