Music And Lyrics Page #4

That's plagiarism.

Yes. Yes, yes. Good. Excellent.

l would never in a million years

use someone else's work.

l'm very glad you agree.

So, what we need,

we need something brand-new.

-So let's see. A song for Cora.

-Yes.

-Has to be called ''A Way Back lnto Love.''

-Correct.

And it has to be something

Cora would sing about.

Good.

And it has to be something

you would sing about.

Good, yeah.

-What would you sing about?

-Whatever gets me the job, really.

Oh, that's inspiring.

Okay. Two people

searching for love, for salvation.

Good, good, l love that.

Love lost, love found.

Love lost again.

Yes, this is starting to sound

a little bit like luggage, but good.

Thanks. That's really helpful.

lt doesn't have to be perfect.

Just spit it out.

-They're just lyrics.

-''Just lyrics''?

Lyrics are important.

They're just not as important as melody.

l really don't think you get it.

Oh, you look angry. Click your pen.

A melody is like seeing someone

for the first time.

The physical attraction. Sex.

l so get that.

But then, as you get to know the person,

that's the lyrics.

Their story. Who they are underneath.

lt's the combination of the two

that makes it magic.

Let's go for a walk.

-A walk? What, now?

-Yeah.

Out on the streets you see things

and, you know, hear things and eat things.

lt all sort of unlocks your mind.

This is good. This is good.

When you hit a wall,

you gotta change the subject.

So why did PoP break up?

l mean, Rhonda told me

that you guys were friends growing up?

We were, yes,

and then Colin met a new manager...

...who convinced him

he was the star of the band.

Shortly after, he left, taking the last

three songs we'd written together...

...and putting them on his solo album

which went on to sell eight million records.

But how did you deal with that?

Oh, with drugs, alcohol...

...and ultimately, my own solo album.

Cool.

This copy has been in the racks

for six years.

-Come on.

-No, no. l check every week.

You see, l made a little mark,

there on the back. See?

lt sold only 50,000 copies,

most of those to my mother.

Rolling Stone called it

''a crass, contrived effort...

...not even good enough

for a dentist chair.''

Well, l'm sure there were other reviews.

There were, there were.

But none as good as that one.

And they were right, by the way. Yeah.

To cut a long story short,

l gave up trying to write...

...lost an incredible amount of money

and then my apartment.

Chris stuck by me, booked me

an '80s reunion night on Long lsland.

And suddenly, they liked me again.

lt was weird.

lt was like l'd never been away.

The audience was a tad older, as was l...

...but we were very, very profoundly happy

to see each other again.

And it went on from there.

Cruises. Reunions. Knott's Berry Farm,

which l'm sure you're familiar with.

Busch Gardens,

that's one of my big fixtures of the year.

What else can l tell you?

l really appreciate

you opening up to me like this.

l know what it's like

to live with a shadow overhead.

What?

Shadow.

I've been living with a shadow overhead

Now, that's a nice melody, isn't it?

-lt's good.

-Thank you. Thank you.

Mind you, what do you know?

You don't even like melody.

l never said that.

You prefer the lyrics.

l don't trust you.

Your turn, what's next?

l think that we should get

some breakfast.

Please, come on, we're finally

on a roll here. Listen again.

I've been living with a shadow overhead

There'll be no more rhymes until I'm fed

Please, seriously, seriously.

I've been living with a shadow overhead

I could be inspired

With just a piece of bread

-l have the perfect place.

-Wait a minute.

lt's just on the next corner.

-Keep moving and keep writing.

-All right.

I've been looking

For someone to shed some light

-That's good. That's good.

-Yeah?

Shadows and light. You're deep.

Okay, we need two more lines

of Cora verse. What's next?

Soph?

Sophie?

What are you doing?

Nothing.

l thought l saw someone,

but it wasn't him. So it's fine.

-Oh, there he is.

-What?

A very nice picture, though.

That's funny.

lnterestingly enough, l mean--

Well, it is a bookstore.

-So, you know, that does happen.

-What?

Gosh, where were we? Okay.

Shadow overhead

Okay, can l just say, with all due respect,

that you are clearly--

What is the word?

--insane at this moment.

And because, according to Chris,

we have less than 36 hours...

...before Cora goes to do Leno,

at which point my career is over...

...it would be infinitely better for me

if you were sane. So how can l help?

Do you know this book?

Sally Michaels? Yes, yes.

Big bestseller. Yes.

-Have you read it?

-No, of course not.

Last book l read was The Alex Fletcher Story

by the editors of Teen Dream Magazine.

Why?

l'm Sally Michaels.

I saw that they were giving these courses

on writing at the New School...

...so I signed up.

And my teacher was Sloan Cates.

Nrilliant, handsome.

The truth is, l was in love with him.

And we began spending

every minute together.

Which is why l was sort of surprised

when his fiance showed up.

Yeah, he never mentioned that

he was engaged to a history professor...

...who was on a year-long sabbatical

in Spain.

And when she popped in

for an unexpected visit...

...it sort of turned into a reenactment

of the lnquisition.

And that-- And that was that?

That was the end of that?

Yeah. We never saw each other again.

l dropped the class and a year later,

his new novel showed up.

The Sally What's-it novel.

''The tale of a student

with exalted literary aspirations...

...who lures a brilliant writer into an affair

so she can take advantage of his connections.

But when he tries to break it off,

she devotes herself to ruining his life.''

Well, l mean, that obviously wasn't you.

Well, she's a lit major from Long lsland,

You know, talks to herself

and asks too many questions.

Her parents founded

a weight reduction company...

...that now her sister runs.

Well, anyway, l....

Since then, every time l pick up a pen...

...l'm haunted by those words

that he wrote, you know?

''She was a brilliant mimic.'' You know.

''She could ape Dorothy Parker

or Emily Dickinson...

...but stripped of someone else's

literary clothes...

...she was a vacant,

empty imitation of a writer.''

First of all, you can't listen to some jerk.

He's not a jerk.

He's a National Book Award winner.

Well, then, get the best revenge,

write a hit song.

Honestly, l don't think a pop song

is gonna impress Sloan Cates.

Oh, no, of course not.

Pop is just for morons. Forgot that.

-l didn't mean anything by it.

-Brain-dead, or taken too many drugs.

You know what l'd say

to you and Sloan Cates?

You can take all the novels

in the world...

...and not one of them

will make you feel as good as fast as:

That is real poetry. Those are real poets.

Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder,

Bob Dylan, the Beatles.

Okay. What if one of your heroes

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