I started my musical life...by learning to play the guitar by ear...and playing a
meagre set of chords...under the songs I sang. It took an enormous effort...over time
...to be able to sustain a song and my guitar playing...from the start to the finish of a song. What material to sing...was one of the early challenges. Back then...I sang
some songs I remembered from my Guyana days...some old folk songs...and the occasional
song from other sources. I found that I'd hear a song I liked...work on its
accompaniment for weeks...then start to sing it in public...only to find that several
other singers on the scene...were singing that very song. This got me to thinking that
if I wanted to have "fresh" material I'd have to create it myself. And so...very
painfully...I started making original songs...usually with good melodies...but often
with turgid lyrics. It took a long time to smooth out my song writing. To focus in
on my song making...I had to train myself to turn away from singing cover songs
instead. Over time...as an artist...I became someone...who felt at home singing the
songs he had created...and not looking favourably on the singing of cover songs.
Once...at an outdoor event...where various people were singing...I mentioned to a
woman friend sitting next to me...that I thought that another friend who was singing
at the time...sometimes wrote good songs...so why did he insist on doing the same
old cover songs...over and over?. My woman friend replied...that she was just happy
to be able to sing along on a chorus...never mind this thing about writing original
songs. It was then that it became very clear to me...that in my own musical journey
...of necessity...I became a fierce creator of original songs...but for others...
cover songs...or any songs...would do. I continue to be fierce in my own path towards
original songs...but perhaps since then...my view of others singing cover songs...
has softened somewhat. I think we'll all be fine...if the world...just keeps on
singing.......................Quester.
