Songwriter is a 1984 film, directed by Alan Rudolph.
The film concerns Doc Jenkins, (Willie Nelson), a country and western composer and the devious tricks he employs to extricate himself from his legal entanglement with a Nashville gangster entrepreneur who takes all the profits from his songs. Fed up with life touring, and making no money from recordings of his music, Doc has turned to managing the career of his old singing partner Blackie Buck, (Kris Kristofferson). Doc takes a further client - a woman singer, Gilda, (Lesley Ann Warren). He wants to get back with his ex-wife Honey (Melinda Dillon). He wants solid ground beneath his feet again.
The film is a satirical comedy about an artist seeking his freedom. The material is loosely based on Willie Nelson's own life, and legend, and finances. His song "Night Life", for example, which he sold in 1961 for $150, went on to be recorded by over 70 artists and sold more than 30 million copies.
The film is reviewed, favourably, by the critic Pauline Kael in her collection of movie reviews, Hooked. "Playing a vain, laid-back sensualist, the silver bearded Kristofferson has a smiling glow; he has never been more at ease; Rip Torn is the pictures insurance against gentility. Everything he says sounds mean and dirty, and even when you can't understand his snarled out words he makes you laugh. Rhonda Dotson has something of Teri Garr's manic alertness and dippiness, too, but in a softer form. She's a romantic comedienne with awesome poise. Richard C. Sarafian has a whomping comic menace. Lesley Ann Warren's Gilda is spectacular. When we first see Gilda, she's a singer with no belief in herself and no class; she's an incredibly beautiful girl in a red dress [but] when Doc grooms her to go out as the opening act for Blackie, she begins to learn something about taste and musicianship, and her voice flowers. Besides being one of the great beauties of the screen, Warren can sing."
I'm a songwriter and I know just where I stand
I'm a songwriter, pen and paper in my hand
Get the words on the page
Please don't call me a sage,
I'm a songwriter
I'm a songwriter and I do it for a living
I'm a songwriter and I write about men and women
I can write about love and the stars up above
I'm a songwriter
I'm a songwriter and I'm hot on your trail
I'm a songwriter and my cheque's in the mail
I can move with the scene, I can make up a dream
I'm a songwriter
Na na na nana, na na na nana
I'm a songwriter I can do it for certain
I'm a songwriter even do it when I'm hurtin'
And if it comes to the bit, have to write another hit
I'm a songwriter
I'm a songwriter I can put it in words
I'm a songwriter and it's not for the birds
I can spin you a yarn, it's as long as my arm
I'm a songwriter
Na na na nana, na na na nana
I'm a songwriter
He sits with the guitar on his knee thinking of love that he's had
If it makes a sound he writes it down he's a songwriter
He's trying to paint little pictures of mountains
Turn little teardrops into mighty fountains he's a songwriter
He smiles at the good lines frown at the bad lines
Cries with the sad parts rewrites the bad parts he's a songwriter
He looks through the window of life some people think he's a joke
But who can tell the thing might sell he's a songwriter
He's trying to paint...
Thank you for hearing my tune now I'll get out of your room
[Intro:]
War dem a chuck it (Chuck it)
Mi push mi gun inna di fool mouth, and mek him suck it
Buss off di head and pick it up inna him bucket
[Chorus:]
Some bwoy nuh know bout badman tings dem a just song writer
But long before mi sing a song mi was a sniper
Mi bullet bite off a head call it di viper
Becau dem snitch and dem go ditch dat's wah they die fah
[Verse 1:]
Killa! Nuh please nuh ease cau mi gun just squeeze
Killa fish inna di queer and dat's di least
Cau mi bright, mi see mi nuh fear police
Nah priest, mon tuck dem knees
Cau mi ex off him, beat up pastor in church this is often
Stick it up, mi neva waan hear laughin
Or coughin a fi mi waan fi build dem coffin
And next ting, Fascheenie, weh di fuck do yuh?
How di pickney weh yuh get favor Bounty so?
Fool! Yuh know yuh caan confront mi so
Mon mi buss off yuh head wid di pump it so
Hey! Real gangsta nah run rocket
And next ting gangsta nah own jacket
Mi a real badman wid mi own matic
Bwoy dead pon di ground they only need static
Killin blood spillin a mi top it
Mon why start mi friend dem caan stop it
Mi have gun nuh have name don't tink of it
Dem find a likkle dutty body stink of it
[Chorus:]
A badman ting a nuh song writin
Shots flyin thru yuh head faster than lightnin
Battyman a keep dem party and invite him
But from dem par wid battyman Jah a go strike him
[Verse 2:]
Mi nuh hear seh a war dem a claim
Shame when a n*gga waan try fi play game
They betta don't put a foot pon di main
Copper inna face and mash out yuh brain
Chase cross mek di war get crosser
Mon mi haffi send out di maseter blaster
We nuh put bwoy inna plaster
Flexx pass Roach such a day a disaster
Dem caan stop mi cau mi movin faster
Dem try diss Killa and it cost alotta
Kill di dread cau him a nuh rasta