If I could channel comedian Jeff Foxworthy for a minute, you know you’re a songwriter when…
You know you’re a songwriter when you wake up in the morning half asleep and have lines for a new song running thru your head. Especially when it keeps running over and over and over and over. Of course after being up for 48 hours it was a little hard to want to get up and write. However, being the songwriter that I am, I got up and started putting the words into my computer.
I haven’t yet figured out if the songs that come out demanding to be written down end up being any better than ones where I’m making it up as I go along. That would be an interesting question at a songwriter’s panel. One that I’ve never heard asked.
As an overview the song idea is about a girl (shocker) that is putting herself together. I’m sure it’s a subject that’s been covered innumerable times. The odd thing I’m faced with is, do I know enough of the psyche to make it believable. I suppose I’m on a good start as I showed a good portion of lyrics to a female friend of mine this morning who was like, what the hell, I’m so like that. I guess that’s the power of a good imagination with observation.
That’s what’s leading me into today’s choice of Imaginary by Evanescence. The one thing that can be said about Evanescence is that they have the concept of classical fused metal down pat. Their combination of strings and heavy guitars is by far the most powerful I think I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t hurt that the vocals are super confident and soaring over the top of the music like a bird.
Tons of production chops helped to build this into a release that demanded the attention that it got. But it’s the songs that drew the listeners in. The songs take you on a journey that grips or rather rips right into you. That’s part of the magic that I’m working on with my own songwriting. To get to that point where the song won’t let you go. For it’s songs like that where you really get in touch with something deep.
There’s no doubt that the writers behind this have a powerful imagination and great ability to tell the story in melody.
Don’t have any of Evanescence? Get with it. Pick it up now and explore their other disc as well.