I had a great co-write today with Leslie Asher. We started and basically finished a new tune that is very cool. She had shared the idea last week, but nothing really took off. Then today - ka zing! What a wonderful feeling.
Leslie was honest enough to share something with me after we finished working. Last week she was worried that I would take her idea in a musical direction different from what she had envisioned. I understood exactly how she felt. Songs are like our babies. Even at the idea stage, they can be very personal. It is scary to share them with another writer who could take them 180° from where you think they should go. There is a level of trust involved in co-writing. The writer with the original idea has to trust that even though it is different, the other person could help take the song to a better place than ever imagined. For the second writer, you have to trust that even if you can't hear it in your head, the original idea could be exactly where this song needs to go. Your job is to catch the vision and help bring it to life.
I see now why the same names keep appearing side by side on so many songs. Co-writing is a relationship. It takes honesty, kindness, forgiveness (what do you mean my idea is stupid?), and of course, trust. The end result is well worth the risk!
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