February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

ellen liss

progress: 17

winner!
joined: 1 month ago
location: Georgia, USA
influences: Dylan, Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Neil Young

Bio

I am a huge music fan but have little or no talent. I am hoping I can use my ear for semantics and my appreciation for a good sound to compensate, but we'll see!

If anyone out there in FawmLand wants to try to make a song out of my lyrics, please give it a try! Much thanks to my recent collabs-- this is thrilling for me and I have great admiration for you!

2010 Songs

1	Somehow (with Billy Sea)	19 comments // 1 month ago
2	Let Me Go (with tie dye hero)	12 comments // 1 month ago
3	Storm (with Roel van Veldt)	7 comments // 1 month ago
4	No Map (with Roel van Veldt)	10 comments // 1 month ago
5	Candles and Flowers (with Tom Slatter)	8 comments // 1 month ago
6	Old Places and New	3 comments // 1 month ago
7	Not Just a Piece of Furniture	8 comments // 1 month ago
8	I'm Counting on You	7 comments // 1 month ago
9	Status Quo (with Roel van Veldt)	7 comments // 4 weeks ago
10	Don't Count on Me (with Jeff Landgraf)	8 comments // 3 weeks ago
11	Counting on Me (with Jeff Landgraf)	2 comments // 3 weeks ago
12	Swirls (with Nick Sypniewski)	4 comments // 3 weeks ago
13	Yes	5 comments // 3 weeks ago
14	[Parody] All About McCoy (with Bizarro Errol)	8 comments // 3 weeks ago
15	* My Time Is Over (with devin)	14 comments // 2 weeks ago
16	Don't Waste Time	2 comments // 2 weeks ago
17	[for dreamscuba] In My Mind	7 comments // 2 weeks ago

Soundboard

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plainwhitetoast 15 hours ago

Howdy Ellen, I didn't get to this time, but maybe we will be able to collab someday.
I will, of course, peruse your lyrics only selections for inspiration and who knows, maybe we'll get one in on the back end of FAWM.

In any event, I plan to be around for 50/90 later this year. Maybe then, if not before.
Haole Wolf 2 days ago

Aloha, Ellen ... thank you for the generous offer. I can tell I'd like to do collaborations for next year, so put me on the list! Not sure about my time limits the next month -- heading to the mainland. If you wanna be my facebook friend (I have a lot of lyrics posted and have a couple in this vein you might enjoy) then send me an email at haolewolf@gmail.com. Aloha!
devin 3 days ago

Hey there!

I'm finally getting around to one of my last collabs...and I would love your "interim assessment", if you have a moment?

http://fawm.org/songs/5349/
dreamscuba 6 days ago

Thanks very much for the comments on my song...I still owe you a song...it's on it's way very soon!!
Billy Sea 1 week ago

It was totally my pleasure. Most people when they are starting out get insecure from time to time (and some - like me- maintain that insecurity for many years) I understand how encouragement works and I stay motivated by others in the FAWM community and try to do the same for others

Congratulations in your win
devin 2 weeks ago

Congratulations to you...

...songwriter!
Happy Atheist 2 weeks ago

First, congrats on your WIN, ellenpliss! And thanks for popping in again to posit your always fab commentary. Irresistible irony compelled me to write "4.5 Billion Years in Kentucky". My only regret is that I was unable to ascertain whether or not shrimp is on the menu at the Creation Museum cafe. Furthermore, as literalists, how Kosher are their cheeseburgers?!
HA!
dreamscuba 2 weeks ago

No worries....can write from any perspective....it' all good!
dreamscuba 2 weeks ago

Sounds a good angle...I'm fine with whichever direction you want to take it.
dreamscuba 2 weeks ago

Cool...cool....15 hours left...
Lewis Mason 2 weeks ago

Thanks very much for the kind words on my last song glad you could relate, it reminds us how well in tune we all are sometimes!
Rob Cooke - Boy@Heart 2 weeks ago

Just wanted to say that "My Time is Over" is an excellent song. It could very well end up in a motion picture, it is so powerful.
dreamscuba 2 weeks ago

From what I read and hear...I don't agree that you have little or no talent...
"My Time is Over" made me cry. It brought me right back to the moment when my dad died many years ago. Great song and Devin's delivery is awesome.
oilsdragon 2 weeks ago

I'm so glad you liked it! 'Twas so much fun!!
oilsdragon 2 weeks ago

McCoy is posted! Mwahahaha! http://fawm.org/songs/7115
ainekatt 2 weeks ago

I'm actually working on making some demos after school today and next week, so there will be demos!
Jeff Landgraf 2 weeks ago

No problem either way, I'm easygoing about such things... I've got two more songs in the loop, and If I get them done that will probably be it for me this year. I'm actually taking a music arranging course at the moment, so I keep on getting wrapped up in that. My music making is interfering with my music making...
Hammersmith 2 weeks ago

You're not stuck with your login name for a "Display Name" -- you can go to "My FAWM" and change the display name while leaving your login name unchanged.
devin 2 weeks ago

I'm so very glad you like it....and now I know that "P" is a middle name

P.S. Congrats on finishing FAWM...you've done well, young jedi!
devin 2 weeks ago

Hi Ellen!

I uploaded a new song titled "My Time Is Over". I didn't want to overwrite or crowd your original lyric with my arrangement and lyrical tweaking, so now there's a whole new tune up.

Thank you so very much for letting me work with your lyric, and for letting me surprise you with it.

Surprise!

You can probably remove me from your original song page (or not...your call), as I didn't modify anything there.
ellen liss 2 weeks ago

please tweak away, and give yourself the credit if you need to tweak a lot - I feel no ownership over this at all! do anything you'd like to make them fit the music -- I'm a writer (too), not a musician, so I could be way off from the beat. Thank you!!!
oilsdragon 3 weeks ago

Ellen, will you hate me if I have to tweak your lyrics a little... or a lot... to fit Errol's track? I'm having trouble matching up your lines with the song... maybe it's me...

(Damnit, I'm a writer, not a singer!)
oilsdragon 3 weeks ago

Hi Ellen!

Errol asked me to record your McCoy parody (which is awesome and terrific)... so if you'll forgive my slightly crappy vocals, I'm going to give it a shot sometime in the next few days!

...Once I get through this work backlog. Which is never going to happen unless I pull myself off the FAWM site. *facepalm*
Haole Wolf 3 weeks ago

Ellen, thanks for the fun feedback ... I recorded the song you commented on...
ellen liss 3 weeks ago

that last comment was worth the deletion! OK, you win -- see how easy I am!?
Errol 3 weeks ago

Ellen, I'm going to SPAM your board until you put it back!

PLEASE PUT IT BACK! I don't want them GONE. I want them ORGANIZED!
Errol 3 weeks ago

AHHH DOn'T DELETE IT!

I DIDN"T MEAN THAT!

PUT IT BACK!

Wait, how do you delete songs???

DON'T DELETE IT!
Errol 3 weeks ago

Oh, no apologies necessary! I just wanted things a bit more organized.
Errol 3 weeks ago

Oh no, I think she'll do it. It's a time thing, that's all.

wait a minute... where did it go? It was here...
Errol 3 weeks ago

Alllooo again! I'm stalking your board big time.

Could you do me a favour please? Could you change the collaborator on our parody song. I wrote about it here: http://fawm.org/forums/thread/823/

Pretty Please? Thanks a bunch!
Errol 3 weeks ago

Hey Ellen! I asked one of my star trek friends to see if she was willing to sing it. So here's hoping.
dreamscuba 3 weeks ago

You are too kind!!...gospel truth...as I said in my bio "played, then stopped, then much later started again". But never had the b***s to sing or write...Thanks to a good friend who's a member of AFWM, I am here and thanks to everyone here I am staying. Couldn't do it alone!
dreamscuba 3 weeks ago

Thanks very much for your kind words on my song. Songwriting and singing are very new for me (since January this year) and all of the encouragement really helps to spur me on to continue. Thanks again.
Nick Sypniewski 3 weeks ago

Hey Ellen,
I'm working on Swirls. Probably be sometime tomorrow. Do me a favor, send me your e-mail. I think I might have to make a couple of lyric adjustments and I want to make sure you're cool with them.
n.syp@verizon.net
Dan Vaillancourt 3 weeks ago

Ellen! Thank You so much for the continued listening and commenting. Much appreciated and I'm glad you like it.
Errol 3 weeks ago

*LAUGH* You guys are CRAZY! *LAUGH*

All about McCoy, that's pretty brilliant too. *LAUGH*
Nick Sypniewski 3 weeks ago

Ellen,

Thanks very much for your kinds words on my song. They're truly appreciated. I could only wish for a Zevon sound as he's a personal hero of mine. I feel the need to keep apologizing for my singing because reviews/comments here are very hit and miss and I don't seem to have a lot of repeats, so I always assume someone is hearing my croaking for the first time.

Glad you liked the solo - I did too.

You should try to sing - you literally can't be worse than me. I'll tell you the secret to "just doing it" - join a band where everyone is a horrible singer. That's my situation and I even sing a couple of songs live with them because, by the same token as above, I know I'm not much worse than they are... LOL

Anyway, thanks again.
Billy Sea 3 weeks ago

Of course you can come too. If Devin won't invite you, I will.
Michael Gutierrez-May 3 weeks ago

Thanks for coming by and checking me out. Maybe the demo will be there for "Idiot" over the weekend.
Errol 3 weeks ago

*laugh* Huzzah! I got to comment on an ellenpliss song! And a Jeff Landgraf song too! Exciting! And who doesn't like Matlock? I think Jeff stopped reading when he got to that part...
devin 3 weeks ago

Finally finding my way on our song...I'm really digging it, but it'll be a few before I'm ready to press the recording button. Thanks for your patience m'lady!

P.S. Congrats for being ahead of pace, that's awesome!
Billy Chase 3 weeks ago

Hey Ellen,
Sure thing. It isn't a problem. I'm still learning the etiquette around here myself. Send me a link to the demo of the song with your lyrics. Thanks for everything.
Timothy Chen Allen 4 weeks ago

Thanks for your kind words, ellenpliss. So what did I inspire you to do?
Tom Slatter 4 weeks ago

Hi Ellen,

I'm glad you like my interpretation of Candles and Flowers. Yup, I'm a heavy metal fan. Try as I might, I just can't hide that infuence!
Tom Slatter 4 weeks ago

Hi Ellen,

My computer gave out, so I've recorded a rough video of Candles and Flowers, rather than the more elaborate recording I originally had in mind. Hope you like it!
Jeff Landgraf 4 weeks ago

Hi Ellen,

I'm starting to look at doing a demo for "Counting on You." I'd like to discuss a few things about the song... There will be a few changes, some just for meter and the way I hear things being sung, and perhaps others that could change or shade the meaning differently and I want to make sure I don't change it away from what you have in mind. I definitely need to know how attached you are to exact wordings, and which ideas you think are the core of the message you want to say. Do you have an email address I can contact you at... You can send me a message at jml985@yahoo.com to let me know...
Haole Wolf 4 weeks ago

Ellen, thanks for the comment! It stimulated me to write some more about why and how I thought of "Our Love is Not Like This".
Tom Slatter 1 month ago

Hi Ellen,

Just to let you know, I've finally come up with something for 'Candles and Flowers' that I like. Aiming on finishing a demo by Monday.
Happy Atheist 1 month ago

Happy Darwin Day, ellenpliss!
jerryo 1 month ago

Thanks for checking out my song! You've got some really cool stuff going on here.
chris ramey 1 month ago

Thank you for your incredibly flattering comment on my latest afawmination. It especially means a lot after reading some of your lyrical genius!
Billy Sea 1 month ago

I should have warned you that I go sad sometimes. A lot less than I used to but it still has a strange comfort to me even as old as I am Though most of my stuff is pretty silly, which is also comforting at times. Thanks for the kind comment
orinoco 1 month ago

I know what you mean. How am I going to fill March?! (I guess, probably listening to the thousands of songs I won't get to over the next couple of weeks as the deadline looms...)
Billy Chase 1 month ago

Hey Ellen,
I've been looking over all the submissions for the lyrics. I didn't realize that I'd have so many takers. From the looks of things I may take something from each version. I'm not sure when a new demo will be up but I will keep you posted. Thanks for all your talent.
G Slade 1 month ago

"the one an only" ... lol..you make me sound important..ha...yeah..Jocylen wrote it and I totally owe her a performance of it...we'll hopefully see soon
Rob Cooke - Boy@Heart 1 month ago

Sounds like a plan! Thanks for the comment. I like it when people tell me I've encouraged them (as long as it's for good!). Your words were very inspiring to me to explore the possibility of developing more poetic lyrics in future songs because I would love to be more versatile about what I sing about.
Looking forward to whatever magic you conjur up! Just make sure you have fun doing it!

Oh I Forgot. When you have something to send me, just email me (email is on my profile) and I'll send a link for you to upload the file. I'm sure whatever you come up with will be brilliant!
Billy Sea 1 month ago

Ahem, I saw your comment in the forum where you said folks were making you feel like a "real songwriter". Just to let you know lyrics are an important part of the song. I know that for many years Bernie Taupin wrote most if not all of Elton John's lyrics (Elton only did the music) (well, that and played the piano a little)
Emma 1 month ago

Don't worry about it! It's fine. I'll keep an eye on your stuff to see if anything else inspires me.
Emma 1 month ago

I would love to try and add some music to it. If Roel van Veldt doesn't mind.

It might be a while before I could get around to it though, am pretty busy with some other collabs and writing and stuff.
Rob Cooke - Boy@Heart 1 month ago

Hi Ellen,
I would be up for putting some music to your words. Is there any way you can record your voice? It would be great to hear your vocal melody or even spoken word.
It would be a challenge, which is what I need!
Let me know.
devin 1 month ago

Good timing on your note...my mental to-do list had me stopping by here as job #1 today...which I already did, but then I snuck away without telling you

You wrote earlier that you wouldn't mind being surprised, so I looked through your words this morning and yoinked "For Andrew" without telling you. I was keeping it a secret (in case I can't do it justice and I need to try something else). I was going to try something, and then send a link for your approval before posting it at FAWM.

I think I can do something with that song...it's such a powerful message...if you'll let me try?

I'll send you a link first, as I don't want to mess up such an important song.

[edit & PS: I've been sick & "mostly sleeping" the past 5 days...an annual ritual known as "mid-FAWM cold" for anyone trying to sing or hold a pen. Back on track soon!]
Happy Atheist 1 month ago

Ellen, thank you. It is indeed heartening to know that a talented, intelligent gentlewoman such as yourself was able to discern the great sadness of "Trig's Lament." Now I'm off to supplant that erroneous schlub.
mojo 1 month ago

*purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*
colinward 1 month ago

You have much more talent than you confess........
leopluradon 1 month ago

Haha no problem, I don't know why lyric only zongs have a hard time getting noticed, especially when they're well written. And do not fear my happy cutsie grim reaper picture, he has a little heart above his head making him adorable
Dan Vaillancourt 1 month ago

Ellen! Thanks. I had someone tell me I remind him of J Mascis during 50/90 last summer... I had to look him up to see who he was. Haha... but I can totally hear the resemblance.
hbusse 1 month ago

Thanks for the comments on my song! I've got a demo up now if you're interested in hearing it: http://fawm.org/songs/1665/
dreamscuba 1 month ago

Thanks very much for your comments on my song...I really appreciate your feedback about the words (especially tenderness)...this song writing malarky is all very new to me, so guidance is wonderful!!
Tom Slatter 1 month ago

My first thoughts on setting 'Candles and Flowers'

http://www.songwright.co.uk/2010/02/08/fawm-collaborations-candle-and-flowers/
tie dye hero 1 month ago

I got it sent, let me know what you think.
Tom Slatter 1 month ago

Hi Ellen!

I'd love to set some of your words to music. I'm thinking 'Candles and Flowers' if that's okay with you...
tie dye hero 1 month ago

eerrr well I'm not *so* fast I need to practice it and then I'll send something to you. I got excited. hold on
tie dye hero 1 month ago

okay I have an idea for Let Me Go, shall i send you something?
tie dye hero 1 month ago

I would be honored! How do I sign up?
Happy Atheist 1 month ago

Hey, ellenpliss! Glad you liked my Superbowl Song! Thanks a bunch for the high marks--I think you may have broken the altimeter!

HA!
Marlene*** 1 month ago

Thanks for your comment Ellen! good luck with those cancer patients! one of my sons is trying to quit today with the electronic cigarettes. I am surprised that all 4 of my kids smoked even tho I never did! But I hate any kind of smoke!
Billy Sea 1 month ago

Thanks Ellen. I'm a big fan of Kris K's work. He's probably on my favorite top ten singer songwriter's list
Billy Sea 1 month ago

You honor me more than I deserve....and have you heard my demos? LOL. If you don't mind folk/countryish, I'd be delighted to collaborate with you. If you'd like me to send you any demos before posting (in case you hate them) I'll need your email address. I'm on gmail with the name seabilly
Dominic Johnson 1 month ago

Hey Ellen - can you read through this thread? It is regarding the Each Person Write One Line challenge.
http://fawm.org/forums/thread/460/
Cheers.
Echo Voodoo 1 month ago

Glad you liked the "Survey Lady" song. Yes, you can share it on Facebook (or anywhere else) if you like - I generally release my music under Creative Commons, and love the idea of anyone sharing and listening to it. Thanks for the comments.
Happy Atheist 1 month ago

Hey! Thanks for stopping by! Your support is more valued than you may know. As an [armchair] cognitive linguist, I loves me a good ear for semantics. Any chance we'll see some demos, too? No doubt about it: you've got the knack.
nightengale 1 month ago

Thank you for your nice comments. You have some great songs here!
bobskyyoung 1 month ago

thanks for the kind words.
Hannah Groves 1 month ago

Your lyrics are fantastic. I hope to hear a demo of your sound with them sometime.
devin 1 month ago

I would be more than honored to work with you!

Would you prefer to work together on each element, or do you want me to try and set one of your lyrics to music/melody and then surprise you with it?

I can also do a bed music track, and then send to you to see if you want to try fitting the lyric inside that...or I can create an instrumental and you can play that a million times to see if the muse comes calling.

It's all good
dave j bride 1 month ago

I really like your words and ideas in this lyric. Keep going don't get discouraged.
Whenever you write about feelings it can't be wrong. Good Luck this month.
dave j bride 1 month ago

I really like your words and ideas in this lyric. Keep going don't get discouraged.
Whenever you write about feelings it can't be wrong. Good Luck this month.