Diane Warren — the Superstar of Lyrics and Music
September 25th, 2008
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Merryl Lentz asked:
There’s an old saying that behind every great man is a woman. That may or may not be true, but it’s a fact that behind the lyrics and songs of many great bands and singers, there definitely is a woman—and her name is Diane Warren.
Warren has been an amazingly prolific and versatile writer and co-writer of chart-topping song lyrics and music for more than two decades. Specializing in writing lyrics and music for ballads, Warren has a unique gift for communicating compelling and universal messages that translate to any musical genre or style. Composing songs an incredible 365 days a year, Warren seems to write effortlessly, as though lyrics and music are channeled through her by divine guidance.
This expertise with music and lyrics made Warren the first songwriter to ever have seven hits, by seven different artists, on Billboard’s singles chart simultaneously. Her music and lyrics are so appealing that numerous musicians have recorded their own versions of the same song—a record-breaking eight artists covered her song, “Don’t Turn Around.” She’s written music and song lyrics for countless superstars, for TV shows, and for nearly 100 movies. And those tunes and lyrics have won more awards than any trophy case can comfortably hold.
Warren’s passion for words to songs and writing music emerged when she was a teenage Californian listening to Top 40 radio. But she discovered she was more interested in the songwriters—including Carole King, Lieber and Stoller, and Burt Bacharach—than the songs, themselves. She realized without a doubt that she wanted to write lyrics! She wanted to write music!
But her mother had other ideas, and noting the competitiveness of the music industry, tried to steer Warren toward what she perceived as the stability of secretarial work. Her father, disagreed, and supported his daughter’s dream of writing song lyrics and music. Luckily, Dad won that particular battle, paving the way for a songwriter whose tunes and lyrics would make history.
Warren scored her first hit in 1983, writing the lyrics and music for “Solitaire,” which was performed by Laura Branigan and rocketed to the charts’ Top 10. Three years later, her talent for writing lyrics and music hit the chart bullseye at #1 when Warren penned “Rhythm of the Night” for DeBarge. Songs by Warren have charted more than 100 times. The vast list of top entertainers who have benefited from Warren’s prowess for writing and co-writing songs and their lyrics includes:
• Mariah Carey
• Alice Cooper
• Trisha Yearwood
• Aerosmith
• Barbra Streisand
• LeAnne Rimes
• Kid Rock
• Heart
• KISS
• Tom Jones
• Cheap Trick
• Cher
Warren’s winning parings of music and lyrics have also graced scores of soundtracks for movies such as:
• “Armageddon”
• “Coyote Ugly”
• “Gone in Sixty Seconds”
• “Moulin Rouge”
• “Pearl Harbor”
• “Up Close and Personal”
• “Legally Blonde II: Red, White and Blonde”
• “American Gangster”
So, the next time you go to a movie….or see your favorite band….or watch a TV show….or listen to the radio….there’s a good chance that the woman behind the music and lyrics is none other than Diane Warren!
ZELINSKI
There’s an old saying that behind every great man is a woman. That may or may not be true, but it’s a fact that behind the lyrics and songs of many great bands and singers, there definitely is a woman—and her name is Diane Warren.
Warren has been an amazingly prolific and versatile writer and co-writer of chart-topping song lyrics and music for more than two decades. Specializing in writing lyrics and music for ballads, Warren has a unique gift for communicating compelling and universal messages that translate to any musical genre or style. Composing songs an incredible 365 days a year, Warren seems to write effortlessly, as though lyrics and music are channeled through her by divine guidance.
This expertise with music and lyrics made Warren the first songwriter to ever have seven hits, by seven different artists, on Billboard’s singles chart simultaneously. Her music and lyrics are so appealing that numerous musicians have recorded their own versions of the same song—a record-breaking eight artists covered her song, “Don’t Turn Around.” She’s written music and song lyrics for countless superstars, for TV shows, and for nearly 100 movies. And those tunes and lyrics have won more awards than any trophy case can comfortably hold.
Warren’s passion for words to songs and writing music emerged when she was a teenage Californian listening to Top 40 radio. But she discovered she was more interested in the songwriters—including Carole King, Lieber and Stoller, and Burt Bacharach—than the songs, themselves. She realized without a doubt that she wanted to write lyrics! She wanted to write music!
But her mother had other ideas, and noting the competitiveness of the music industry, tried to steer Warren toward what she perceived as the stability of secretarial work. Her father, disagreed, and supported his daughter’s dream of writing song lyrics and music. Luckily, Dad won that particular battle, paving the way for a songwriter whose tunes and lyrics would make history.
Warren scored her first hit in 1983, writing the lyrics and music for “Solitaire,” which was performed by Laura Branigan and rocketed to the charts’ Top 10. Three years later, her talent for writing lyrics and music hit the chart bullseye at #1 when Warren penned “Rhythm of the Night” for DeBarge. Songs by Warren have charted more than 100 times. The vast list of top entertainers who have benefited from Warren’s prowess for writing and co-writing songs and their lyrics includes:
• Mariah Carey
• Alice Cooper
• Trisha Yearwood
• Aerosmith
• Barbra Streisand
• LeAnne Rimes
• Kid Rock
• Heart
• KISS
• Tom Jones
• Cheap Trick
• Cher
Warren’s winning parings of music and lyrics have also graced scores of soundtracks for movies such as:
• “Armageddon”
• “Coyote Ugly”
• “Gone in Sixty Seconds”
• “Moulin Rouge”
• “Pearl Harbor”
• “Up Close and Personal”
• “Legally Blonde II: Red, White and Blonde”
• “American Gangster”
So, the next time you go to a movie….or see your favorite band….or watch a TV show….or listen to the radio….there’s a good chance that the woman behind the music and lyrics is none other than Diane Warren!
ZELINSKI
