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One of the things that has kept me sane throughout the last 3 months of the studio build has been my participation in this years 50/90 Songwriting Challenge.

For those of you that don’t know… The 50/90 Songwriting Challenge runs from July 4th until October 1st and the goal is to write “50 songs in 90 days.”

This year I wrote (and collaborated on) 59 songs.

Now, some of these songs that came from the challenge are crackers, some of them are okay and some of them are just shit but that’s the whole point of 50/90, it’s an opportunity to give the inner critic a holiday and just embrace the sheer fun of creation.

No matter how it turns out in the end.

It’s a great opportunity to tune into a bunch of songwriters, lyricists and producers all around the world who are all of like mind and who are all up for networking and collaboration.

Some of the participants have turned into really good friends.

Out of all the songs that have come out of the challenge, the one that really resonates with me is a piece called “Maybe It’s Time” a song about the fact that maybe it’s time for me to let go and move on.

In my most recent health update I had mentioned me hitting rock bottom and subsequently needing the help of antidepressants to lift me out of the hole I found myself in.

Once I got out of the hole I instinctively stopped taking the antidepressants and from that moment on I have been getting better and better and just writing a song like “Maybe It’s Time” is proof to me that I am now back on the path whilst making the grief that I have been experiencing for the last 3 years or so my friend rather than my enemy.

Anyways, without the 50/90 Songwriting Challenge a song like this would not have been written. Here’s the demo of the song for you all to check out.

Enjoy…

Maybe It’s Time
© 2024 C. Stewart

Maybe it’s time to finally let go
Of a past that’s kept me cowering in the dark
Maybe it’s time to let the light back in
Coz all it takes to start a fire is a spark

Maybe it’s time for me to say goodbye
To the darkness over me that’s become my friend
Maybe it’s time for me to believe
That this road that I am on is about to end

Maybe it’s time to feel alive again
And embrace my life in any way I can
Maybe it’s time for me to dream once more
Coz I’ve only got one life to live

Maybe it’s time for me to find my way
And to trust that all my paths will lead to home
Maybe it’s time for me to find my strength
And to vanquish all the fears of the unknown

Maybe it’s time to feel alive again
And embrace my life in any way I can
Maybe it’s time for me to dream once more
Coz I’ve only got one life to live

Maybe it’s time for me to start again
And to unlock all the shackles around my heart
Maybe it’s time for me to realise
That grief’s the price you pay for falling in love…

Once the studio is ready I will be doing another collection of songs for release and a re-recorded version of “Maybe It’s Time” will be there in all its glory.

What do you guys think?

Peace,

Corey 🙂

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With today being the 4th of July I’ll again be participating in this years 50/90 Songwriting Challenge as I have done for the last 11 years.

Sometimes I do think that I’m batshit CRAZY.

For those of you that have no idea what I’m talking about, the 50/90 Songwriting Challenge (also known as 50/90) requires the participant to write 50 songs in 90 days starting from July 4th until October 31st.

50/90 has been likened to a marathon for songwriters and if my maths is correct, I would need to write one song every 1.8 days to complete the challenge in full.

I can do that, I mean I have done it before in 2017, 2018 and 2019 (not in 2020 thanks to COVID-19) but I am going to approach 50/90 a little differently compared to the FAWM Songwriting Challenge (14 songs in 28 days) that I completed in February.

This time around, instead of doing complete band arrangements of my songs I’ll be stripping them back to a more acoustic vibe to ensure that the songs don’t get bogged down in over-instrumentation.

The more limits I place on myself the more I’ll be able to write and besides, if time permits I can always go back to the songs and embellish them later on. It’s important that I make the song idea-recording-uploading process as efficient as possible.

I’ll also put more of an emphasis on collaboration with other 50/90 participants. It’s one of the really cool things about being involved.

Don’t get me wrong, 50 songs in 90 days is a daunting task and I am going to have my work cut out for me but there’s nothing like a goal or a deadline to get my creative juices flowing.

Just like I’m doing with the songs I wrote for FAWM, I’ll  be releasing them on a playlist through my SoundCloud account.

I might even need your help to choose the best ones.

As with previous years, 50/90 will be the ninja warrior of songwriting endurances for me. YES! It’s a challenge but it will also be a lot of fun too, as the 50/90 website clearly states…

“During these 90 days, participants will encourage each other, collaborate, give and gain feedback on their new creations and push themselves to practice and refine their skills in songwriting. Whether long time vets of songwriting or picking up the pen for the first time, participants will grow their skills in making music… and just might have some fun along the way.”

That’s what I intend to do… I will again be walking the walk and talking the talk by putting all of my songwriting knowledge to good use and allowing my songwriting process to do its thing.

Who knows, there might even be some cracker songs written along the way.

Wish me luck guys,

Corey 🙂