Paramus' Dean Friedman due in Asbury | Jersey Retro

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There's an adage that applies to writing about personal experiences: The more specific, the more universal.

"Ariel," Dean Friedman's song that hit No. 26 in 1977, talks about a date between a teen-aged boy and girl that, in its time, could have been set anywhere in America. But this date happened to take place in Paramus.

Friedman, 62, who was born and raised in Paramus, later wrote scores for television and films, and his song "McDonald's Girl" was covered by Barenaked Ladies.

The singer-songwriter has released a new album with the no-frills title "12 Songs" (Life Real Records), and is set to perform in Asbury Park on Friday.

Friedman spoke during a recent telephone interview.

Q: You have an upcoming gig in Asbury Park. Being a Paramus boy, did you have a relationship with Asbury while growing up?

A. Like a lot of kids from New Jersey, I hung out at the Jersey Shore. It's hard not to be aware of a local Jersey boy (Bruce Springsteen) who made Asbury Park even more famous. I think the petrochemical spew of the (Garden State) Parkway is what binds us as New Jerseyans.

Q. What kind of a place was Paramus to grow up in?

A. I thought the whole world was like Paramus, New Jersey -- filled with shopping malls and bowling alleys. Lady Bird Johnson once declared Paramus the "Make America Beautiful" town. She flew over in a helicopter. I don't know if she ever touched down.

Friedman name-checked Paramus Park mall in "Ariel." Was he describing one magical date or an amalgam of dates?
Q. You name-checked Paramus Park mall in "Ariel." Were you describing one magical date, or an amalgam of dates?

A. It's an amalgam. The character Ariel is a composite of all these curly-haired Jewish girls I had crushes on while growing up in New Jersey. I eventually met her, but her name wasn't Ariel; it turned out to be Alison, and I married her.

I was a little self-conscious about the story in the song. All they do is meet, go home and make out. I thought maybe it was too simple or uneventful. I actually played it for some girls in Paramus, and they accused me of reading their diaries. So then I figured it must be OK.

Q. When "Ariel" went to No. 26, did your life change? Did you tour? Did you do (the TV show) "Midnight Special"?

A. My life changed dramatically. I did "Dick Clark's American Bandstand" and "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" and I heard it on the radio. It was all really exciting. But even as my songs were racing up the charts -- both here and in the U.K. -- I was painfully aware that the people I was working with were idiots. That was a frustration. All of those record company cliches happened to me -- not being paid royalties and that kind of business. But I survived. I never stopped being a musician. I always appreciated the opportunities I had.

Q. You've written scores for TV and movies. How does that differ from writing songs for an album?

A. The main difference is that, when you're writing for a TV show or a low-budget horror film, the music must serve the visual story, to emphasize humor or romance or intrigue or tension. In some ways, it's liberating. Usually, the director has some brief to offer you. He'll explain the mood of a particular scene, or a transition he wants to make from one scene to another.

When writing on your own, you're staring at a blank canvas. That's daunting. But to have a specific goal is liberating. You have to come up with a strategy for reaching that goal. It's collaborative in a different way.

Q. You are also a proponent of the craft of songwriting. You've done seminars; you wrote "The Songwriter's Handbook." The songwriting process differs from person to person. What is yours?

A. Every song is a different experience. I've written hundreds of songs over four decades now. In some ways, when I start out, I forget everything I knew, which is a good thing. I've always thought I have rhyming dyslexia (laughs). I'll mix up couplets or verses in a way that doesn't seem to make sense. But on second glance, it can be useful.

The first thing is to improvise on a keyboard or piano or guitar. It's that play aspect that is crucial. Once you stumble onto something you like -- a word, a phrase, a rhythmic groove, a chord progression -- once you get that kernel, you start from there. If you like it enough, pursue it.

Sometimes a song writes itself. You wake up, the words flow out and you've got a song. When that happens, I say, "Thank you, muse." But more often than not, you have to tease the song out. You have a slew of choices. The choices you make will determine where the song will wind up.

On his new album, "12 Songs": "I try to tell short stories set to music."

Q. What did you set out to do with your latest album, "12 Songs"?

A. I try to tell short stories set to music. I was inspired by the storytelling of people like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Randy Newman. Their storytelling is so vivid, it's almost cinematic. I feel like I've come to a place where I have the confidence to relax. I'm able to paint these pictures in a way that has more fluidity. My stuff was always chock full of detail. Now, I try to write lyrics in a casual, conversational way. It's more intimate. I think the album came out not-half-bad.

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