![\"Steely](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Steely-Dan-1974-Far-Out-Magazine-F-1140x855.jpg\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
(Credits: Far Out \/ Steely Dan \/ Shockwaves Records)<\/p>\n
Wed 8 October 2025 21:00, UK <\/p>\n
The art of songwriting is something that people have devoted their lives to understanding, with Steely Dan<\/a> even giving up life on the road in a bid to pursue perfect songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n There has always been a problem imposed on musicians by the live show. When artists are writing songs, they limit what they can do with the knowledge that they\u2019re going to have to take the songs on the road with them eventually. As such, they can\u2019t be too adventurous with what they lay down in the studio because they know that they won\u2019t be able to play that same music live. <\/p>\n For example, when The Beatles were touring, their live shows consisted of songs from their first few albums, comprised using just the instruments the members could play, and while well-crafted were relatively unadventurous. When they decided to stop playing live, the collective realisation that they could push themselves more as songwriters to incorporate complex themes as well as string sections to layer their sounds made the whole move worthwhile and their output more cinematic.\u00a0<\/p>\n Naturally, when you decide to become more adventurous with your music, you need to ensure you have the right people on hand to guide that vision to successful life. The Beatles were already set to win in this regard, as they had their engineer and producer George Martin, who could put together beautiful string sections.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe writing of the parts is me, and the requirements is them,\u201d said Martin when discussing the writing process<\/a>, \u201cIt varied between John and Paul. Paul was generally quite articulate with what he wanted. Mostly we would sit down at the piano together and play it through and work out how it would sound. Paul still doesn\u2019t know how to orchestrate, but he knew what he wanted and would give me ideas, and I would say, \u2018You can\u2019t do that\u2019, or \u2018You can do this\u2019. We\u2019d talk about it, talk it through.\u201d<\/p>\n