Memo Indicates Adam Lambert Co-Wrote "On With the Show"

Hi Fi Records — or somebody associated with the indie label — wants the world to believe that Adam Lambert did indeed co-write songs on the album they are releasing this summer. Yesterday a rep from the label released a statement insisting Lambert didn't just sing, but penned songs for On With the Show, a record from Lambert's pre-Idol days that will see release before his official 19 Recordings/RCA debut this fall. Now one of the company's internal memos has leaked that seems to corroborate their claim. The document appeared this morning on TMZ. Its authenticity has not yet been confirmed by anyone at the label or Lambert.

When news of On With the Show broke, Lambert released a statement that said the recordings dated back four years, and that he was simply singing other writers' songs. Hi Fi countered that Lambert co-wrote eight of the album's 11 songs with Madonna's guitarist Monte Pittman more recently. According to the new memo, Lambert co-wrote nine of the album's 11 songs, including "Crawl Thru Fire" and "15 Minutes of Fame." First single "Want," available on iTunes now, is one of two tracks Lambert didn't co-write. ("Want" and the album's title track were written solely by Michael Burtscher, the memo states.)

"As co-writer and performer, Adam will receive significant royalties just as any superstar artist would. He has the chance, finally, to make a fortune for his work — definitely more with this album than through a major label deal," Hi Fi said in a statement yesterday. Besides Pittman, On With the Show features writing by Macedonian electronic music composer Kiril Dzajkovski and Prong lead singer Tommy Victor (Pittman was once in Prong). Also, the album's closing track is called "mp3 Killed the Record Companies," which sounds interesting considering Lambert just inked his new deal with 19 Recordings/RCA.

The memo, typed on Music Publishers Company of America paper, was sent from John Titta to John Hecker. According to the MPCA Website, John Hecker is the founder/CEO of Hi Fi Recordings, who will release On With the Show with Wilshire Records. John Titta, who sent the memo, is the President/COO of Hi Fi, and the Hi Fi site adds Titta worked with Lou Reed and helped signed Pearl Jam when he worked for PolyGram Music Publishing.

On With the Show track list, per the memo:

1. "Beg For Mercy"
2. "Crawl Thru Fire"
3. "Want"
4. "Kiss and Tell"
5. "Just The Way It Is"
6. "Turning On"
7. "On With the Show"
8. "Runaway"
9. "15 Minutes of Fame"
10. "The Circle"
11. "mp3 Killed the Record Companies"

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Song Stories

“Youth Knows No Pain”

Lykke Li | 2011

“Like on 'Youth Knows No Pain' — we are the ones that should demonstrate, because we can take it,” Likke Li said. “We can pierce ourselves, take Ecstasy, dance all night and still go to work at our McDonald's jobs.” Despite the hedonistic sentiment in the song, the Swedish singer also admitted in hindsight her youth had repercussions. “I remember when I was 18-19 and feeling that I know it all,” Li said. “I always feel that I know it all. But that song is about realizing you don’t, and reflecting, ‘Boy, if I only knew what would follow.’”

More Song Stories entries »

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