I write my own songs. Not everyone does. I’d wager that it’s fair to say that many solo performers and bands that you’ll see at Maine’s various live entertainment venues this summer play mainly covers.
Don’t get me wrong, covers are fine. In order to fill a three-hour setlist, I play covers. Lots of people like to hear songs they’re familiar with. In fact, there’s a reason grounded in psychology for this and why covers are popular and often, necessary for gigging musicians to perform.
Petr Janata who is an associate professor of psychology at UC Davis’ Center for Mind and Brain indicates that the popularity of cover tunes is that when humans hear a familiar piece of music, it serves as “a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in our head.” Janata states that songs can summon up “memories of a particular person or place, and you might all of a sudden see that person’s face in your mind’s eye.”
Is there a place for original music—certainly. Should I be playing all my own songs all night long? Probably not, at least not this year.
But, I do like coming up with my own songs.
Two weeks ago, I played the Kennebunk Farmers’ Market. My understanding was that it might lead to something semi-regular. Now, I’m not so sure.
I do know this. I got lots of $1 and $5 dollar tips. That tells me that people who heard me appreciated my music and they made a tangible show of their appreciation. I also wrote a new song just for that morning, about farmers’ markets in general.
I played it last week during a short video segment I call “Breakfast with Baumer.”
Here is “The Farmers’ Market Song.”