Welcome to Song Friends

Things I've learned from a life writing songs

Welcome to Song Friends, a newsletter written by me, Jay Knowles, for us: the writers, singers, players and lovers of songs... and our friends.

Every two weeks, I’ll write about writing songs. Occasionally about the how and the why. But more often, about the things my friends and I have discovered about art and work and the world and ourselves as the result of spending our lives sitting down every day and trying to write yet another song that hopefully someone… or maybe even everyone… will sing.

For those unfamiliar with this Substack format, here’s how it works: A new issue arrives in your inbox. You get to read it at your leisure. Heart it at your discretion. Comment on it however you are moved to do so. Oh. And share it with everyone who you think might enjoy it.

Cuz yup. It’s free. Eventually there may be a paid version with extra goodies for the folks who want it. But that’s not the point.

So what is the point? That’s what we’re all here to find out.

Sometimes I may link a short playlist of whatever songs I happen to reference through the course of an issue. Don’t worry, it will rarely include one of my own songs. But for this introductory edition, why not?

The first song I ever wrote began with an idea far less crazy than this newsletter deal. Just me, five years old, one morning at breakfast saying, “Hey dad, I want to write a song about a gorilla and a banana.”

And then we did.

So. See y’all in two weeks. And in the meantime, enjoy Raffi singing “The Gorilla Song” while I enjoy having a little fun with your Spotify algorithm.