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Atlantans’ hit songs explained in L.A.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
LOS ANGELES - Funny things happen on the way to hit records.
Gwen Stefani passed on an earlier incarnation of Fergie’s pop smash “Glamorous” - over and over again. But Atlanta producer Polow Da Don remained confident about its potential, and eventually won big as a part of Fergie’s multiplatinum solo debut.
Da Don got a similar response early on about “Runaway Love”. People liked the track, but no one would guarantee it would be a single. That is until Ludacris’s manager and business partner Chaka Zulu heard it- and before Ludacris recorded one line on it, declared “This is going to get us our Grammy”.
(The CD “Runaway Love” - with R&B’s Mary J. Blige - was featured on went on to win Grammy’s rap album of the year statue. And it was “Runaway” that they performed, with soul greats Earth, Wind and Fire, at that same ceremony).
Producer Rodney Jerkins didn’t have trouble selling people on the strength of Brandy and Monica’s single “The Girl Is Mine”. It was actually recording the song that was the exercise.
According to Jerkins, Brandy and Atlantan Monica - both teen R&B dynamos at the time - had to be separated on occasion. Also, it was originally supposed to be Brandy featuring Monica; and it ended up being billed Brandy AND Monica. “I even had to cut down ad-libs so that each one had the same number,” he said. (In the end though, that No. 1 tune won the singers their first and only Grammys thus far.
Those were some of the many stories shared at BMI’s second annual “How I Wrote That Song” panel, moderated by BMI’s Atlanta-based vice president of writer/publisher relations, Catherine Brewton, and the Los Angeles Times chief pop music critic, Ann Powers.
Grammy nominee Chris Daughtry, Grammy winner Ben Moody of Evanescence, R&B singer-songwriter Anthony Hamilton, rapper Fat Joe and three members of the rock band Hinder rounded out the packed panel discussion at Sunset Avenue’s Key Club.
Before the event started, Daughtry shared that he’s just completed recordings with two Atlanta acts - rockers Sevendust and contemporary Christian act Third Day. “I’ve got a lot of ties to Atlanta,” he said. “Not to mention it seems like I’ve played their eight times this year alone. [Laughs] I get their a lot. And I appreciate Atlanta’s support.”
Alright Atlantans, since you’ve been so helpful to Mr. Daughtry and the like, weigh in in this: Which of his songs would you guess has an interesting story behind them? For that matter, which of any of the panelists’ songs would you like to know the origin of? Did you know that his breakthrough single “Home” was actually written at his home, years before he would know the pangs he sings about of being on the road?
Comments
By Naffy
February 10, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
Forget Daughtry. Why did Brandy and Monica need separating? Were there some fisticuffs involved? lol
That, I would love to see. I bet Monica would have whooped that a**.
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February 11, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
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