Ellis Paul - Songwriting

Songwriting

"Boston-style" songwriting refers to the introspective and literate breed of singer-songwriter so prevalent in the modern folk music landscape. According to Paul, Boston-style songwriting grew out of Boston's thriving folk scene with its dense collection of colleges, college radio stations and listening rooms. Boston radio includes the University of Massachusetts’ WUMB, the country's foremost radio station for folk and acoustic music 24-hours a day. Paul said the Boston songwriters tend to be more thoughtful and soft because in an intimate listening room, "all you’ve got is you and your words." Boston-style songwriting tends to be more about lyric than melody, is intimate and thoughtful but also relevant, often addressing social issues. Boston-style songwriting does not only refer to Boston musicians, but includes national artists such as Shawn Colvin, John Gorka, Susan Werner, Bill Morrissey, and Dar Williams. In an interview with Paul Freeman for the East Bay Daily News, Paul commented on how he hopes audience members relate to his songs, "Each song is supposed to be like a little three-dimensional world. I'm hoping to invite them in, have them make out the details and the reasons for being there, and apply them to their own lives. But I'm also hoping to entertain them."

After graduating from Boston College, Paul worked as a case worker at an inner city school in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, working with children with behavioral problems and also worked as a social worker in Boston with clients who were drug dealers, rapists, and other kinds of criminal offenders. His work experiences opened his eyes to see the world in a broader, more open-minded way and provided material for the songs he was beginning to write. Early in his career Paul promised himself that he would always write about the things he knew well. In her review of Ellis Paul Live for the Folk and Music Exchange, Roberta Schwartz said, "His finely honed songs tell stories filled with images that sparkle like jewels. His is a poet's heart, and a romantic's soul. He is an optimist who believes in people and possibilities."

"Conversation With a Ghost" Sorry, your browser either has JavaScript disabled or does not have any supported player.
You can download the clip or download a player to play the clip in your browser. Sample of Ellis Paul's "Conversation With a Ghost" from Say Something, an example of his distinctive lyrical style, described by reviewers as using a minimum of words to tell a story effectively whilst avoiding cliché.

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