I've told this before.....not sure where. But I was sitting in a hamburger joint skipping high school eating a burger when I heard Don McLeans American Pie for the first time. Ever since then I've been a fan of the story song. I didn't learn anything from it at the time but later I payed closer attention to it. One thing I learned was that it had a ton of chord changes in it. Almost a lesson in chord structure in itself.

Another song that had an impact on me I heard at the Bluebird. One of the writers was Michael Camp. He sang "The Auction". Don't know if anyone's heard it. It never made it big to my knowledge. Again it was a story song. And Michael just had a great way of painting pictures (ala Rands book). One of the best sections of the song went like this.

Got up early one morning
did all his chores
to him it was a labor of love
sat down in his chair about
quarter to four
closed his eyes but he never got up

What a great way to describe dying to me.

Just great pictures.

Steve

Last edited by SEHatfield; 03/14/09 11:14 AM.
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