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Writing The Political Song

© Cindy Lee Haddock

WRITING THE POLITICAL SONG

Political songs aren't just for election years. There may be two major political parties, too, but there are plenty of issues and each side may even agree on some of them. Many candidates will gladly give you some free exposure if you have a song they can use, but many more will find a popular song and use it if has a good theme. Having a theme that people can relate to that can get them fired up to do something about a popular issue many songwriters feel is a good way to not only get exposure, but actually get signed if the industry feels the song is one that has a pithy theme that might be hot in the next year or so. Here are a few ideas you might try to write songs in this area and places where you might even get them picked up and make a little money off of them.

PARTY SONGS

The two main parties usually have candidates with deep pockets, and in the last century, some would have songs written about them that actually used their names in the lyrics, and would hire songwriters to come up with these cute ditties. Now, many just use a popular song with a positive theme they want to be associated with, sometimes to the upset of the songwriter, who may actually request them to "cease and desist." In local races, though, especially if you are a local songwriter with at least a small following, you might be able to not only pitch a song to that candidate, but be asked to play it live at a local fundraiser. Many bands do very well playing covers as well as originals at these parties, so knowing a few topical songs the candidate likes or approves of as well as some you might write for them are great ways to get exposure of both you and your work. If nothing else, you might well run into people who know people who can get you similar work in the future for that party, or even get a chance to pitch demos to music people the often well-heeled invitees might know. You might also be rushed off your feet to work the whole time, but at least you are getting your songs and/or performance ability heard, and that never hurts.

LESS POPULAR CAUSES

Sometimes the smaller candidates running Independent or with a more obscure party are more accessible than major players. If you have songs that cover one of their viewpoints on certain issues, maybe you could get them to play it before a speech, or offer to play it live at one of their rallies. Some of the issues voiced in politics aren't ones many folks even know about, and if you can play them out live, you help not only help candidates brave enough to voice positive feelings on these hot potatoes, but give these points needed exposure. If a label thinks the song is controversial enough, it may give it a better chance of getting sung by a major act if you know that label carries someone with the convictions you use in your piece. Many performers love songs they feel strongly about, and many aren't shy to point out these causes to their audiences, so you are helping solve whatever problem is being addressed, but getting it to a broader audience than you could probably do yourself. Just look how many musicians got young people to get signed up to vote this year by bothering to tell them they DO have a voice, even if they are young, and CAN do something to enact the change they want to see in the world. A lot of great things have happened because a song helped fire up the right people over a cause-don't be afraid to be the next person to write a song about today's unpopular issues.

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