Summary...
This was quite an interesting week here at the Songwriters Challenge. The field is widening with lots of talented newcomers entering the fray, and some rather remarkable week-to-week improvements amongst our most steady participants.
It is such an honor for me to have the opportunity to listen to and appreciate all of the original music provided by each of the talented songwriters who enter the challenge. The hard part is picking out a short list of the Top-5 entries for the week. It ain’t easy, but I try.
Song Writers Challenge: Week-3 (Stolen Soul)
My Process
Aside from a few key category modifications with regard to scoring and awarding points to the entrants of the Songwriters Challenge, I am basically using very similar methods to arrive at my picks and honorable mentions as I do in the general Open-Mic contest.
To get a more in depth perspective as to how I personally go about selecting my artists, please refer to What I go through as an Open-Mic Judge.
My Top-5 Picks in Order
Whatever you do, do not be dissuaded by the deceptive guitar intro, which to my ear almost sounded like the beginning of an episode of “Breaking Bad,” or “Better Call Saul!” Trust me - this guy’s got a whole lot of passion to spread around, and I can really relate to that on the highest level. Soon after his guitar intro, which makes perfect sense as his song progresses, @elisonr13 simply breaks out into a most soulful and unrelenting plea for understanding, stating his case, and getting you on his side and way of thinking by the time the song ends. His passionate vocals in concert with his thematic interpretation and rhythmic persistence simply won me over hands down. As such, there was no doubt in my mind that @elisonr13 had to top my list this week.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@elisonr13/steemit-open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-hasta-que-llegaste-tu-original-music
Hey man, this is “onetruebrother,” dude. He’s our go-to “James Taylor” handyman of Open-Mic and the Songwriters Challenge! “Canstille my Soul” – So we all know that the actual lyric is “Can’t Steal My Soul” – but there’s just something about the way that this lyric transposes itself to the ear that makes it that much more magical and irresistible! For this and a host of rather obvious reasons, that’s why @onetruebrother has taken my 2nd spot amid this week’s songwriter’s challenge.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@onetruebrother/steemit-openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-stolen-souls
So Annie is a brand new member of Steemit. Do give her a warm welcome! In addition to her basic but rather effective guitar construct, Annie delivers a quite impressive vocal melody and thematic lyrical interpretation of this week’s “Stolen Souls” challenge. All you need to do is listen and you’ll know exactly what I mean. Great maiden entry to the Steemit, Open-Mic, and Songwriters venues, Annie!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@anniemacleod/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-stolen-souls
I suspect that the buzzing frets at the beginning and throughout this fine rendition are a manifestation of @g10a’s lack of access to a suitably proper guitar. Casting that technical observation aside, his vocal melodies are simply magical. One can arrange as many of the most credible and catchy chord progressions as they wish – however, to put a viable and succinct melody to such progressions is where all the real magic happens. In listening to “In My Dreams,” it is quite clear that @g10a has such magic readily at his disposal. All he needs now is a good guitar and some recording gear, and he’ll be right up there with the best of them!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@g10a/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-in-my-dreams-or-original-composition-by-g10a-or-20171211t14935596z
In my opinion, Cabe has delivered quite a gem here, and his performance in my view is one of the most improved amid our regular and steady entrants. Quite similar to the lyrical effects described above in “onetruebrothers” review, Cabe’s lead chorus line “Heradiance Adores,” within “The Pearl,” which of course translates to “Her Audience Adores” – has that same special auditory effect of something quite magical. Though this type of lyrical effect happens purely by accident in most instances, it nonetheless manifests itself as having a significant ancillary impact that just adds tons of value to the allure of a given composition. Again, as mentioned in @g10a’s review, Cabe’s vocals and unique melodic tapestry far outshines the basic chord progressions that make up the foundational construct of this rather fine composition.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@cabelindsay/steemit-open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-the-pearl-original-song
My Top-5 Honorable Mentions in order:
First: @pechichemena – “Reflejos / Reflections”
https://steemit.com/openmic/@pechichemena/open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-stolen-soul-reflejos-original-song
Second: @chaifm - "Stolen"
https://steemit.com/openmic/@chaifm/open-mic-songwriters-week-3-or-stolen-or-original
Third: @jaybird – “What You Stole”
https://steemit.com/openmic/@jaybird/steemit-openmic-songwriter-s-challenge-week-3-what-you-stole-original-song
Fourth: @wilins – “No Perderemos Nuestras Almas / We Will Not Lose Our Souls”
https://steemit.com/openmic/@wilins/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-stolen-soul-original-song-no-perderemos-nuestras-almas-wilins-mendez
Fifth: @geenaizzy – “Mother”
https://steemit.com/openmic/@geenaizzy/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-3-stolen-soul
Thank you all so much for taking some of your precious time to review my take on all of the incredibly creative artists here at the Songwriters venue this week. Thanks so much as well for up-voting and re-steeming this post in order to spread the word that Open-Mic and its subsidiaries are clearly taking Steemit by storm – and that the Open-Mic brand shall remain a collective people-oriented force of love and artistry to be reckoned with on every level of measure.
gracias, hermano!!! los adoro!
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Thank you, @wilins! Much love, brother!
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Thank you so much for picking my entry sir., hehehe you hit it sir, I really find hard to play that cool old guitar of my friend @jie28 hehehe but at least I have an instrument to use and survive the ever progressive community challenge by means of music, the OPEN MIC and SONGWRITERS challenge.
And about the recording gear hehehe I'm happy that I have this old iPhone 5s to be used. But I'll be more happy if I have the chance to have a good camera or an audio recording instrument and apps. Also thankful and grateful with my centennial old laptop INSPIRON N4050 hehehe a survivor buddy.
I am so grateful for appreciating my entries and my kind of melodies. You are such an inspirational adviser and model in this community. Much Love and Peace God Bless You and your family.
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You know the old saying @g10a, "where there is will - there is a way." Hey, just a thought if you're so inclined... You should feel free to write and sing lyrics in your native language i.e. "At Sana." Such songs have the potential to be quite beautiful, and Google can always translate the lyrics for you. May God bless you and your family as well, @g10a.
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WOW thank you for that one sir!! I thought about that before but I am a bet confused if I finished the song and the words/the phrase of the theme was not mentioned in my whole lyrics 'coz its a Filipino language unless it will be translated. Or I should have to literally include the words of the theme in the lyrics if I use our native language? e.g "because we can" or the filipino translation will do?
I'm afraid my entry will be disqualified as the mechanics includes this;
thank you sir I will be doing a tagalog song for this week.. Merry Christmas in Advance
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The translation will certainly work just fine. Just look at how many entries are done in other languages. Look at some of their posts and read the translated lyrics to get an idea of what I'm speaking about.
The translation may also be metaphoric and the exact words of a given theme do not have to be used although there does have to be a very clear connection to the theme.
The original songs just have to be written specifically "about" or "involve" the stated theme. @pechichemena's and @wilins entries above are perfect examples - check them out. I hope that helps, and Merry Christmas to you too!
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Thanks a lot sir,. I wasn't able to check some of the entrants this past days, I was visiting almost all of them last time but now I'm a bit busy n my work but of course I will never miss submitting my entry weekly.
Thank you so much sir, I got it.
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Hey man thanks. It is always an honor to be on your list. I remember years ago my friend got what I think was the first REM album, and although we couldn't understand a single word of the mumbled lyrics, it still rocked!
Peace
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I couldn't understand a word REM was singing either but eventually did.
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I wonder if you got a lyric sheet or just slowed down the record lol...
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Lyric sheet
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It’s an honor to have you here, @onetruebrother! I started picking up on catchy auditory hooks from way back in the days of my early childhood. The very first one I remember latching onto was when I was about 4 or 5-years old, and it sounded phonetically to my young and uneducated ears something a little like this: (“Saynawl-Deenawl” Diamond Ring), which of course I found out years later translated to “Say You Don’t Need No” – ha-ha!
I fell in love with that line the first time I heard it – even though I hadn’t a clue as to what was actually being said until years later. When you finally figure such things out, you tend to appreciate those lines even more. For those who may not know, it was the first line in the 2nd verse of the Beatles “Can’t Buy Me Love,” which was released in June of 1964. :-)
Peace in kind, brother!
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You've just reminded me of a funny story...I had a friend who was dating a woman who worked as an art teacher to young children. During the holiday season they asked the kids to draw a picture of their favorite Christmas song. This one kid showed his picture and said it represented the song Silent Night. This teacher looked and saw the usual Christian scene of the manger, the wise men, etc, except there was also this chubby, naked boy standing next to Mary and Joseph. When she asked him "Who is that?" he said "Round John Virgin"...of course the lyric is " 'Round young virgin, mother and child"...I laughed my ass off a that!
Peace brother
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Ha-ha! Too funny, man... Great story! :-)
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That reminds me of a story. I was standing in line at a bakery when a woman that must have weight 300 lbs. was in the line in front of me.
Her pager started beeping and a little boy standing behind me with his father grabbed his fathers' hand, pulling him backward and away from the woman while he said, "Watch out Dad, she's backing up!"
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Ha-haaa!
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good contest and follow now
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Wow, thanks for the honorable mention! I feel honoured 😊
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You were one of the most improved in week-3, Geena! Keep on it! :-)
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