Drowned Madonna: John, welcome to Drowned Madonna. You are described as a celebrated, award-winning lyricist who has worked in all genres of song-writing and his songs have been recorded by the most notable names from country, to R&B and pop. Did you ever stop to reflect and think about how far you have gone?

John Bettis: I’m not sure that I would describe myself that way, but it is flattering. Yes, I suppose it is inevitable that the longer one’s songs live the more one is reminded of the time stretching between when they were written and the present. I don’t stop myself to think about it very much. However, I am grateful to have spent a lifetime at something that has continued to engage me and attract other people. The unwritten song still interests me more then the written one, though. Isn’t that the nature of the beast?

DM: Music was always your passion since you were a child. When did you start trumpeting?

JB: I was 8 when I began the trumpet. It was odd. For some reason, I understood the instrument from the moment I picked it up. I had many great teachers who helped that.

DM: Who did incite you?

JB: My mother. We come from a rural background as far back as anyone can count. Rural people play music to fill the nights at home and the Sunday’s at church—so everyone has to learn to play something. My siblings had all been taught piano and after 3 years of lessons none of them could play anything but the Marine’S Hymn in the key of C. When it came to be my turn, my mother, (who blamed the instrument and not her children) took me to the music store. I was asked to point at an instrument that I wanted to play. First, I pointed at the drums. My mother said: ”Point again.” I pointed at the trumpet and that was that.

DM: Do you remember what kind of music you were listening to when you were a teenager?

JB: I was part of the lucky generation and I lived in a fortunate place. It was the lucky generation because my transistor radio played EVERYTHING. That was the nature of radio then. James Brown, Elvis, Bing Crosby, Ike and Tina, Phil Spector’s stuff and Hank Snow were all played on the same stations. This wide spectrum of music drove me to the record store and I bought stacks of records. If the record companies want to help their bottom-line they might want to look at radio as hard as they are looking at the internet. As McLuhan said: “ The media is the message.” Big radio equals little record companies, it would seem. Oh, the fortunate place was the port of Los Angeles. It was a town of immigrants. One of my neighbors played nothing but Mexican music. The other one played Yugoslav folk songs and dances.

DM: When did you start song-writing?

JB: At 17. In childhood, music was such a natural part of my life that I didn’t question it. However, it wasn’t my singular interest. Words were an obsession since I had learned to read. I was writing stories and poetry before I played music. Also, learning in general has always been central to my life. My future was not going to be show business; it was the law. Then I got the lead in the musical "Carousel" and realized that two guys wrote it. I was hooked. Bob Dylan and the Beatles settled the discussion. I’m just glad that my mother lived to see me have hits. She wasn’t in favor of my choice.

DM: Do you remember the first song you wrote and when you start writing it?

JB: Yes—it was a dour little ditty written for a girl. She liked it well enough to kiss me. My first success! I was 17.

DM: One of your first songs has been recorded by the Hep Stars, a group that went on to be known as ABBA. How did it happen?

JB: Actually, I wrote the song, "Changing Away From You," shortly after my first group with Rich and Karen broke up. I was thrashing around, writing songs and performing when a manager/publisher of the group The Association heard me at a club. He signed me and began publishing my songs. Then the great silence started. After several months—he called me and said: “I got you a record.” I asked by whom? He said: “They’re Swedish and their name is the Hep Stars.” I groaned—Sweden? The Hep Stars? It was much later when I learned who they were and what a compliment it was. The group was, indeed, made up of some of the members of ABBA, who later included the song on their retrospective box-set.

DM: That same year you co-founded The Carpenters, which made music history. What are your memories?

JB: There are too many memories to relate them on this page. Suffice it to say: The Carpenters were my first garage band and I shared it with two of the most talented people who ever walked into a studio. We were then and are still working outside the lines. People hear what we accomplished and it sounds like such a natural now. Back then, what we were recording and what we were writing went completely against the grain of what anyone else was doing. And they told us so.

DM: You have written "Crazy for You" for Madonna. Did you originally write it for Madonna as soundtrack of Harold Becker's "Vision Quest" movie?

JB: We wrote it for the film. Jon Lind and I were asked to write a performance song for a club scene in the film. Madonna singing it was the inspiration of Joel Sill at the film company.

DM: Who did commission the track?

JB: Warner Films.

DM: How long did it take to write "Crazy for You"?

JB: About 3 hours. Jon called it the Uri Geller writing session—after the paranormal psychic. I just heard the lyric within the music. It was very easy to take the dictaition. It was fun to feel such a close connection to a tune.

DM: What was your inspiration?

JB: The script of the film was about a young man struggling to realize a vision. He wants to fight a champion to prove himself. Along the way, he stumbles into his first love. The song reflects the emotions of his encounter with that love.

DM: Did you directly worked with Madonna during the writing process or the recording process?

JB: Briefly, yes. Before the recording—she and I worked on some lyric questions she had. Then, Jon and I were at the original session done by Phil Ramone. The record, however, was completely re-recorded by Rob Moundsey and that is the famous version. He did a miraculous job.

DM: Do you like how Madonna made it her own song?

JB: Of course. It is to be expected with an artist of her individuality.

DM: Was the original demo different from the final cut?

JB: Yes and no. The demo was very acoustically based. Lots of acoustic guitar playing the famous sliding lines gave a bit more of a James Taylor sort of feel to it. However, the arrangement on the demo was very close to the ultimate record.

DM: Any anecdotes?

JB: It took a long time for the film and record to be released. I did two pictures ("Legend" and "The Lonely Guy") between the time "Crazy For You" was written and recorded and the release. I had given up on it. Then one day—Jon called me to say he had a surprise for me. I went to his house and he played me the single and I knew it was a hit. Never give up—there’s always a miracle out there somewhere. That’s the lesson.

DM: "Crazy For You" was indeed such an incredible hit that the movie has been renamed "Crazy For You" when it was released in Europe. So you expected that big success...

JB: When I wrote it, yes. When I was waiting for it to be released, no.

DM: Did you write any other track for Madonna that has not been used yet?

JB: No. I don’t think that she and I repeat ourselves very much.

DM: Have you ever met Madonna after "Crazy For You"?

JB: No.

DM: John, you are a very talented song-writer... so we cannot keep from asking what you think about Madonna's song-writing ability.

JB: She has astonishing instincts. She knows where to be, what to look for and how to write it down. What else can one ask for?

DM: You have written many of the most beautiful soundtracks. Which one are you most proud of?

JB: In all honesty, it would be "Crazy For You" from "Vision Quest."

DM: Besides Madonna, you have worked with some of the most important music artists of all times, including Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Joe Cocker, America, Kim Carmes, Celine Dion, Miles Davis, Whitney Houston, Christopher Cross and Julio Iglesias. I would say, 'Wow!'. How would you describe your song-writing career? What would you highlight?

JB: There are literally just too many to name. The "Thriller" album ranks way up there. "Heartland" and "Pure Country" being the biggest country sountrack of all time is pretty cool. The popularity of it is still so great that we are just about to mount that on the road as a staged musical. "One Moment In Time" being played 24/7 as they tore down the Berlin wall was astonishing.

DM: You current interest is Broadway. How is working on a musical?

JB: Fun, slow, exhilarating, laborious, the same as all writing and totally different.

DM: What are your working right now?

JB: In theater we are coming to NY in ’09 with "Josephine," a musical based on the life of Josephine Baker.

DM: Can you tell us your upcoming projects?

JB: At the moment I have a new CD out in Europe "East Of Angel Town" by Peter Cincotti. I am very proud of it. "Goodbye Philadelphia," the single from it, has already been a hit in several countries and the second singles "Cindarella Beautiful" and "December Boys" are coming in January. It is easily the most solid work and the most advanced style that I have generated. Peter's musical talent is so deep and layered that our songs cut deeper and seem to linger longer. It also provided the opportunity for Peter and I to give a snapshot of Manhattan 2007, our home, to the world. Peter is someone to watch—and then pay to see him again. Once you see him, you'll know.

DM: Peter Cincotti's "Goodbye Philadelphia" is a hit here in Italy and we love it! Would you like to collaborate with Madonna again?

JB: I cannot believe anyone would answer no to that question.

DM: Anything you would like to say to our readers?

JB: Thank you for your time. I hope you have liked something of mine that you have heard. If you have, buy "East of Angel Town," you won't be disappointed.