With a song in my heart and a bulge in my wallet
Page : 45-46
If you can combine a way with words with an ear for a catchy melody, songwriting could be the most lucrative form of writing you ever do. Douglas McPherson caught up with working songwriter Jon Philibert to find out about the songsmith's craft.
TWENTY years ago, Jon Philibert watched with a growing lump in his wallet as Tom Jones climbed the American charts with his song I've Been Rained On Too.
"It was pools winner money" recalls Jon, whose songs had previously been released as album tracks, but not as a single played on radio stations across the USA.
Every time a DJ in Ohio or Texas span Tom's recording, Jon picked up a royalty.
And the money from I've Been Rained On Too continues to roll in. American country singer Bobby Bare has also recorded the song, as, more recently, has British easy listening star Charlie Landsborough.
In fact, shortly before we interviewed Jon, Des O'Connor became the latest entertainer to express interest in recording the number. Philibert, who lives in Crystal Palace, South London, has also been enjoying success on the line dancing circuit with a country song called Honky Tonky Two Steppin' Beer Drinkin' Saturday Night, which has been recorded by several different artists - as well as being heard in a TV documentary about sewerage workers! And he was recently surprised to learn from a healthy royalty statement that a recording of his song I Hadn't Counted On You by Irish singer Mick Flavin has been picking up radio airplay all over Ireland.
All of which proves you don't have to be famous or live in Nashville or Los Angeles to be a successful songwriter.
You don't even have to be a musician. Jon's co-writer on several of his most recent compositions is purely a lyricist who doesn't play any instruments. Jon admits to being only a rudimentary guitarist.
If you hope to have your song recorded by a well-known singer - the first rule is it's no good just warbling your masterpiece into a cassette recorder at home.
Jon, who has worked at various times for UK record companies including Pye and RCA, says: "I have good ears and I can hear a song's potential through the poorest demo. But I've come to realise most people in the music business can't do that."
To create demo CDs of his songs that sound as good as finished records, Jon uses the Nashville based demo service Studio A Quick Demos. Which will take your guide recording (featuring perhaps just vocals and guitar) and record it with a band of professional musicians and a vocalist individually chosen to suit the song.
According to Gene Rabbai, who runs the service, it is helpful for songwriters to specify an established artist, whose recordings they would like the demo to sound like or even to submit an existing recording, the arrangement and feel of which they would like their demo to copy.
The service aims to turn work around within two weeks and charges between US $300 and $600 per song.
Not cheap but, as Philibert points out, "If you believe in your songs and you're serious about a career as a songwriter, you have to be prepared to invest some money."
Having paid for a first class demo of your song, how do you get it to your chosen singer? The answer is by any and every possible route you can think of.
That means doing some research and sending personally addressed copies to everyone connected to the artist, including publicists, booking agents, record company A&R (Artist and Repertoire) executives, personal managers, road managers, band members and anyone else who might have the artist's ear. Don't send a demo to just one of these people. If you're serious, send it to EVERYone!
A list of American music business contacts can be found in Song Writer's Market (available from Writers' FORUM Book Choice PO Box 3229, Bournemouth BH1 1ZS, price £14.99). The UK equivalent is the Music Week Directory, which should be in every public library.
Remember, though, that many music business professionals will not accept unsolicited demos (a policy designed to ward off future copyright disputes). The professional procedure is to call or e-mail first and ask for permission to submit a demo. Some recipients will ask you to write a code on the envelope or simply your name and address on the back.
Include a lyric sheet and make sure your contact details are on the CD itself as well as the box.
One way of getting a song recorded is to study industry 'tip sheets' - weekly or monthly subscription services, which list the type of material artists and producers are seeking for forthcoming projects.
It was because of a tip sheet that Philibert sent I've Been Rained On Too to Nashville producer Allan Reynolds who, at the time, was recording a Crystal Gayle album.
"He wrote back and said, 'Crystal's passed on the song but could I have the publishing rights for the USA and Canada?'
"I said, 'By all means.' Allan held on to the song for some time and when I was doing my Christmas cards I sent one to Allan and signed it 'Jon (I've Been Rained On Too) Philibert' That reminded him of the song, he told me later, and he recorded a version with Bobby Bare.
Bare's version was a track on a successful album, but better news was to follow when Reynolds placed the song with Tom Jones who, at the time, was recording mainly country music.
"There's a rule in Nashville," explains Philibert, "where if you pitched a demo that had a recognisable singer on it, another singer might be reluctant to record it.
So Allan, who owned the Bare track, wiped Bobby's vocal and sang the song himself.
"It was a great thrill for me to know Tom Jones had cut my song, but there was further excitement when another letter arrived to say it was going to be the first single off Tom's new album."
The track enjoyed a 22-week run on the US country charts, peaking at number 13. Hardly an unlucky number for Philibert, who recalls, "I didn't quite realise the significance of having a single as opposed to an album cut until the record started to chart and the pools winner type of royalty cheques started to come back."
Today, Philibert concedes, the Nashville music scene is harder to break into. Allan Reynolds is now the producer of Garth Brooks, who is the biggest selling solo artist in America. Because of his previous connection, Jon was able to send Reynolds a song for Garth's consideration. But, although a Garth recording would have made him a millionaire, he wasn't too disappointed that Brooks didn't record his song when he learned that for his last album the singer personally listened to 2,000 songs and Reynolds an astounding 10,000.
"Another problem is that a new Nashville act will nowadays often co-write five or six songs on an album and they'll bring in established songwriters to complete the songs. That leaves fewer slots for outside writers. Plus, if a producer has a publishing interest, deals will be made because of that."
While the Nashville scene has toughened, however, Philibert believes the British pop scene is once again offering increasing opportunities to non-performing songwriters, with many top acts such as Kylie Minogue and Westlife looking to such sources for their material.
Philibert's advice to aspiring songwriters is, "Listen, listen, listen. Then deconstruct songs. Work out where the hooks are."
"Singability is very important. It's a great joy to sing a song that doesn't have you tripping over your tongue. I hear so many songs today that are badly over-written, and you feel really uncomfortable for the singer who has to gabble the words. So try to write economically.
"There's an old saying that songs aren't written, they're re-written."
Perhaps the most important thing a songwriter can do is to remember that, like every other form of writing, songwriting is a business that requires hard work and application.
As the sign on Jon's office wall reminds him daily: Write, demo, pitch!
Finally, remember that music is a very personal thing. If one singer doesn't feel your song is right for them it doesn't mean it's a bad song. So never take rejection personally, simply knock on another door.