A songwriter needs to write on a variety of subjects, if he or she expects to have the right material at the right time someone needs it.
I have been overwhelmed at the people who have come to me about writing a song since the release of Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion Of The Christ". So many well meaning individuals have said, Daryl, you really need to sit down and write a song that will express what that movie is about. The movie his a big hit. Therefore they believe that if I work real fast, I could write a hit song while the movie is on everybody's mind. Though these people mean well, they are about a year and a half late if they think the time to write the song is now.
I have seen this film, and I must say that is a wonderful portrayal of the last hours of Jesus' life. I believe that it can be a great evangelistic tool for those who do not know the story. But as a Christian who was saved at the age of seven, and been in church all of my life, I can't say that I really learned anything new from this movie. It was the gospel story that I have heard preached since I was a child. I already knew what the ending was going to be. He lives!!! I have been writing songs about the life and death, and resurrection of Jesus for many years. Although this film brought to life the images of what happened during those hours, it was not brand new information to me.
The song that people are wanting me to write, has already been written by many different writers, and was available to the public prior to the film's release. The song they are wanting to hear is the message of the cross. Many writers have penned incredible songs about the last hours of the life of Jesus, and what was accomplished on the cross. In September of 2002, Stephen Hill and I wrote a song called JESUS SAVES. In the summer of 2003, the Talley Trio recorded it. In the fall of 2003 their CD ,with this song on it, was released. In April of 2004, the song reached the #1 position on the Singing News Chart. "The Passion" was released in the Spring of 2004. If Stephen and I had waited to see the movie first, we would have never had the right song in the right place at the right time.
I have never seen a time in my life where there were so many patriotic songs being written and recorded. Ever since September 11, 2001 there have been countless songs written and recorded about our country and the events of that day. Some people were able to get their songs out quick, like Allen Jackson. He performed his new song WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE WORLD STOPPED TURNING, on the CMA awards to a national audience, less than one month after the event. But most songwriters do not have that kind of opportunity afforded to them.
We are just now hearing some brand new songs written about 9/11.
Some of them are good, but they have lost some of the impact that they could have had, had they been around and available to the public on 9/11. On that September morning I was in Louisville KY, at he National Quartet Convention. The Daryl Williams Trio was scheduled to sing at the NQC showcase that afternoon. We had a new CD that I was wanting to showcase, but we decided to sing a song I had written three years prior titled OH SAY CAN YOU SEE. It was a song that speaks about how important it is for Christians to pray for our nation. We had sung that song for almost three years, and it always received a good reception. But that day, it was the right song, in the right place, at the right time.
As you write songs, search your heart more than the headlines of that morning's newspaper. Let God inspire you to write a song that needs to be heard. Only He knows the future. If you are only writing about current events, then your songs will always be showing up too late to make the maximum impact. Let God direct your paths in writing. You may look at a song you wrote several years ago and find that it had a prophetic message in it.
Until next time, keep on writing!
Daryl Williams
[url=http://www.darylwilliamstrio.net]http://www.darylwilliamstrio.net[/url]
Author: Daryl Williams
| Author's Website: http://darylwilliamstrio.net
Written: 04/30/2004
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Category: Monthly ArticlesThe Songwriter
Comments: 2
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Hi Daryl,
I have found that if a news event affects me enough to write about it, I should focus on my feelings about the event and then disconnect them from the event so that the song does not become dated. The last time I did that was the day of the Columbia space shuttle disaster. If you listened to the song (Diamonds From the Sky), it might take you a while for you to realize what it is about. But the result is a snapshot of feelings and images that, while inspired by an event, aren't anchored to that event.
Sorry, if you'd like to hear that song, here it is http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/mitchruthmusic.htm
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