Watching me compose this last song, Conversations With Myself, was like a scene from the movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Part of the song came to me as I was driving down Country Club Road in Minnesota. The tune was so insistent, I had to pull over and write it on a rental car map. Then when I arrived at my friends the Dietz's I had to run to my room and record the melody so I wouldn't forget.
It was about a month later before the rest of the song emerged. And when it did, it woudn't let go. For three days I worked on the song until late in the night until finally I had a version I was ready to put out to the universe. The song is about my struggle between being timid and needing to really put myself out there in order to succeed. If you have a few minutes check it out:
http://www.myspace.com/shannongrissommusic
Now I'm back to my regular painting schedule and I'm working on my music after my workday is done. The song in progress is the title song for my CD. It's called Act Your Age.
Someone asked if I was doing "too much" now that I started writing music. Nope. I feel like the hose is finally un-kinked and I'm finally running on all cylinders.
Whooohooooo!Labels: Conversations With Myself, music, Shannon Grissom
"To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it." ~ Confucious
Writing music and then performing it is such a wonderful process and release. I truly enjoy the journey as much as the destination. That's so important for me as I'm so results oriented.
The first song I wrote, "I Was Made to Cover You", was written about my Monkey Made of Sockies golf club headcover. I was going to license another artist's music for my music video and found I didn't have time to secure the necessary permissions. So I wrote my own music along with Teresa Widdowson who wrote the wonderful base line. I was ready to hand it over to my cousin's band for arrangement and performance. However, the lead singer got laryngitis on the day of the taping. I was on a tight deadline so I decided to sing it myself.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e1ldDKOa8Vc
I'm so glad things worked out that way. Now I'm hooked. I'm half way through my second song and a third is lurking.
This second song was written in response to some false accusations that I overheard about myself. I've got the melody fleshed out and now I'm writing the other tracks.
I'm hoping to have the song done by the next blog. Until then, here's sneak preview of the lyrics:
People Gonna Think What They Think
Did you see that?
She’s over there
Talking to that man
Did you see that?
She got no business
Singing in that band
Did you see that?
There she goes
Golfing with that monkey
People gonna think what they think
Ummmm
People gonna think what they think
So I’ll keep wearing red
And live out loud instead
Cause people gonna think what they think
Did you hear that?
I heard she painted
A nude scene
Did you hear that?
She’s laughing loud
Must be about me
Did you hear that?
There she goes
She’s way too much for me
People gonna think what they think
People gonna think what they think
So I’ll keep wearing red
And live my life instead
Cause people gonna think what they think
Did you see that?
I heard she’s making
Some kind of movie
Did you see that?
Look at her dress
Honestly
Did you hear that?
She played kazoo
Right in front of me
People Gonna think what they think
Yeaaaaaah People gonna think what they think
So I’ll keep wearing red
And live my life instead
Cause people
gonna think
what they
think
Umm Ummmmmm
People
Gonna think
What they
Think
Wooooooooo
Labels: Golf, music, Sock Monkey Shannon Grissom
If you wait for inspiration you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.
Ben Nicholas
I am so grateful that my parents encouraged creativity. They didn't talk about it. It was simply how we lived. All of us played musical instruments and my Mom even sang to the dog! Dad designed countless gardens and created beautiful woodcarvings. And one of my earliest memories are of his set of pastels. Actually, I still have that set...
For me, creating is is like exercise. It's all about intention and action. Sometimes I'm inspired when I start and other times, the starting fuels the inspiration. Both states are necessary for me to get things done.
Nike's Just Do It campaign really strikes a chord with me. If you want to paint a picture, place your brush in paint and make contact with the canvas. If you want to write a book, put your fingers on a writing instrument and make contact with the paper or computer. If you want to write a song pick your instrument of choice and make contact with the air waves.
Does it all come out perfect....of course not! But it all comes out and what emerges either paves the way for the beautiful or truly is. So go ahead, pave the way, otherwise you'll miss the parade.Labels: art, music, Painting, Shannon, Shannon Grissom
