Red Velvet Shoes

Songwriting Co-Write etiquette is straightforward on the surface. If folk are in the room when the song is being written, then they are co-writers. “In the room” means sitting down to write the song together. And then credit is shared, regardless of individual involvement.

I am able to take credit for one or two songs in which I might have only added a line, or even a couple of words. And to be honest, I don’t feel comfortable with that. But technically I did contribute something. So, I guess I can cope. Likewise I’ve been involved in songs where I’ve been part of the “heavy lifting” and others have played more of a minor role.

Red Velvet Shoes (as presented in this recording) is a weird one for me. It started with a title. On this occasion two fellow co-writers were on their computers doing something else more pressing for the duration. So I ended up writing the complete lyric. In this scenario, we were only writing the lyric. Then we passed our lyric on to another group who would write the music. And they did.

But sometimes in our songwriting gatherings one or other of us goes away and later writes different music to a lyric that they feel attached to. Which is what I did that on this occasion. Somebody else wrote yet another tune to it I believe. But for the particular version featured in the link I wrote all the words and music.

It’s still technically a co-write I think. But I’m not sure whether the co-writers are my original lyric guys who were “in the room”, and/or the group who wrote the first version of the music which has got lost in the sand of times.

The recording you may listen to isn’t my best. And the song is highly unlikely to “do” anything. Nor is it a part of my live repertoire so far. Also, these are all good friends of mine I’m speaking of. So it’s not any kind of issue in my mind.

But it does still confuse me a wee bit, when I happen upon the song. You know how easily I get confused. Hence this blurb, which you have been mad enough to read.

First world problems heh?

nb. My friend Gary knows the score and can probably throw the light of wisdom on this particular scenario. He may even have been a part of the group that wrote the original music. I can’t remember. We’ve written so many together. So if you’re reading Gary (you’re definitely mad enough to read!) you could maybe help to put this one to bed in my mind. If you can be arsed. Perhaps in the blog webpage comments, so that other mad songwriters may avoid similar confusion. Or get more confused. Ta. ;-)