My Life in a Monastery?
In the ‘80s, the renowned songwriter, Diane Warren, did a critique of my lyrics. While some of the input was flattering and generally positive, she highlighted a core deficiency in my writing: filler and fluff.
Who is she to say such a thing to me? ME!!!???
Well, she did write Aerosmith’s "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," Toni Braxton’s "Un-Break My Heart," Cher’s "If I Could Turn Back Time," Starship’s "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," and 29 other top 10 hits. FINE!!!
She pointedly said, “Your story doesn’t carry forward. What’s the story here? You’re in pain. I get it. But how did you get past it? And once you lay that out, if a line or even a word doesn’t move the story forward, cut it, change it, or start over.”
That hit home. It stung but damn, it was illuminating. What I saw was that my songs conveyed the painful moment, but then just found additional ways to express that, rather than share how I got through it.
I had a choice: Step up my game, dig deep, or head for the hills. And this is why, in a parallel universe, I fled to Arunachala, became a monk, and have lived in a monastery ever since.
Oh yeah, and how about taking a spin with The Rascal’s, “Groovin’”!
🎧 Give it a listen on Spotify: Groovin'
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Something Borrowed on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/4GOvdaaglRQ19SvWZaLenu
Something Borrowed on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMp3Q1cf4ZmElwbzKU5XWPoKH...
Something Borrowed Everywhere Else:
https://found.ee/something-borrowed
In Harmony,
Bodhi