I Want To Belong To The Song
Dwight Baker of The Wind and The Wave
Cris Cohen: Is that something that you would recommend other songwriters do: Try and adapt that attitude of, “Let's go in thinking no one's ever going to hear this.”
Dwight Baker of The Wind and The Wave: I would say that's a tough question. Actually, I would say that if you're writing for other people -- because in this game, if you're a professional songwriter, you also feel like you write for other people -- when you're writing for them, I'm just trying to grab a piece of their soul and at the same time make something that I think is great. I am not the type of person who can go, “I have to write a radio song.” Literally the second I do that, it's a big pile of sh-- every single time. But I can think to myself, “Oh, that chorus should be hooked here.” But that's for me. I want it to be hooked here. I want to belong to it. I want to enjoy it. So, I'm always the type of guy, especially with the bigger bands I've done, like Missio, I just want people to do what's in their heart, their art, you know? And if that is commercial, then great. That works on the radio even better. Because the worst thing to have happen to you -- and I know plenty of people that's happened to -- is to have a song blow up that you hate.