1. Lyrics aren't written...they're rewritten!
2. Colorful or flavorful images are remembered long after most of the words have been forgotten. Create a picture in your listener's mind.
3. Unnecessary words are unnecessary!
4. The only thing worse than overproducing a song is not producing it at all.
5. The more tracks you record on, the more ways to mess up the mix!
6. The best mikes will do little for lousy old strings on a guitar etc.
7. First step to getting a good sound is to get a good player.
8. Be your own severest critic!
9. You're better off with no drummer than a bad one. Buy a drum machine.
10. Excuses & apologies are boring at best and have no place in the music industry.
11. A song should be the musical equal to a short short story.
12. Make sure that the first song they hear is an attention grabber.
13. Grab the listener fast and keep it by withholding information.
14. Surprise endings are always a surprise.
15. Don't show off your chops...keep it simple.
16. If it feels good, use it.
17. Get the best singer you can find.
18. Background vocals should make musical sense or skip'em.
19. Always be prepared to leave a copy of the tape. Leave your master at home.
20. Copyright forms are available from Copyright Office, the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20559....Do I have to say it?
21. Life is like a piano, what you get out of it depends on how you play it.
22. You can own a Stradivarious, but that won't make music by it itself.
23. "So you're a songwriter, huh? That's great, but what do you do for a living?"...just smile to yourself. If they had any soul, THEY'D be creative!
24. Your attitude can make or break you. Think positive!
25. "Love is the bread of life, but music is the butter."

by Duke Kish on May 8 1963 sitting at the piano in the auditorium of Moravian College writing song number 1322. Duke Kish/May 1963