The newest addition to our St. Patricks’s Day eCard collection, Magical Brew, is set to a very catchy Irish jingle! Our in-house writer, Scott, is the lyrical genius behind it, so we sat down with him to get the scoop on how he gets into his writing groove.
Have you ever written a song like this before?
I’ve been writing goofy rhymes and songs for close to twenty years now. I’ve done several for JibJab, including the Pilgrim Song last Thanksgiving and the Cowboy Kiss Your Behind birthday eCard. The last two years I’ve gotten to work on the JibJab Year In Review, which had long been a dream of mine.
When did you discover you had the gift of words & rhythm?
Way back in 1993 I got a job writing humor for a well known greeting card company. At that time they needed a lot of light rhyming card copy and didn’t have many writers on the humor staff who were interested in it. I hadn’t written much verse before then, but I discovered I had a knack for it. It soon became my specialty.
How is the process of writing a song like this different from your other storybook & eCard writing?
It’s a lot like writing for the storybooks because you have to think about the visual execution and the pacing. In the case of an animated song with a well known tune, the music establishes the pace, so you have to work within that framework. I find the process very different from writing ecard gags, which usually rely on one joke and are often more visually driven.
Where does most of your writing take place? Do you need to find inspiration other places than at your desk?
I do most of my writing in a tiny studio space close to my house. For me it’s very helpful to have a dedicated work space without distractions. Sometimes I do need a change of pace for inspiration, especially when I’m trying to generate raw ideas. At those times I either work in a coffee shop or go for a walk and take a notepad along.
What is your favorite ‘Magical Brew?’
I live in Kansas City, where we have a great local microbrewery called Boulevard. Their Pale Ale has been my go-to beer for years. I also started brewing my own about a year ago, but I haven’t made one that counts as my favorite yet. I’m still learning.
Now that we’ve learned a little bit more about Scott & his writing process, take a listen to his tune by casting yourself & friends into this fun video!
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