Get Smart Theme Song

The morphing of MTV

Thirty years ago, the music world changed forever with the words: "Ladies and gentlemen . . . rock 'n' roll."

No longer would we just listen. Now we could watch music move.

MTV was born in the first few moments of Aug. 1, 1981, complete with footage of a rocket launch, a moon landing and the planting of an MTV flag complete with a grinding guitar riff that would serve as the network's theme music during its early years.

Pretty heady imagery, comparing a 24-hour music channel to mankind's reach into outer space. But looking back three decades later, it was entirely appropriate.

Suddenly, musicians could leap off a magazine's glossy pages and show personality. Rod Stewart could seduce the ladies with his strut. Pat Benatar could spin around in her pixie-esque fashion. Michael Jackson could launch his fedora and moonwalk across the TV screen.

And then somewhere, between the airing of the Buggles' Video Killed the Radio Star , John Cougar Mellencamp playing cupid for Jack and Diane and the arrival of Snooki and her Jersey Shore pals, our entire understanding of pop culture changed again.

For better? For worse? The answer to both is probably yes.

Birth of a revolution

Everyone has an MTV story.

Millions probably claim to have been awake late that night to witness the event, but they're most likely stretching the truth. When MTV began, basic cable was a luxury for much of America. It's believed that on that first day, only a few thousand people in northern New Jersey were actually able to see it.

The first spoken words — ". . . rock 'n' roll . . ." — weren't even spoken by one of its original five "VJs" or video jockeys. Rather it was John Lack, a 33-year-old news radio executive in New York, who would catch lightning in a bottle as one of MTV's co-founders.

To him, the concept of watching (and rewatching) videos nonstop was a no-brainer. In 2000, in an interview with Vanity Fair , he recalled his pitch to TV executives who questioned the longevity of the format.

"When you listen to music, the first time is just to be introduced to the song," Lack told them. "The second time, you get to know it. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time, you think, 'This is a great song.' But it's the 100th time you hear it that gives you all these psychological synapse poppings."

Lack was overthinking it.

The Songwriter's Soul: September 2011The Songwriter's Soul

If you are unsure if NSAI is right for you, or if you are questioning spending that much money, then visit one of the regional meetings set up all over the US.  There happens to be three in Alabama, two of which I've attended on a regular basis and one of which I know the leader.  Those are:  NSAI Birmingham , NSAI Montgomery , and NSAI Jacksonville/Anniston.  The Jacksonville/Anniston Chapter is the latest added to the list and is led by Jim Edmonson.  At each meeting you get handouts, a video presentation of a lecture straight from NSAI in Nashville, and the funnest part--you can bring an original song to be critiqued by the group.  This is perhaps the most valuable part of the evening.  You may have a song where you are stuck on the direction to take, or you may have a song you think is "finished," but that needs fresh ears to lend ideas for improvement.  I have brought many songs in the past and gotten help on a phrase that didn't sit right, point-of-view inconsistency, and so on.  The feedback you receive can be invaluable, is free, and is friendly. 5.  The listener's short attention span - Pau Wright III, as well as many other leading professionals in the industry, gives listening to a new song a 30-second rule.  After hearing 30 seconds of the song, do they want to hear more?  I was in a workshop in Memphis, TN which was dedicated to listening to 30 seconds of a load of songs submitted by workshop attendees.  The panel would listen, then give their initial evaluations of whether or not they would listen further.  Some songs had so much musical introduction, you didn't even get to the chorus before the 30 seconds was up.  If listeners have short attention spans, you need to grab them quickly in your song, or chances are, they'll switch to something else. 6.  The jingle/TV theme exercise - Paul says, "Think about this:  a commercial jingle or TV theme song has 30 seconds to one minute to get in and get out, while at the same time, tell the entire story.  In most cases, theme songs and commercials are the best example of song, not necessarily in form but in quality of content.  When I first jumped into this market, I said, 'Man this is hard, and hats off to those who can do this.'  However, after composing both jingles and theme songs for a few years, I noticed it greatly improved my songwriting.

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