Nuts or Not, Just Call Me Mack!

I have always believed that I was likely a reincarnated songwriter from another era. That's the only way I can explain lyrics like, 

"The leaves on a willow

They don't want to be sad

The tears on my pill-ow sure don't want to be had

The day in a leap year

Just where does it go?

That's where you will find me

If you can't take it slow"

I don't know where they come from or why I even thought of them. They're nothing like my pop writing style.

Last night I decided to finally investigate this theory and do an internet search on songwriters that had died in the year I was born -1959.  Then I figured that if I were to truly make a correlation, the songwriter would  have to have died when I was conceived, which would have been in March.  After several frustrating attempts I came up empty handed, almost settling for Buddy Holly. Buddy died in February and while it was near March, I realized that I'm as close to Rock and Roll as Newt is to the Oval Office! It was a nice thought.  I let it go. It was actually starting to creep me out anyhow.

Then, as  I was reading the bio of the great Etta James, it had mentioned that her most notable recording, "At Last," was penned by a songwriter named Mack Gordon.  I looked him up and that's when the creeps started really creepin! Mack Gordon died in March of 1959. He was very successful with numerous Academy Award nominations and even a win for "You'll Never Know." Funny thing, as a songwriter I have always felt that if I were to ever be recognized for my writing, it would be an Oscar over a Grammy (thanks MLK, I too have a dream)! I also found out that Mack was born in Poland and he was raised in NYC (which is also where he died). A Jewish songwriter raised in New York City...there's something new! NOT! Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm more Jewish than Catholic and that my favorite place on the planet (of course) is New York City.  It gets better.

Over the past few years, I have been writing with a really talented composer by the name of Kenny Werner. Kenny is truly a master of his craft.  The songs we have written together have been primarily big band and 1940's style ballads. I have no idea how or why I write these songs, as they are so very different from the pop-style of writing I have written for years. If one were to compare the songs I've written with Kenny to those written by Mack Gordon, you  probably wouldn't be able to decipher which songs Mack wrote, or which ones I wrote!  Additionally, after perusing Mack's lengthy catalog, there are a couple of songs with French references (there were no Polish or Spanish or Hungarian or any others) like, "Spring in Paris," and "Mam'selle."  Just two weeks ago, I wrote lyrics to one of Kenny's compositions and ironically enough, I called it, "Mon Chéri!" I have no clue why I wrote that lyric, as I've never written a song with a French reference in it before. 

I imagine that as you get older, you slowly find the missing pieces to the puzzle of your life (or in my case, someone elses life), and it all starts to make a little sense.  I couldn't help but think back to that incredible night, circa 1989, when I had dinner with Sammy Cahn at a mutual friends home in Hancock Park. There we sat, side by side at the perfectly polished black grand piano, me on the left...Sammy on the right. I was out of my wheelchair and on the bench with him. For a good hour we went back and forth with each others songs. I would play one of mine, and the legend that was Sammy Cahn, would respond with one of his. It's one of those Hollywood Moments that dreams are made of. I felt so connected to Sammy...in a way that was more like comrades as opposed to two songwriters from completely different generations and styles. I had already begun writing those old standard style songs when I played Sammy my song, "I'm Counting on You Counting on Me." He loved it, and countered with, "Half Past April, and a Quarter to May" - a song I remembered from my childhood. It was from the movie, "Jack and the Beanstalk" with Gene Kelly. I can feel the goosebumps now, as I did then...and as I ponder this whole scenario, it really does all makes perfect sense. Whether I am or not, the reincarnation of Mack Gordon makes no difference.  The only difference that matters is the one I make while I'm here.  Hopefully I'll be able to complete the mission I'm on in this lifetime rather than in the future when some Joe Shmoe (see I told you I was more Jewish than Catholic) discovers me during their "google search"!   

Nuts or not, for now I guess you can just call me Mack!