The Power of the Pen
By Lawrence Lartey
Queen, The Beatles, U2, Sade, Amy Winehouse, Duran Duran, Soul II Soul, Coldplay, Faithless, The Eurythmics hey even Leona Lewis. There is something about the diversity and talent of UK artists, which means whatever the genre, whatever the decade, the UK will give the world an anthem to sing along to.
The UK has a rich heritage and history when it comes to song writing. Is it intrinsic within the Brits? Or does the UK experience provide something different and more creative to the song writing experience?
Its often apparent that big international artist appreciate the talent and the way British artists craft their songs. Recently the legend that is Prince stated that he opted to start his world tour in London because Its the most creative place, and there aint nothing going on in America This did two things; Immediately there was an influx of Prince fans in the UK, but more significantly as one fan puts it We were able to digest more British music The final important act of Prince, was to shout out Amy Winehouse on stage, this acted as the catalyst which helped her earn a plethora of Grammys in the US. If Prince rates you, as a song writer then youve arrived.
Sam Sparro is one of the music industrys rising stars and after stints in Australia and the US he has decided to settle in the UK. Heavily influenced by artists such as The Pet Shop Boys means that Sam Sparro is another international artist paying homage to the UK music industry. As he adds 'The musical diversity is great in the UK.'
Norwegian writing and production unit Stargate aka Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen have done something unique with regards to song writing over the past three years in America. As one industry insider puts it; Theyve bought back the craft of song writing, by writing catchy lyrics for everyone from Lionel Ritchie to Beyonce, that is why a Stargate production will guarantee you chart success both sides of the pond. Probably one of the best contemporary R n B writers Usher has his reasons for working with them. They can craft specific songs I wont work with producers unless they understand my brand.
But there most unique thing about Stargate is that they are creatively led and managed by two Brits. Producers-turned-management team, Danny D and Tim Blacksmith have a mastered the knack of building songs to melodic beats. Going back to the point Prince made, there is just something so natural about how Brits tell a story through music.
One British songwriter who personifies versatility and sums up the ethos of composing the hit is Wayne Hector. 30 number one hits around the world means that Wayne Hector can write for Cher, Lionel Richie, Michael Bolton and Westlife. It simply cant be about reflecting on ones experiences to guarantee a hit, surely there is a more complex formula? As Sam Sparro sums up Britain is so diverse with a rich tapestry of cultures Im sure that helps with the writing process
From the simple melodies The Beatles purveyed to the catchy sing a long hooks of Soul II Soul, to the new romantic scene which meant original material being sampled for the benefit of new audiences. The bar has been set extremely high for songwriters. In generations to come the heritage and aura surrounding UK writers will continue to be evident. The formula, the secret? who knows but Amy Winehouse, The Beatles et al will ensure its not a fad, song writing will always be something which will be associated with Britain.