By Grey Brendle
Like most everyone, I guess, I love music. And to say my taste varies is an understatement.
With help from a friend, I got seats fifth row center to see Phantom of the Opera in New York. With the original cast. Sarah Brightman is amazing. And, also in New York some years ago I saw Lightening Hopkins. Just him and his guitar in a little club in the village. Amazing show. And, showing my range of interest, I saw Frank Sinatra at the coliseum opening in Charlotte. And, saw Eric Clapton in the same venue.
I’ve seen many country entertainers. Including Bill Anderson and Marty Stuart. Been to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, both locations. Like the original downtown better. So, I like music.
I am also a songwriter. Over time have penned many. Mostly country. In that genre the song lyrics are still important. This is the story of the birth of one of them.
It could be said that writing a song is like creating snowflakes; no two are alike. But in the end the sun comes out and they all melt. And, if you ask ten songwriters how they write a song, you’ll get twelve answers.
For all of us writing songs it could be said that it is probably pretty much the same and, conversely, writing songs is probably pretty much different. Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. Songwriters are unique and similar. For me it’s all over the place.
I might get an idea, or hook, sit down with my guitar and something might just fall out, particularly
a verse and chorus. Other times I might get an idea and it lies there. For a day, week, year, or forever. In other words, it is not always the same. Or, maybe better said, never the same. One I wrote had “an arm’s length from me.” While it could mean someone is always right there, and that’s good. But, it could also mean keeping someone, or something, “at arm’s length.” Not good. So, I changed it to “an arm’s reach from me.” Meaning you are right there, within reach. Incidentally, that was one I did a verse and chorus in one sitting. And, just changed that one word.
This is the story of my song DUIU.
Some years ago, I lived in Davidson, NC. One day I was downtown mid-day and stopped in a cafe for lunch. By the front door was a bulletin board. It had all kinds of things on it: business cards, a lost dog and much in between. One caught my eye.
It was a standard size paper turned horizontal. At the top was DWI School, with information on requirements to enroll, and where. At the bottom was a series of cut tabs and a phone number. You could just tear it off if you had a need. All were gone except two.
It was a great lunch. Reminded me of my grandmother. But, I digress. As I sat there, by myself, my mind played around with the premise. Kind-of with amusement. Hey, it might be some people’s only “higher education.” (Visualize a smiley.) Then I thought, put a U at the end and you have a university acronym, DWIU.
Then the light bulb over my head lit up. There might be a song here. As I was leaving, I took the stick pen out of the announcement and looked with a “may I” gesture to the lady behind the counter. She gave a tacit nod with a wry grin. Guess she thought I might have a lot of need. Having the two phone tabs still at the bottom. (Visualize another smiley, sorry.) I put the “not so classy” classified come-on in one of my song files and still have it today.
Thus started the process of DUIU. Songs have to flow, fall off the tongue. Feel good. DWIU didn’t do it. If you say “I just got through DWIU” it doesn’t work. The W is too wide, too fat. While lyrics are certainly important, they tell the story, it has to also feel good. The world is full of examples. Like the duo of Brooks and Dunn. Say Dunn and Brooks. It does not flow. Or, Standard and Poor’s. Proctor and Gamble, Hewlett-Packard, etc. Even given public acceptance of usage and familiarity, if you reverse them, they just don’t work. So, I changed the W to U. And, it doesn’t change anything in the story. Driving While Intoxicated is basically the same as Driving Under the Influence.
I wanted the song to have a kind of tongue-in-cheek flavor. Didn’t think a slow, serious, ballad would be right. So, I gave it a rowdy Hank Williams, Jr. feel. You know, like Monday night football friends are coming over. The song was filled with double entendres. One of my favorites is Magna Cum Loud. (Smiley, sorry, I couldn’t resist another one.) But, it just might fit a DUIU student. Just saying.
Having written a number of songs I wanted to have demos. To start the almost impossible task of trying to get them recorded by someone. At a Bill Anderson show in North Carolina I was talking to his guitar player, Mike. Can’t remember his last name, it’s been a few years. He worked at Hilltop Studios in Nashville. The gigs with Bill were a fun sideline for him. We talked about recording demos. I went to Nashville and we spent a good part of a day in the studio. While I have spent most of my life a “buttoned-down” businessman, I also have played guitar all my life. My dad taught me. Played in a band in college and later. And, not boasting, am an ok singer. So, I did the vocals.
Here is a pic of Mike and me at Hilltop planning the session. And, a couple of me in the booth. We recorded nine demos that day. We did two of DUIU, one a little more upbeat than the other. Incidentally, I am not connected to BMI. I certainly am not getting any royalties. I bought the shirt at the BMI office gift shop in Nashville. It was a great souvenir and hopefully a good luck charm for the session.
Marty Stuart was coming for a show in Charlotte, so, I started working on a marketing plan. There was a lady in Cornelius who had a custom embroidery shop. I had her make two t-shirts. Picked a gray color, like many colleges have. Picked blue letters like Duke University in a shape just enough different to not have a legal problem. So, with the colors and four letters, DUIU, it did have the “old college try” look. After all, mine was a university too.
When Marty came to town, playing at Coyote Joe’s on Wilkerson Blvd, I was there and ready. He was talking to people at half time and I got to spend right much time with him. I gave him a CD of DUIU, the written lyrics, and one of the t-shirts. I was wearing mine. You can see it in the picture. He let me tell him about the song. Seemed interested, did not act impatient. And, promised to listen to it on the way to the airport. A great night!
I am not naive. He gets things presented to him every day, I’m sure. And I gave him mine. Like the old adage, you have to step up to the plate to get a hit.
So goes the birth and life of DUIU. And, its life continues. Who knows? That song might still be in some luggage somewhere and Marty could find it, listen again and still get it recorded. What is life without dreams? And, as Annie said, tomorrow, you’re only a day away.
The teachers always told me I wouldn’t amount to a thing
Never get a cap and gown, never get a ring
But when that cop told me “boy, what’s the matter with you?”
I got accepted to DUIU…
Grey Brendle is retired from a career in corporate banking and his own sales and marketing business. His avocation is writing, including regular columns in newspaper in the southeast for 20 years.
