Why I write the songs I do: Rebecca “DawgGoneDavis”
- Written by Rebecca
From my earliest memories of feeling compelled to write and perform, I recall listening to Oldies (songs way too early for my age group). I would memorize Individuals, groups and songs from the 50’s and entire 60’s as I shot basketball hoops in the driveway. I was six-years-old. I literally felt “that Brill Building vibe” and that Wall of Sound which I later learned about with music history. Carole King, Jeff Geffen, Neil Diamond, and the Crystals (and Ellie Greenwich – I could go on and on). As a kid, I knew I could shoot well and I knew I could write stories for my family. I wrote a lot of poetry about life (thinking I was “some great philosopher” hee hee.
But Why do the songs come out the way they do? I see lyrics as images intensely. I only know truly - that information about my travels/Life and my nieces & nephews lives (and trying to impress them with my humor and wittiness) is a major component of my lyrical content. I have always been a late bloomer and still want to just play with the kids. Plus, school them in basketball HORSE. Also, teach them and others about a dorky Tom Boy visiting The Lourve.
The other influences to my “song stories” coming to my brain and gut are dad’s classical piano playing for years and mom’s organ playing. Additionally, to my heart’s and head’s cores, I do love Classic Rock and Roll such as Eagles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, early ToTo with Steve Lukather, Bob Seger, Jefferson Airplane, REO, and Paul McCartney & Wings, to name a few. And yes, Neil Diamond has greats throughout the decades: Gimme some “Crunchy Granola Suite” and “Hey, My Louise” from The Jazz Singer movie One of my sister’s played the guitar, my brother plays the piano very well, another sis plays the piano, and I play percussion, not-so-spectacular. It is a Rock and Roll stew with a lot of meat and potatoes from Wagner, Bach, and Chopin.
I love to twist words and meanings into double and triple meanings. I had a tremendous Literature teacher in high school. The ole high school angst of losing my boyfriend still kills me and I will find a way to weave in Doug, one day. Things of hilarity, sadness, movies with dad laughing with tears sliding down his cheeks stick with me forever.
When I read books, I make notes in the pages and it drives my mom crazy as I am messing up some of the one’s she likes. I scribble all through the books by Dick Francis and my multiple copies of Moby Dick. Eventually song stories come directly from those pages. I pretend to be a Paleontologist as I dig ancient cave art.
I write the songs I do to communicate to the world. For whatever reason, all of my friends love my three books and all of my songs; so that fuels my ego to keep diversifying. When I met up with Chago G. Williams to collaborate, my mind was blown Up!. He transformed “this Dawg.”
Chago is in the elite class of performing Rap, writing songs, and coming up with song “hooks.” We have been peas in a pod and he “gets” where my songs are going with the messages I am trying to share (and entertain folks). The third song with Chago is in the works; it is deep and difficult for me to slug through, but I made big steps in lyrics recently. Check out “Darkest Hour” and “No More.” Chago steels the show!
Another reason I keep writing in the eclectic style is: Tom Estey, my publicist, totally loves the different sound and content Hellmut Wolf and I bring. Tom was introduced to me and I was so pleased he loved my stuff. It gave me courage to push on with the crazy funny and horribly sad songs directly from my life.
As I mentioned the classic Rock & Roll folks, their realness of their personal songs must have touched me deeply early on. I completely understand and feel: “I Am….I Said;” when Don Henley sings “Wasted Time,” I just freeze up and become stunned. As a drummer, I bang my head with Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights.” Lindsay Buckinghams’ “Big Love” knocks my eyeballs out of my head. Jefferson Airplane, no words to describe the emotions. Paul McCartney’s “Jet,” gives me chills. I happened to see Steve Lukather in concert and the guitar playing floored me and knocked me down again. The song by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Tears of a Clown” still gives me goose bumps replaying it in my head.
Am I stuck in the past? Yes and no. I really appreciate Cold Play, Mumford and Sons, Ben Folds Five, and The Jonas Brothers. I have to check with the nieces and nephews to see if I am in the cool club. I think and thoroughly believe someone should “pick me up” as Justin Beiber was. Yep.
Hellmut Wolf does the songs! Ultimately, what that means is he created the beast “Dawg.” I have no singing talent, but I can put real emotion into my rap twang. Hellmut is the brilliant composer, saxophonist, flutist, and the can-do-all approach to our music.
I write, dream, and ham it up. He works hard.
Hellmut introduced me to Stephen Wrench for song distribution and the messages about hilarity, sadness, and Jesus are getting out there on the radios/internet. But, we want more 😊
http://www.dawggonedavis.com/
