Q: How Many Musicians Does It Take To Write A Song?

A: In this case six, but it was by commission.

I'll explain, but first, a radio producer joke of the same ilk. (Though it could also be applied to many other kinds of "producers.")

Q: How many Producers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: I don't know -- what do you think?

Well, maybe it's only funny if you've ever worked as a producer.

Anyway, here's the scoop with the Song For 2007, performed Saturday night on Canada Live (8 p.m.).

At the beginning of 2007, CBC asked 6 musicians to write 27 words (as in 2___7, get it?) that described how they felt about the new year. Those 27 words were passed along to someone else in the group, who then wrote the first draft of a song based on the words.

As the year progressed, the drafts passed hands, until finally there were six new songs that involved all of these musicians -- Jim Bryson, Zaki Ibrahim, Sandro Perri, Jenny Whiteley, Andre Ethier and Catriona Sturton. Kind of reminds me of that old camp game, where one person starts a story, leaving it at a cliff-hanger, then the next person in the circle picks it up. Very fun. (At least, if you're of a certain cast of mind.)

And tonight the songs are being performed by the composer(s), in a mass collaboration on the "final drafts" of each song.

My only quibble is I think they should have used seven musicians, just for some form of arithmetical satisfaction. Then they could continue, so 2008, 8 musicians, etc. Just think of the year 2049!