About That Song: Tina Schlieske
About That Song #46
In our special series, singer-songwriter Sarah Morris interviews artists about the songs that shaped them.
Hi! I’m Sarah Morris. I’m wildly in love with songs and the people who write them. There have been a few songs in my life that have been total gamechangers—songs that made me want to be a songwriter and songs I’ve written that made me feel like I am a songwriter. About That Song is a space where I can learn more about those pivotal songs in other writers’ lives.
In the 46th edition of our special series, I spoke with the amazing Tina Schlieske about formative songs in her musical journey.
Tina Schlieske. Photo credit: Mike Madison.
Sarah: Hello Tina!! Congratulations on the release of The Good Life! It has felt like the perfect album to bring my heart into spring a bit more. Well-known for your songwriting as part of your projects Tina and the B-Sides, Genital Panic, Lola and the Red Hots, this album sees you offering up your fantastic voice to nine jazz standards. It is always such a wonderful thing to get to share any bit of time with you. I’m wondering, do you remember the song that you heard that made you want to be a songwriter? Tell us about that song.
Tina: That’s a hard one to answer! Like you, I just love songs, all kinds of songs. I do have a particular early memory of how a song made me feel. Sitting in the front seat with my parents, Elton John’s song “Tiny Dancer” came on. When he sang the lyric “Count the headlights on the highway,” it just blew me away because I could count the headlights! It was that connection of wow, he’s singing what is happening right now, how the melody was making me feel, and the lyrics speaking directly to me…I guess that gave me that first bug about songwriting. That moment seemed to open the world of song to me. Two other songs that stood out were Joni Mitchell’s “For Free" and Leonard Cohen’s “So Long, Marianne”… OMG, I seriously could go on and on!!
Sarah: Oh what a trio of songs to bring you to the songwriter path! Where you CAN count the headlights on the highway. That flash of recognition—such a gift from one writer to another. Once you began writing, did you feel like a writer immediately? It absolutely took me a few years of writing before I believed it—was there a song that gave you that “a-HA! I AM a songwriter!” moment? Tell us about that song.
Tina: No, I did not feel like a writer immediately and I have to say I dip in and out of it so much!
Sarah: I get that—I don’t think the “believing” of it is a permanent state for me, and I imagine that’s true for a lot of writers/artists/creatives.
Tina: That old imposter syndrome is REAL! But the first time that I felt like I truly connected all the dots in melody and lyric was for my song “Paper Doll.” I was listening to a lot of Joni Mitchell at the time, playing around with different tunings and whatnot. I love her ability to be so real with her lyrics, almost like diary entries but very much like a poem. This will sound a little funny but there was a Pearl Jam song that was very popular at that time called “Daughter.” It occurred to me that this was a man writing about a young girl—that he was giving her a voice, and I should write in my own voice. It’s a simple thing but sometimes we forget how valuable our own experiences are, from our perspective.
Sarah: Pearl Jam and Joni to the rescue, perhaps? I’m so glad that they led you to that knowing—the value of writing of your own experiences, the sharing of your story—which no doubt has hit a listener with the pang of “how did Tina know how I’m feeling?” The headlights keep shining from singer to listener to singer to listener.
Your current album, The Good Life, is a covers album, so let’s talk a bit about those tunes. Containing eight songs I already loved, there is one that you introduced to me: “Lilac Wine.” I read that you discovered it via Jeff Buckley, which led you to Nina Simone’s version. Can you tell us about that song?
Tina: Jeff Buckley’s Grace album just blew me away. I wish I wrote just about every song off of that album! I’d never heard that song, and to me it was so unusual: the storyline, the cadence, the way it moved from each section. It sounded like some kind of mini-opera. The drama! I was taken by it but never thought I could sing it properly. A song like that needs to be sung with the emotion woven seamlessly with technique. At that time, I was ALL emotion when it came to singing. I finally worked up the courage a few years ago and now it's just become a part of me. Vocally it’s a joy for me to sing.
Tina Schlieske. Photo credit: Steve Cohen.
Sarah: The world of jazz standards is big and beautiful—containing so many songs you could have wrapped your voice around—was there a song or two that you considered but ultimately left off the album?
Tina: Oh my, yes. Ella Fitzgerald’s “I’m Beginning To See The Light.” I’m obsessed with her rendition of that. I’m pretty much in awe of all of Ella’s tracks. And surprisingly enough, Peggy Lee’s “Fever.” Another great song but singing it with the right conviction is very difficult.
Sarah: The Ella Fitzgerald you mentioned is one of the big deal recordings for me as well. As much as just about every Ella Fitzgerald song I’ve ever heard sounds like perfection to me, “I’m Beginning To See The Light” is maybe the tops of the tops! And “Fever”—the Peggy Lee is SO iconic, I’ve always imagined it hard to find myself inside that song—if that makes any sense. You’ve been performing this music as part of your Sinatra to Simone shows for a few years—has it influenced your songwriting at all? Have you written any originals that fit into those nights?
Tina: You know it has. As a songwriter, I would approach music from more of a folk/blues angle, so when I would sit down to write I’d usually just go where my emotions would take me progression-wise and lyrically. After singing these standards for a while now, I have this perspective that I’m bringing now that has more intention. Telling a classic story about love or heartache is something that I would never have felt comfortable with before, or using more complicated chords. I know it sounds so simple, but that little shift can feel so huge when you sit down and write.
Sarah: That shift sounds pretty profound, actually. I think something within that realm of standards that is so special is how the harmonic structure can be more complicated, but at the end of the day, the lyric is usually centered around an extra classic story of LOVE or HEARTACHE. The lyrics, the chords—all poetry, but the story is often expressing an all caps EMOTION.
Your primary residence is in California, but we’re lucky to get to see you perform here in the Midwest fairly often. Do you have any shows coming up in the next few months where we might hear you sing these songs, or any other song for that matter?
Tina: I do have some shows coming up! I’m playing with the B-Sides down in Red Wing at the Sheldon Theatre on Friday, May 17th. It’s been a while since we’ve had a show together so I’m looking forward to playing with all of them. I’ll also be at the MN State Fair August 22 and 23. And we’re working on some cool shows for the fall, so you’ll be seeing me in all those familiar places! (Had to go there…) Anyway, Minnesota is such a great place for music. I feel so fortunate that I can come back and play!
Sarah: How wonderful! I especially look forward to seeing you at the State Fair! Summer! It’s the good life! Until then—wishing you a wonderful spring, Tina. Thank you for the conversation.
Listen to “Lilac Wine”
The Good Life Album Credits
Tina Schlieske - Vocals
Bryan Nichols - Piano
Cody Mckinney - Bass
Pete Hennig - Drums
Jake Baldwin - Trumpet
Brandon Wozniak - Tenor saxophone
Kevin Gastonguay - Organ (track 2)
LABEL:
Shifting Paradigm Records Catalog Number: SP194
UPC CD: 197999475077
UPC LP: 197999515339
shiftingparadigmrecords.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Morris. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Sarah Morris is a superfan of songs and the people who write them, and a believer that certain songs can change your life. A singer-songwriter / mama / bread maker / coffee drinker who recently released her fifth album of original material, she’s been known to joyfully sing with people in her Big Green Bathroom.
