“She Pours”
Written by Paul Ivy & Elizabeth Eckert
Interview by American Songwriter
Paul Ivy & Elizabeth Eckert scored 1st place in the July/August 2024 American Songwriter Lyric Contest for their song “She Pours.” American Songwriter caught up with Ivy & Eckert to get the scoop on the inspiration behind the lyrics and other musings.
What made you decide to enter the American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest?
Paul Ivy: I entered the contest because I was proud of these lyrics and thought they might have a chance. I also love the magazine.
Elizabeth Eckert: Paul gets all the credit for this one. I’ve admired the contest for a long time.
How did you feel when you learned you won?
PI: When I heard I won, I was stunned. It’s exciting to hear you won first place! I was extremely happy for Elizabeth and me!
EE: It’s such an honor to have our work recognized. As songwriters, we write so many songs that most folks never hear. Songs are meant to be shared.
What was the inspiration for your submission? Why did you want to write it?
PI: The inspiration came from Elizabeth, who brought the title to the write. We wanted to write it for anyone who has ever been abandoned.
EE: We wanted to express the viewpoint of someone affected by someone else’s drinking (and ultimately their own). The comparison of pouring rain, tears, and alcohol felt right.
What’s the story behind the song “She Pours”?
PI: I would say the story is about a grown woman trying to fill the void of her father walking out on the family one stormy night. She knows the incoming storm will awaken her memory of that night, and she tries to ease the pain with alcohol. She knows after the storm passes, she’ll be okay, but she just has to get through it.
EE: I lived in the Midwest for a while and remember that feeling of a big storm rolling in. It was the perfect backdrop for the song.
Have you written music for this lyric? If so, how would you describe it?
PI: We have music written. It’s in 3/4 time medium tempo.
EE: Yes, we wrote the lyrics and music at the same time. I was sitting at the piano. It’s the most natural way for me to write.
How long have you been writing lyrics?
PI: I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember, at least since I was 12 or 13.
EE: The first song I remember writing was about the forest, and I submitted it for the school science fair in 2nd grade. Shockingly, I didn’t win.
Since 1984, American Songwriter’s Lyric Contest has helped aspiring songwriters get noticed and have fun. Enter the 2024 Lyric Contest today before the deadline:
What keeps you motivated as a songwriter?
PI: Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated, but the process of writing and being able to create a song out of just an idea is an exciting challenge, and I keep striving to always be better than before.
EE: Co-writes keep me motivated and committed to creating.
Who are your all-time favorite songwriters and why?
PI: I like classic country writers as well as today’s writers who build country songs on the shoulders of past writers. I also like American Standard and American Songbook tunes.
EE: Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Carole King, Marc Cohn, Darrell Scott.
What’s next for you?
PI: What’s next? Keep writing and creating meaningful commercial songs. I’m excited to see what comes next!
EE: Keep doing what I’m doing here in Nashville. Write, perform, connect, rinse, repeat.
What would you tell other songwriters who are considering entering the Lyric Contest?
PI: If you’re a songwriter you will keep at it. It’s a good addiction. Keep watching as life unfolds and get ideas that everyone can relate to. Be in the human race and touch the hearts of people.
EE: Make music for music’s sake. If you write songs because you have to, you’re onto something. And enter YOUR lyrics so we can read them in an upcoming magazine!
