Be entertained with a song and an extended chat, ranging from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and song analysis.
Welcome to Song and a Chat. This is the podcast where you'll have the pleasure of listening to a new song each week - plus, you'll get to step into the shoes of a songwriter : You'll hear about the background of the song, the inspiration, how/ why the song came into being. After the song finishes, I'll go over the lyrics and finish each episode by looking at the song from a songwriting point of view. If you just want the song and no talk, the time where the song kicks in will be in the title of each episode.
Hi, my name is Pete Pascoe. I am a performer and composer - I love lyrics and I love a melody. I play piano and sing. I have a number of albums to my name.
I have written over 800 songs. Of course, not all of these songs I written will make it onto an album. As a songwriter, the first step for a new song is ( or was ) to record a demo. Often you catch something unique in this demo - something that is often not replicated in the studio cut....a certain feeling.
If you're looking to be entertained, like listening to new songs and live recordings, I hope you'll enjoy what's on offer here.
I have a stack of demos from which I'm sharing one on a weekly basis. Plus I relate anecdotes about my life as a piano man, from around the time each song was written. I treat each show as a mini intimate concert - with extended chat, which ranges from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and analysis.
The idea is : the song can be listened to for pleasure in its own right, or the listener may choose to also be entertained and informed by the story around the song.
I'm really enjoying recording these podcasts. Each week I look forward to getting behind the mic, setting aside my current musical and artistic projects and casting my mind back in time by focussing on a song I've composed. It's turning out to be a satisfying - and sometimes surprising - time of reflection and discovery for me.
The lyrics and the recordings take me straight back to when the song was written.
Gain an insight into songwriting and listen to a series of snapshots of life of a songwriter / performer / artist.
It's a great way for me to archive a song and it's 'back story'. Music is to be shared. What point is there In having five songbooks and piles of demos gathering dust?
I welcome feedback - whether you're tuning in to enjoy music for music's sake, you enjoy finding out about the origins of songs, you're looking for tips on songwriting or perhaps you've got tips for me. Either way, I'll be learning plenty as I go along. Thanks for a having a read. Come on and join me for a listen.
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Be entertained with a song and an extended chat, ranging from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and song analysis.
Welcome to Song and a Chat. This is the podcast where you'll have the pleasure of listening to a new song each week - plus, you'll get to step into the shoes of a songwriter : You'll hear about the background of the song, the inspiration, how/ why the song came into being. After the song finishes, I'll go over the lyrics and finish each episode by looking at the song from a songwriting point of view. If you just want the song and no talk, the time where the song kicks in will be in the title of each episode.
Hi, my name is Pete Pascoe. I am a performer and composer - I love lyrics and I love a melody. I play piano and sing. I have a number of albums to my name.
I have written over 800 songs. Of course, not all of these songs I written will make it onto an album. As a songwriter, the first step for a new song is ( or was ) to record a demo. Often you catch something unique in this demo - something that is often not replicated in the studio cut....a certain feeling.
If you're looking to be entertained, like listening to new songs and live recordings, I hope you'll enjoy what's on offer here.
I have a stack of demos from which I'm sharing one on a weekly basis. Plus I relate anecdotes about my life as a piano man, from around the time each song was written. I treat each show as a mini intimate concert - with extended chat, which ranges from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and analysis.
The idea is : the song can be listened to for pleasure in its own right, or the listener may choose to also be entertained and informed by the story around the song.
I'm really enjoying recording these podcasts. Each week I look forward to getting behind the mic, setting aside my current musical and artistic projects and casting my mind back in time by focussing on a song I've composed. It's turning out to be a satisfying - and sometimes surprising - time of reflection and discovery for me.
The lyrics and the recordings take me straight back to when the song was written.
Gain an insight into songwriting and listen to a series of snapshots of life of a songwriter / performer / artist.
It's a great way for me to archive a song and it's 'back story'. Music is to be shared. What point is there In having five songbooks and piles of demos gathering dust?
I welcome feedback - whether you're tuning in to enjoy music for music's sake, you enjoy finding out about the origins of songs, you're looking for tips on songwriting or perhaps you've got tips for me. Either way, I'll be learning plenty as I go along. Thanks for a having a read. Come on and join me for a listen.
Episode #227: The Prettiest Picture (Song starts at 5:14)
I wrote this song for my mother (Mum), back in 1987 {!). I remember like it was yesterday.
It was Mother’s Day, in the morning and I’d remembered. I like to give some sort of an original gift, so I thought I’ll paint mum a picture.
Yes, I thought I would come up with something suitable in a couple of hours, rock around to Mum’s house in the afternoon and deliver it. Unfortunately the painting just didn’t come together. It wasn’t up to scratch at all.
So, plan b: I sat down, pen in hand and wrote some lyrics.
Here’s a song for mum
Just written to say how much you mean to me.
So it sounds like a letter, initially.
What came out eventually was: this song was the prettiest picture I could paint, which became the ‘punchline’ of the lyrics.
Then I sat at the piano, wrote the music, recorded a demo and delivered the tape a couple of hours later.
This was song #23. Looking back, 1987 was a formative year for me, as a composer. I found I could really do it. And as an artist, too, I also realised I could sing well enough to be more confident about my vocals. Recording myself was a good idea..
It’s also a great idea to write lyrics down. Put them together, in some sort of tangible form. I recommend an A4 book. Lyrics, chords and hints of melody (in lower case above each syllable), plus some rhythmical notes, too.
I find I just need to start all of these old songs, and the whole arrangements come back to me in a flash.
In fact, when I wrote it, I imagined straight away it would go equally well on the guitar.
As usual, this episode became a bit of an observation on life. My mum passed away last year, so I guess I was quite reflective as I winged proceedings (as I do, on this podcast - there are no notes to follow, no script).
One of the things that came to light is: sometimes ‘creatives’ are viewed as almost a different species. Yes, we have specialised skills that can be honed, but I think to be human is to create. Everyone creates. We have choice as to how to feel, how we react (act). I figure we may as well do good things in this life.
That’s why I’ve put a mountain of art and music, writing and spoken word online, these last 200 odd weeks. I’ve archived my work and I hope it’s entertaining and helping people. Feedback, to date, would indicate this has the case, which is great.
Speaking of archiving, I think I better do some more backing up. The digital domain isn’t exactly stable at times. My music computer might have done it’s last bit of recording with this episode. Some very bizarre noises were happening.
The upshot is: this recording is in mono. I got there, just. Finishing it took some thinking outside the square.
So I'm going to take a break for a few weeks. I’ll be back rejuvenated, with a recording system that’s operating in the NY. See you then.
In the mean time, if you’d like to hear more like this, There’s another 226 episodes you can listen to retrospectively.
Producing this podcast has been so rewarding, often surprising, in so many ways. Thanks for reading this and I hope you enjoy hearing how the words and music came together for 'The Prettiest Picture I could Paint', ( this one’s for you, Margaret, delivery #2.).
Enjoy,
Song and a Chat
Be entertained with a song and an extended chat, ranging from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and song analysis.
Welcome to Song and a Chat. This is the podcast where you'll have the pleasure of listening to a new song each week - plus, you'll get to step into the shoes of a songwriter : You'll hear about the background of the song, the inspiration, how/ why the song came into being. After the song finishes, I'll go over the lyrics and finish each episode by looking at the song from a songwriting point of view. If you just want the song and no talk, the time where the song kicks in will be in the title of each episode.
Hi, my name is Pete Pascoe. I am a performer and composer - I love lyrics and I love a melody. I play piano and sing. I have a number of albums to my name.
I have written over 800 songs. Of course, not all of these songs I written will make it onto an album. As a songwriter, the first step for a new song is ( or was ) to record a demo. Often you catch something unique in this demo - something that is often not replicated in the studio cut....a certain feeling.
If you're looking to be entertained, like listening to new songs and live recordings, I hope you'll enjoy what's on offer here.
I have a stack of demos from which I'm sharing one on a weekly basis. Plus I relate anecdotes about my life as a piano man, from around the time each song was written. I treat each show as a mini intimate concert - with extended chat, which ranges from off the cuff banter/humour to life observations and analysis.
The idea is : the song can be listened to for pleasure in its own right, or the listener may choose to also be entertained and informed by the story around the song.
I'm really enjoying recording these podcasts. Each week I look forward to getting behind the mic, setting aside my current musical and artistic projects and casting my mind back in time by focussing on a song I've composed. It's turning out to be a satisfying - and sometimes surprising - time of reflection and discovery for me.
The lyrics and the recordings take me straight back to when the song was written.
Gain an insight into songwriting and listen to a series of snapshots of life of a songwriter / performer / artist.
It's a great way for me to archive a song and it's 'back story'. Music is to be shared. What point is there In having five songbooks and piles of demos gathering dust?
I welcome feedback - whether you're tuning in to enjoy music for music's sake, you enjoy finding out about the origins of songs, you're looking for tips on songwriting or perhaps you've got tips for me. Either way, I'll be learning plenty as I go along. Thanks for a having a read. Come on and join me for a listen.
