Just about everyone who has ever had an ambition to perform in front of other people has written some sort of poetry or song.

The problem today is that we are constantly exposed to the best music ever written through recordings. Every singer has recordings of songs that "turn them on" in some special way. We listen to these pieces of perfection and think that nobody could possibly be interested in our miserable stuff. No wonder Rick feels trepidation!

But the wonderful thing about folk music (and probably other kinds of music as well) is that there is always a new way of interpreting some idea, event, person, story etc. Most of us part-time musicians look at people like Rick and admire them for their originality and the quality of what they do. Sure, there are plenty of great folk musicians out there - but most people would say Rick is one too.

I have written a bit of poetry and a few songs over the years, and know that I will never be say, an Eric Bogle. But fellow band members have said they got "goose bumps" when singing a particular song, and I guess therefore that there must have been some merit. However, I still am reluctant to sing my own songs, because I lack that basic confidence in them. I will happily sing songs written by fellow band members, or completely unknown writers, and they cannot understand my attitude about my own. But I guess that's basic human nature when you are sensitive, and perhaps easily hurt. Song writing, like poetry, is not like baking a pizza. You can vary the ingredients in a pizza and still predict that the result will be well received. The number of people in the world who can create, at will, tunes to perfectly match the mood of poetry, can be counted on one hand. Us mortals just don't know that the song is "right" until lots of other people have heard it and passed judgement.

All my best songs went through a period of review and change, sometimes with help from non-musicians, such as my wife, who is a good critic. There is no substitute for that, as is singing the first drafts to audiences and gauging the reaction.

You are going about it the right way Rick. The next perfect song is just under that gnome at the end of the garden....

Regards
Chris