TAG | Songwriting
Today I thought I’d put one of my favourite songs to play up online for you all to hear.
This song is called “Billboard Angel” and I wrote it with a good friend of mine Jeff Smith. The song focuses on a guy in love with a woman on a billboard and his struggles with his emotional connection to her.
This song is a great example of collaboration at work. I came up with the musical idea and a bit of a melody but the “guy falling in love with a billboard angel” was Jeff all over.
Enjoy…
Billboard Angel
© 2002 C.Stewart/J. Smith
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
I always look to you when I’m feeling down
And your eyes follow mine as I move through town
It’s hard not to notice when your thirty foot high
It doesn’t worry me if you’re selling a lie
Some people think that you have the answer
To every single need
Others say that you’re an intrusion
But they don’t understand, can’t you see
You’re a particular kind of lady
Who’s not at all afraid to show her wares
To anyone who is passing
A user-friendly product with dreams to share
I feel like that I know all about you
I read it in the papers and magazines
Of your holidays in Majorca
I see it so clearly in my sleep
When I’m home at the end of the day
And the lights go out at night
I caress the very thought of you
I know it sounds wrong but it feels so right
You’re a particular kind of lady
Who’s not at all afraid to show her wares
To anyone who is passing
A user-friendly product with drams to share
You overlook this city, like an angel
I know you’re watching over me
One day I’ll reach the stars, and touch you on the way
I like to think its destiny
I wonder how long you’ll be up there
Before you’re replaced by another girl
I know I can’t buy what I’m feeling
Even with all the money in the world
I’d like to share with you one of my favourite songs. It’s called Seeing Stars and it’s all about how you feel when you love (or are in love with) something so much it physically hurts.
This version that you’re about to hear was recorded at a couple of years ago. I love playing this song live as it always gets a great reaction every time I perform it.
I’ve included the lyrics here however, you can download the lyrics/chords as a PDF if you wish.
As you’ll gather from listening to the song I’m a real sucker for the Major 7th chord. Burt Bacharach has a lot to answer for.
Let me know what you think 
Seeing Stars
© C. Stewart 2003
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Hold the phones and stop the press
This will be better than the rest
Coz my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
You gave me life from a single breath
No truer words have now been said
Coz my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
I feel so dizzy I need to rest
With this feeling I got in my chest
Oh, I see the world now
Through the eyes of love
Oh, my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
I build a world in which you can live
And give you all the space to move within
But I’m hardly breathing
As my eyes well up with tears
I want to hold you in my arms
And drown in your presence
Your light and your love
Coz my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
I feel so dizzy I need to rest
With this feeling I got in my chest
Oh, I see the world now
Through the eyes of love
Oh, my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
Oh, my head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
My head is spinning
And I am seeing stars
My name is Corey Stewart and I’m a singer/songwriter/musician from Australia.
I’ve been writing, recording and playing music for over 20 years and in that time I’ve seen a lot of changes in the music industry and a lot of changes in the way musicians get their product out to an audience.
When I first started it was still a really big deal to independently release your own material. The reason being that, the only way to “make it” was to send out lots of demos and hope to get signed to a record label.
Being an independent musician wasn’t really a viable option. There were no broadcast quality home studios in those days so if you wanted to record independently you needed to have a lot of money behind you.
Record labels rules the airwaves and independence was only afforded to a few artists.
Today, especially with the internet being a huge influence on society as a whole, the tables seemed to have turned. Home studios are everywhere, distribution of music is much easier to manage and putting out a CD is the done thing for bands and artists.
In spite of all this, I haven’t released a CD of my own as yet however, this is where my Grand Experiment begins.
Since 2000 I have been fascinated and excited about the possibilities for musicians who market themselves online. Since 2004 I have maintained a songwriting blog and a music industry blog and branched out my experiences to include web development and online marketing.
Over the last few months I’ve been wondering if it’s possible to have some sort of success as a singer/songwriter/musician through using the internet and open source software only. I’m thinking a kind of independent open source music artist. An Online Music Artist for want of a better phrase.
I have been doing some research and I realise that my ideas are not necessarily treading over virgin territory. Artists such as Brad Sucks, Scott Andrew, Jonathon Coulton and Ben Walker have paved the way before me, producing great music and using the internet to their fullest advantage at the same time.
Reading their stories and watching what they do (I subscribe to a lot of songwriting and indie music blogs) inspire me greatly.
I’m not necessarily here to be a trailblazer, all I want to do is to put my music out to anyone who wants to hear it, I want to perform my music to anyone who wants to see it and I want to produce music for anyone who wants to share it.
This site will document my journey, warts and all. My quest is to be a self sufficient, independent, online music artist.
My journey starts now.
Peace,
Corey
