Arjay Sharp seeks to bring the classic rock sound into a modern context. Inspired by the sounds of the 80’s pop and rock he grew up with, he crafts songs that tell stories, building narratives that turn into full story arcs in his albums. Taking inspiration from the greats like Billy Joel, it’s fitting that one of his most recent singles, “Delusions”, managed to pay homage to the Piano Man’s catalog while also being a relatable tale of unrequited love (one which the object of his affection witnessed him recording).
Recording the song in the studio of Richie Cannata (among other things, Billy Joel‘s saxophonist), Arjay sat down with me to discuss crafting this multilayered slice of classic piano pop.
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Indy Review: So what inspired the concept of crafting a single song around the work of Billy Joel?
Arjay Sharp: I’m from California (now in Colorado), but my unrequited was born and raised on Long Island. Billy was my inspiration growing up, and she’s a big fan as well, so his music gave us common ground. Our third outing was a Joel concert in 2014, my birthday gift to her. Having never seen him before, she was very grateful, and that began a new phase in our friendship. This inspired me to write something in his style about us. The idea of using his titles in my lyrics came later.
IR: How did you start the process of writing the lyrics? Did you have a few already in your head that told the story, and fill them out from there?
AS: I began by listing every song or album title, including his work with The Hassles. I set a target for 52, because of “52nd Street”. I don’t recall any that first inspired me, the process was more like unboxing a large puzzle. I went through numerous rewrites getting things to fit, to rhyme—far more than I usually do.
IR: Did you know the full story you wanted to tell in your song first, or did you let the lyrics/song titles dictate how you crafted the narrative?
AS: That was the hardest part! The story came first. I knew it might sound contrived, so I aimed to sound natural while keeping to our story, as honestly as I could. I don’t think there’s a line that isn’t true in some fashion. For example:
Verse 2:
My dreams are full of romance scenes
From an Italian restaurant
Yes I try to tell her about it, but hardly with the
Honesty I want
So I’ll say goodbye to Hollywood and try
Warming up to reality
Pressure is on, to write a weekend song
From a soul nobody knows but me
I dreamt of taking us to Bari where her father was born, where maybe some dormant romance would awaken. I imagined a loving and passionate LTR (“all your crazy dreams”), but up until this point I hadn’t really told her everything I feel. We met in Beverly Hills (as told in my song “Aurora Over Hollywood”). Repeatedly, I’d aim to let go of the fantasy of us and warm up to the truth. But as my hopes returned to win her over, I returned to songwriting, hoping the next song would woo her enough to give us a chance.
IR: You recorded the song in Richie Cannata’s studio, and got Richie to play sax on the song. How did you first connect with Richie, and what were his thoughts when you told him the song was going to be crafted from Billy Joel’s work?
AS: I knew I wanted someone involved who had ever worked with Billy. I was thinking maybe an engineer. When I found Cove City Sound with ties to Richie, that was more than I’d hoped for! Of course I’d want to record this on Long Island, too. I was enchanted and ended up taking out a loan!
I remember calling the studio and feeling surprised to be speaking with him, my heart racing the whole time. Growing up, I tried learning his solo on “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me” (I played sax in marching band, and in a rock band I formed with friends). When I mentioned my idea, he said “Then I’m definitely your guy!” The solo: https://youtu.be/5eAQa4MOGkE?feature=shared&t=110
I think it was our second call when I asked him about playing on “Delusions”, and I was over the moon when he said yes. I even wrote the coda later, just so he could play two solos.
IR: Have you asked him to share the track with Billy?
AS: No. Sometimes I struggle to assert myself, but I also wasn’t sure what their relationship was like. Having Billy hear it is also a tad scary, but in a good way.
IR: You had your unrequited love in the studio with you as you were recording the track. Did she know it was written about her, and what was her reaction to it?
Ha! She did know it was about her, just as she knew of prior songs. Our growing friendship was solid, and we were open about the mismatched feelings. If you’ve seen the artwork for “Delusions”, that’s us. She’s posing as herself, my muse! It’s odd, it’s dysfunctional, but also wonderful. It was nearly an hour drive from her place to the studio. On the way, I handed her the lyrics and said “Here, don’t let it go to your head”.
Despite our transparency, I didn’t plan on singing about her in front of her. I’d arranged to record musicians on Saturday, including Richie, and bring her that day so she could meet him. This left Sunday to track vocals without her. Well, Richie had a conflict and asked if he could switch days, so we did, and she was right there in Studio B as I sang my laments of unrequited love. She even teased and said “Come on, I wanna hear some passion!” She loves the song, but her love for me remains platonic.
IR: Did this songwriting challenge teach you anything new about songwriting, or inspire how you approach writing songs after?
AS: Good question. I think it taught me patience, and the importance of writing and refining. There was plenty of that.
IR: Thank you for sharing all of that!
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Listen to “Delusions” in our A Single Sit-Down Playlist!
The Indy Review 