I'm collaborating with a musical friend of mine off and on (as time allows) contributing by writing lyrics for or with him. Now, mostly the music (read melody, not arrangement) is finished (at least more or less) when I get to work on the lyrics and it sets various limitations on my writing,

This is the exact opposite of the way it should be done.  Lyrics come first -- especially in theatrical writing.  What the character says is far more important than the music that accompanies that speech.  His limitation is unfair on you.

mañana...

Well, don't wait till the last minute!  I would hate hearing about you stuck in the Superdome!

Tom wrote:
"This is the exact opposite of the way it should be done.  Lyrics come first -- especially in theatrical writing.  What the character says is far more important than the music that accompanies that speech.  His limitation is unfair on you."

Well, we have done it both ways, though the "limited" variant is more common. And I'm not certain that I agree that there is only one way of doing it. Sure, I don't write in the same manner (but then again I have to limit that anyway in order to write something singable and somewhat melodic anyway, as opposed to me writing a prose poem or short story). Also, while I would say that lyrics are indeed important, I also understand that (outside of a theatrical piece) more people will be listening to songs without listening to the words.
Which is not to say that there one shouldn't care about the lyrics, of course.

Anyway, I'm not really complaining. His music and ideas (some times rough or partial writing) have inspired me into writing some pieces of lyrics that I'm quite proud of and don't think I ever would have done if I'd started from scratch.
Also it's sometimes cool to hear his reaction when he's had a vague idea or no real clue what the song should be about (he always include some sort of bogus (not necessarily proper language) lyrics so that my mind can more easily catch on to the song melody and apply my lyrical thinking to it) and I come back with something which knocks his socks off or take him by utter surprise.

I'd be interested to hear what you think of some of the songs (and, naturally, my own lyrics), Tom. I'll send you a link to my friend's web page via Facebook so that you can a look and listen if you want – and if you don't want to, that's fine too. :)

that you can a look and listen if you want – and if you don't want to, that's fine too. :)

I absolutely do!  I'm trying to get my stuff from AESOP up online -- we finished the cast recording right before we left for Scotland, but there's still work to do on it.  Have to mix, add percussion, etc. 

Obviously, Wha-Keem, my expertise in in theatrical writing.  I've never written songs for any other genre.  But theatre is one of those things I feel qualified to talk about -- as opposed to the Religion or Politics threads.  FINALLY, something I know something about!

He's kinda being a jerk right now, so I don't even want to stay downtown at this point...

To bring this back to the Marriage thread, Eric and I had our first "real" fight right before I left for Scotland.  I was an emotional jumble that week, so it's no surprise, really.  Good news -- we've more than made up (we made up before I left).  But I'm actually happy we got the first fight over and both remained unscathed.

 My BF says that i'm more jealous than he, but that's not true. We are on the same level, but i show it more easy than he.

I'm not the jealous type.  Eric gets a LOT of attention from people -- not just that he's a shameless flirt, but he's SO much better looking than me. Guys go out of their way to come on to him -- sometimes right in front of me!  

On the other hand, I have many, many friends -- from YEARS in theatre, as a musician, etc -- and Eric has few.  But I definitely wear my emotions on my sleeve and Eric doesn't.  THAT gets annoying ("annoying" is right by the cuff).