Amy and I had written our first draft of the lyrics for “Patient Portal” and I headed downstairs to the home studio to record a demo. I programmed drums, added electric guitar and proceeded to sing.
However, on playback, I heard something a little different from what I sang.
The actual opening line was “I keep keying in my password.”
But what I heard on playback (after having added a bass track) was “I keep peeing in my pants. Word!”
This bit of unintentional blue humor made me change the lyric line to “I keep typing in my password.”
Presently, there’s only one way to hear this song prior to its release: Let me email it to you!
Use the comment section below to tell me your favorite misheard lyric.
Hey folks! I’ll give an online concert on Live Streamer CafeSaturday night at 7:30 PM, celebrating the launch of “It’s a Jersey Thing!” I’ll perform the new album in track order and then welcome requests after that. Live Streamer Cafe is a fun, interactive virtual neighborhood coffeehouse, where the neighborhood happens to be the whole world! We’ll likely see attendees from America’s east coast, heartland, southwest, Canada and Italy, plus who knows where else?
Amy and I have sure been through lots of medical ordeals before. And now, during the pandemic, we’ve been trapped in multiple patient portals as medical practices increasingly move their patient information online . They promised efficiency and convenience, but it hasn’t always worked out that way! We know!
So we wrote a funny song containing our gripes about it.
The chorus goes:
I'm a mere mortal
Trapped forever in a patient portal
Now patient is the hardest thing to be
It’s got an infectious ska groove that’ll make you dance as you gripe along with me!
So, enter your email below and I’ll immediately e-mail you a secret link to this new track.
Here’s a TikTok of the chorus in my music recording software for you to sample:
New Jersey’s long-serving rock critic, formerly with the Star-Ledger, who has chronicled the careers of Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, Southside Johnny and The Smithereens, has written this piece on my new career-spanning compilation, “It’s a Jersey Thing.”
I had a gut feeling that an album called “It’s a Jersey Thing” could benefit from a song written by none other than Bruce Springsteen. His tune, “Thunder Road,” held a special place in my live acoustic repertoire for decades. I’d get a pleasing reaction both in person and during all those online concerts necessitated by COVID-19. I had made a YouTube video in which I perform the song on vocals and acoustic guitar and then add some layers of piano and glockenspiel (bells).
Why Licensing?
In order to distribute a recording of a song someone else wrote or owns, you need to purchase a license. This ensures the rights holders get their share of the proceeds. Intellectual property law requires this whether you’re burning CDs to give away, emailing MP3s or selling an album containing the cover.
I wanted to include “Thunder Road” on my album that I intended to sell as a download and make available for streaming. Therefore, I needed to get it licensed first.
Licensing for Downloads and Discs
Originally I had not planned to get physical CDs made, as the current trend favors streaming and downloads. A fan convinced me to change my mind and get CD’s pressed (at least a very modest number of them).
I turned to Easy Song Licensing to provide me with the license to sell downloads of a cover song. The company asked me for the title, original artist and songwriter of the song I wanted to use. They asked how many downloads I predicted I’d sell/give away. I estimated a modest number. Bear in mind: if I reach my goal number, I can always purchase more licenses to cover more instances of downloads. I’d consider this a wonderful problem to have.
As I became convinced to press some CDs, I returned to Easy Song Licensing to license the number of discs.
You pay 9 cents per copy sold (or given away) whether digital download or CD – plus an administrative fee. The industry refers to this as a compulsory license. The more copies you can license, the more mileage you get out of that initial administrative fee. You may benefit from an ambitious approach if you have a plan. How will you sell all those copies? Lots of online gigs? Lots of in-person gigs?
Licensing for Streaming
You can upload your cover song for release on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and other streaming services and get the licensing arranged at the same time. Using DistroKid, you can simply identify your song as a cover using the form you fill out to associate information with your upload. Then, DistroKid will settle up with The song’s rights holder based on number of times the song is streamed before paying you your portion of streaming royalties. DistroKid will also divide up download/purchase royalties on those platforms it distributes to. When it comes to streaming royalties, I like to say “They’re pennies, but they’re my pennies!”
Note: Bandcamp operates entirely outside those platforms that work with services like DistroKid. So you’ll need a licensing company like Easy Song if uploading your cover to Bandcamp.
What about YouTube Videos?
Since YouTube attaches ads to videos viewed by the general public (unless they subscribe to YouTube’s premium ad-free service) and makes money off those ads, it shares that revenue with the proper copyright holder of the song you’re covering. So if you clearly identify the songwriter or original artist and title of the song, YouTube will figure out the rights holder. Bear in mind, the rights holder can object to their song being covered and request that YouTube remove your cover. Just try covering the Eagles’ “Hotel California” and you’ll see what I mean.
Do you plan on recording and releasing a cover song? Which one? Tell us how you go about licensing it.
It’s been a long time coming! I felt strongly like there was some unfinished business — that these songs, recorded over the course of 25+ years, needed to be on an album. When you buy this album on Bandcamp, you get to download the tracks or stream them in the Bandcamp mobile app. You also make a statement that independently-created music has value, especially when you socially share the album here!
You can listen to the tracks below and decide about purchasing this Jersey-riffic collection. All purchases (compact disc or download/streaming) comes with a downloadable PDF booklet containing lyrics and stories behind the songs. The CD purchase also comes with the download and streaming access.
“It’s a Jersey Thing” is also on all streaming services, like Apple Music and Spotify.
Back in 1995 I was 3 years into my post-college life, which meant working in cubicles – as a temp and then as a full-timer. I had graduated into a recession and considered myself lucky to be employed. I also heard the whispers of the downsizing rumors, which fueled my sense of “gallows humor.” All this experience (and a dash of imagination) made its way into my song “Cubicle.”
This is the original recording from 1996, set to a new lyric video created in July 2022.
This article by Chelsey Johnstone in the Montclair Local was published online on July 7, 2022 and is expected to appear in the print edition on Thursday, July 14.
Jason Didner’s new album cover It’s a Jersey Thing
I’m excited to tell you I’m giving an album launch concert at Pilsener Haus & Biergarten in Hoboken on Saturday, July 23 at 5PM for my new release, “It’s a Jersey Thing!”
Pilsener Haus & Biergarten is logated at:
1422 Grand St Hoboken, NJ 07030
This album spans my 25+ year recording career, highlighting my most Jersey-centric tunes like “You Can’t Get There from Here in Jersey” and I’ll play every song from it.
To make sure the venue staffs up correctly for the event, please make a reservation.
