NL July 2010.pub - International Songwriters Association

OUR 43rd YEAR SERVING SONGWRITERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
®
JULY 2010 ISBN 0332-4990 FOUNDED 1967 ISSUE 304
UK Songwriter Donovan
To Become BMI Icon
Donovan will be named a BMI Icon at the
US performing right organisation's annual
London Awards, slated for Tuesday, October
6 at London’s Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane.
The invitation-only gala will recognise the
UK and European songwriters and publishers
of the past year’s most-played BMI songs on
American radio and television.
The Icon designation is given to BMI
songwriters who have bestowed “a unique
and indelible influence on generations of
music makers.” Donovan joins an elite list of
past honourees that includes multi-genre
nobility Bryan Ferry, Peter Gabriel, Ray
Davies, Van Morrison, the Bee Gees, Isaac
Hayes, Dolly Parton, James Brown, Willie
Nelson, Hall & Oates, Paul Simon, Crosby,
Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood and more.
Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) is a United
States-based performing right organisation
that collects and distributes monies for the
public performance of music on outlets
including radio, television and the internet.
Interview
Charles Strouse
SongSeller & Trade News
ASCAP Offers Cue Sheet Access
For Its Film & TV Writer Members
John A. LoFrumento, CEO of ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers) has announced the launch of a new feature for its secure Member Access online
portal that will allow writers and publishers of film and television music to effortlessly view and
manage cue sheet data.
"As we prepare to celebrate ASCAP's 25th Anniversary Film & Television Music Awards
next week, we are pleased to launch this major enhancement to our Member Access service, said
LoFrumento. "We have added an innovative feature that will allow composers, songwriters and
publishers instant access to their cue sheet data. America is the leading source of film and
television production and ASCAP is the first American performing rights organisation to offer
this type of cue sheet benefit. It is another example of how we are leveraging technology to
provide the best possible service to our members."
A cue sheet is a document that lists data on all the music performed in a particular film or
television program and constitutes the basis of payment of royalties for performances of music
in audio-visual programming. Cue sheets are the most reliable and cost-effective source for
musical content in a particular film or television program. ASCAP processes hundreds of
thousands of cue sheets every year, and continues to explore advances in technology that could
streamline and enhance the identification of musical content in audio-visual programming.
Previously, composers, songwriters and publishers would have to request cue sheet data from
production companies in order to verify their performances. ASCAP's new service eliminates
this need. Commenting on Cue Sheet Member Access, Richard Bellis, an Emmy Awardwinning
composer, author of The Emerging Film Composer and member of ASCAP's Board of
Directors, said: "For decades, music creators for film and TV have had to fight for access to cue
sheets - in a sense, our 'invoices.' Since Member Access came online, ASCAP has made cue
sheet availability a priority and now it's here. This is huge!"
Launched in October 2009, Member Access is a secure, online portal giving ASCAP's
songwriter, composer and music publisher members 24/7 access to their membership, catalogue,
performance and royalty information.
IN FUTURE ISSUES OF SONGWRITER MAGAZINE
Exclusive Interviews With Such Million-Selling Songwriters As
Bill Martin, Dallas Frazier, Keith Stegall etc
Obituaries
Dale Hawkins (74), singer, guitarist and
songwriter ("Suzy Q" and "Wildcat Tamer"),
who went on the produce The Five Americans
("Western Union"), John Fred & His Playboy
Band ("Judy In Disguise"), Jon & Robin,
Bruce Channel, The Dolls, Ronnie Self, The
Festivals, James Bell, The Gentrys and The
Uniques, as well as working with Michael
Nesmith and Harry Nillson. In Goldmine,
Louisiana, USA, of colon cancer....Nathan
Scott (95), composer, arranger and conductor
who wrote music for such TV shows as
"Dragnet", "My Three Sons", "Rawhide",
"Lassie", "Have Gun Will Travel", "The
Twilight Zone", "The Untouchables" and
"Wagon Train". In Los Angeles, California,
USA, of heart failure....Paul Sharfick (29),
songwriter and member of The Dudes Of
Lord. In Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, of
gunshot wounds following a bank robbery
carried out by Mr. Sharfick....Paul Dunlap
(91), pianist and composer whose
compositions for over 200 films and TV
shows included scores for the films "Three
Stooges In Orbit" and for Abbott And
Costello's last movie "Dance With Me,
Henry". In Palm Springs, California, of heart
failure....Elliot Willensky (66), songwriter
and pianist who wrote "If You Say My Eyes
Are Beautiful" and "Got To Be There" and
whose songs have been recorded by Chaka
Khan, Smokey Robinson, The Fifth
Dimension, Gladys Knight, Jermaine
Jackson, Whitney Houston, Thelma Houston,
Syreeta and Jerry Butler.....Eddie Carroll
(77), Canadian actor, comedian and
songwriter, who wrote The Lettermen's
"How Is Julie". In New York City, USA, of
heart failure....Gene Lees (82), writer, critic
and lyricist who collaborated with Antonio
Carlos Jobim to write "Quiet Nights Of Quiet
Stars" which has been recorded by Diana
Krall, Peggy Lee, Queen Latifah, Frank
Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. In Ojai,
California, USA, following a stroke....Ernie
Harwell (92), songwriter and sportscaster
who wrote Homer And Jethro's "Upside
Down" and B.J. Thomas's "I Don’t Know
Any Better", as well as being a National
Sportscasters Hall Of Fame Inductee and
Michigan Sports Hall Of Fame Inductee. In
Washington, Georgia, USA, of heart
failure....Butch White (71), singer and
songwriter who wrote Lee Andrews And The
Hearts’ "Teardrops" and worked with The
Lee Andrews Group and The Larks. In
Philadelphia, USA, following a clot on his
lung....Richard Delvy (68), drummer,
songwriter and producer, and a member of
The Bel-Airs ("Mr. Moto") and The
Challengers who went on to produce The
Chambers Brothers and The Outsiders, as
well as writing the theme for the film "The
Green Slime" and music for the cartoons "The
Archies". In Los Angeles, California, USA, of
heart failure.
The Songwriter® is published by International Songwriters Association Ltd
PO Box 46, Limerick City, Ireland. Tel 00 353 61- 228 837: E-mail jliddane@songwriter.iol.ie
Managing Editor: Jim Liddane
Contributing Editors: Larry Wayne Clark, Patricia Knapton, Jim Birmingham Songwriter and Harvey Magazine RachlinPage 1

STACE JAMES
PERFORMER Kylie Minogue
WRITERS Kish Mauve
Guide to the sections:
1. The Hooks Takes a closer look at "the
hooks" that helped make it a hit.
2. The Lyric Examines the lyric of the song
and considers the nature and extent of its role
in making the song a hit.
3. Song or Track? Looks at the extent to
which the song’s success depended
on the production and performance
of the song, and the extent to which
its success relied upon "the song"
itself.
The Hooks
The album is dead. Or that’s what
many music industry commentators
would have us believe. The
consumers are promiscuous whores,
they say. They want no-strings flings
on a track by track basis, unwilling to
commit to the more expensive album
package with maybe one hit and a
whole lot of “filler”.
So the album is dead, right? Well,
maybe not, if Kylie’s 11 th
studio
album Aphrodite proves to be a
model for future pop releases.
Perhaps because her last album,
2007’s X, was a complete joke as a
coherent collection of songs, or
perhaps because Parlophone think
they’ve struck gold in knowing how to
present albums as standalone statements once
more, Aphrodite is an album in the most
traditional sense – an attempt to create a
work that functions as a logical entity.
The key to creating a real album? Not too
many cooks, and a fair and talented Head
Chef. Head Chef here is Stuart Price, whose
most notable work (so far that is!) is
Madonna’s seminal Confessions On A
Dancefloor from 2005. Perhaps the real
failure of pop acts to deliver fully realised
albums these days lies in the spray-gun
mentality at the major label level. The
safety-in-numbers ethos of employing as
many big-name writer/producers as possible
had led to albums that sound more like
compilations, with only thin threads of
continuity.
So, perhaps Aphrodite will signal the way
forward for pop albums and revive the
format. Yes, there’s still good sense in
pooling writing and producing talents, but
perhaps the installation of a single executive
Anatomy Of A Hit -
“All The Lovers”
producer - who not just oversees, but is
hands-on with the project - is an approach
we’ll see more of in the future.
And so to the record’s lead single, All The
Lovers. What is perhaps most surprising
about its selection as lead single is that it’s
penned by Kish Mauve, the duo behind the
generally poorly received 2 Hearts, the lead
single from Kylie’s previous album.
Fortunately, lightening hasn’t struck twice –
this time, they’ve delivered a stunner that’s
been met with rave reviews from online
music press and the public alike.
They wisely play it safe here. There’s no
unpleasant shocks or cringe-worthy
experiments that made X such a
disappointment. This is pure pop/dance
Kylie. This is the Kylie that sells records.
As is so often the case with big hits, no
time is wasted getting straight to the first
hook – in this case the infectious verse
melody and Minogue’s unmistakable soft,
seductive tone.
Little time is spent wallowing in the verses.
After a short and catchy one-line pre-chorus,
we’re thrown straight in to the real meat of
the song – the massive chorus. Arriving, as it
does, at just 31 seconds into the song, this is
around 10 seconds earlier than average. But
it feels completely natural arriving when it
does, however unorthodox, and that’s the
only thing that matters in a song – forget
rules; if it feels right, then it is right.
The chorus is essentially three hooks both
complementing and healthily competing with
each other. As is almost always the case with
straight pop hits, the main hook is the vocal
melody. While it’s alarmingly simple, it’s
also instantly memorable after hearing it just
once. As chorus toplines go, this is near pop
perfection!
The second chorus hook is the equally
irresistible (and simple!) synth line, which
provides a perfectly realised counter melody
to the topline.
Thirdly, there’s the pulsating bassline,
which gives the otherwise laid-back chorus a
sense of forward motion and energy.
The way these hooks interact with
each other makes for huge chorus that
feels bigger than the sum of its parts
(which is always a good sign!). Call
it “hook teamwork” if you like. Get
the dynamics of the team right, and
you’ve got a potential hit on your
hands!
The Lyric
Nothing world-changing here.
Which is exactly what we want from
a Kylie floor-filler!
Lyric snobs may argue – perhaps
with some validity – that some of the
lyrics here are truly dire. There are,
certainly, some heinous crimes here:
we’ve got a truckload of highers; a
whole convoy of fires (desires are
conspicuous by their absence,
though!); a “deep inside your heart”;
and even a “I’ll take you there”. But,
does any of this really matter? How
many people letting their hair down in
a club on a Saturday night are going care?
Next time you’re out, and if your brave
enough, conduct a little poll . . . mind those
steps as the bouncers “escort” you to the exit!
Song or Track?
A definite 50/50 split here. The chorus,
especially, is a brilliant example of track and
topline working in harmony.
Also worth noting is the super-clean
arrangement – every part has a purpose, and
you get the feeling that everything that was
included had to earn its right to be there. A
common mistake with amateur producers is
the temptation to throw every bell and
whistle available into a production with the
intention of making it sound epic, but often
this has the reverse effect and actually makes
things sound small and cluttered. It’s often
said that the most important decisions
producers make is not what they put in to a
track, but what they leave out. Stuart Price is
a master of this, and his powers are evident
throughout All The Lovers.
Songwriter Magazine Page 2

DEL BOLAND
Today, there is a rather wide variety of
music publishers, small and large. In reality,
everyone that writes songs is a de facto music
publisher if they intend their music for the
public and they do not have a publishing
deal. That is, if someone wants to use the
music, then, at least in theory, they would
come to the songwriter for permission to use
the song. This would be an example of a
songwriter acting as a publisher in a reactive
role as the user comes to the songwriter in
this case.
The primary role of a music publisher
today is usually more proactive. Music
publishers find users for original music and
sometimes manage the usage of the music on
behalf of the songwriter. Of course,
songwriters can also be proactive in
promoting their original work. Music
publishers can be the songwriter or they can
be someone who represents the songwriter in
either a reactive or proactive role.
While there are many opportunities for
songwriters to manage the business side of
music, there are only so many hours in a day.
Therefore, for some songwriters, it makes
sense to find an advocate. This advocate is
the music publisher who shares in the
potential income for the original music in
exchange for services.
Small music publishers are varied in their
approach to the business. Some small music
publishers are individuals who have only
their personal songs. Some small music
publishers may own a catalogue of music that
is intended as a form of investment. This is
usually music that has been recorded and
continues to collect royalties. This type of
music publisher wants to collect fees for their
property much like a property owner collects
rent for a rental property.
Other small music publishers may have
limited "catalogues" of music which have
been assigned temporarily to them for the
purpose of finding a customer willing to pay
for each song. Again using the real estate
analogy, this service would be like a fee
based real estate leasing company.
The rights of songs are temporarily
assigned to the publisher as the publisher
seeks to find interested "buyers". The
primary function of the assignee or publisher
is to find "customers" for the owner. For
assignees or publishers, there are many
secondary functions which may include
managing the account for the owner and/or
maximising exposure for the owner.
I think it is important at this point to
distinguish between two misunderstood
terms related to ownership in the music
business. In particular, I want to describe the
differences between an owner and an
assignee. When a song is written, it is
automatically copyrighted under US
Copyright Law and it is the property of the
songwriter or songwriters.
The songwriter at this point is the owner.
The copyright should also be registered,
which is a statement of claim to the
intellectual property which is the song. This
is done with an application through the U.S.
Exactly What Are
Music Publishers?
Copyright Office. This copyright may be
assigned to a second party at the time of
registration or it may be assigned after being
registered in the name of the songwriter or it
may not be assigned at all. If assigned, it may
be assigned to a publisher for the purpose of
finding interested artists, larger publishers,
commercial sponsors or labels.
Therefore, the publisher becomes the
assignee but the songwriter remains the
owner. This arrangement is typically based
on a set period of time. That is, the
assignment of rights will eventually revert
back to the songwriter or owner. Some
publishers will pay to own a song in which
the songwriter generally receives a lump sum
of money in exchange for the song. In this
case, the songwriter is usually entitled to no
additional compensation unless otherwise
stipulated in a contract.
The smaller music publishers tend to take
on specialised roles to provide needed
services in niche markets. These roles are
expanding with the changing music industry.
Small publishers now take on a variety of
responsibilities that may overlap with a
variety of other music professionals. There is
a good reason for this.
The publisher has a stake in the success of
an artist so they often take an active role in
the artist's development. Therefore, it is not
unusual to see publishers acting as agents for
the artist, for example. Agency is a service
provided for the more specific purpose of
maintaining a steady stream of business for a
client. Good agents provide valuable services
and should not necessarily be confused with
a small publisher.
The larger the potential income for an
artist, the more specialised the roles become
which is why you see big names in music
with high powered agents. Agents typically
maintain the amount of business and
associated income of a big name artist
because the big name artist doesn't have the
time to manage all elements of their career at
this level of success. Big name artists also
have publicists and managers, but for a new
artist, many of these hats may be worn by a
single interested individual.
The small publisher will often take the role
of agent, publicist and manager in addition to
the role of publisher. In some cases, a small
publisher will perform as a fee collection
agent for mechanical rights as they already
receive a portion of the fees that are due for
usage. While some small music publishers
may provide a variety of services with only a
handful of clients, there are also small
publishers who specialise in more limited
services.
They may specialise in a particular
classification of music, for example. These
publishers tend to have more clients as they
tend to have a more limited scope of overall
responsibility. Their strength lies in
understanding a particular segment of the
market and knowing the right people.
Most small publishers are risk takers. They
attempt to select unsigned artists with
maximum potential, hoping for a "break out".
The reward for the small publisher is usually
in the form of fees that are guaranteed by
United States Copyright Law. Of course, a
"break out" can also launch the career of a
small publisher if there is a strong
relationship with the artist founded on
mutual trust. Small publishers may
eventually get "squeezed out" by the more
dominant players in the industry following
the success of a signed artist. Contracts will
eventually expire, so it is possible for a small
publisher to receive their reward for the
duration of work covered under the original
contract, but to not receive further
compensation for new material from a newly
discovered artist who signs with another
publisher. It is the nature of the business.
Small publishers maintain contacts with
larger publishing companies, record
companies, retail marketing executives, and
are now using their skills to help promote
independents. Some small publishers know
when projects are coming up with a label, for
example. They also know the type of music
that interests various A&R professionals.
Other small publishers may be better
equipped to assist an independent artist with
possible promotion opportunities through a
retail store. In either case, an efficient small
publisher will use contact management
techniques and software to help them keep up
with the necessary periodic calls. A good
small publisher will follow up on every hold
and make sure that a client is paid for all
usage of a song.
Large music publishers may perform in the
very same capacities as described above on a
much larger scale. Catalogues owned by a
large music publisher can be in the hundreds
of thousands of songs. Large music
publishers have the distinct advantage of
size. They are well known among industry
professionals and, as a result, have easy
access to a lot of high powered folks. Large
music publishers tend to also have a print
media division that distributes printed
materials such as sheet music. Large music
publishers have other departments assigned
to very specific responsibilities such as artist
and repertoire or A&R personnel. Overall,
the primary focus of the large music
publisher is to maintain a positive bottom
line through acquisitions and account
management, thus it is much more of a
corporate style of business.
Finally, there are many different types of
music publishers, but the role continues to
expand. With the emergence of independent
artists and new online distribution models,
the role of music publisher must change to
meet new demands. It is very likely that the
new small music publisher will have
sufficient computer skills along with the
more traditional understanding of music
publishing, marketing, promotion, contact
management, accounting, copyright law,
negotiation, business etiquette, contract law,
music business politics, and just plain old
common sense.
Published by permission of Del Boland &
http://bluemusepublishing.com
Songwriter Magazine Page 3

SCOTT DAUGHERTY
What Do Recording Engineers
Know That You Don't?
If you have ever recorded a song at
home and had little to no knowledge
about mic placement and sound
engineering, you probably felt like I did
15 years ago whenever I first started
recording music. You can record a great
sounding cd at home without spending a
big budget to produce it.
First of all, your recording platform
does make a difference when recording a
song at home. I am not saying that you
should have thousands of dollars worth
of recording
equipment but you
should have a decent
recorder. If you
don't, recorders are
priced cheaper than
ever.
Now you may ask,
what is the best
platform if I don't
already have a
recorder or only a
little 4 track? This is
completely biased,
so you may want to
ask people at your
local music shop as
well, but I use
computer based
recording software.
ProTools is actually
my personal favorite.
I will explain this
later in the article.
Once you decide on
your recorder or if
you already have the
recorder, here are a
few tips to achieving
a great sound from your recording.
Mic Placement
Your microphone should be placed
strategically to get the most out of your
recording. For instance, if you are
recording an acoustic guitar, you should
first of be using a condenser "shotgun"
mic or two, or combination of shotgun
mic+pickup in guitar or even 2 shotgun
mics+pickup. The mic or mic should be
placed about 5" from the guitar and there
are a number of placements for the mic
or mics. If you are using two mics, my
favorite positioning is aiming both mics
at the sound hole at about a 45 degree
angle. The mics should be about 4" from
the guitar and should have about 1-2" of
clearance in between them. One mic
should be panned left and one panned
right for proper phasing.
There are a couple of ways to record an
electric guitar. The first way is by
placing a mic in front of your speaker
cabinet. If you do this, there also are a
number of placements for the
microphone. First you can place the mic
dead center of 1 speaker with about 1" of
clearance from the mic to the cabinet.
This is the simplest mic placement there
is. The next way is to put the mic about
2-3" off center facing straight into the
speaker. This is also a simple strategy
and picks up more low end from your
cabinet. My musical styles are rock and
metal so, if this is what you are
recording, the next placement is for you.
I will actually angle the mic down at
about 45 degrees and place it in the outer
top left or right hand corner of the top
speaker. This will help you achieve the
most out of your amplifier.
The other method of recording the
electric guitar is by using line ins. In the
event that you do record like this, you
are more likely to get electrical hum or
interference that can be tricky to remove.
But, if you have a good amp modeler and
effects, you can feasibly make a good
recording without actually using your
amplifier.
When doing mic
placements of the
drums, it is pretty cut
and dry. You should
place the mics exactly
as you would in a live
setting. That is, using
a good drum mic set,
place the kick drum
mic in the bass drum,
place a mic over your
snare and toms. The
microphones will pick
up the cymbals with
no problems so you
focus on placing mics
on the drums.
Again, whenever
recording the bass
guitar, it is advisable
to place the
microphone straight
into the speaker off
center to the lower left
or right. This also
helps reproduce the
low end of the speaker
into the recording.
Last of all, vocals are the most
important part of the recording process.
You should first of all have a good closet
and a condenser microphone or you will
get a lot of ambient noise. First the closet
should have a modest amount of clothing
in it. The clothing will actually work
much like sound foam does in the studio
and kill the ambience in the room. You
will sound a lot different if you record in
a room like this as well. If this isn't an
option to you, there are microphones
available that also kill the ambient noise
Songwriter Magazine Page 4

without sacrificing studio quality,
however, they cost about $250.
Mix Down
This is considered by some to be the
hardest part of the recording process
because it does typically take longer to
mix the tracks than to record the tracks.
First of all, when you are mixing down
the tracks, if you recorded your
instruments and vocals much like I do in
my studio, you only used mics and
possibly a preamp for the mics. This is
the way that I like to record much of the
music in my studio because I am using
ProTools and use the plug-ins during the
won't have a problem recreating the
sound live in the future. But if you didn't
and you need more, using the plug-ins of
your multi-track is perfect.
You should also run a compressor on
all tracks along with a limiter if possible.
This will keep the track from clipping
and keep the volume of the track pretty
constant. It also tightens up the sin waves
of the sound and keeps your sound from
jumping from one place to another.
After you get your all effects on your
tracks you should focus on mixing the
sound. You will set your levels to where
you need them. If you use computer
based software you should be able to
Once you have written the master
fader, you should bounce the file to disk
or record to cd if you are using a standalone
recorder. If you are using your
computer, bounce the file to your
harddrive and you are ready to record it
to disk or to master the track yourself, if
you have the software to do so.
If you don't have the software to master
your song, send it to a company and get
it mastered. It depends as to who does as
to how much you will spend. Generally
speaking getting a good company to do it
for you costs as little as $50-$75 per
song and can run you up to thousands.
If you do have mastering software, you
mix down phase. If you don't use
ProTools (or other computer based
multi-track recorders) but rather use a
modern multi-track recorder, I would
recommend using in addition to the pre
and the mics a good compressor during
the recording phase.
Now when mixing down the tracks,
you are going to edit the volume level.
You are also going to edit the panning or
left or right of the track. You will also
place effects on the track during this
phase. As a general rule, when recording
the guitars or bass, you should already
use the effects in front of your amplifier
that you would under normal live
conditions. This is strictly so that you
automate the tracks. This is where you
actually set the track to write and adjust
the levels throughout the playback of the
song. Once you complete the playback
set the track back to read and the levels
will increase and decrease at the
intervals set by you during the writing
process.
Once you get this done and if you are
using a computer, you will want to create
a master track where once again, you can
write the master fader. This will control
the total volume of the song. If one track
is too loud, you have to go back to that
track and adjust it. In addition, you
should never use effects on the master
track.
should either load the wav file of the
song in from your bounce down or load
your cd in to get started. After you have
mastered your track, you will
immediately see a giant difference in the
sound quality before you started and
after.
These are a few of the tricks of creating
a great sounding demo disk at home
without spending a lot of money.
Scott Daugherty is a performing
guitarist and studio engineer. For hot
deals on music equipment, visit this
store [http://superguitartab.com/store].
For a free guitar lesson visit
http://www.superguitartab.com
Songwriter Magazine Page 5

SONGSELLER® NOTICEbOARD
Nicki Kelly, Radiolicious, SEMA,
Louis Huxley & Lee Culver
Louis Huxley
I am a young male vocalist, seeking an
upbeat song in the style of Jason Derulo
or Justin Bieber. The song will be used
for a demo and either a single or charity
single.
Louis Huxley
6 Somerton Close
Kingswood
Bristol BS15 9PE
UK.
My mobile number is: 07576307708.
Matthew Amos
I am forming a new band in the hope of
performing original material, gigging
and possibly something more in the
future. I am looking for a song which is
based on a cross between the following
two artists:
Elephants - you can sample them at
http://www.myspace.com/fullyelephants
Amberlin - you can sample them at
http://www.myspace.com/anberlin
We believe this style will be a perfect
starting point and an introduction into
the world of music that isn't already
commercially available. Our current
lineup consists of a female lead singer
and a male backing singer, so a song
which utilises both would suit perfectly.
A copy of anything produced will be
sent to the writer and unsuitable material
will be returned if accompanied by a
stamped addressed return envelope. I
look forward to hearing from anybody
interested in taking up this project as it
will provide us with a massive step
forwards in the direction we'd like to be
heading.
Nicki Kelly
I am a lyricist from sunny Birmingham
and I'm looking for a Producer/
Composer to collaborate with. I write
RnB, Pop, Ballads & Hip Hop lyrics.
I always have ideas for melodies but
when I sit down at the keyboard it never
sounds like it does in my head. So I’m
looking for someone that can hear my
melody and get that down on paper (and
of course put your own spin on it to
make it work), or simply give me a
melody to write to and then the sky's the
limit!
Please contact me at:
nicholakelly85@hotmail.com
Sema
We are based in Frankfurt, Germany
and we we need vocal melodies
for R&B beats (female vocalist).
sema143@hotmail.com
Paul King
Singer-songwriter in Gloucester seeks
keyboard musician composer to
collaborate on material destined for my
first album and also to create songs to
sell. At some point I would love to have
a crack at writing a Eurovision song
entry (even if it's not for the UK), heck I
(or, we) couldn't do much worse!
I want to work with someone who
knows their stuff - I am 53 but don't let
that put you off!
eldrinod@hotmail.com
Unsigned Artists Radio
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Spotify
Golden House
30 Great Pulteney Street
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content@spotify.com
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Radiolicious
Get your song on the radio! This is
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Going Arcade
Singer Josh Mood of the band Going
Arcade is in need of a new-found glory
style pop-punk track for our debut CD.
Words must suit a male vocalist.
Joshua Mood
24 Diane Street
Tamworth, NSW,
Australia
Matthew Amos
58 Valebrook Close
Folkestone, Kent
CT20 3JW, UK
matt_amos@hotmail.co.uk
Julian Bankston: julian@uaradio.net
http://www.uaradio.net
Spotify
We're introducing a wide range of
or
victim-54@hotmail.com
Lee Culver
I would like to try some original songs
Songwriter Magazine Page 6

for my next demo as I'm not having any
luck with the cover versions! I like
Westlife songs (upbeat and ballads) also
I like Shirley Bassey/Tom Jones/Roy
Orbison style of songs.
I have my own website at
http://www.crackingvoice.com
and a YouTube page at
http://www.youtube.com/leeculver
I'm open to suggestions and willing to
try different types of songs, and if you
listen to me singing, it might give you a
better idea of my "style". I will provide a
copy of any demo made and will return
any unsuitable material.
Lee Culver
127 Pittmans Field, Harlow,
Essex CM20 3LD
UK
Tel (01279) 320041 /(01279) 445001 /
07837 934 345
Email lee.culver@ntlworld.com
Sophie Wilson
I need a ballad style song, like Leona
Lewis's version of 'Run', or a song like
'My Heart Will Go On' etc.
Alternatively, songs in the laid-back
styles of Duffy, Norah Jones, Katie
Melua etc. Suitable for female vocals.
Contact me by email for further details.
sophie1_w@hotmail.com
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Prague Songwriter Festival
The Prague Songwriter Festival is from
Tuesday, September 21 to Sunday
September 26 in Prague, Czech
Republic. The 6 day event will feature
performances by award winning
songwriters and seminars/workshops by
top music industry professionals.
Appearing at the festival will be Rich
Adler, Michael Garvin, Essra Mohawk,
Stan Webb and Evert Wilbrink. Also
integral to the mission of the festival is to
provide major exposure to unknown
songwriters.
The culmination of the festival is the
final night concert on Saturday,
September 25, which will be podcast live
on the internet, and will feature band
performances by the award winning
songwriters and solo mini-showcases by
their "chosen talented friends" from the
festival registrants. There will be a songcollaboration
competition, and the
winning songwriters in the categories of
country, rock and pop will perform their
tune on the final night concert.
A vocalist will be chosen to sing the
closing children's song, "Let Us Play In
Peace In Our World".
In addition, locations in Prague will be
available for festival registrants to
participate in song circles and
impromptu jams.
Visit
www.praguesongwriterfestival.com
for further details
Jules
I am a singer based in London. My
voice has a soul/r & b feel to it, but I
prefer to sing slow songs - sometimes
even soft rock. I am trying to put
together an album to put forward to
producers, but have not quite developed
my songwriting skills as of yet Therefore
I am looking for some help on that front.
Ideally, I am looking for sad songs,
ones that provoke some sort of thought,
as well as songs about overcoming hard
times etc. However, I am open to all
types, but please do not send me endless
"break-up" songs. Sorry I just don't want
it to come across as a break-up album!
Preferably, I would like songs to be
sent to me in the post, rather than email.
If possible, as well as sending a demo,
could you also send a written/typed copy
of the lyrics?
Jade Green
104 Bury Street
Edmonton
London N9 7JR
UK
Lynn
I am in the process of recording an
album in America, to be signed to the
Ultra Records label.
We have written and recorded six
tracks already, and we want to do five
more. I wrote the lyrics for the first six
myself, but I am looking for someone to
write a few of the others to take some of
the pressure of me.
The style of music we are producing is
almost like a modern version of Blondie,
the genre is funky electro-glam pop
rock!The music is done mainly on
computer, with keyboard effects and
some electric guitar.
I am looking for lyrics that are catchy,
simple, but not obvious. To imagine the
sound, think La Roux mixed with
Blondie.
The songs are for myself, a female
vocalist and hopefully they will join the
six songs that we have already recorded,
and be added to the album which we plan
to release first in America, then the UK
later this year. I will provide a copy of
the recorded track, and return unsuitable
material. Please contact me via email, or
by phone on my USA number in Miami,
Florida, is 00 (1) 786 290 5529
moon_dreamer@live.co.uk
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Songwriter Magazine Page 7

HARVEY RACHLIN
Songwriter Profile -
Charles Strouse
Composer Charles Strouse obviously
has a strong attachment to the songs
in his voluminous oeuvre. Name a
tune, any tune, and he will instantly
recall an intriguing backstory behind
it. “Tomorrow,” his buoyant showstopper
from Annie? Oh, that has
something to do with a ditty he once
wrote for a shirt commercial. The
high-voltage “Telephone Hour” from
Bye Bye Birdie? Well, just a device to
get the story to Sweet Apple, the
fictional Ohio town where the action
takes place. His affection for his songs
is prodigious, and the celebrated
composer is likely to accompany an
anecdote about a famous tune by
humming a few bars.
It’s a cold winter day in Manhattan,
and Charles Strouse is sitting in his West
Side home talking about his illustrious
career. A warm, modest, and gracious
man, he provided some of the
quintessential soundtrack for culture
over the past half century. His “We Love
You, Conrad” from Birdie became (with
“Beatles” substituted for “Conrad”) the
mantra for adoring fans of the Liverpool
Charles Strouse (front) with adopted
sister Lila (left) and brother David.
circa 1932 (Photo courtesy of The
Charles Strouse Collection)
Songwriter Magazine Page 8
Four when the group exploded onto the
worldwide pop scene.
His nostalgic opening song “Those
Were the Days” for the landmark series
All in the Family became one of the most
memorable TV themes in broadcasting
history. His “Tomorrow” ballad from
Annie became a grade-school national
anthem and a standard audition song for
young thespian hopefuls from tots to
teens.
With a dozen Broadway shows to his
credit, three of which received Tony
Awards for Best Musical on Broadway,
Charles Strouse belongs to that rare club
of legendary show tunesmiths whose
ranks include Irving Berlin, Jerome
Kern, George Gershwin, and Richard
Rodgers. His shows and songs have leapt
from the stage to movies, television, and
concert halls, and into the greatest
medium of all - the public mind. The
Charles Strouse Songbook, a boatload of
tunes festooned with evergreens, is
indeed part and parcel of the Great
American Songbook.
Charles Strouse was born in New York
City in 1928. It was an auspicious time to
enter the world for a musician. The Jazz
Age was still churning out a
kaleidoscope of hot music; just the year
before, the first talking motion picture,
The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, had
come out and Jerome Kern and Oscar
Hammerstein II’s landmark musical
Show Boat premiered on Broadway; the
Big Band era was just around the corner.
Of course, Herbert Hoover was about to
step into the White House, and with him
would come the Great Depression,
followed by FDR’s New Deal.
(Hmm…could this be fodder for a
Broadway show and great songs? Check
Annie and its delectable song score.)
With his mother a talented piano player,
music was in Strouse’s genes, and he
assiduously followed his biological
markers. While just in his midteens, he
became a student at the prestigious
Eastman School of Music in Rochester,
New York.
His music education would continue
with brilliant mentors including Aaron
Copland at the Tanglewood Music Center
and Nadia Boulanger, arguably the
twentieth century’s most renowned
composition teacher, whose students
included composers and arrangers such as
Robert Russell Bennett, Philip Glass,
Walter Piston, Virgil Thomson, Richard
Franko Goldman, Paul Bowles, Hugo
Friedhofer, Quincy Jones, and Copland.
Charles Strouse and his mother
on the beach, circa 1928
(Photo courtesy of The
Charles Strouse Collection)

Charles Strouse (left) with fellow songwriters: Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain,
(unknown), (unknown), Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, (unknown), Hal David,
(unknown): seated: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller. Circa 1980.
(Photo courtesy of The Charles Strouse Collection)
Strouse would go on to work at various
music jobs, including composing for
movie newsreels, but he aspired to score
musicals, and in the 1950s teamed up
with journalist Lee Adams and lyricistlibrettist
Michael Stewart to write
revues.
Occasionally, he’d even aim for the
charts. In the summer of 1958 he erupted
onto the pop music scene when his
“Born Too Late” (written with Fred
Tobias), in a recording by the Poni-Tails,
became an international smash hit.
Less than two years later, on April 14,
1960, the Elvis Presley-inspired musical
Bye Bye Birdie with music, lyrics, and
book by the triumvirate of Strouse,
Adams, and Stewart opened on
Broadway. With a cast that featured
Chita Rivera, Dick Van Dyke, Paul
Lynde, and Susan Watson, Birdie ran for
over 600 performances and won the
1961 Tony Award for Best Musical,
following in the footsteps of such
venerable shows as Kiss Me Kate (with
music by Cole Porter), South Pacific
(Richard Rodgers), Guys and Dolls
(Frank Loesser), My Fair Lady
(Frederick Loewe), and The Sound of
Music (Rodgers).
After Birdie, Strouse stormed
Broadway like a musical conquistador.
He launched three new shows over the
next six years: All-American in 1962,
starring Ray Bolger; Golden Boy in
1964, with Sammy Davis, Jr.; and It’s a
Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman in
1966, featuring Jack Cassidy. He scored
1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, starring
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, and
1968's The Night They Raided Minsky's,
starring Britt Ekland and Jason Robards,
as well as other motion pictures. He then
returned to Broadway with Applause
(another Tony Award winner for Best
Musical, starring Lauren Bacall and Len
Cariou) in 1970.
When the soon-to-be-number-one
television show All in the Family
premiered in January 1971, it featured
the opening Archie and Edith Bunker
piano duet written by Strouse and
Adams. Strouse's I and Albert opened in
London in 1972, and in 1977 Annie (with
lyrics by Martin Charnin and a book by
Thomas Meehan) debuted on the Great
White Way and became Strouse’s third
show to win a Tony for Best Musical. It
also ran on Broadway for an astounding
five years and eight months and almost
2,400 performances!
Not one to rest on his laurels, the
indefatigable Strouse turned out a bevy of
musicals after his megasuccess with
Annie. The year after Annie, his
Broadway Musical premiered, with lyrics
by Adams and book by George Brown
(who wrote the book for The Wiz, a Tony
Award-winner for Best Musical). Then
came more shows, including Charlie and
Algernon (the 1980 Broadway premiere
followed a London version called
Flowers for Algernon, starring Michael
Crawford); Bring Back Birdie (1981),
starring Donald O'Connor and Chita
Rivera; Dance a Little Closer (1983),
written with Alan Jay Lerner (Brigadoon,
My Fair Lady, Gigi); Mayor (1985), an
off-Broadway show written with Side
Man Tony Award-winning playwright
Warren Leight; Rags (1986), written with
Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Wicked); Nick
and Nora (1991), with a book by Arthur
Laurents (West Side Story, Gypsy); Annie
Warbucks (1993), starring Donna
McKechnie and Harve Presnell; and
Minsky's (2009), written with lyricist
Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly's Last
Jam).
Many films have been made of Strouse's
musicals, their casts comprising some of
the biggest stars of motion pictures and
television. Needless to say, his songs
Cast and creators of Annie, backstage at The Alvin Theatre, circa 1977. (left - right)
Thomas Meehan (book writer), Martin Charnin (lyricist/director), Andrea McArdle
(Annie), Charles Strouse (composer), Reid Shelton (Daddy Warbucks), Peter
Howard (musical director) and Sandy. (Photo by Martha Swope)
Songwriter Magazine Page 9

Paul McCartney, Joe Raposo and Charles Strouse
have likewise been covered by many of
the leading names in the music industry.
His biggest selling song? Try Jay-Z's
"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"
from the 1998 album Vol. 2...Hard
Knock Life. The single, which was a
chart-topper in many countries, was
certified Gold by the Recording Industry
Association of America and the album,
according to the online site Wikipedia,
has sold nearly eight million copies
around the world.
Charles Strouse is a Merchant of
Melody. This is not meant in any
mercantile sense, of course; it’s just that
he has an extraordinary natural gift for
creating can’t-get-it-out-of-your-head
melodies that appeal to people of all
ages, places, and backgrounds. Many of
his tunes have become part of the public
consciousness: you mention a title to
anyone on the street, and the person
instantly knows the song.
Students of Strouse 101 may recognise
some common denominators in his work.
Take Bye Bye Birdie and Annie, his two
most iconic shows, for instance, and we
see some common themes. There are
songs that are uplifting (“Put On a
Happy Face” from Birdie, “You’re
Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”
from Annie); cynical (“Kids,” Birdie;
“Easy Street,” Annie); hopeful (“A Lot
of Livin’ to Do,” Birdie; “Tomorrow,”
Annie).
Indeed, these songs are such an
indelible part of the tapestry of music
culture that they may be considered
anthems: “Put On a Happy Face” for
how to face the world when you’re
feeling gloomy; “Kids” for the perennial
Songwriter Magazine Page 10
complaints of adults who don’t
understand the younger generation;
“Tomorrow” for the promise of a better
day soon. And on and on. One of the
special elements of his songs is that you
can take them out of his shows and they
have universal and timeless meaning.
Strouse's other film-scoring credits
include Ishtar and the animated feature
All Dogs Go to Heaven. In addition to
musicals, film scores, TV themes, and
pop songs, Strouse also composes
serious musical works. He has written
several chamber and orchestral pieces.
In 2008 Strouse published his
autobiography, Put On a Happy Face.
It’s a candid, funny, self-effacing,
riveting work. He writes in a friendly,
earthy tone that makes you feel like a fly
on the wall as he recounts his life’s
experiences. He talks in detail about his
family and chosen profession—growing
up, getting married, having children, and
his both poignant and zany behind-the
scenes experiences in show business as he
carves out his career.
He lays it all out—how he met his
collaborators, how they came to write
shows and the obstacles they faced in
mounting them; sometimes the ride is
hilarious, with stories about major stars
that you’ve surely never heard before.
Strouse is refreshingly candid in
revealing family history and his
innermost thoughts, and he’s so
accessible that you come away feeling
he’s not just a star composer but your
famous next-door neighbour. It’s
ultimately triumphant, of course, and
after reading it all you can’t help but think
there’s a genuine human being behind all
those immortal tunes.
Charles Strouse is happy to engage in
conversation, but one must remember he
is a very busy man. In his studio people
are rehearsing for a new launch of It’s a
Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman. His
wife, director and choreographer Barbara
Siman, is arriving home tonight from out
of town, and he’s constantly in touch with
his four beloved children.
There are endless demands on his time,
as his oeuvre is essentially a golden music
empire: Broadway revivals of previous
productions; new cover recordings;
requests to use his songs in movies,
television shows, and commercials; new
road tours of his shows; endless school,
stock, and dinner theatre productions;
new print editions of his works and latest
Charles Strouse, (unknown), "Strouse's Dance A Little Closer" collaborator Alan Jay
Lerner, and the show's stars Liz Robertson and Len Cariou, 1983
(Photo courtesy of The Charles Strouse Collection)

Charles Strouse (second to left) with collaborators Richard Maltby Jr (left).
Lee Adams (second to right) and Martin Charnin (right). Circa 1991.
(Photo courtesy of The Charles Strouse Collection)
hits; requests for media interviews and
speaking engagements. Of course, he's
always got a new show up his sleeve, and
music is always going in his head. One
of his favourite spots is behind the piano
in his home creating new compositions
for the world to hear.
Oh, they’re calling him now from the
studio. And so our conversation comes
to a sudden end. How best to bid
adieu to this living legend?
Perhaps our appreciation for
making the world a brighter, more
tuneful place would best be
expressed by quoting from one of
the maestro’s own works:
We love you, Charles, oh, yes we
do…
After writing songs for stage
revues, how did you come to
write the pop tune “Born Too
Late,” which became a hit in
1958?
We were getting ready to write
Bye Bye Birdie, and I was
researching it as I would research
any serious project. I would listen
to recordings of Fats Domino and
Presley, “Rock Around the Clock,”
all of that kind of stuff, and I was
very much under the influence of a guy
by the name of Dick Shawn, a wonderful
comedian who did a wonderful Elvis
impersonation. Lee [Adams] and I wrote
some material for him.
So one night I was with a friend, and
we were going to play poker, but nobody
showed up. He was a lyricist, and I
started fooling around at the piano and
he started fooling around with words,
and together we wrote “Born Too Late.”
We submitted it to a publisher whom I
didn’t know too well and who put it on
the bottom of a pile. Somebody chose to
record it on what they used to call the B
side, and it took off. Some [radio] guy
turned it over, and it just became a
number-one song.
Were you surprised?
I was surprised and delighted. I was
Michael Feinstein and Charles Strouse celebrate
the launch of Charles' new book at The 21 Club,
June 2008. (Photo by Anita & Steve Shevett)
also in the hospital when it took off. I
had a motor scooter, and I had only one
accident on it, and that was it. I fractured
my hip. But it was thrilling. I used to just
flip the dial and there it was. [Singing]
“Born too late for you to...”
When you write songs, do you have
any kind of feeling as to whether
they’re going to become successful?
I’m really frankly surprised if anything
becomes successful. I think Tony
Bennett recorded “Put On a Happy Face,”
but he recorded it because he was a friend
of our publisher, and the publisher played
him some stuff and he liked it. After that,
it got performed a lot.
Do you write at home or at an office?
Well, right now, or for the last ten
years, my home is my office. I have four
children—two of them in California, one
in Canada, and one in Connecticut—so
we have a nice apartment, and I work at
home.
Do you compose at the piano?
I do.
I’m interested in the process or craft
of how you write songs.
It’s hard to explain. My background is a
musical one and an academic one. My
mother played stride piano. And I went to
music school and had a lot of good
teachers who ran the gamut, so to speak,
although they would not have been
interested in “Put On a Happy Face,” nor
was I at that point in my life.
But there was a thing most of them
imbued me with, which is hard to
[describe], but basically it was to
dream something, to let something
go. If you feel a line is going a
certain way, encourage that dream
quality. That’s the only thing I can
call it. It’s not inspiration and it’s not
craft, although craft has a great deal
to do with it. It’s kind of realising,
when your head is empty, that there
are a lot of notes, a lot of things to
choose from. And after that, I dare
say that it’s talent. If you ask, “Do I
think I have talent?” I’ve got to say,
“Yes, I think I have talent.” But I
also find myself half the time
doubting that, so I think I’m like
everybody else.
When you sit down to write a
song, do you follow a chord
progression or pick out notes or
have any other kind of technique?
In a sense I think it’s what many
composers ask themselves and what they
most shy away from. That is, I think good
composers don’t want to fall into one
groove, and that’s changed a great deal,
particularly with rock music. But I
respond very much to words. I’ve worked
with very fine lyricists in my life, and
they encourage me, as I them. So the B
goes to the D, and my hands take over a
little bit. But there’s another part of me,
the academic part, that kind of wants to
Songwriter Magazine Page 11

The Strouse family celebrates the launch of Charles' new book at The 21 Club, June
2008. (L-R): Will, Ben, Nick, wife Barbara Siman, Charles and Victoria.
let my mind wander and see what
happens if the B goes to the D but then
goes back to the B-flat instead of
something else. At first it was kind of an
abstract stretch, but then I learned to
trust that doing that could lead to
something else that was good. And as I
say, I’ve had a lot of wonderful music
teachers in my life, and I am very
indebted to them. The one [piece of
advice] I think they all had in common
was to keep writing. You know, if you do
twenty measures a week, great. If you do
ten measures a week, great. But do it,
and it can be a very liberating thing. I
work all the time, but I think if you’re a
musician it’s not work, it’s a lot of fun.
Let me throw out some song titles
and please share any recollections you
may have about how you came to
write the songs. “Tomorrow” from
Annie.
I was the music director of a big
advertising firm. I wrote music for a
film…I think it was for Arrow Shirts, a
big shirt company that was going for
youth. They wanted to change the picture
of a stuffy guy who wears starched
collars, so to speak, and in it I used a
small vocal group for background. And I
gave them a thing to sing that I thought
would sound groovy, which, as I recall,
was something like [sings the opening
notes of “Tomorrow” with some
variation] with silly words, which I
wrote also. It went through the picture,
but as the music director, I had the rights
to all this. And when we were doing
[Annie] and wanted a song of hope, that
one part of it [sings the first few notes]
stayed with me, don’t ask me why. And I
was encouraged by my lyricist, Martin
Songwriter Magazine Page 12
[Charnin]. He said, “I like that,” and then
I just [sings the notes that are part of the
final song]…I don’t know where it came
from....I have no realisation why [it
became a hit]. I thought people
applauded it because it was a very clever
scene change that Martin had done. He
directed it. He had directed this moment
where a wooden fence with posters on it
slid out, and we were suddenly back in
the orphanage and…actually we wrote it
because we needed an extra two minutes
to make that change.... It’s all part craft,
it’s all part talent, it’s all part
opportunity, of course, and that turned
out to be a very fortuitous one.
So the seeds to that song basically
had been written before you started
working on Annie?
Well, the very first four notes, let’s say.
It was for a vocal group, a commercial
group, you know, a studio thing.
“Those Were the Days” from All in
the Family.
That was a commission to do the
opening song for All in the Family, and
Lee and I simply came up with that one.
Not a title song, we didn’t write
something called “All in the Family.”
Of course, you were very successful
at that time. So did the producer come
to you?
I knew him, Norman Lear, because I
had written the score for Bonnie and
Clyde, and he liked it. He was doing a
film called The Night They Raided
Minsky’s and asked me to do that. I wrote
the background score for it, and after that
we became pals.
So you got the commission. How long
did it take you to write it?
That’s one of those questions a lot of
people ask me… “And what came first?”
I don’t know. I really don’t know. Lee
and I were working together. I think it
was like, “Do you remember this little
tune I was fooling around with once?
What do you think?” and he may have
said “Yeah.” I don’t remember.
“The Telephone Hour” from Bye Bye
Birdie.
Well, “The Telephone Hour” was a
musical device that we needed. Mike
Stewart, a brilliant librettist, wrote us into
a bit of a closet, so to speak. He was very
Backstage at The Majestic Theatre, opening night of Golden Boy. (left – right)
Lyricist Lee Adams, Sammy Davis, Jr. and composer Charles Strouse.

Could you talk about your early
influences?
My very earliest influence was my
mother, who, as I said, played stride
piano. Then I studied at the Eastman
School with composers like Burrill
Phillips and Wayne Barlow. Their names
aren’t well known, but they were good
academic teachers. I worked for three
years, actually more, with Copland. I
started with him in Tanglewood. I
worked with Nadia Boulanger. I worked
very fruitfully, I think, with a man named
David Diamond, and also Arthur Berger.
My influences are like everybody else,
you know, Stravinsky and Bartók and, to
a degree, Hindemith. I have a fair
background, but not great, in Bach and
Mozart. I say fair because I don’t do that
much listening. But it was part of learning
music that we would try to write a sort of
Mozart sonatina or something like that.
On May 14, 2008, Stroue presented his papers to the Library of Congress in a
private ceremony. Charles Strouse looks on as Dr James H Billington, the
Librarian of Congress, signs the deed of gift on behalf of the American people.
(Photo by Erin Allen)
quick, he got all the exposition out of the
way in the first ten minutes of the show
[sings “He's going in the Army / It's the
best thing he could do...”] But we had to
get to Sweet Apple fast, and the phone
was busy, and that was our way of
getting to it. Most people think it’s the
opening of the show. It’s not.
“It’s the Hard-Knock Life” from
Annie.
That was the first song we wrote, and I
have a very vivid memory of that, which
actually Jay-Z brought to mind in his
liner notes when he did that [song]—
which, by the way, is the biggest-selling
record I ever had. He said that when he
heard that song, the first thing that struck
him was the terror of working in the
ghetto, the terror that kids have. And that
was what I wanted to get at when we first
started the show. I remember that was
the first song that Martin and I ever
wrote together, and the only song where
he ever gave me a lyric. He used to like
to write to a tune…he always did write to
a tune.
But he wrote this whole lyric. I didn’t
even know what “hard-knock life”
meant. I swear I didn’t. He said it was an
expression they used during the
Depression, and I tried to write
something that had terror in it. And then
Jay-Z heard it and used that term. I took
it as a great compliment.
How did you come to write with Lee
Adams?
We met at a party and hit it off. We
love one another. We split up because
he’s a country boy, by his own
admission. He doesn’t want to live in
New York, whereas I’m a workaholic,
and I don’t even consider it work. I can’t
wait to get up in the morning and start
something. And so our schedules and
timing became very different. But we
remain good friends. While we were
writing Birdie, he was a newspaper
editor, and then he did weather reports
for NBC. We come from similar
backgrounds, but he’s from Ohio and
I’m from New York, and therein lies a
big difference.
You’ve written many great shows.
How are you so prolific?
I don’t know. I work very hard. There’s
a company of Superman that is going to
go on tour. Lee and I rewrote some of the
songs. There’s a new script that I think is
terrific, by the way. So I have a little
studio up here. They’re working in there
on that. My wife, Barbara, who is a
director also, is directing a show that I
wrote based on An American Tragedy,
and so I am finishing up a finale for that
now, and I’m as happy as a clam. I love
doing it. I guess I don’t have that many
friends that I want to go and have a drink
with. I love staying at home writing.
What do you feel have been the
highlights of your life?
I’m going to get sentimental on this
one, because the most important one was
meeting my wife, who did a great deal to
make me a man more accepting of
myself. Certainly working with Copland,
working with Nadia Boulanger. There
was a theory teacher—I’m sure not many
people would remember her—working at
Eastman by the name of Elvera
Wonderlich, who treated notes as if they
were diamonds. I got a great deal of
feeling of the importance of the relative
value of notes with each other from her.
What is a day in the life of Charles
Strouse like?
You don’t want to know [laughs].
Basically, it depends on whether my wife
is home. We have breakfast, and then I go
to the piano. I’m not easy to live with
[laughs]. I’ll be there till around 1:30 or
2 and then have lunch.
Will you go back to it later?
For a while. My wife is away now. I go
in and listen to Superman as they’re
learning it. I have a very wonderful life
except [I have my days]. You know, I
say, “I’m not doing it right. There are
other notes and I can’t hear them.” So
there are days…I think it comes with the
territory.
Copyright Harvey Rachlin: All
Rights Reserved: Printed By
Permission
Photographs Courtesy Charles
Strouse
Songwriter Magazine Page 13

patricia knapton
Songwriter Profile -
Louise Latham
Singer-songwriter Louise Latham, who
grew up in Cardiff South Wales, having
studied English Literature at Royal
Holloway, progressed from musical
theatre to a songwriting career.
She is now very much in demand on
the acoustic circuit, having collaborated
with writers such as Charlie Dore and
Richard Lobb. As well as touring with
Dutch star Stevie Ann, she has supported
acts like the Jamiroquae Band, The
Storys and Tom Baxter.
It wasn’t long before she caught the
attention of producer Arno Guveau, who
spotted her talent and began to refine and
enrich her sound in his recording studio,
Julia Lane studios, based in in
Roermond, Holland.
She has been greatly influenced by the
likes of Annie Lennox, Tracy Chapman,
Natalie Merchant and Sarah McLachlan.
However, her own distinctive style has
evolved over the years into a blend of
atmospheric celtic pop.
Now, with her debut album
‘Reclaimed’ released under her own
label, Louise is performing with her
sister Suzanne Latham, and is wowing
live audiences on the London circuit.
And if her debut album is a barometer
of her success as a singer-songwriter,
then the music world can look forward to
a new and exciting talent.
Here’s what she told Patricia Knapton,
who interviewed her exclusively for the
ISA.
First of all Louise, where did your
passion for music come from ?
It started with me having piano lessons
from my grandmother when I was five
years old, and even at that age I
remembered the numbers that my
grandmother used to play and sing. So it
started with the piano really. I started
doing the grades and then becoming
involved in musical theatre at school. I
was Nancy in “Oliver” at the age of ten
in a musical theatre production.
I was always a very quiet child and
from a very early age, music and singing
was an artistic outlet for me. It was a way
of expressing myself. So, the piano, and
musical theatre, progressed to me
wanting to find a way of creating my
Songwriter Magazine Page 14
own music.
Can you remember the very first
song you wrote?
I can. It was called “Autumn Leaves”.
It was about a friendship that had
changed it’s shape – because the person
had changed, somewhat. So it was a very
heartfelt song. I remember the riff
finishing on the piano, and with me
looking out at a very large oak tree
outside, which was the inspiration for it.
Who influenced your music and style
of songwriting?
Artists like Tori Amos, Sarah
McLachlan and Indigo Girls. My father
used to bring home albums which I
always used to listen to, and I would
follow their careers. So, I got my craft
mainly from those kinds of songwriter,
also from people like Joni Mitchell and
Bruce Springsteen. This the kind of
music I was playing and was influenced
by.
I believe your debut album
“Reclaimed” is due to be released
soon. How would you classify its
genre?
I would call it acoustic folk pop. I think
that would be the best way to describe it.
It’s also quite cinematic and atmospheric
– it has blues in it too. You can hear lots
of different instruments.
There are fantastic strings
arrangements played by David
Ballesteros on violin and Rozaliya
Rashkova on cello – these are the people
I have been collaborating with for years.
When I first met them it was a totally
organic meeting. So when they actually
came to create the string arrangements for
the album, it was an amazing experience.
Another integral part of the sound is the
harmonies. It was brilliant working with
my sister Suzanne on this, we took
ourselves off to a music room in London
and spent days in pre-production. We are
massive fans of the Indigo Girls and this
duo has inspired and influenced our
writing.
Your sister plays an important part,
doesn’t she?
Yes. My sister Suzanne does backing
vocals and plays guitar. She adds
beautifully intuitive harmonies to the
songs and is also a wonderful songwriter
in her own right. She is incredibly
musical and one of her gifts is realising
the full potential for harmonic lines in
music.
How did the title “Reclaimed” come
about?
“Reclaimed” is a culmination of many
years of writing and collaborating with
people musically. “Reclaimed” is
appropriate because it brought back
together those key collaborators from
several years of experimenting, to record
my debut album. Suzanne and I have
been collaborating since we were
children, and Arno and the string players
have been closely connected to my work
for several years. This album has reunited
all these unique musical
partnerships.
When you begin to create a song,
which comes first the lyric or the
music? Or do you have to wait for the
inspiration to fire you first?
Yes. It’s always the inspiration first.
Usually it begins with a piano riff,
perhaps a chord that resonates, in terms
of the mood, and from that mood the
words come, and the direction of the
song. Mostly it is the piano that leads.
Where do you look for your

inspiration ?
I think mainly it’s things that affect me.
If I have been moved by a story, or if I
have been moved by something within
my relationship – with either a friend or
a partner, that is where it comes
from…quite an emotional place really.
How important do you think it is to
write a strong lyric?
It’s just as important to get a good lyric
as it is to get a good melody. When I
listen to music I am keenly aware of the
lyrics.
Some people don’t listen to the lyric,
but I suppose it’s me, the way I’m tuned
in. Perhaps it’s my love of books. But
whatever it is, I always want to express
something in words as well as in the
music.
When you compose a song do you
just let it flow, or are you a structured
writer?
I never curb myself when I write. If
someone asked me to somehow dilute
what I do, or to express it in a different
way, I don’t think I would be able to.
When I write the lyrics they are very
much me – from the heart.
The track on your album “Beautiful
Sky” is a well crafted song - was it
inspired by a love element in your life?
Yes. It was. It was the end of a
relationship. I was in a bed-sit in London
and had moved away from the person I
had broken up with and I had entered a
phase in that relationship where I finally
felt at peace.
I was looking out of a tiny window in
this bed-sit as the sun was going down,
and I just had this ‘moment’ of realising
how bitter sweet it was, and how you can
reflect on something positively, and
appreciate the joy you got from a
relationship.
“A Child in My Eyes” is another
song with a superb arrangement.
Yes. With that particular song the
dynamics between myself and my
producer, Arno Guveau, were fantastic
because he took the piano line – which
was quite catchy, and got the cellist to
play the piano line. It may sound simple
but within the song it is so effective.
Arno has a way of bringing out the best
because he has a very acoustic ear, and
therefore has the ability to take the initial
idea of the song and keep true to it’s
whole essence- he is exceptionally
gifted.
“Reclaimed” was produced in
Holland, wasn’t it?
Yes. It was. I brought the two strings
musicians in who created the parts with
Arno. It’s a very organic creation. I coproduced
the album with Arno and once
again, there were very interesting
dynamics between everybody.
Everyone’s views and ideas were shared.
It wasn’t the case of having an official
line between the producer and the
musicians, it was very much a
collaborative process.
You released a couple of EPs prior to
“Reclaimed”?
My first EP was called “Beautiful Sky”
recorded with Lee Goodall in Wales, and
the second, “Notes After Dark” was
recorded by Arno Guveau in Holland.
Do you enjoy writing songs?
I absolutely love it! I love it as much as
I love performing. In a way I feel as
though I’ve been on a journey, because
from a very early age I just wanted to
sing.
Music is very much in me, as a person,
so I suppose that’s why I’m so
determined and so passionate about it. I
love meeting people and collaborating.
That chance meeting and organic
collaboration that starts, and evolves into
where something beautiful can be
created.
You’ve worked with some
impressive producers, haven’t you ?
Yes. Although the recording projects
I’ve done with Greg Haver [Manic Street
Preachers] and Stephen Lipson [Annie
Lennox] were experiments and have not
been released. But the experience with
both producers was interesting and
informative.
Listening to your material being
interpreted in different, diverse ways is a
good way of exploring sounds and ideas.
Experimentation is one of the most
important things for developing a sound
and personality for your songs.
Have you ever thought of entering
song contests ?
It is something I have thought about. I
would like to enter The Mercury Awards
next year. I have looked at competitions
that I thought I might enter, but never
have. I would like to enter The Mojo
Awards, I think that would be good.
How did distribute and sell the your
CD?
It is available on iTunes. Also, I’m
looking at trying to get a distribution deal
for the album – that’s what I’m aiming for
anyway.
Do you have any difficulty getting
interviews on radio and TV ?
Not really. I’ve done shows with BBC
Radio Wales and other regional radio
stations, and to be honest, the response
from regional radio has been excellent.
I’ve found they are always willing to
listen, or find you a slot for a live session,
which is always a great starting block for
getting your music out there.
It’s so incredibly helpful. I guess people
like Mal Pope at BBC Radio Wales, and
Amy Wadge and Frank Hennessy, are
musicians themselves and you get a sense
that it’s one musician enjoying another
musicians work…a mutual appreciation if
you like, and there is no pressure on you.
What are your thoughts on the
popular music scene?
I have a broad taste in music, but I feel
that some of the music out there might not
necessarily be my scene…it may seem
contrived, or it may just be that I don’t
quite get it. However, there is an awful lot
of music out there that inspires me.
Where do you see yourself in five
years time?
Where I see myself in five years time is
where I would like to be.And where I
would like to be is touring with my
second album, having made a career with
my music, at whatever level, and being
able to finance my second and third
album.
Finally Louise, do you have any tips
you can pass on to other member
songwriters?
What I have learned, along the way, is
to have a quiet confidence in what you
do, and to work hard and be passionate
and positive about what you do.
Also, when you are collaborating with
someone, and something magical
happens, follow it through. It could take
you places that might not be clear to you
initially.
And also, to realise that it is music, and
music is very subjective. Not everybody
is going to agree with your style, or with
your lyrics, and who you are. You just
have to believe in what you do, what you
create, and be passionate about it.
Copyright Patricia Knapton &
Songwriter Magazine: All Rights
Reserved: Printed By Permission
Songwriter Magazine Page 15

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