Blue Looks Good On You
Every songwriter has a trunkful of tunes they feel could or should have been hits. For me, “Blue Looks Good On You” is in that category. I wrote it with Eric Lynn, an up and coming LA based singer/songwriter whom I had just signed to a publishing deal back in 2001. Alas, “Blue…” never made it past the demo stage. But it’s a hit in my household especially with my wife, Mary Belle. And since this Saturday she has a special birthday, this one... Read More
Even A Fool Would Let Go
This song was my first successful effort at writing a commercial, “cover-able” song. I wrote it with Kerry Chater around 1976/77. Kerry had been a staff writer at Irving Almo, the publishing arm of A&M records and had recently formed his own company with David Nelson (not of Ozzie and Harriet fame). Having just been dropped from Capitol Records and coming to grips with the fact that my performing career was going nowhere I was thrilled to be writing with such... Read More
“Goin’ Wild For You” – Tom Snow’s Demo Recording
I was incredibly lucky to get Jeff Porcaro to play drums and bass for me on this. He did it for free, to boot. By then a good friend and fellow musician, Jeff had previously played drums on both my Capitol Records solo albums, “Taking It All In Stride” & “Tom Snow”; the latter being a real labor of love and an opportunity to play with him in the studio (Sunset Sound) over a period of 6 months. For this demo he brought along his equally talented brother... Read More
“Goin’ Wild For You” – Bonnie Raitt’s cover
I wrote this one with the inestimable David Batteau. We weren’t thinking of anything or anyone in particular when we wrote it… just sitting around banging out a tune. Luckily for us this one landed in a good place. I thought it might be interesting to give you two versions: one by a major recording star (Bonnie Raitt) and my demo recording. Gives you an idea of the journey a song can take from demo state to finished product. Sometimes the journey can end in disappointment,... Read More
Cold Wind Across My Heart- “Deep Cut- 1979”
Songwriters are constantly, one could say obsessively looking for song titles. In Nashville for instance, it’s almost impossible to get through any conversation without someone saying-“Hey, that’s good title”- in response to some remark. (Meals are particularly tough to get through down there.) Film dialogue is another target rich environment, especially in overwrought romantic dramas. In the case of “Cold Wind Across My Heart” I got the title... Read More
Love Not War
Written with the incomparable Barbara “BeatGirl” Griffin in 1999 -2000, “LNW” is a true millennium song (somehow that sounds important although I’m not sure exactly why) .We were writing it for singer/songwriter Jordan Hill (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Hill) who was in between record deals at the time and needed some “hit” material to wake up the the nominally perceptive ears of various A&R (artists and repertoire) people at... Read More
Closer
Written especially for Barbra Streisand with a beautiful lyric by Dean Pitchford. May we all be closer in 2012. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all! All The Best, Tom Read More
Jingle Baby & TEDx
It has been a while since I last sent out a tune. No excuse for it- other than general indolence and his cohort, major laziness, holding me captive until now. But the good news is that it’s the Holiday Season and we could all use another Christmas ditty, right?… right? Yeah, that’s what I thought. So- here is Stephanie Mills, who came to prominence with her starring role in Broadway’s “The Wiz” in 1975 and continued singing hits throughout... Read More
You Bring The Sun Out
I found out a few days ago that Jessy Dixon, Gospel singer/performer extraordinaire, has died. He was a truly big star in the world of Gospel music and was much loved. I knew Jessy briefly and wrote a couple of tunes with him in the late 70’s, a period when he had been collaborating with Paul Simon in the studio (Still Crazy After All These Years) and on the road (Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin’). Written for Jessy to record, the songs were religious in nature. ... Read More
Love Has A Mind Of Its Own
There are some artists who any songwriter worth his or her salt would kill to have record one of their songs. Ray Charles is at the top of my list. This cut started out with me playing a synthesizer bass line to a drum track. The rhythm section was later filled out and the track was then sent from L.A. across country for Ray to sing to. I never met him but I feel a connection to him as a result of his wonderful vocal. A rare privilege. The record was produced by Richard Perry... Read More