Back in November of last year, I had a writing session scheduled for Monday of that particular week and another writing session scheduled for Tuesday of that same week. This is something I rarely do, in fact, at that time I rarely wrote in what we call a ‘writer’s room’ at all. It was typically a very intimidating process for me and I usually preferred to write via e-mail with someone like my buddy, Matthew Holt, or in some other less formal way. However, I chose to challenge myself to write with more professional writers in town (Nashville, that is) and I booked not 1, but TWO writing sessions in the same week.

My Monday session … well… If I’m being honest … it went terribly. My co-writer for the day was a dear friend, but they just didn’t like anything at all that I was coming up with. It was a very discouraging experience for me and it was that much more obvious that this was something I wasn’t cut out for.

Later that night I was taking my wife, Lindsay, on a date and I began to tell her of my session that afternoon. I said, “I don’t think I can do this anymore, I can’t write. I’m just no good at it” – Being the sweet and supportive wife that she is, she simply said “Things will be better tomorrow.”

I was scheduled to write with two of the greatest lyricists in Nashville on that following day, Tony Wood and Sue Smith. I had written with Sue before, but never Tony. This was a dream come true for me, I was already nervous and I wanted to tell my wife; “You have NO idea how much more nervous I am after how today went.”

Well, I sat down in Franklin, TN with Tony and Sue and I sang them a chorus to a song I had started entitled “How You Hold Me” – My family was going through one of the darkest times we had ever faced and the song came from this particular time in my life. That song was written 8 months ago. 2 months ago, it was put on “hold” by Word Records for Natalie Grant. It was my first Contemporary Christian music ‘hold’ and I’m fairly certain God knew EXACTLY what He was doing. He wanted to encourage me. And He wants to encourage you. Young writers… Keep writing your songs and even if no one ever listens, never get so discouraged that you choose to put down your pen. After all, we’re writing about The Greatest “Writer” of all time and frankly, I think He’s more than worth it.

Thanks to Joseph for sharing today!

Now I’m in Edmonton Canada and will be headed over to Red Deer this afternoon.  It’s hit or miss on whether or not I can get an internet signal to post.  After Red Deer we’ll be flying to Juneau, AK to meet the cruise ship.  I love you all but I’m not going to sell my family in order to be able to get online!

Here’s a quick tip for the day… Make sure whatever you write, no matter how much sense it makes and no matter how theologically sound it may be. make sure it sings well.  Some vowels are not as singable in certain places.  Write it and sing it.  If it doesn’t flow for you, it won’t flow for anybody else

In the mean time… Keep on writing!!!  See you in a few!

Have you ever been stuck on a line that demanded you find a word that says what you want but also has to rhyme with the last word of the last line you’ve already written?  You recite every word known to man that rhymes but you can’t find one that makes any sense!  You not only need a rhyming word that makes sense but you also have to consider syllables AND you must make sure that the word you come up with will sing well.

My advice may be a bit simple but often we don’t think about it.  Back up and change the line you’ve already written!  Say it a different way!  You may find that you want to go in an entirely different direction.  Nothing is set in stone until you’ve stamped the tune done.  This is going to open up a whole new set of options.

Another thing to think about when it comes to inner rhymes… They don’t have to be exact matches.  For instance, lives would be a word that would serve as a rhyme for is or his.  I used the word gold at the top of this post.  One would think that the word chosen to serve as the match for gold would have to end with the letters “_old” and would also have to match in regards to syllables.  That’s not accurate.  For instance, the word soul would work as a match but you could also think about a two syllable word like ago.

Here’s something else to think about.  The song may not need to rhyme.  Take Bill Gaither’s classic, for example.  Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds the future.  And life is worth the living just because He lives.  Where is the rhyme scheme in that song???

Loosen up a little!!!  If there’s one thing I’ve discovered, when it comes to music is… There aren’t really any rules.  Yes things need to meter out correctly and we want our music to make sense to the listener but if you’re not careful you can get stuck in a rut by trying to play by unwritten rules.  Have fun with this!!!

One last tip on rhymes.  Google a rhyme tool.  Rhymezone is one that I’ve used from time to time.  Some people don’t like using tools like this but I don’t have a problem with it.  I always find words that I wouldn’t have thought of.  I don’t always use them but sometimes I do.  I also love the Thesaurus.  These are great tools that expand our options because they take us beyond our own capacity.  If you know everything you won’t need to use such a tool but I guess I have to confess my ignorance… I don’t know it all.

Now… go pull that song you’d given up on and take a different approach at it!  Happy writing!

When Triumphant formed in late 2002 I wanted to write songs that we could sing. Many of my heroes, at the time, were doing that in their own groups such as; Rodney Griffin, Phil Cross, Mark Bishop, etc… So, me being 20 & ambitious… I went for it! Folks like Dianne Wilkinson, Rodney Griffin, Sue Smith, & Kenna Turner West have helped me greatly along the way.

Needless to say, at 20 years old, my biggest hurdle was the lack of life experiences… And still is. I’m not saying young people can’t write great gospel songs but I do believe that with life-lived experiences come even greater songs.

Many of the biggest songs in gospel music were birthed from a writer’s dark situations or pain. However, many come from the triumphs of overcoming those obstacles. Now, I’m not praying for terrible things to happen so a song will come from it but what I do pray is that God will use me, wherever I am in life, to the fullest.

I love this music, and I plan on writing and singing it, until the door closes.

Thanks to Scotty Inman for sharing a little bit of himself with us today! I certainly appreciate the gift he uses to inspire us all with the music God lays on his heart.

Me and Jules headed on over to the grocery store to get the goodies and then we picked Kimmy up and headed over to watch the newest creation from PIXAR… Brave. I would recommend it. everything they produce is worth the time.

Well, as the credits began to roll, we took off to pick up some last-minute things for the evening and I got a text from a friend telling me to have my wife read here text. She got her phone and, as she read, her face went from happy to terrified. Two little boys from our church had been involved in an accident at the lake. At that time, it was reported that they both had died. Jules had just attended VBS with them. She was in Sunday school with one of them. Our day went from busy and exciting to quiet and sad. Kimberly told Jules the sad news and she just put her face in her hands and wept.

We never know when we’ve seen someone for last time. I’m afraid we take our time together with family and friends for granted. When God allows someone close to come home, it’s a reminder that we need to cherish every moment we have with them.

Years ago I wrote a song about this very thing. Just a couple of years after I wrote it, I sang it at my father’s funeral…

Cherish The Time

Verse: Watching my boy from the football stands, the stadium’s filled with cheers. Counting the times I’ve watched him before but tonight he’s not on the field. Instead it’s his graduation and when they called his name I felt proud. As I look in his face, I can’t help but think… Did I give to him the best that I had?

Chorus: Cherish the time that you have with the ones you love. It could be last time you look into their eyes or see them smile, or say that you love them so. Who knows exactly what our tomorrow holds. Don’t let a day slip by, cherish the time.

Verse: I woke up last night about three a.m., I got up and walked around. I opened the doors to the bedrooms where my children once laid their heads. Tonight they’re in other cities with their families all tucked away. As my knees hit the floor I asked the dear Lord, “Please bless us with another day”, and it seemed like I heard Him say…

Chorus: Cherish the time that you have with the ones you love. It could be last time you look into their eyes or see them smile, or say that you love them so. Who knows exactly what our tomorrow holds. Don’t let a day slip by, cherish the time.

Bridge: Every precious life is like the stars we wish upon. One day burning bright, the next day sadly gone. You need to…

Chorus: Cherish the time that you have with the ones you love. It could be last time you look into their eyes or see them smile, or say that you love them so. Who knows exactly what our tomorrow holds. Don’t let a day slip by, cherish the time.

As of this post, one of the children was revived and is now on life support. Although it is in the news, I don’t feel at liberty to mention the names of the children or their families but God knows all of those involved. Please say a pray for them today and cherish those whom God has placed in your own life.

Update… The child who was on support has passed away. Keep these families in your prayers.

* If you would like to receive a copy of Cherish The Time, mail me at povrotty@gmail.com.

In order for your songs to ever be considered, you are going to have to get the song demoed. I’ve had folks ask me just how far they need to go in regards to the demo and I have a couple of ideas that might help you in creating an effective demo.

• Keep it simple – You can go overboard and make the demo too good. What do I mean by that? An artist who is in the process of looking for music will tend to stay away from over-arranged, over-produced demos. You need to understand that the artist is looking for songs that he’ll be able to make his own. When you provide a disc that has a song with big intros, key changes and huge endings, it gives the artist the notion that the song has already been done. Strip it down and make it simple.

• Make it quality – Now, understand that stripped down doesn’t mean it needs to be low quality. Instruments need to be tuned and singers need to be on pitch. If you aren’t gifted in these areas, you’ll need to spend a little money having one done. If the guitar, piano or soloist is out of tune or off pitch, no matter how good the song might be, it probably won’t make it past the first verse.

I believe these two points will up your odds in getting your song heard. if you are wondering who you can get to create demos for you for a reasonable fee, email me. I might be able to help you out there.

On a different note… Thanks to Daniel Mount for allowing me to be a guest on his blog today. The post I wrote for him will be exclusive to his site. Go check it out.

For one to communicate a clear and concise message, that one has to be organized in His thoughts.  I’m not saying every word that a preacher preaches should be scripted but I am saying that he should stay on track if he plans on effectively reaching his congregation with the message.

This is no different when it comes to writing a song.  It’s more than choosing a theme to write about.  After you’ve established your idea, it’s extremely important that you think through the song.  What exactly do you want to say and how do you want to say it?  If you make the mistake of haphazardly jotting down every word that has to do with your idea and using it just because it rhymes, your result will be a song that has no substance.

Ask yourself a couple of questions…

• What is the central theme that I want this song to deliver?  It’s important that you not stray from what you intended your song to say.  Every lyric should somehow support the theme.  There are many wonderful elements one can refer to as a Christian but that doesn’t mean they all belong in the same song.  Be diligent in staying true to the subject!

• Who am I trying to reach?  – You HAVE to know your audience.  Is it a song that is aimed at anyone and everyone who happens to be listening?  Is it a song that targets sinners?  Is it a song written for the redeemed?  Why is this important?  Because, dependent upon for whom the song is written, the verbage you use will differ.  If you’re trying to reach someone who doesn’t know the Lord or the things of God, he may not be familiar with certain terms.  Keep it on the level of the one it’s designed to reach.

That’s just a couple of things that could help you land on track and stay there.  The last thing you want is a song that wears the listener out yet takes him nowhere!  Leave those rabbits in their cages.  Identify what you want to say and say it clearly.   Believe it or not, this will make your songwriting experience a good bit easier.

Every writer has a favorite song that they’ve written, and this is mine. No it’s not the fastest, highest or loudest, but it’s my favorite. The reason is simple…I’ll always have a need to be broken. Wherever I am in my relationship to God, I’ll always need to be closer. I’ll never be finished. I’ll always need a little bending here and there. And you know, He won’t do anything with me until I give Him permission. He won’t barge in. He’s a perfect gentlemen. That’s why Rodney Griffin needs to hear this song.

Our group’s favorite evangelist is Bill Stafford, from Chattanooga, Tennessee. His every message seems to come back to one theme…brokenness. And we need to hear it. You see, in the gospel music world, we are constantly being told that we singers, are great, talented and the best of the best. And, if we believe what we hear, we will believe something false about ourselves.

The truth is, we are no different than anyone else. We are simply christians. And every christian has the same struggle, the Spirit versus the flesh. The flesh loves to hear about how good it is. It loves to think that it doesn’t need help from God to attain goodness. And if you were honest, you’d admit that your flesh feels the same way. It does not like to be told what to do, by God or anybody. Therefore, we all could use a little brokenness, whether we make our living on a stage, or on a construction site.

I wrote this song with Gerald in mind to sing it. After hearing so many Bill Stafford sermons on brokenness, I knew there had to be a song here. I finished the chorus and sat on it for six months. I could not get anywhere on the verses. All I knew was that I wanted the song to have the theme of humility all through it. I wanted to open up my heart, and take the listener on a very personal journey of my spiritual walk with God, so I wrote it in the first person. You see, none of us stays on the spiritual mountaintop forever. This walk is oftentimes a struggle. And, it’s a battle that can only be won by one with a humble spirit…a spirit of brokenness.

Click to hear The Spirit of Brokenness

Lyrics…

Verse 1 I remember the night, so long ago The first time I called on your name Empty, and broken, ashamed of my sin I asked if this sinner you’d save But the cares of life, have darkened the light And I feel like I’m drifting away So break me, mold me, cleanse me, then hold me I want to, be near you, today

Chorus Lord, give me The Spirit Of Brokenness Like you gave when I first called your name And replace all my pride, with humility Lord, a broken, willing vessel I’ll be.

Verse 2 I never set out, to drift into sin My intentions are never to stray But my flesh is weak, and I’m so prone to fall Like a child, I go my own way ‘Til I hear your cry, from deep down inside Saying, “Go back, to Calvary again” “There, you’ll see My flesh opened, and my Spirit Broken Then surely, you’re drifting will

Let’s talk about the coveted “Hook line”.  It’s that part of a song that the rest of the song has had you licking your chops for.  It’s the anticipated moment; the one that makes you say, “Aha!”  Sometimes it’s a word but more often it’s a group of words.

Here’s an example of a very simple but effective hook line that God gave me in a song I wrote about three years ago entitled “Jesus Saves”…

The first verse begins with these words, “If I were to write a song, what would I want to say?”.  That sets the listener up for what it is I want to say and from that point on, they are “hooked”.  When I’ve had the opportunity to sing this song to a congregation, I’ve noticed it’s one that captures their attention and holds onto it because they want to know what it is I would say!  They are waiting for this unbelievable “something” and when I get to the end of the chorus, what I long to tell the world is… “Jesus saves”.  Really what else does the world need to hear??!!  Although it’s a simple message, it doesn’t let the folks down because it reinforces how truly important that message is.

Another song that gets the folks to the edge of their seats and frothing with anticipation is “My Name is Lazarus”.  That one never fails to deliver.  When we sing that line the room lights up!  The story draws them in and the “Hook line delivers”.

For me, personally, the hook line comes in different ways.  Sometimes it’s the idea for the song and therefore the rest of the song is written around it.  At other times it comes to me in the midst of the process.  I wish I could tell you how to come up with a good hook line but the truth is, if you truly are a gifted writer, it’ll come.

I mentioned earlier that the hook line isn’t always the necessary prescription for a successful song.  Not all songs are hinging on “a line”.  Some songs are just meaty all the way through; Thus the old hymns, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, The Love of God and Blessed Assurance.  Those are just a few examples but, nevertheless, they should support my point.

I would advise to you, when you’re writing, just write.  Don’t stress over it.  Like I said, if God has truly blessed you with this gift of writing… The words will come.  God is not short on lyrics.  There are plenty to go around!

I have the privilege of being hired, nearly on a monthly basis, to go to Asheville and sing BGVs (Background vocals) for my good friends at Crossroads.  I was taking the usual trip from Burlington, NC toward Asheville one morning about 7 years ago when this song came to me.

I’ve shared on an earlier blog different ways that songs make their way to my pen but this one came in a way that had never happened before and has never happened again since.

I had been living a life that was less than pleasing to the Lord.  On the outside you wouldn’t have known it but I knew… God knew.  I was pastoring a church, leading the music, counseling those who were far from God but I was the one who was in need of a word of counsel.

Zephaniah 3:17 says this…

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Just so happens, God had a song He sang over me that day and I just happened to hear it and write it down.  I was in essence a prodigal and the Father was waiting for me in the road.  Maybe you are far from God today and you need to hear this for yourself.  Maybe you have a loved one who has strayed and you need to hear this so that you might have hope that God is very aware of those who walk away.  Read and be blessed.

Another Child’s Coming Home

Verse: Are you tired? Are you worn? Is that road longer than you thought it was before? Turn around, you’ve gone far enough. There’s still room for you to come and stay with us.

Chorus: Kill the fatted calf. Grab the finest robe. Get a ring for my child because he’s coming home.  Get his room prepared because I know he’s tired and when he gets here I know he’ll want to rest a while. And if you need me, I’ll be out in the road… Because another child’s coming home!

Verse: Are you scared? Have you been sad? Has someone told you I would never take you back?  Son you know the truth.  You don’t have to guess.  I’ve been waiting right here for you since the day you left.

Chorus: Kill the fatted calf. Grab the finest robe. Get a ring for my child because he’s coming home.  Get his room prepared because I know he’s tired and when he gets here I know he’ll want to rest a while. And if you need me, I’ll be out in the road… Because another child’s coming home!

Bridge: Don’t be mad at him!  No need to say a word.  He’s sorry for his sin, his lesson has been learned.  I love you all the same, in your heart you know that’s true.  If it were you out in the rain I would be waiting for you. So Go…

Chorus: Kill the fatted calf. Grab the finest robe. Get a ring for my child because he’s coming home.  Get his room prepared because I know he’s tired and when he gets here I know he’ll want to rest a while. And if you need me, I’ll be out in the road… Because another child’s coming home!

Watch this song performed at the Song of a Lifetime showcase at the NQC last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8bovfnmwwk