Fighting Forward.

 Last week, Cora learned to swim.  It was so cool seeing her fight and fight, and finally get it!  Needless to say, it was perfect fodder for her songwriter-dad...

Fighting Forward

(c)2013 Ross Christopher

And just like that

She's diving in

Kicking and floating

With all her might

She's fighting forward

With the strength of a shark

And the heart of my girl

She's fighting forward

Forward, further and further

She's fighting forward

Forward, further and further...

And just like that

She's done the impossible

She's grown up

And fights to float

She's fighting forward

Towards new worlds

With the heart of my girl

She's fighting forward

Forward, further and further

She's fighting forward

Forward, further and further...

Peace,
Ross

In Your Wake

Saturday morning I woke up with some lyrics rolling around in my head.  I poured myself a cup of coffee and got to work.  Here's what I came up with:

In Your Wake

(c) 2013 Ross Christopher

You walk in a room

And steal its breath

You steal its every thought

'Cause death is your wake

Don't slur your speech

'Cause what you say

Will change every thing

There's a history with you

A marked past of poison and broken cries

'Cause you couldn't care less

Hell bent on you

Don't slur your speech

'Cause what you say

Will change every thing

You - take what's not yours

And nobody says a thing

You - devour what you want

And no one does a thing

You - break and bruise

And no one is left

'Cause we've grown tired, sore, and worn down

Don't slur your speech

'Cause what you say

Will change every thing

Peace,

Ross

Flying Bird.

For the past few days I've been walking you through the creative process of writing a song.  Not every song writes itself the same way, but this is how I arrived at a new one.

The past 2 blogs have been about being prepared and ready to capture creativity as it comes - because there's no way to really schedule inspiriation.

However, rather than continue talking about the new love song that came out of no where, I want to switch gears to another song that, again came out of no where.

In the past week, I've written 3 songs...
1 about the end of the world
1 about falling in love
1 about drones

See the connection?  Exactly...there's not one. 
(except for being prepared to capture creativity)

If I wasn't prepared as a songwriter to capture the inspiration, these new songs may have been lost.

So this newest song (the one about drones), just popped in my head and luckily I was snowed in with pad, acoustic, and iphone.

Here's the lyrics:

Flying Bird

(c) 2013 Ross Christopher

(Verse 1)

Take to the sky

And sell them the lie

That everything is safer now

And life cries goodbye

(Chorus)

Flying bird, won't you go back home

Flying bird, won't you go

Flying bird, won't you go back home

Flying bird, won't you go

(Verse 2)

Driven by joy -

Sticks of death and bombs

And innocent blood

Bombs and blood

(Bridge)

1, 2, birds are flying

3, 4, worlds are dying

5, 6, lies are fueling

Birds to fly again

Peace,
Ross

Some Things Just Write Themselves.

As a songwriter, lyrics and music hit me at all sorts of random times.  Though 80% of the time I write in a similar fashion, I don't have (or prescribe to) "a system."  Having said that, I was finishing up a new single that I've been working on for about a month, called 'Lonely Earth.' 

As I was working on a mixdown, I all of a sudden got this lyric and melody in my head.  Immediately I had to open up a new project and record what was going on in my head.  In about 10 minutes I had recorded the acoustic guitar part and the lead vocal scratch track. 

I played the song for Kate the next morning and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I can't get it out of my head.  Some things you work on for weeks, and some things just write themselves.  I'm consistently surprised by, and with, the creative process!  I'm excited to share more of this process with you in the coming days.

Peace,
Ross

Never Interrupt the Song.

Never interrupt the song...

The song is creativity.
It is the spark that hits you whenever it desires.
It's not a formula, and it's not reserved for the artistic elite.
It just is.

Listen for it.
Write it down.
Record it.
Don't lose it, whatever you do!

*here's a little example of what I'm talking about. I caught Cora "writing a song" last night before bed. I love it!



Peace,
Ross

Satan (metaphor)

Metaphor in songwriting is key.
It is the language of truth.
It is the mechanism that turns a song timeless.

SATAN
(c) 2011 Ross Christopher

What if satan looked
A little too much like me
On a dark, dark night

If he swallowed up souls
As flippantly as I
Pass by need

What if he shot your soul
Into hell with tears
And gnashing teeth
And burning stench of trash

Oh, that's me
I cast you out
And discard your self

Am I saint?
Or satan?

Peace,
Ross

Random Songwriting Thought...

I had this random idea/experiment the other day. What would be the outcome of raising a child without exposing him/her to any music, then at some point introducing them to a bunch of instruments and encouraging them to write and compose?

Because so much of what we write now is influenced by hundreds of years and thousands of artists, we are basically re-working others' works. So then, would the virgin ears produce truly new and unique music, or would we see melodies created that sound like songs we've already heard? Wouldn't it be plausable that some songs are inevitable? Could it be that some works of art, that we all know and love, and have made them almost parts of our DNA, were predestined from creation?

Anyway, I thought that would be an interesting discussion...

Peace,
Ross

p.s. I would NEVER deny a child music.