Writing Music for Television and Radio Commercials (and more): A Manual for Composers and Students

Jingle Writing !! 163

produce.... I think the most important thing is to be well

rounded in things you are going to need to make a living. Study

the crafts of composing and arranging. I find a lot of composers

are weak in arranging.

The following is my interview with two-time Grammy Award–winning
singer Cissy Houston (the former leader of the Sweet Inspirations—one of
the most successful background singing groups in recorded music his-
tory—who sang backgrounds on more than 500 hit records):

MZ: What is the difference between singing on a commercial and

singing on a record?

Cissy: With commercials you have to be quick because time is

money... they want people who are quick and give them the

kind of expression that they need.

MZ: Does the fact that the lyric has to be exceptionally clear when

singing a commercial affect your singing style?

Cissy: I don’t know that it affects your singing style because I’m

fussy about my diction anyway. It just makes you kind of ner-

vous sometimes when you have to do that kind of thing in 30

seconds or 60 seconds—you’ve got to get that message across

the way they want you to do it. Sometimes they go over some-

thing over and over again, and sometimes they come right back

to the first one, which is the best one.

MZ: On average, how many takes do you record when singing on

a commercial?

Cissy: Maybe eight to 10. [Cissy said that sometimes the producer

combines the best lines from each take to compile the final

vocal.]

MZ: Since you have been so successful as a background singer,

what is it you look for when hiring background singers to sing

with you?

Cissy: I look for somebody who is quick and who is paying atten-

tion and who is on time... you have to have a good blend...

people who are serious about their work... some people come

in and want to play games—that really annoys me.

MZ: Some lead singers are not good background singers and vice

versa. Since you have worn both hats, can you tell me the differ-

ences?

Cissy: It’s really hard to be a great background singer. When it

comes to backgrounds, you have to blend with other people and

listen to other people singing—most people don’t—they listen

to themselves or just don’t have that blend.

MZ: How does a young singer break into studio work?

Cissy: I would suggest that they learn to read [music]... you still