February Album Writing Month - FAWM.ORG

Sharon Abbott (@sharona)

progress: 21

winner!
joined: 3 months ago
location: Pennsylvania, USA
website: www.pasamusic.org
influences: For comedic/novelty songwriting: Tom Lehrer, Stan Freberg, Spike Jones, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George & Ira Gershwin, Gilbert & Sullivan, Joe Raposo, many more. For other songs: James Taylor, Carole King, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Sedaka, Hank Williams Sr., and various composers of popular music of the 1910s-1970s, classic country ballads and folk songs.

Bio

After telling others of FAWM's existence for the past several years, and hearing them ask me why I don't sign up, I decided to give FAWM a try this year.

I write the lyrics and music of songs that I create for personal satisfaction, expression and growth. I perfom some of them publicly in coffeehouses, arts fests and the like. Friends have covered my songs, but some find the songs challenging because I write for my own vocal range which is broader than average!

I like to write funny novelty songs as well as songs in a more serious vein (ballads, topical songs, etc.). My lyrics are often very "tightly" structured, with consistent rhyme-schemes and internal rhymes, but once in a while I "loosen up" that structure and write in a less rigid style.

I am also a multi-instrumentalist (all acoustic): guitar, mandolin, acoustic bass, banjo, mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, and hand-percussion (bongos, dumbek). I know my way around a keyboard, too, but not at performance level. All this instrument-playing helps me in my tune-smithing to think outside the box (soundbox?) of one instrument's capabilities and limitations.

More activities:
Co-chairperson of the Philadelphia Area Songwriters' Alliance (PASA) since 2004.
President of the Bucks County Folk Song Society (BCFSS), Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 2009, 2010, and 2011; currently Vice-President of BCFSS and newsletter editor.
Member of Quakertown Area Dulcimer & Autoharp Society (QUADAS), Quakertown, PA.

2012 Songs

1	Weather Song #1: You Can't Do Anything About It	3 comments // 3 months ago
2	Cat-chup	4 comments // 3 months ago
3	Weather Song #2: The Weather (concept/in-progress)	3 comments // 3 months ago
4	Cat on Me Legs	2 comments // 3 months ago
5	Isabella	1 comment // 3 months ago
6	Giant-Size	zong // 3 months ago
7	Hands on Me	2 comments // 3 months ago
8	FAWM is Da Bomb	3 comments // 3 months ago
9	Tree (by Nature!) -- commercial	5 comments // 3 months ago
10	The Ten Commandments	1 comment // 3 months ago
11	Song about slavery (concept/work-in-progress)	1 comment // 3 months ago
12	Your Love	2 comments // 3 months ago
13	Packets in My Pockets	1 comment // 3 months ago
14	Big	1 comment // 3 months ago
15	Gig	1 comment // 3 months ago
16	FAWM, FAWM, FAWM is da Bomb, Bomb, Bomb (now with 2nd verse!)	2 comments // 2 months ago
17	Yella Celica	1 comment // 2 months ago
18	Alone (for Dusty)	2 comments // 2 months ago
19	Dog's Messin' with a Skunk Again	zong // 2 months ago
20	Why Can't I Get a Little Ahead (Instead of a Big Behind)?	5 comments // 2 months ago
21	Down in the Dump Truck Dumps	1 comment // 2 months ago

Soundboard

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duaneclancy 2 months ago

Ok Sharon ... here it is ... "Call of the Bosun Mate" https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Qq1O8SAFiWhjugsyZC9kt70sSu-07fH5tbjdpJhq7w/edit#
duaneclancy 2 months ago

Oh man ... Boson's mate ... that was pretty deep I'm afraid that I was making up stuff as I went to keep from being blown out of the water by a commentative heckler (and now you went and sank my ship anyway). Let's see ... now (since I really have not a clue to what you are talking about) ... it appears that I need to write something about a Boson's mate ... isn't he the dude on a ship that runs the crew? ... stay tuned ...
themechickaboola 2 months ago

I wanted to contact you about possibly doing some work on a project that is inspired by all of the people you list as influences, although your inability or refusal to record your music is as big an argument Against as any I can think of.
nathansurles 2 months ago

Hi Sharon! Great to see you on here as well!
songsville 2 months ago

Hee hee, I get all my best stuff from Edgar ... you should hear the one he wrote about dishwasher tablets
hoppiern 2 months ago

Thanks so much for your comment on "Good News" and your encouragement! Not sure if I'll get to 14.5 but I was always the kid who started the term paper the night before it was due.
hoppiern 2 months ago

Hey Sharon! Thanks so much for passing my name on to Rob. Very kind of you! I'm looking forward to performing!
hoppiern 2 months ago

Hi Sharon! Thanks for your suggestions for "You Never Know". I will be the first to admit that I gave in on the third verse and just threw in the line about February to get the song finished. I think it is one of the many songs I've written for this FAWM that I will revisit and rewrite when I am back to my "normal" schedule of life/songwriting (I am a huge re-writer!) But I think your comment was really spot-on - thanks!
hoppiern 2 months ago

Hi Sharon! Thanks so much for the comments - I am floored, and positively honored, to hear you might want to cover one of my songs! Wow. Of course you may.
bradbrubaker 2 months ago

Yes, indeed. Dudes are the target market. If women took the advice it may require a PSA on washroom safety. On a different note, congratulations on your FAWM win!
pianoquest 2 months ago

Congratulations! First winner in Pennsylvania!
thetau 3 months ago

Great Job You a winner. You beat me. But not for long
stevekey 3 months ago

Saw you on Rob's page. I think we have a lot of influences in common. Maybe we could try a co-write?
jsherling 3 months ago

Hi Sharon! Any plans for uploading recordings of your new songs?
roblincoln 3 months ago

Hi Sharon,
Glad you joined this year. Look forward to hearing some of your songs. Like the kitty in the picture.
sherrycanary 3 months ago

Glad you liked my song. My pleasure to give you the chord changes. I would be honored for you to cover it
sherrycanary 3 months ago

I finally posted a song. Took forever. Having a slooooow start
themechickaboola 3 months ago

Please figure out how to record and post these songs.
sherrycanary 3 months ago

Hey....glad you finally made it. Bout time! I have one in the works, but want t wait to put music to it.
explodingmary 3 months ago

Welcome to FAWM! resistance is useless!