Famous Songs Inspired by Real People

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

A couple of years ago on the blog, in a post called Songs in the Key of Life, I chronicled some famous songs whose inspiration came from real-life situations in the writers' lives.  In this post, let's look at a few hits that were inspired by real people, some as well-known as the songs themselves.  I suspect you'll know several of these origins already, but some may surprise you.

This one goes back a ways, but 60s songster Jimmy Dean's claim to fame (long before he became a sausage king) was story songs about people, some imaginary, some drawn from life. While "Big Bad John" was fictional folklore, "P.T. 109" celebrated the heroic Navy background of President John F. Kennedy a year after he took office.

Speaking of JFK, his young daughter Caroline would not only make the cover of Life Magazine at four years old, but Neil Diamond would be so taken with the photo of her riding her pony that he'd write "Sweet Caroline" in her honor.

Don McLean was just a paperboy "the day the music died".  He was deeply affected when he saw the headline announcing the deaths of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens.  But he kept the music going after all with one of his biggest hits, "American Pie".

While the lyrics sing of "Daniel, my brother", Elton John's "Daniel" was inspired by the story of a wounded Vietnam War veteran who came home to a hero's welcome but wanted only to go back to his normal life.  Meanwhile, his "Candle in the Wind", written in memorial to Marilyn Monroe in 1973, served double duty when he rededicated it in 1997 to Princess Diana, changing the opening line from "Goodbye, Norma Jean" to "Goodbye, England's Rose".

Some songs have more ambiguous origins, as in the case of "Dude Looks Like a Lady" by Aerosmith.  One story goes that Steven Tyler, spotting Mötley Crue's Vince Neil from behind, mistook him for a chick.  Vince himself contends that the song title came when he and Tyler visited a bar where the waiters wore women's clothes. Other rumors abound, but they all seem to have something to do with Vince Neil.

The list goes on, and I invite you to check out my latest video to see and hear a few more famous connections from the Top 40, below or at https://youtu.be/V278ljKTE3g

Inspiration for a song, a poem or a novel can be found everywhere you look.  It could even be the next person you meet.

Creative Recalibration

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine


So I was wandering around at Lowe's last week looking for a piece of white laminated wood to finish an office project.  My massive collection of CDs has grown into the need for one more shelf, which must fit the precise measurements of an existing bookcase, one with apparently uncommon dimensions, because this has been going on for awhile.

Finding the ideal type of wood in a slightly larger size than I needed, and having meticulously written out the precise cuts I could have Lowe's do, I proudly took both to the cutter man, who was quick to inform me that their machine can't make a lengthwise cut on any wood narrower than two feet.

Not to be thwarted, I tried my luck at Home Depot, a block away, where I found an even more suitable size of white laminated wood and proceeded to the cutting station.  Here they had the right kind of saw, but the cutter man said that a lengthwise cut on that type of wood would likely split it all to pieces because of the way it's made.  I asked if he would try anyway, that I'd be willing to take the gamble, but he said they're simply not allowed to cut that type of wood.

Well, shucky durn, I thought.  I left the store carrying not my prize shelving, but a sense of resignation (not to mention self-loathing for thinking "shucky durn"). Having already explored a number of stores and websites prior to this episode, I had now exhausted all avenues of success for my grand plan.

Then it occurred to me that a white laminated CD shelf might not be the best plan at all.  There were other options, but I had been so stuck on my original plan that I hadn't seriously considered them.

I thought back to two days earlier when I was returning home from a long drive.  My GPS insisted that I take the highway, but I knew it was under construction, so I chose an alternate route.  For some miles the GPS kept nagging me to turn around or to take this turnoff to get to the route it had chosen for me.  Finally, it gave up and recalibrated, aligning with my preferred route.

But this isn't about CD shelves or GPS systems.  The bigger picture is that the first route we set our sights on isn't necessarily the best.  It may just be the most obvious one, which is why we get stuck on it.  But there are always alternate routes which could be more to our advantage.

Trained by all the great books and movies that have gone before, we expect story lines to follow certain formulas: when there is this cause, there will be this effect.  Having these mile markers to work from can be an excellent writing tool.  They have stood the test of time because they work. 

But limiting ourselves to something tried and true (and predictable) can induce its own brand of writer's block.  When we realize in horror that our story is commonplace and has turned into drivel, we will question whether it's worth writing.  Or if we develop a scene or plot that is getting nowhere fast, or has boxed us into a corner, we believe we're wasting our time.

That's the time to ask, Are we taking the best route?  We may have enthusiastically jumped on our first impulse, overlooking a road less traveled the story or characters could have taken.  It's a personal challenge to give up an idea we were excited about, but the reward comes when we recalibrate and our next idea solves all our problems.

And as for my CD shelf idea?  I decided I have way too many CDs.  eBay, here I come.

Timing is Everything

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

There's a scene in Back to the Future in which Marty McFly dons a hazmat suit and tries to trick his father into thinking he's from outer space.  To support the ruse, Marty uses his Walkman like a weapon to inflict hard rock on this 1950s fellow, whose musical awareness has only gotten as far as "Earth Angel." When the dad is introduced to heavy metal, he thinks his brain is melting.  (I often feel that way too, and I've heard it before.)

It's a funny movie scene, but it evokes a stimulating consideration about the evolution of music, and for that matter, creativity in general.  What would be Mozart's first impression if he was transported 200 years into the future and experienced a sudden dose of Iron Maiden?  The possibility that his brain actually could melt aside, chances are he would interpret it as so out of his realm of consciousness that it isn't even a form of music.

By the same token, if we went back 1500 years and played Mozart to a group of medieval monks whose only exposure to music was vocal chants, they might well regard Wolfgang's classical concertos as the work of the devil.

As I watched Star Trek: Into Darkness last week, I had to wonder how someone like George Washington would react if he walked into a 2013 theatre unawares, and donned 3D glasses.  The convincing CGI spectacles of planets exploding and warp speed travel through the stars would appear all too real and life-threatening, and another brain might melt.

We've indeed progressed in mind-numbing ways from the very first evidence of entertainment on the big screen, namely cave paintings.  Some say cavemen were the first storytellers; others say these early drawings were a form of communication. All I know is, people were a lot skinnier then.

Whatever the case, whether we're talking movies, music or writing, what we create today comes from a long, gradual, and natural evolution of creativity.  Jules Verne imagined a future that, in some respects, we've already surpassed.  Dick Tracy's video wristwatch from the 50s took only a couple of generations to become reality.

What we imagine — and chronicle — in any lifetime becomes an important stepping stone in the future of mankind and culture.  As writers, we play a vital role in history, right where we are, right now.  I think that's kind of exciting.  I'm tired just thinking about it.

Marty McFly knew that each generation has its own voice, and that too much of a jump forward can be a jolt. Therefore, there's a lot to be said for all the parents who don't start their babies out on rock 'n roll, and instead buy their infants those "Classical Baby" CDs, said to give kids a smart start. 

After all, we need to crawl before we can rock.

Lighting is Everything

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine


"A change is as good as a rest," my grandmother used to say.  I thought she came up with that one herself until I grew up and heard that other people's grandparents said the same thing.  It took me almost that long to appreciate the truth of that proverb.

A musician friend of mine jokes that when he starts to feel songwriter's block, it's time to buy a new instrument. (This fellow, for the record, has more guitars than songs he's actually written.) There is, however, validity to that concept.  If you're a songwriter who plays keyboard, just noodling around on a new synthesizer and having a different variety of sounds at your fingertips will get fresh ideas rolling around.  It inspires chords and progressions you simply never thought to try before.

The same image in black & white and in color

Professional photographers know that the difference between a good photo and a great photo is often in the lighting. You can be as keen and adventurous as you like with the angle, aperture settings and all the rest, but in the end, the proper illumination is critical to capture a classic shot. 

As writers, we seek to capture our vision through the lens of our pens.  When we find it hard to see what that vision is, it can help to see it in a different light, by taking in a change of scenery or trying a different approach.  If you write at your desk all the time, you're attached to the same keyboard, desk, walls, pictures on those walls, etc.  Certainly there's a lot to be said for familiarity, and the quiet environment of our office can be far more preferable to a busy coffee shop (unless you're Sandra Balzo and you're crafting Coffeehouse Mysteries).

But sometimes a bustling, noisy environment can be just the ticket to wake up your muse.  Has your mind ever taken a path less traveled while sitting on a mall bench, observing the madding crowd?  When you're away on vacation, aren't you itching to get back to your computer because of all the new ideas you can't wait to write?

If you write nonfiction exclusively, try your hand at a fiction piece; and vice versa.  If you write all your stories starting at the beginning, try writing the ending first and see what new inspiration comes. If you outline your novels, try writing your next one free form. You're guaranteed to see your familiar craft in a new light. 

Creativity finds its nucleus in change. We can emulate something that's gone before, but to make it something our own requires taking it in a different direction. Once in a while that begins with us trying something new ourselves. As the saying goes, "If you want something you've never had, then you've got to do something you've never done before."

When she told us that a change is as good as a rest, my grandma merely sought to convey that a change of pace can restore peace of mind.  In truth, change can be the spark that ignites the fire that helps us get our writing down.  That's the kind of peace we're always looking for.

Give Me a Break!

by Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief

Ever had a day you just couldn’t get the words to sound right on paper? My ideas are in my head but for some reason the words just don’t put my ideas in a good light.  Those are the days I decide to take a break, grab a coffee from Starbucks and people watch. 

Obviously, I always have a notebook handy where I jot down thoughts, yes, but truthfully, I am jotting down descriptions of people I see.  What kind of mannerisms they have. Guessing about the look on their faces and the people sitting at their table. No, I do not eavesdrop on their conversation. I am too busy with writing down what I see, not what I hear.

When I get back to my computer, my mind seems to be full of words that just have to get to paper. Now the words look right. Oh, these words are not from the descriptions I wrote from watching the people—they are the words that I was trying to put to paper earlier.

Life is like that; we are going along and all of a sudden things just aren’t right. But when we break, relax and give ourselves a chance to take in the things around us it helps clear out cobwebs we forgot to sweep out the day before. Then you begin to feel everything is right again.

Misfits!

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

In every aspect of our society there are misfits, those that just don’t fit the mold. We have seen this is in sports, arts, music and writing. 

In sports we saw this in the 1968 Olympics with a competitor in the high jump named Dick Fosbury.  Fosbury chose not to use the three common styles of high jump and came up with what was called the Fosbury Flop. Dick Fosbury flopped right into the record books with a Gold Medal.

In the art world we have Vincent Van Gogh. We look back at what we now recognize as a great artist and yet at his death at age 37, his accomplishments were known only to a small group and appreciated by even fewer. Many of his 2100 works are now priceless.

 

Music has many examples. The most famous was the little studio in Memphis called Sun Studios, owned by Sam Phillips. Sam created a studio where those who were unacceptable elsewhere were welcomed. Sam was recording at the time what was known as “race” music. In 1951 Sam recorded a Clarksville MS group called the Delta Cats with a piano player named Ike Turner. The song recorded was “Rocket 88” which is considered the granddaddy of rock n’ roll.

This led to a migration of many misfits from across the region. Musicians who didn’t fit the mold of southern blues, gospel, or country found their way to Memphis to record where they were accepted. Artists like Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Sam Phillips’ self-proclaimed greatest discovery Chester Arthur Burnett better known as Howlin’ Wolf, all came to follow their dream. 

And now we come to writing. Maybe you have yet to find your fit in the literary world. Maybe you have been told that your work does not fit the category or the category the agent or publisher represent. Maybe you have been told you don’t fit the mold. If so look at you potential. The misfits mentioned above went on to become very successful in their field. They kept on until they found the right fit. You must continue on until you find your right fit.

  

If you have an example of a writer that was a misfit and found their fit let me know. I would love to share their success with others. I am looking forward to hearing from you and I hope to hear that misfit that overcame was you.         

     

What's the Caption?

Another Friday and time for some fun, fellow writers!

Here's a picture without a caption.  Come up with one! 

What's the caption?

It's Friday and time for a little fun, fellow writers!  

Here's a picture without a caption. Come up with one!

Stained Glass

by Barbara Parentini

“We have forgotten that the call to creativity is a call to worship.”

                                                                        --Scribbling in the Sand by Michael Card

Before I knew the meaning of the word creativity, I loved being creative. My strong creative desires found expression over the years through music, painting, writing, sewing my wedding dress, and creating a card line. Creativity at its finest manifests something of beauty that calls for response.

Recently, creativity showed up in a thrilling way. For the last few months, the word glass seemed to nudge my attention. I encountered people with this last name; incorporated glass tile into a kitchen design; and awakened one morning to the words, Sea Glass, a perfect title for my gift book about the sea. But the whispers about glass didn’t stop there.

Last month as I pulled my umbrella from the closet, I had one eye on the weather report before I dashed out the door. I’d looked forward to the North Carolina Poetry Society meeting for months, and refused to allow predictions of severe thunderstorms to change my plans. Listening to poets in the gracious Weymouth Center and enjoying spring gardens overshadowed my concern.

About thirty minutes down the road, gray skies unleashed torrential rains. Doubts menaced that I’d taken a wrong turn. Though I reviewed my directions, nothing made sense in the blinding rain. The rural landscape rippled behind a Niagara of water. I was lost. I lifted a prayer. Peering through my passenger window, I inched past a small store. A rusty, vintage sign near the road said “Stained Glass.” I shook my head. There was that word again…

I called my husband—he’d discouraged me from making the trip, knowing I’m directionally challenged. I tried to sound calm as thunder rumbled, and fingers of lightning shot across the dark sky. After he helped me get my bearings, he warned I should turn around at the next road and return home. My heart sank as hopes of attending the event faded. I navigated the turn through gusty winds and rain, and headed back.

The next day at church, I slipped into a back pew by the last window, and settled into the service. I scrawled words across my bulletin as sunlight illuminated the tall, arched windowpanes, reminding me of God’s presence. I’d witnessed sunlight cast a golden glow over the sanctuary many Sundays, but this time was different. A river of gold descended along the arch to the windowsill, and when I glanced back at my notes, my hands were bathed in red light. Awestruck, I stared at my hands.

My eyes followed the sunbeam. Way up high in the window, a pane pulsated ruby-red. Light shining through stained glass showered a blessing on the work of my hands, like a creative anointing.

Writers create with words to bring something new into existence. Find your sanctuary, a sacred space to create. Honor quiet time to go deep. Notice beauty in the ordinary. Write about life’s storms, its joys and sorrow, and write about being lost. Write words to create a garden of beauty and hope in the world. Be true to your heart. Your words are your legacy.

When we treat our creative gifts as worship, grace fuses the shards of broken dreams into a masterful mosaic. Our words. His Light. Stained glass.

______________________________

Barbara Parentini, author, speaker, and registered nurse who has been retired since her life-changing accident in 2003, is a contributor to numerous books; including Life Lessons from Dads, to be released June 2012, by Write Integrity Press. She’s written a tender gift book, Love and Everyday Wisdom for Brides, with companion journal in progress. Barbara created Living Letters® Seminars; and card line, Soaring Hearts, available soon at a national chain in Florida. 

Connect with Barbara at her website or on Facebook and Twitter.

To Birth an Idea

by Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief

Ideas, some say are a dime a dozen, but in truth each one may be that ‘pot of gold’. Treat them gingerly, when one comes, write it down, don’t let it fade away.  Many wonderful ideas are born every day in our minds. It would behoove us to carry a notebook around and write them down.

Then we should take the time and look them over, let our imagination look at them, and see where it could lead us. Don’t throw any away just yet.  Put them in a file, and look them over regularly.  Some may have promise.  Eventually you may weed out the ones that don’t and throw those away, but I like to keep mine, and visit them often, I never know when my imagination is going to jump in and say, “Hey, this is viable and we can do that one now!”

Take the ideas that have promise and cultivate, nurture and fertilize. Begin; think about it, where is your mind leading you. With the internet, you can search out any and everything that could be associated with your idea. Look at all of the angles. When the time is right, use it for yourself.

It only takes one good idea to lead to that ‘pot of gold’.

YOU are Creative

by Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief

Sometimes you will hear people say "I am not creative". What they associate with being creative is painting, drawing and writing. However, being creative is much more than that. Being creative is finding another way to do something. You can be creative in anything you do.

Everyone has creativity; however, some people don’t realize it and some just don’t use it.

For authors it takes more than creativity to write a book. It takes imagination. We loosen the reins on our imaginations. We take the limits off and allow ourselves to explore all the ideas and thoughts that enter into our minds.

The funny thing about imagination is anyone can use it in any occupation. They just have to recognize it and harness it.

As authors, let's make sure we take these two primary brain functions and use them to soar through worlds yet explored. Our destination waits.