Product Description

Drawing on years of experience as a successful songwriter and an inspirational teacher of others in perfecting this craft, Harriet Schock covers every aspect involved in making your talents shine. From finding the time to write, to sources of inspiration, and how to evaluate criticism, she knows first-hand the joys and frustrations of becoming remarkable. Contains her newly released CD, rosebud

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1606588 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 214 pages

Review
Harriet Schock is a rare talent. In today's music industry, Schock stands out because she gets back to the basics. . . . - Harriet Kaplan, Music Connection Harriet Schock performs the amazing feat of being a precise, merticulous song craftswoman without sacrificing even an iota of the rich emotionalism that makes love songs worth listening to. -- Steve Schalchlim, composer/lyricist, past Managing Director National Academy of Songwriters

About the Author
Harriet Schock wrote "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady" (words and music), which was a Grammy-nominated # 1 hit and has become a standard. Her songs have been recorded by such diverse artists as: Smokey Robinson, Roberta Flack, Helen Reddy, Lee Greenwood, and Johnny Mathis. Her film and TV credits include: The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, the Last Dragon, Delta Force II, Matters of the Heart, and ABC's The Secret Garden. She was named Best New Female Artist by Cashbox Magaziine. She is founder of the Harriet Schock School of Songwriting, which offers private consultation and correspondence courses.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Step One: Touch Somebody

Think back to the first time you wrote a song for someone and then played it for that person. Did it have an effect on him or her? And wasn't that a thrill? At that moment, you may have realized that the whole thing is about communication. And if it was real enough to make someone smile, or cry, or say "thank you," then who knows? It might be real enough to move millions of other people.

I live in a duplex. My only contact with the upstairs neighbors had been when I discovered my music room was directly under one of their bedrooms. Being quite elderly, they go to bed at about 9:30, so I moved my music studio to another room, directly under their spare room. They were very grateful and sweet about it. Last week, I called them to ask them something about the television antenna. They invited me up for fruit. I spent an hour and a half hearing them speak of their life, their many pets through the years, their children and grandchildren. I was so moved by the experience, I couldn't stop thinking and feeling about it. So I started writing....

"The television looks like it's from the fifties,
Except that there's a cable in the back.
He sits in his special chair,
Half awake and half aware
That she is in the room somewhere,
That is his pivotal fact."

I realized that, in the middle of a million things I was supposed to be doing, I was writing a song about my upstairs neighbors. Not knowing them very well, I didn't know how they would feel about having their love story immortalized by the night owl below them, but I knew I was hooked and couldn't stop.

I called them up and told the wife I had written a song of tribute to her relationship with her husband. She then said one of those things that will forever stay in my memory, not only as a comment, but as a life's lesson. She said, "Well, it certainly can't harm the relationship. Everything only makes it better." I knew, at that point, here was a lady who had made some sane decisions. I really wanted her to like the song.

They came down this morning and I played it for them. They smiled and thanked me. Then she asked me to read the lyric to her. I did. We had a nice visit and they left. They had asked me for a copy of the lyric, which I gave them.

But I made them promise when their children and grandchildren heard it, they'd let me play it with the melody, not just read the lyric. They agreed. Ten minutes after they left, the wife called me and told me that after she read the lyric, she realized what it said, how moved she was, and that her husband had tears in his eyes as well. They just couldn't hear quite well enough to make out the words without reading them. Then she said she didn't know how she could ever thank me enough for what I had done. And I thought to myself, I should be thanking them for the inspiration. What a rere couple it is who can instill that kind of feeling in someone.

My point here is that, yes, it's exciting when I hear a song of mine on the radio or in a film for the first time. But that's sort of a wild excitement that's directed outward. I've actually been known to go up to bikers in restaurants and tell them my song was playing, only to be thrilled that they were actually familiar with it and equally pleased that they weren't offended I had spoken to them. But the kind of reward I'm talking about is of a deeper, more inward nature. It comes from playing a personal communication to someone.

It's such a wonderful gift to be able to put something into music and words in the first place. And to offer it to someone as a validation of something he or she did - that's really quite a gift also. And if you've never done it, you're really missing something. On my second album, I had a song called "Mama," which was covered by Helen Reddy, after she'd had a hit with "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady." When Helen was touring, she went through Dallas, and my mother went to see her. Afterward, my mother proudly announced that she was the "Mama" the song was written about. Looking back now, I'm so happy I had the foresight to write that song when I did.

So, as I tell every class I teach and every seminar I give, there are many reasons to write songs. Getting on the charts is just one of them, and usually not a very inspiring goal. Money is cold and generally doesn't get the kind of juices flowing that inspire art. But there are many lives to be touched by the gifts we have as songwriters. You might find that giving one of these gifts is as rewarding to you as to the recipient, if not more so.

Customer Reviews

Write better. Feel better. Feel better about writing.
It is a rare and pleasant surprise to read a book that not only compels you to write better but also makes you feel like a better person. This book is written in a conversational style that lets you know and appreciate the author and come to know yourself better as well. Harriet Schock knows the craft of songwriting and shares her insights with passion and conviction. I recommend this book for anyone who aspires to write from the truth within.

This book is a find for anyone who ever wondered about the song writers journey or the evolution of a song. Harriet Schock is a skilled songwriter who graciously shares her experience and teaches the reader to look within, think, feel, and express with clarity so that the world knows what you have to say. Becoming Remarkable is filled with personal anecdotes and songwriting samples to highlight each lesson / chapter. Written in a true 'tell us what we need to know - tell us why we need to know it - and tell us how to apply what we know' style that makes the learning a pleasant process. This book is an essential tool for songwriters. This book is an inspirational tool for all.

My new mentor, Harriet Schock
I am a slow reader, so this book keeps me up at night. In the morning I'm fatigued. It's just so difficult to close "The Book." Such incredible writing, Harriet touches your deepest feelings and recalls all those thoughts every songwriter has known since they knew that they just had to write.

Recently, I was in the recording studio producing tracks for a 14 year songwriter. Believe it or not, "The Book" was with me both physically and mentally. It was Harriet's words, thoughts and spirit that conducted that session. And it was one of the most pleasure filled evenings in the studio for me with my new mentor. In this session I was not alone, I had "The Book."

I got home late and retired with "The Book." Great session I thought. Especially now that I had a way of thinking about those difficult decisions affecting my inner sense of artistic integrity and communicating that to the musicians. Finally, my eyes closed as the lights went out in heaven. Then suddenly, I opened my eyes to check once more. Got "The Book?"

A Remarkable Book!
I have read this book and keep it by my side as I compose new tunes. It is like a songwriters bible. Harriet Schock's insight to songwriting is incredible. She helps you get perspective on what you already know and much you didn't know or think of. And unlike many "how-to" books which are written by people with no track record, Ms. Schock is an accomplished songwriter and a hit songwriter. I also have her CD's which are filled with wonderful songs. I recommend this book to new and veteran songwriters.