Reprint

I love Oprah and have watched her show for decades and still do. One day years ago I came home  to a message on my answering machine from  Oprah’s producers saying to please call them back they want me to be on the show!

I was so excited I still remember the feeling, I  was beyond elated and I felt like I had won the lottery. I had  just written my first book Listen To Me Please ( I am now on my 4th book) and I was thrilled and beyond excited. I couldn’t wait for the morning to come when I quickly called with great anticipation. The producer answered right away, we chatted briefly,  laughed a bit till we figured out that sadly they were looking for different Ava.

I was so disappointed I nearly cried.

I think my disappointment definitely came across because the producer apologized many times and seemed to feel really bad. She said if I ever had something else to submit I could submit it she would take a look.

So hence began my  journey of  “What can I submit to Oprah to be on the show.”

Believe me, I submitted many many many different things over the years. And to the producers, credit she always responded with a very nice no thanks, it’s not right for us:) My social emotional books for kids and parents didn’t align with the theme of the show. Although Oprah was very into psychological change and growth the show wasn’t about  Emotional Intelligence and Parenting and kids feelings.

Over the years I  continued to be a big fan and after a number of years of watching the show every day and loving it, I was inspired to write a song for Oprah.  I felt her work was incredible, inspiring, amazing and generous to all.

I presented my idea to my co-writer Alex Forbes and I got universal music behind my idea and they, fortunately, loved it and then the wonderfully talented artist Haley Westenra loved it and sang it and put it on her album Odyssey.

When we were co-writing the song I wanted to put Oprah’s name in the song, but my co-writers didn’t think it was the right thing to do, so it was two against one majority rules so we just use O for Oprah and O magazine.

I again submitted something to  Oprah’s producer thinking this time the song is it:)  and while the producer said she really liked the song it didn’t go further than that. Which of course was my last and final submission.

About a year goes by when all of a sudden while watching the show I see someone singing a song she had written for Oprah and low and behold the songwriter had used Oprah’s name in it…Oh well

When I looked into it, it turns out someone who worked at Universal music had moved over to Sony and they must have loved my idea from Universal and the next thing I know someone from Sony is singing Oprah a song.(It was a good song:) Perhaps Sony pushed the idea more than Universal or Oprah liked the song better or the timing was right. Who knows what really happened this is all speculation on my part.

However, I was recently reminded of the story so I decided to post it here.
The album did well it sold 100,000 units in the US so that was cool!
I still don’t actually know if Oprah ever heard it.But let me know if you have an Oprah story too!

Here is the song for Oprah I Called it  “You Are Water”

You Are Water, Song For Oprah
Written By Ava Parnass, Alex Forbes and Eve Nelson
Performed by Hayley Westinra
©2005 Listentomeplease.com

Listen

When I’m lost in a tunnel of shadows and fear
With no light
Only night
And I listen for a kind word, but nobody’s here
All so blue
All but you

You are the one voice
That gives me my own voice
O, don’t you know

You are water on a hot summer day
For a thirsty daughter who’s finding her way
You are water
I found my oasis
I’m drinking from the fountain of dreams
You are water

You hear the melody of my song
You stop time
Heal my mind
You show me struggle can make you so strong
Plant the seed
That is me

You are the one voice
That gives me my own voice
O, don’t you know

You are water on a hot summer day
For a thirsty daughter who’s finding her way
You are water
I found my oasis
And now I’ve got my arms wide open
Now I’ve got my wishes in motion

I want to thank you
Yeah, I want to thank you
Every step that you take shows me the way

You are water on a hot summer day
For a thirsty daughter who’s finding her way
You are water
I found my oasis
I’m drinking from the fountain of dreams
You are water

• 
• 
• 
•