Write Away Magazine Dec 2019

So This Is Christmas... An
In our last episode, one of the points we touched
upon was the need to tell a story that was new,
or at least an emotional groove that was new…
.”Love is great”, we said, was a statement that,
while true, was so universal as to be the worst
of all artistic sins: not interesting. And if there
were a “runner-up” prize for “Most dangerous
quagmire for new songwriters”, what could be a
more deserving candidate than Christmas! (we
note, as an aside, that topics like this are
particularly perilous for new, upcoming
songwriters…..songwriters with widespread,
universal appeal seem to get away with
generalized pap they call universal much more
easily...did Paul McCartney just click to a new
webpage? Well, if so, I hope he took his
Christmas bells (and John Lennon’s children’s
choir with him…..but I digress)
Christmas! Where religion, family, food,... and
toys coalesce….and don’t forget alcohol! If, as
the rehab counselors say, addiction is a
downward spiral of chasing a first time high over
and over, but never quite as good….well that’s an
apt description of what Christmas becomes for
many adults. That’s a whole nother book! The
problem for songwriters, however centers around
the fact that so many people already have very
strong emotional impressions from idealized
(half remembered) childhood experiences--they
already “know” more about Christmas than you
could possibly tell them. But they want you to
try.
Sales of Christmas songs clearly holler that (or
“carol” that, if you prefer). The waterfront,
unfortunately, has already been well covered,
which accounts for the further and further
“reaches” in order to say something new….
did the authors of “Grandma got run over by a
reindeer” just click to a new webpage? Could
they take the barking dog Jingle Bells people with
them? This is kinda for songwriters, ok.
Actually, though, Grandma and her reindeer are
actually what you need,or so I would suggest:
something outside the sappy “Love is great”
song...with “love” changed out to “Christmas”.
Which brings us to a personal story:
In 2014, I decided to take up the challenge of
a Christmas song. Hazardous, I knew….but
hadn’t I already written the “Best Song in the
World”? Well, I hadn’t...but I was runner-up
(twice) in a contest called that. And I still had
those Elixir coated guitar strings I had won as
“honorable mention” in a Billboard songwriting
contest….so I was clearly qualified ( I thought) to
take on a challenge that had reduced so many
talented writers to….dreck. But what to do….
what fresh spin could I possibly…...AH HA! It
came to me in a great moment of clarity (or so
I thought). I scribbled a few lines, and called
the band for rehearsal. I began teaching them
my epic: “All I want for Christmas is...a divorce”.
Suddenly, my wife Amy, who rarely takes
interest in musical matters, burst into the room.
“Did you write that? Is that yours?”, she asked.
“Uh…..maybe”, I sheepishly replied. There
was a pause that perhaps seemed longer than it
was…...and she responded “That’s the best song
you EVER wrote!”....I couldn’t be sure, but she
SEEMED neither sarcastic nor upset…..I chalked
it up to the power of ART….I think.
You decide, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-c4G-
F4Rxpc
www.wildcatohalloran.com
And Merry Christmas….also
Happy holidays, Blessed Kwanza
etc
12 www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk