Song Contest Winner – “Soul On Strings”
March 24th, 2010 by Lior ShamirH. Jay Carney, winner of Round 4 of the 2009 Lyric Writer Awards, has completed his professional co-writing prize with the distinguished songwriting duo, Pete and Pat Luboff.
Listen to the result:
“Soul On Strings”
by Pete & Pat Luboff and H. Jay Carney
© Pea Pod Music and The Carney Company, Inc.
The song contest prize for the Lyric Writer Awards was designed to put aspiring lyricists in the hot seat with the music industry’s top songwriting professionals. The song contest prize includes an intimate co-writing session, a complete overhaul of the winning lyric (if necessary), and a publisher-ready demo of the song performed and recorded by some of Nashville’s most sought after musicians.
Congratulations to Jay, Pete and Pat for writing an outstanding song together!
March 25th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Man this shit it pretty damn good, well done Pete & Pat Luboff and H. Jay Carney. I like the way the song starts with a strum but the best part (for me) is the chorus (which is rare coz Im not a big fan of choruses), it’s just the notes he uses after he says ’soul on strings’ – nice.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
I love the song – very catchy! Yet, looking at the original lyrics that won there is nothing to hint that they and new lyrics are the same song. Still, well done.
March 25th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Collaborating with Pat and Pete was a phenomenally helpful learning process for me. Having only been writing songs for 2 years, I recognize I’m still a “babe in the woods” in the industry, and to have this opportunity this early in my songwriting career is miraculous. While it’s true that these new lyrics for “Soul On Strings” are substantially different from the starting point of “Marionette’s Parade”, we did start out with an in depth interpretive analysis of what the starting lyrics really meant, and we stayed very much on target to my politically radical intent. For me, here’s what Soul On Ice is addressing: Through constant media marketing and advertising, corporate America tries to rule our lives….telling us what to eat, what to wear, where to go, what to buy. In the political arena, “fear” tactics are frequently used to get our vote. Highly funded lobbyists in Washington have unacceptably powerful influence over politicians, practically dictating outcome of important legislation. “News” is no longer news at all, but entertainment controlled and manipulated by powerfully funded media conglomerates. This song is about a person (could be male or female) coming to the self actualization of this realty. By the time we get to the “bridge”, this person is now VERY ANGRY and wanting to cut these invisible strings that control his/her life. This song is telling a powerful political message. Although the intended meaning of the lyrics has nothing at all do to with a personal “couples” relationship, I understand how one might believe that’s the “message”. With the tutoring mentorship of songwriters far more experienced than myself, I have learned that “art” can carry a far more powerful, compelling message by not putting too fine a point on the subject matter…..by speaking more poetically. If we had actually come out and said “corporate America rules our lives”, it would somehow come across as too trite, too trivial. This is an artistic way of conveying an enormously powerful and important message and observation about our times.
March 26th, 2010 at 6:18 am
Jay, I am sorry for what I’m about to write, because I know how damn hard songwriting is, and I am keenly aware of how “inexperienced” writers can feel inadequate in the presence of pros.
I don’t what your original lyrics were, but “Marionette’s Parade” is far more evocative in all the right ways than “Soul On Strings”. More important, there is a line in your song that, to me, is The Line. It’s “you make a living on (should be “off”) my fear of dying”. God, that is a GREAT line, that’s your song, write that and you’ll have something. I’m sure it’s flattering to have Pat and Pete helping you, but I’m not sure they’re helping you at all, if they can’t see the power of this line.
Of course, this is all just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions…
Jeff
March 28th, 2010 at 2:25 am
Fromage. Sorry guys, this is lame. 80’s really are here, again, methinks. This is so dated and textbook, i am surprised and now question the validity and legitimacy of the judging.
Lior Reply:
March 29th, 2010 at 9:19 am
It sounds current to me. Even if it didn’t, I don’t see the connection between dated material and song contest legitimacy.
Jeff Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
I think you might be onto something here, Francis. I’m sorry, Lior. But it does have that “bad ’80’s sitcom theme song” quality and sound to it, like something Alan Thicke would have penned. Personally, I much more prefer H. Jay’s original lyric. It was whimsical and subversive all at the same time. This version is a little too in your face. It’s fine for what it is, but like I said, not nearly as good as the original.