I have been waiting for my Pitch to Publisher results for my song, Long live the King. I had a problem when I submitted this song. I had to pick a category. This was hard. The problem is that it doesn't fit into a good category,  It tells a story like a country song but has a message like a gospel song. To really get this song you need to listen to the whole song.

     On a pitch to publisher opportunity, they are only listening to the first verse and the chorus. Not really enough to get the full effects of the song. It starts out with Ryan Cunningham, from NSAI and Justin Nicolet from Centricity listening on a split screen as the song plays. Here are the words to the first verse and the chorus.

Long Live the King

One white glove, he danced the moonwalk

from the Jackson five to the King of Pop

I watched the crowd as he played Billie Jean

I saw a young girl and I heard her scream

Chorus- Long live the King, Long live the King

Come on everybody lets sing

We love you, we need you, it's your song we sing

Long live the King. 

     You could see the puzzled look on Ryan's and Justin's face as they listened. Also you could see them staring at the screen, reading the lyrics as their brain tried to make sense of the song. Justin started out and said, " Hey Jim, wait a minute, wait a minute. This is about Michael Jackson but the genre is gospel. Ryan from NSAI comments and says, "but further down," Justin says, "There we go, Very clever. Good! Uh Huh! Yup, then it goes to Elvis and then the true King.

      Justin continues, " I don't know if you all knew this but Elvis did not like to actually be called the King. Ryan says, "Oh, really I did not know that." Justin said, " Elvis said there is only one King and that is the Lord himself."  Jim, (pause) very clever." I've not really come across something like this before. It wouldn't work commercially in the Christian music realm but Man, kuddos to you for writing a unique song like this." 

       Ryan said, " I was wondering the same thing as you were but I read down a little bit. I must say, Jim I am a sucker for song that have the same chorus but mean different things each time but very clever. I think this is a very clever song and thank you Jim. "

        Here are the words for the rest of the song. 

The music in Memphis it rocks and it rolls

made famous by Elvis, part blues and part soul

The ladies smiled as his hips swayed 

an idol to millions in the USA.

Chorus- Long live the King, long live the King

Come on everybody let's sing

We love you , we need you, it's your song we sing

Long live the King. 

Bridge- Our kings and their crowns crumble and rust

We cry when they die as we all turn to dust.

but there's a baby in a manger, Hope of Israel

Slain on a cross to save me from hell

We all worship, someone or something

I worship Jesus, King of all Kings

Long live the King, Long live the King

come on everybody let's sing

We love you, we need you, it's your songs we sing

Long live the King,

I love you, I need you, and You're why I sing

Long live my King.

     What did I learn from this experience? Publishers are not looking for clever songs. They are looking for songs that fit in the box that they are trying to fill. This is one of my favorite songs. It is unique, It is different  but it wasn't right for this pitch. I don't know if it is the type of song that I can pitch to a publisher or anyone else. The only person that this song could work for is me. I could sing this song at a concert and it would work for me. 

       Bottom Line- Keep your song simple. Make sure they fit in the category that you are writing your songs for. Also, don't try to be clever. Clever doesn't get your songs recorded. 

        Here is the song if you want to listen to it.- Long live the King.