Songwriter Can't Live Without Her

Aspiring songwriter Josh Travis from Austin, Texas has come up with a song. Usually he plays James Taylor and Paul Simon covers at a coffee house. Now he is excited. It's got real feel!

"It's about what life would be like if I had to live without Jan, who I refer to in the song as you."

His musician friend Mike was a little suspicious. He had to hear a verse.

"That's it? And it goes C and E minor and C and E minor forever? And some sixths and sevenths?"

"Yeah."

"OK, it sound pretty good as far as the melody goes. But Josh, this 'Can't live if living is without you' stuff, you know it's not that novel. I think it was Harry Nilsson that sang it, or somebody way back."

"Really?"

"You should go the other way, like rip off some beatles song or something, these lyrics are pretty sappy and on top of that they are not new. You'll get sued."

"I never heard the Nilsson song."

"Doesn't matter, you will lose the copyright."

"So I should throw out the lyrics. What about Jan? She's heard it now."

"Throw out the lyrics."