Songwriting and Driving

I'm off to Ottawa this weekend for a show on Saturday, March 11th at Rasputin's. I'm looking forward to the trip.

I often get song ideas when I'm driving. I wonder why this is. Maybe it's the stimulation of having the scenery race by, or the sense of confidence that comes from moving very fast. It's a great feeling, especially when you're on the way to a great gig. But there's a safety issue here. If you're a good songwriter, writing while driving is probably more dangerous than talking on a cell phone.

Maybe it's time the authorities knew this. They could institute some kind of safety program with roadside spot-checks.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, have you been songwriting this evening?"

"Uh, well, I did have a title line about an hour ago..."

"And is that an open notebook I see there on the seat beside you?"

See what I mean? I'd be sunk.

It's a scary scenario...but not so scary as if I actually had an accident while writing a song. Imagine, having to report that I caused a thirteen-car pileup because I just had to finish that verse. Pretty pathetic.

So, I'm off to Ottawa, listening to music instead of writing it. I'm loving Roseanne Cash's "Black Cadillac" these days.

Chances are, Roseanne will inspire me to write something...and I'll pull over to the side of the road. "I've always got time for Tim Horton's..." and another song.