HIT SONGS:

"FALLIN' FOR YOU" - COLBIE CAILLAT

(Colbie Caillat & Richard Nowels)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

There are so many influences from Fleetwood Mac's golden hits of the mid-1970s that it's impossible to listen to this song without being reminded of those timeless, unforgettable hits. It's a perfect example of how to take a style that had enormous appeal in an earlier decade and give it a fresh twist that makes it seem new again.

STRUCTURE
The song structure is a standard VRS / PRE-CHO / CHO / VRS / PRE-CHO / CHO / BRIDGE / CHO. The pre-chorus begins with "I am trying not to tell you..." The chorus begins on the line "I've been spending all my time..." The bridge melody uses plenty of contrast, making it easy to spot. It consists of just two lines, beginning with "Ooh, I just can't take it..."

MELODY
There's a lot of repetition in this melody. Many of the melodic phrases repeat three times within a single song section which can start to feel predictable very quickly, especially when the verses and choruses are repeated! So why is this melody catchy and memorable rather than boring and predictable? The secret is: syncopation.

Syncopation means emphasizing weak beats, in other words, emphasis that occurs in unexpected places. To see what I mean, you'll need to count along with this song (Shortcut 74). Just start counting when the drums begin playing, then count 1- 2- 3- 4 over and over. Beat 1 is the beat that the band is emphasizing; you can hear the kick drum and bass loudest on that beat. Count along until you feel comfortable, then add the word "and" in between each beat: "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and." When you're comfortable doing that, start noticing where the vocal phrases begin.

- In the verse, all the phrases begin on the "and" AFTER Beat 1.
- In the pre-chorus, the emphasized words all fall right ON Beat 1.
- In the chorus, the phrases switch again, starting on (and emphasizing) the "and" AFTER Beat 1.

This may seem like a small thing but emphasizing the "and" between beats can completely change the way a melody feels and sounds. TINY shift, BIG difference (Shortcut #89).

Syncopation is an enormously powerful tool that you'll want to make sure you're using to the max. It not only keeps a melody interesting, it gives it a fresh, contemporary sound. And THAT'S why this song, despite it's references to hits of the 70s, is a big hit on today's charts!

If you've got a song that has a dated-sounding melody, try adding more syncopation. Start singing the melodic phrases on the "and" between beats, then swing back to emphasizing the more obvious beats, as Colbie does in the pre-chorus.

LYRICS
A simple, conversational lyric is the perfect complement to a highly syncopated melody like this one. In this case it's the rhythm of the melody and the length of the melodic phrases that are calling the shots as the lyric takes a backseat.

There's a clear, easy to follow thematic idea ("I'm in love with you but afraid to tell you.") and that's a big plus because the lyric lines are broken up in unusual ways, making them difficult to understand. For instance, the very first phrase of the song is "I don't know but I think I may be..." May be... what??? The melody then launches into the second line as the first line of the lyric continues. In other words, the melody finished a phrase but the lyric didn't. This is a great way to create forward momentum for listeners; they need to hear what happens next!

Play around with this idea in a song of your own. Too often we allow lyrics and melody to march along in lock step, creating a predictable feel. Try extending some of your lyric thoughts so they weave over and through the melody (Shortcut #65). Consider keeping your lyric ideas easy to follow and let the melody and phrasing add interest.

PRODUCTION
Production is where the Fleetwood Mac influence really comes shining through. The guitar riffs, drum sound, and overall arrangement are straight out of FM's playbook, which should come as no surprise. This album was co-produced by Ken Caillat, Colbie's dad, who was producer and engineer on Rumours, Tusk, and other great FM albums. The sound is pure gold while Colbie's unique sense of melody and phrasing turn this track into a fresh, contemporary, irresistible hit!


Copyright 2010 Robin Frederick

"YOU BELONG WITH ME" - TAYLOR SWIFT

(Liz Rose & Taylor Swift)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

STRUCTURE
The structure is Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus, Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus, Instrumental Break, Bridge, Final Choruses with some variations. The first Pre-chorus begins with "But she wears short skirts..." The Chorus begins with "If you could see that I'm the one..."

LYRICS
Here's a lyric theme we've heard many times before: I love you. You love her. She's no good for you.. It's a classic triangle. The title sums up the theme and every line works to explain and support it.

Because this theme is so familiar, the songwriters needed to do something to keep listeners interested. And they did! It's all in the physical details. The lyric paints a very vivid picture of "me" (the singer) vs "she" (the other girl). No Betty and Veronica here-- these two couldn't be more different. And it's seeing the contrast between them--from clothes, to music, to a sense of humor--that gives the lyric it's great appeal.

Notice that the situation is never resolved. The boy doesn't realize his mistake and suddenly change his ways. Instead, the song takes us deeper into their friendship in Verse 2. The song paints a picture of an easy-going friendship. Again, there are plenty of physical details; we see them "laughing on a park bench" and we even hear her thoughts, "Hey, isn't this easy?"

This lyric incorporates many of the techniques that make for strong Country lyric writing: plenty of physical detail that paints the scene, a clear emotional situation, and vivid characters.

The title is used as the payoff line of the chorus (the last line). Think of this spot as the kicker or punchline--it wraps up everything that came before. It's a key line (Shortcut #56) that listeners will remember. This is a great example of a hook/title that functions like a "mini version" of the song, evoking the whole effect for listeners long after the song is over, making them want to hear it again (Shortcut #49). The lyic line is repeated to add emphasis.


MELODY
What a wonderfully well-crafted melody this is! It's got tons of forward momentum, plenty of interesting melodic rhythms, and a variety of phrase lengths. In other words, everything today's listeners like to hear! It offers a master class in writing for the current Pop/Country genre.

The verse is very catchy and memorable but try singing along with it and you may find that it's not easy First, there's no place to catch your breath until the fourth line! Second, the lyric lines seem to be one syllable too long. Let me explain what I mean by that. We generally change chords on the first beat of a measure giving Beat 1 plenty of emphasis. Now, notice that the last syllable of the lyric phrase, "You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's up-SET" lands on Beat 1, falling on the chord change. It puts a lot of emphasis on the last word of the line which is not something we expect to hear. Then the next line begins right away, on the upbeat after Beat 1, and it, too, ends on a chord change (the word is "SAID" on Beat 1). Again, the line that follows begins immediately. The result is to create a kind of off-kilter feel and plenty of forward momentum.

Why does this work well? Because you can take a very simple, familiar series of notes and make it feel fresh and interesting by playing with the way it relates to the underlying steady beat and chord changes. It's the great trick of writing catchy melodies for today's market (Shortcut #88, #91, and #92). Learning to play and sing this song will help you begin to get a feel for these techniques so they can spontaneously occur to you as choices while you're writing your songs.

And that's just the verse melody!

In contrast to the verse's long phrases, the pre-chorus features pairs of shorter phrases. ("But she wears short skirts / I wear T-shirts.") The difference in phrase lengths as well as a rising note range helps to define the pre-chorus as a separate section and build anticipation leading to the chorus. Notice that almost all these phrases begin on Beat 1 with the chord change, a nice way to add a little more contrast between verse and pre-chorus.

The chorus returns to longer phrases, like the verse, but all begin with the chord change on Beat 1 like the pre-chorus, creating a unique identity for this, the third section of the song. The note range rises to its highest point at the top of the chorus, finally falling on the payoff line.

Notice that the chorus keeps up the forward momentum by eliminating pauses between lines. The final two lines of the chorus also add a little contrast in pace: "see" and "me" are stretched out over a series of falling notes. The title line is then repeated for emphasis in a conversational tone that returns us to the level of the verse both in tone and note range.

Overall, if your taste runs more to the traditional Country style, I don't suggest trying a melody like this one which borrows many techniques from today's Pop melodies. On the other hand, if you're interested in Contemporary Mainstream Country and your melodies are sounding a little dated, try blending a few of theses ideas into your writing to give it a more current sound.

DO IT NOW!
Choose a clear emotional situation like this one and write a lyric that paints a picture of the people involved and their relationship using vivid physical details. Don't develop the situation further, instead, take us deeper into it. Look for a title / payoff line that sums up the situation for listeners.


Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick

"COME ON GET HIGHER" - MATT NATHANSON

(Matt Nathanson, Mark Weinberg)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

This beautifully written hit song by Matt Nathanson has had over a million and a half downloads at iTunes. Nathanson's songs are regularly featured in TV shows like One Tree Hill, The Vampire Diaries, and NCIS. He writes songs that come from the heart and connect with listeners by being both totally believable and completely entertaining.

GROOVE
One of the things that attracted me right away to this song is the hip-swaying, easy-going rhythmic groove. There's a sensual feel to this groove that underscores the intimate physicality of the lyric. If you play guitar, try playing along with this song and learn the strum he's using. You can hear it clearly at the top of the song. If you play keyboards, look through a library of rhythm loops for one that has a similar feel and try playing the chords along with the loop. This type of groove (based on 16th notes with a laid-back, swinging feel) is very current in both the Pop and Country genres (Shortcut #113). Try writing a song to a groove like this. Once you get comfortable with it, you'll start to notice how this groove affects the melody you write. More on that in a minute.

STRUCTURE
The song features a solid Verse / Pre-chorus / Chorus structure with a vocal bridge after the second chorus. The pre-chorus begins with the line "If I could walk on water..." and consists of the same lyric both times it is sung. Nathanson varies the melody on the second line of Verse 2 which adds some energy. Overall, this is a very hypnotic song that uses a lot of repetition. It has an almost trance-like feel.

LYRICS
The opening lines draw us in with very physical, sensual language. We can feel the "rush," hear the breathing out and breathing in. Nathanson is using all the senses to describe how the singer feels about this person. These are poetic lines; they use phrases that evoke a feeling ("the rush of your skin" "the still of the silence") rather than making statements like "I think about you all the time." By making us feel what he feels, we become involved in what's going on without even realizing it.

The chorus continues to involve the senses creating a unified feel to the whole lyric. The language is filled with physically suggestive words like "loosen," "lips," "desire," "swing," "hips," "pull me down," "drown" that keep the listener focused on the physical relationship between these two people. (Shortcut #58 and #59.)

I also notice that the chorus consists of four lines that are repeated. This is risky; listeners might lose interest. But there are enough intriguing images and action phrases in these four short lines ("pull me down hard," "drown me in love," "swing of your hips")to keep us watching and listening.

The second verse continues with more fresh, evocative language. Then the bridge lyric literally gives the song a peak moment! The intimate, physical quality of the language becomes almost explicit then backs away by adding the word "on" at the end of the fourth line.This is a very sexy song but it never crosses a certain line that the songwriter has set.

MELODY
Verse: The first three lines of each verse begin on the upbeat (the "and") after Beat 1. Starting on an upbeat, which is a very weak beat, gives the verse melody a sense of being up in the air, unsettled and slightly off-kilter. Notice that on the fourth line, Nathanson turns things around and emphasizes Beat 1 ("you" and "I") to create some variety and keep listeners interested (Shortcut #78).

Pre-Chorus: The pre-chorus lines all emphasize Beat 1, even though the first two lines have a couple of syllables that act as a short pick-up ("If I could..."). This is where that wonderful groove interacts with the melody. These pick-up notes are short and fast. (They're 16th notes, like the underlying groove). These brief pickups begin to build energy leading to the chorus. This is a great trick you can use in your own pre-choruses. Increase the energy of your melody by adding pick-ups or quick phrases as you build anticipation going into your chorus (Shortcut #81).

Chorus: The chorus melody settles into Beat 1 comfortably with just a little anticipation on the fourth and last line ("And drown me in love"). The melody makes use of the 16th-note feel in phrases like "So, come on get..." and "loosen my lips" in which the pace of the notes parallels the groove. It's catchy and singable with lots of rhythmic bounce.

Notice that the chorus melody has plenty of forward momentum created by eliminating pauses between lines. Every line flows right into the next with barely time for a quick breath. As with many of today's hits, the end of the chorus flows right into the beginning for the second verse. Again, we're looking at creating forward momentum in the song, keeping listeners involved and interested.

DO IT NOW!
The chords of this songs are repetitive and easy to play. Try learning to play and sing this song to get a feel for this very appealing groove, then write a song of your own with this feel.


Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick

"SOUNDS LIKE LIFE TO ME" - DARRYL WORLEY

(Darryl Worley, Wynn Varble, Phil O'Donnell)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

This hit song has a traditional-style Country lyric and a melody that also features many traditional elements. It's a co-write with the artist which means, at least in this case, that it doesn't have to be the killer, stand-alone single that publishers and record labels demand from songwriters pitching songs to an artist. Still, there's song craft that's worth studying and it's an easy song to learn.

LYRIC
Verse 1: The opening four lines of this song set up a fairly complicated situation: The singer gets a call from "an old friend's wife" telling him the friend has fallen off the wagon and asking him for help. The first couple times I heard the song I wondered if the opening couldn't have been handled in a more direct way. For instance, the singer might have run into his friend at the bar, eliminating the phone call. I'm sure the songwriters discussed this; they probably even argued about it! A strong opening is essential if you want to draw listeners in quickly, so it's worth looking at it from all angles. Ultimately, the decision to set up the song with a phone call from the wife brings her into the picture, letting listeners know that there's a real woman who loves this man and needs him at home.

Verse 2: The song opens with a double verse. These are long, 8-line verses so by the second verse the writers had better be piling on interesting information and vivid images. Sure enough, the old friend delivers a list of troubles that makes listeners smile and shake their heads-- we've all been there (Shortcut #53).

Chorus: The chorus lyric sums up the heart and soul of this song's theme: It's all just part of everyday life. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. The language is conversational ("Man, I know it's tough") and direct ("you gotta suck it up").

The lyrics in the second chorus are different from the first with the exception of the title/hook line, which is exactly the same. It's a strong hook that's repeated at the beginning and end of each chorus, allowing the writers to get away with altering the rest of the chorus lyric.

Verse 3 continues the list of troubles with a twist on the last line in which the singer turns a negative into a positive.

Bridge: This song has an instrumental bridge rather than a vocal bridge. in my opinion, this is a real loss since I think the writers could have kicked the song up a notch, given it more depth, with a section that fleshes out the philosophical theme (Shortcut #54) or gives us more insight into the singer.

Overall, this is a well crafted lyric but somewhat pedestrian. It could have taken flight with a peak moment in the bridge but they chose not to go there.

MELODY
This is a nicely crafted melody though a little familiar sounding. Still, it does the job. The verse lines are two bars long giving them some forward momentum. Most of the verse lines begin on or emphasize Beat 1, which results in a predictable feel. To add some interest, the first part of Line 3 is broken into two short phrases that rhyme ("I know my buddy so I drove to Skully's") and the last line builds anticipation leading to the chorus. At the end of the first verse the song moves right into another verse so the payoff doesn't happen right away.

The chorus melody opens with a lot of strength. The hook/title line ("Sounds like life to me") jumps upward through a couple of intervals, reaching the top note on the word "life" which is, after all, the most important word in the song! The chorus melody has some interesting twists that add interest and momentum, especially on Line 4 ("To hear you talk you're caught up in some tragedy") which sets up the payoff line.

The chorus payoff (the last line) is a repeat of the hook/title lyric with a melody line that's very conversational - just as if the singer were speaking it with emphasis. You can try that yourself when looking for a melody. Speak the line with emotional emphasis and listen for the melody and rhythm in the spoken phrase. Then, exaggerate it until it becomes a melody line (Shortcuts #76).

DO IT NOW: The verse and chorus melodies in this song are very well organized with just the right amount of repetition and variation to keep listeners interested. Try using this song as a "ghost song" to get a feel for this type of melodic organization. Notice where a melody line repeats but with a new lyric. Learn to play and sing this song, and then write a lyric of your own to the melody. Or, look for the pattern of repeats and variations in the melody of each section and write a melody that uses the same pattern (Shortcut #102). This exercise is for songwriting practice only. Be sure you don't use any of the hit song's melody or lyric.

Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick.

"SOUND OF MADNESS" - SHINEDOWN

(Brent Smith, Dave Bassett)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

There are many hard-rockin' bands out there working the club circuit. They'd like to get a record deal but can't seem to interest a label. Their fans love them, so why won't the the music industry sign them up?

These bands may have everything going for them except one thing -- they need at least a couple of songs that sound like they could get airplay either on the big commercial radio stations or on large college radio stations. Record labels know that getting radio airplay is the key to rapid career growth; it will be a key part of their marketing campaign for any group or artist.

So, what's the difference between a good song that energizes fans at a live performance and a song that can get radio airplay? Let's take a look at Shinedown's hit, "Sound of Madness," a powerhouse of a rock song with a strong lyric theme and an unusual but very memorable melody.

LYRIC
This lyric opens with an attention-grabbing line -- "Yeah, I get it, you're an outcast." The phrase "Yeah, I get it," expresses contempt and yet an "outcast" is the kind of person that Rock songs usually praise. We're immediately interested; we want to know who the singer is talking to and why he said what he did. Try starting your lyric with a line like this to draw listeners into your song right from the top.

The next lyric lines will need to follow up with answers to the questions raised in the opening line; if they don't, listeners will be frustrated and they'll tune out. Sure enough, in the next lines we learn that this character is a whiner and the singer wants to give him "a kick in the ass." The language is conversational, direct, honest, and conveys plenty of information. We're deep into the situation by the end of the first verse (Shortcut #52).

The chorus lyric sums up the heart and soul of this song, just as a chorus should (Shortcut #51). The singer tells us he's been there and survived, he's paid his dues so he has the right to make these statements ("Wrote the book on pain / somehow I'm still here"). These insights into who the singer is and why he's saying these things allow us to feel as if we know him, creating an important link between the song and the listener.

The chorus ends with a powerful payoff line "When you gonna wake up and fight for yourself?" This is the line the songwriter wants us to remember when the song is over. It's the theme of the song: Don't sit around and whine. Fight to make things better. Make sure the payoff line of your chorus is one that leaves a strong impression on your listeners. This will make them want to come back and listen again (Shortcut #48 and #49).

For bands who say that Rock lyrics don't have to make sense, songs like this one make it clear that radio-ready Mainstream Rock hits DO need to give listeners an honest, authentic lyric. Sure, album cuts can be more obscure, appealing to serious fans, but radio singles need to reach out to a broader audience. Give listeners a lyric they can follow and relate to.

My one criticism of this lyric is that it feels unfinished. There's an instrumental bridge where the writer could have given us even more insight or a peak emotional moment.

MELODY
This is a very current melody with lots of rhythmic twists!

The opening line of verse 1 comes right in on a strong downbeat - Beat 1. ("Yeah, I got it...") but the next three short phrases all begin on the "and" after Beat 1 ("always under attack / always coming in last / bringing up the past"). The "and" between beats is a weak beat (referred to as an "upbeat"). By emphasizing upbeats, the songwriter creates syncopation, throwing listeners off balance, giving the melody an interesting lift (Shortcut #89).

The melody in the first half of Verse 2 emphasizes strong downbeats (1, 2, 3, 4), while the second half emphasizes weak upbeats. In this arrangement it's easy to tell where the downbeats and upbeats are. The big kick drum sound is hitting the downbeats, the guitar is hitting the upbeats. Try singing along with this melody and see if you can feel where the downbeats and upbeats are emphasized. (There's a lot of influence on this song from the Rap/Hip-Hop genre. You can hear it in the variety of lines lengths and unusual beat emphasis. It's especially noticeable in Verse 2.)

Chorus Melody: The melody uses contrast to make it plain that we're in the chorus -- lengthening the notes to create a smoother feel than the choppy verse melody, using a fresh chord at the beginning that we haven't heard before (Shortcut #82). The melodic phrases include a variety of lengths. The third line has been stretched out so that the rhyming word ("explain") occurs later than we expect. Nice trick! It has the effect of pulling the listener forward, right into the next line.

So... were the writers thinking about all these things while they were writing the melody? Probably not. More likely these ideas occurred to them as spontaneous choices during the writing process. So how do you get current, cutting-edge melodic choices to happen for you?

First, embed these ideas by learning a song like this, playing it over and over until you feel comfortable singing it. Then, try writing a lyric of your own to this melody to hear and FEEL how different it is. Once you get used to it, you can try altering the melody, changing first the pitches of the notes, then some of the rhythmic phrasing to get used to working with this type of melody. Once you've done this exercise, you should begin to see some of these techniques occurring to you as choices in the next song you write.

Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick.

"WAKING UP IN VEGAS" - KATY PERRY

(Andreas Carlsson, Katy Perry, Desmond Child)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

What a fun piece of Pop candy this is! A fresh, character-driven lyric and a catchy, singable chorus melody. Like an ice cream cone, it probably won't stick around very long but it's tasty while it lasts! Here's how they did it...

MELODY
The song opens with a great little trick you might not notice at first. There's an opening guitar riff, then the lead vocal melody line begins. For the next few lines, the guitar and vocal trade off -- and here's the trick -- the guitar is leading the way, not the vocal. It's an unusual arrangement that throws the listener off balance. We expect to hear the vocal first then the guitar answering. If you record your own demos, try this in an arrangement.

The verse vocal melody is well-organized; the first phrase is repeated, then repeated again. The third line, however, is extended ("...'cause you're hung over and I'm broke") creating a fake out for the listener who was expecting a simple repeat. Then the entire pattern is repeated. A solid, well-structured pattern of phrases like this makes the melody easy to remember and draws the listener in (Shortcut #88 and #90).

The pre-chorus builds momentum by moving into a higher note range overall. It consists of two short phrases then a long phrase ("Don't be a baby. Remember what you told me.") that delivers the listener right to the top of the chorus.

The chorus melody is familiar and fun. In fact, it's so simple and predictable that it runs the risk of being boring. The writers pull it off by making sure it's got plenty of forward momentum -- there are no pauses in this melody, not even room for a quick breath! Also, the chorus melody, with its emphasis on good ol' predictable Beat 1, provides a strong contrast to the syncopated verse melody. (See Shortcut #92 and #89 for ideas on how to use these techniques.)

LYRICS
The real fun of this song is in the lyrics! The theme is "We're too young to get married." This theme has been the subject of many songs but it's never gotten a treatment like this! Never once do we hear the words: "We're too young..." Instead, the idea is implied in phrases like, "Don't be a baby," "Don't call your mother," and the immature actions of these two people. Even the word "glitter" in the chorus evokes not only the glitzy image of Vegas but also the glittery paints and glue that children love to play with (Shortcut 58).

The phrase "Remember what you told me..." is a very effective way to set up the chorus. Obviously listeners want to know what he told her so they'll stick around (Shortcut #55). Of course, you have to be sure to pay off a line like that and this lyric sure does: "Shut up and put your money where your mouth is!" -- what a powerhouse of an opening line for the chorus. It's natural, conversational, and attention grabbing!

This lyric is a wonderful example of conveying a character and situation by letting us hear the character talk. The singer is blunt, bossy, honest: "Spare me you're freakin' dirty looks." "Don't play me." "Shut up...." The lyric never steps away from the character, never drops that intimate, immediate attitude in order to explain something. (Shortcut #68 can show you how to keep your characters believable.)

DO IT NOW!
Try writing a character-driven lyric like this, using the character's voice to let the listener know what's happening in the song. To hear how your lyric sounds in this very commercial Pop style, write it to the melody of this song. It's a great exercise! When you're finished, you can give your lyric to a collaborator -- just don't tell them what melody you used! Or you can write a new melody yourself. Be sure you don't use any of the hit song's melody or lyrics in your own song. It's protected by copyright.

Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick.

"CRUSH" - DAVID ARCHULETA

(Jess Cates / David Hodges / Emanuel Kiriakou)

Buy this song at iTunes.  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

THEME
The theme of this song -- falling in love but not knowing whether the other person feels the same -- is one that has been explored in many hits The songwriters will need to create a fresh point of view in order to get the listener's attention. (Shortcut #38.) By focusing the chorus on a series of questions, "Crush" emphasizes the insecurity and anxiety of the situation, at the same time letting listeners know, indirectly, exactly what the singer is feeling.

STRUCTURE
The structure does not follow the usual hit song form. It opens with an 8-line verse ("I hung up the phone tonight..."), followed by a pre-chorus ("Why do I keep running...") and a chorus ("Do you ever think..."). All of this is just what most hit songs would do. (Shortcut #26.)

Things change in Verse 2. The first four lines of Verse 2 repeat the melody from Verse 1 but the second half of Verse 2 has a melody that listeners haven't heard before. It sounds like a variation on the verse melody and has the same lyric form, so that's most likely what it is. This section segues directly into the second chorus with no pre-chorus, creating plenty of forward momentum.

There's no bridge in this song; after the second chorus, it goes to the pre-chorus, then repeats the chorus to the ending. The second pre-chorus may have been cut both to enable the song to get to the chorus sooner and so that it could be used as a bridge without creating too much repetition in the song. It's an interesting solution to a problem.

Try this structure in a song of your own. Just make sure you can get to chorus from either the verse or pre-chorus. "Crush" uses the same chord progression in both verse and pre-chorus which helps to solve that problem.

The structure is Verse / Pre-chorus / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Pre-chorus / Chorus to fade out.

MELODY
There's a great example of contrast between sections in this song. Not only is the chorus melody in a higher note range than the verse or pre-chorus, but it also has a very different melodic rhythm. The melodic rhythm of a song is the result of using a combination of short and long notes to create a pattern. (Shortcut #88 and #95.)

In the first four lines of the chorus, the pattern of long and short notes is clearly Short-Short-Short-Short-Long. Then the melodic pattern changes, emphasizing the downbeats for two lines. After that, the whole pattern is repeated. The melodic rhythm patterns in the verse and pre-chorus are quite different from the chorus; they feature more of a see-sawing Long-Short-Long-Short-Long pattern.

The Payoff Line: The final line of the chorus is one that listeners will remember so it needs to be a compelling closer. This chorus ends with a catchy "yay-ee-yay-ee-yay" on the final word that extends the chorus and creates a memorable hook.

LYRICS
The first line of the first verse sets up a specific situation ("I hung up the phone tonight / Something happened for the first time / deep inside, it was a rush"), drawing listeners immediately into the singer's situation with physical and emotional detail. Then the second half of the verse sets up the feeling of anxiety that's going to dominate the chorus ("the possibility that you would ever feel the same way...it's just too much).

The pre-chorus (beginning with the line, "Why do I keep running...") sounds somewhat generic lyrically; the "hypnotized/mesmerized" rhyme is a familiar one., It's not a particularly fresh lyric but it does make the point that the singer is deeply in love, describing the strength of the crush and leads listeners in the questions of the chorus. However, since this section is going to be repeated for the bridge, I feel the writers could have made better use of the lines; with a little work they could have been more compelling and original.

The chorus lyric is where this song really shines. The short phrases create a sense of breathlessness and urgency, while the series of questions adds drama. And all the while the singer is asking questions, he's telling listeners what he himself feels.

DO IT NOW!
Because the chord progression is so repetitive, as well as being very familiar, this is an easy song to learn and play. Try using it as a "ghost song" to practice your skills. Write a new lyric and melody to this chord progression. Be sure you don't use any of the hit song's melody or lyric. (Shortcut #2.)

Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick.

"ONE IN EVERY CROWD" - MONTGOMERY GENTRY

(Ira Dean / Kim Tribble / Eddie Montgomery)

Buy this song at iTunes  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

Talk about an irresistible bunch of fun! This song has listener appeal from the first line to the last and here's how they do it...

STRUCTURE
The song structure is a basic Verse / Pre-chorus / Chorus / Verse / Pre-chorus / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus, with an EXTRA "Hey y'all" hook.

The first pre-chorus begins "Well, he's a big mouth yellin'..." The pre-chorus section has a powerful, repetitive feel that builds anticipation leading into the chorus, just as it should! That's the function of a pre-chorus!

There's a secondary hook in the irresistible, anthemic "Hey, y'all!" This is icing on the cake! The chorus itself is so strong (beginning with "There's one in every crowd...") that the song doesn't require another hook. Still, it's bound to attract plenty of listeners who will want to sing along. It's a fun interlude but doesn't payoff the verses well enough to work as a stand-alone chorus. Keep that in mind when you write a catchy phrase like this.

LYRICS
Everything in this lyric is focused on painting a character portrait that really brings that "one in every crowd" to life! It's a case study in how to SHOW listeners what's happening and make them EXPERIENCE it! Every line includes an image, example, or detail that adds to listener's picture of this person (Shortcut #57 and #58).

The real challenge of writing a lyric about a character like this is that it's been done so often. The "life of the party" down at the corner bar has been a staple of Country songs for decades. Take a look at how this lyric approaches an old theme with a fresh eye, making the audience see it for the first time. The lyric uses conversational, accurate observations: He's a six-pack up when he walks in / Tells the band "Crank it up to 10!" and humor -- he "makes everybody else look sane" -- to make the point.

These writers did something very smart: The chorus lyric gives this guy a positive role to play; he "brings the party in us out." If that line weren't there the character might just be another irritating drunk. But this concept makes him much more likable.

Notice how the writers use highly specific details, song titles, and proper names to create believability: "Free Bird" "flip-top box of Marlboros" "Golden Tee." When a cliche does appear ("good time Charley"), it pays off with a fun rhyme ("with a Harley"). And speaking of payoffs, the all-important final line of the chorus has a nice twist in it -- "and it's usually me." A strong chorus payoff gives listeners a sense of satisfaction and completion. A chorus without a payoff line is like a joke without a kicker! (Shortcut #50)

MELODY
The verse is a series of short phrases with a natural, conversational melody. After that, the longer phrases of the pre-chorus stretch out, building tension as they lead into a big chorus release. The chorus is in a higher note range than the verse, adding urgency and energy.

The chorus melody opens with two short phrases followed by a long one, then the two short melodic phrases are repeated, leading the listener to anticipate that the 4th line ("there's one in every crowd...") will be the same as the 2nd line ("good time Charley..."). In a nice fake-out, the 4th line begins the same as the 2nd line but quickly changes and delivers the payoff ("it's usually me"). This "fake play" is a favorite with listeners, creating an expectation and then a surprise twist. (Shortcut # 94)

DO IT NOW!
Try using some of these lyric and melody writing techniques in a song of your own. Choose a character and create a lyric portrait filled with detail and imagery. Don't forget to give your listeners a reason to care about your character. Use a 'fake play' in your chorus melody; set up a pattern of phrases, then repeat the first part of the pattern but instead of completing it, go somewhere new for your payoff line.

Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick.

"IF I WERE A BOY" - BEYONCÉ

(Toby Gad / Britney Carlson / Beyonce Knowles)

Buy the MP3 at Amazon.com  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

STRUCTURE
This song starts with the vocal - no waiting around for the intro to go by! We're dropped right into an unusual situation: a girl who wishes she were a boy. The song structure is Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus.

LYRICS
These lyrics are conversational, honest, and direct. There's no poetic language here, yet there are emotional insights into the theme of being hurt in a relationship. The female singer imagines herself in the male role - the freedom, the simple everyday advantages that a boy takes for granted. This is a distinctive approach and offers a fresh emotional take on the theme (Shortcut #38).

The first verse doesn't have an obvious rhyme scheme, no predictable ABAB line-ending rhymes here! Instead, there are rhymes inside of lines: in Verse 1 roll / throw / go, kick it / stick it, and wanted/confronted . This kind of rhyming is borrowed from Hip-hop with its internal rhymes that occur frequently and unpredictably.

The second verse does have a rhyme scheme. In the R&B/Soul genre, this kind of variation between Verse 1 and Verse 2 is fairly common. The general rule is: Move from less to more, not the other way around. In other words, if you start out with a rhyme scheme (more), don't drop it later on (less). Listeners are expecting to hear the rhyme scheme they heard before.

Notice how the verses portray the man's freedom while the choruses focus on how the female singer would act; she would be a "better man." The bridge offers a powerful contrast, dropping the pretense for a moment and allowing the singer to directly confront "you."

MELODY
The really interesting thing about this song is that the melody is the same in both the verse and the chorus. The chorus simply moves the melody up an octave to add urgency, energy, and intensity. This trick isn't unique. You can hear something very similar in the Goo Goo Dolls' huge Pop hit, "Iris" (aka "I Just Want You To Know Who I Am"). You can also hear it in "First Time," a hit for Lifehouse in 2008 in which the chorus melody is a repeat of the prechorusan octave up.

There's a ton of repetition in this song melody! The verse repeats the same melody twice, the chorus does the same an octave higher. A melody with this many repetitive sections risks becoming predictable, but there's something very unusual going on... something that keeps the listener off balance. Every line of this melody begins on a different beat!

Since each verse melody changes slightly due to variations in the lyric, let's look at the chorus to get an idea of what's going on here.

In the chorus, the first line begins on Beat 3 and ends on Beat 1 of the following bar.
(If I were a boy)
The second line begins on Beat 2 and ends on Beat 1 of the following bar.
(I think I could understand)
The third line begins on Beat 4
(How it feels to love a girl)
The fourth line begins on Beat 1!
(I swear I'd be a better man)

The chorus then repeats this series of phrase starts, adding two additional phrases on the end that both emphasize Beat 1.

Using so many different starting points for phrases, gives the listener a feeling of unpredictability. We're never exactly sure when the singer will begin. Beat 1, that familiar anchor point, is often emphasized but is seldom the starting point. It isn't until the very end of the chorus, when a series of phrases strongly indicate Beat 1 ("lose the one you wanted," "taking you for granted," "everything you had") that we get a sense of a familiar place (Shortcut #91).

The use of unpredictable starting points for phrases is characteristic of many of today's R&B/Soul hits. And it's turning up more and more often in Pop, Rock, and even Country melodies. (Check out George Strait's "I Saw God Today.") "If I Were a Boy" is a great song to use as a ghost song if you're interested in embedding this melody writing technique (Shortcut #102).


Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick

"GOTTA BE SOMEBODY" - NICKELBACK

(Chad Kroeger)

Buy this song at iTunes  
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book "Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting."

Chad Kroeger of Nickelback is a songwriting ace. When he aims for a hit single, he doesn't miss! He knows how to catch the listener's attention and hold it, especially with his melody. You can use many of the same tricks that Chad uses -- they're not difficult at all! Remember, I'm not suggesting that you try to sound like Nickelback, just blend some of these techniques with your own sound to create a unique, distinctive song style with plenty of listener appeal.

Here's a look at "Gotta Be Somebody," a huge Hot AC hit for Nickelback, written by lead singer Chad Kroeger..

MELODY
Verse: The verse opens with an ear-catching but simple melodic pattern -- two held notes on the words "this time." The same pattern is repeated on the words "feels like" and again on "this life." The melody has established a repeated pattern that gives the listener an anchor, something to hold onto that provides a sense of organization (Shortcut #88).

If Kroeger continued to repeat the same pattern after the third time, it would begin to feel predictable. Instead, he delivers two short phrases ("the one we all dream of / but dreams just aren't enough"). These two short phrases break up the series of repeats and offer something fresh. Then, he can repeat entire section to create a double verse.

Notice how Kroeger uses an overall mix of long and short notes in the verse melody, creating rhythmic patterns that make it both easy to remember and attractive to listeners.

Prechorus: The first prechorus begins with the line "So I'll be holding my breath..." He uses four short phrases that echo each other rhythmically, building tension to the final phrase which he extends by a few of extra syllables ("forever with"). This is a great way to build anticipation leading up to your chorus (Shortcut #86).

Chorus: The chorus is a series of eight lines that use the same melodic rhythm. This could start to feel predictable very quickly. Add to this the fact that every phrase begins on Beat 1 (and the four-chord progression underneath is very repetitive) and this chorus could be in trouble very quickly. What saves it is the sense of forward momentum created by the very short pauses between each line. Each pause gives the singer barely enough time to catch his breath before roaring right on into the next line. This melody has the forward momentum of a freight train carrying the listener along for the ride (Shortcut #92)!

And look at what happens at the end of the chorus -- it runs right into the beginning of the second verse. There's no break, no instrumental recess between the end of the chorus and the start of the next verse. It's almost as if the brakes on the train have failed and this song is on an inevitable rush all the way to the end. Listeners love going along for a ride like that!

LYRICS
The opening lines clearly set up the theme of the song. By the third line -- "The one we all dream of / But dreams just aren't enough" -- it's apparent what this song is going to be about!

The prechorus smoothly delivers the listener right into the waiting arms of the chorus. Notice how the end of the prechorus leads straight to the word "because" at the top of the chorus. Often words like this -- "so," "because," "and," "but" -- are implied, if not actually sung at this point. This is a great way to test whether your verse or prechorus leads effectively into your chorus. Try saying (or thinking) one of these words in the transition going into the chorus. If you can't, you might want to rewrite the lead-in line, the one that sets your listeners up for your big chorus payoff (Shortcut #55).

The chorus sums up the emotional message at the heart of this song and it's one we can all identify with. The language is conversational and authentic. It sounds honest, as if the singer just thought of what he is saying. Yet, there are repeated phrases that create a sense of symmetry and tie things together: "'Cause nobody..." "'Cause everyone..." "gotta be somebody..."

This song uses a very simple chord progression that you can easily learn to play on guitar or keyboard. If you're interested in writing in the Pop/Rock genre, try using this song as a ghost song to practice writing repeated melodic rhythm patterns and forward momentum (Shortcut #2).


Copyright 2009 Robin Frederick

"HERE" - RASCAL FLATTS

"I'M YOURS" - JASON MRAZ