Web Smarts
What: This website offers a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the making of a song. Bill Payne, from the country band Little Feat, hosts the site, and provides his personal reflections on writing song lyrics.
Best points: Visitors can read from Mr. Payne's journal, or hear the progressions of some of his hit songs with Litte Feat from the initial writing of the lyrics, to the raw, acoustic version, and to the processed studio version with the whole band. A brief biography of Payne allows users to peer inside his thoughts and understand the process he goes through in finding inspiration for his songs.
The website also helps visitors to create their own song or poem, adding lyrics to favorite songs, finding inspiration in the music they listen to, and writing their own CD reviews online. It even provides links to sites where people can submit songs for online contests. Links to resources on poetry, songwriting, and music are also on the site.
What you should know: The audio portions of the site require either a Real Audio or an MP3 player.
