I’m in a learning mode. Let me explain: In the period between making a record and the record coming out is a strange liminal period where no one really knows what’s coming except the band and close associayes who played on the record. It’s probably fair to say we don’t really know it that well either. In truth I have to go about leaning my own songs. I have a poor memory and often when I sit down to recall a song i find myself thinking, ‘I’m not even sure what key this is in.’ So if you pass me running on the road or driving along somewhere and I look lie I’m singing to myself …I am doing just that.
It’s a thing that I never thought would happen, but there are songs I’ve written or been involved with in some way that I have forgotten, and sometimes I can’t even remember them coming about in the first place. However that is the magical thing of creativity; sometimes these gifts just land and the only thing you really are asked to do is to accept or refuse the offer.
I thought about all of this as I was in conversation with a journalist about how one of my earliest songs came about and I found myself confessing that I really don’t know where it all came from but was simply glad it had arrived. An old songwriter friend once recalled how a record company had nudged him to write them another of his classic songs which he’d penned for some significant artists. He explained that he’d try, but that kind of song usually only arrives once a year or so, despite the fact he went into his studio every day to upset that ratio.
As someone who sifts through new songs by new artists every other day it’s interesting to stumble on a track that makes you want to play over and over again only to find the next release somehow doesn’t do it for you. I guess if we knew how to hit the mark every time we’d all be doing it!
All this brings me to this week’s celebration of one of the greatest pop/country song writing partnerships of all time. Boudleaux and Felice Bryant were the magical husband and wife team behind some of the biggest songs by The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles and even Bob Dylan. It’s 105 years since Boudleaux was born and you’ll hear some classic country cuts of his songs on this week’s show.
Listen out too for fabulous records by Stephen Wilson Jr, Sierra Hull, Dylan Gossett and Waxahatchee.
All of this begins at eight o’clock on BBC Sounds or BBC Radio Scotland. I’d love you to join me if you can.
