Write an ‘idol’ song

Even when given the chance of a lifetime, Perry Smith wouldn’t trade his law practice for a career as a musician.

Smith, of Costa Mesa, is one of the 20 finalists who remain out of a pool of thousands in the American Idol Songwriting Competition. But if he won the competition and all the fame and guaranteed royalty money that comes along with it, he said he wouldn’t quit his day job.

“I don’t have the patience to be a really good musician, but I do like the songwriting aspect of it,” Smith said. “If this competition opens any doors for me I would like to spend a little less time at the office and a little more time writing songs, but it’s more fun because it doesn’t really matter.”

Voting for the contest closes Wednesday night, and if Smith’s rock ballad, “You Believed in Me,” captures the most votes it will be the first hit single on the 2008 American Idol’s album. Smith looks at this honor as both a blessing and a curse.

“You have to have a thick skin to put yourself out there for this competition. The winner of this competition will be absolutely destroyed on countless blogs throughout the Internet,” he said. “Their song will be called cliched and unoriginal.”

Smith said the nature of the competition lends itself to overused themes, which is obvious when looking at the song titles of the 20 finalists. Along with Smith’s “You Believed in Me,” there are songs called “You Believe in Me,” “You Can Do Anything,” and “When You Come from Nothing,” all about struggling to achieve a goal and having someone there to support you.

This theme resonates with Smith, who had a difficult childhood and relied a lot on support from his church, the Costa Mesa Church of Latter-day Saints, and mentors from around the community.

He credits his stepfather, Larry Smith, as the one who taught him chords and songwriting techniques, but said other role models like retired Costa Mesa Police Capt. Jim Watson, and community members Warren Inyoue and Jim Faulkner influenced him.

Writing songs is just a hobby for Smith, who decided to enter American Idol only 10 days before the submission deadline. He said his wife is not ecstatic about his music, but she is tolerant.