The SongWriter's Studio
P.O.Box 210902
Nashville, Tennessee 37221
Phone:(615) 952-2138
Song Tips and Pointers
This
covers some basic song structures and other information. I plan to add on to this section, so return often and you may learn or discover
something new !
Parts of a song: A song has individual parts that
combine to make up the various song structures. The three most basic parts are:
1. Verse: A
lyrical statement that voices a thought and moves it along. Jack meets Jane, Jane plays
hard to get, Jack tries to gain her attention.
2. Chorus: A
thought that sums up the direction of a verse utilizing a “repeating line or lines”
within it’s structure. The chorus is the most memorable part of the song, that can
usually be sung along with.
3. Bridge: This
is a final thought presented in a different structure and pattern than the verse or
chorus. For example, in a song about Jack and Jane’s courtship, the bridge might say: And now even though they’re old and gray, they’re
still in love like the very first day or Now they have three kids, two boys and a girl, forever
and ever, they’re love will last until
eternity.
4. Tag: This
is a repeat of the final lines of the chorus, the hook or even the first line of the song,
and always occurs at the end of the song.
Structure: There are countless ways to construct a
song, but several forms have emerged that most “Radio” songs follow. The letters
refer to the parts of a song that are repeated, and in what order. It’s interesting
to note that different world cultures have many different song forms, some quite involved.
For example, an “Indian Raga” has such a complicated form that it takes years of
schooling just to understand it. Our Western “pop” music is for the masses, and
is actually quite simple. There’s also been certain forms that have predominated
during a certain time period. The 1960’s had many AAA songs, but not many songs with
the ABABCBB structure that is so common today. While I am going to define certain
structures next, remember, there are no exact rules to follow. For years the chorus was always identical each
time it repeated, but lately country music has seen the rise of chorus 1 and chorus 2,
where the second chorus differs slightly from the first one lyrically - and even musically
at times. The verse is the same way, sometimes having a slightly different structure the
second time it repeats it’s form. Music is a continually changing art form, and what
is successful one year may not be the mode for next year. One of the great songwriters of
the 20th Century , Bob Dylan, broke many rules in his writing. One of his
songs, Masters
of War has only one chord repeated
throughout. Another, Desolation Row, has more
than twelve verses. While maybe not your typical songs, these songs nevertheless made a
lot of money for him. My rule is, if it works for the song, then it is OK. The trend today
are songs that have a “positive” “upbeat” feeling. Yet, my friend Stephanie Davis wrote song called Wolves that Garth Brooks recorded and released
on “NO FENCES”. This song is a downer, not about love and far from “upbeat”.
Yet, included on a CD that has sold 18 Million copies made that song worth more than a
million dollars to the writer. While there are those who will tell you “exactly”
what you should write, I feel you should let the song come out and see what develops. And
don’t take what others say to heart. Ache
Breakie Heart is certainly a very silly song that sold nearly 10 million copies, and
made with mechanical and performance royalties nearly four million dollars for it’s
writer. The buzz at the time amongst the so called “great” writers in Nashville
was ‘How can that piece of trash be getting played so much on the radio’ ? Had
the songwriter been given “advice” and told not to pitch such a silly song,
think about different his life might be today. Instead
of a multi-millionaire he might be delivering pizzas.
1. The AAA
Form: Here we
have a repeating section that doesn’t change. The hook is in the first line or last
line, and when the section repeats, so does the hook in the same place. An example of this
form follows. In this example, the hook actually repeats at the start of the verse and end
of the verse. This form has NO CHORUS.
COME HOME, WHEN THE HOURS TRAIL
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
AND THE BANSHEE WAILS
I'M WAITING HERE
COME HOME
COME HOME, THERE'S A MIRACLE WAITING
AS THE SPIRIT OF THE DOVE
DESCENDS FROM ABOVE
A CIRCLE OF LOVE IS OPENING
COME HOME
c 2002 C.Pat Feller / Steven R. Cooper
2. The ABAB
Form: Here we
have a verses and a chorus that repeats itself. The hook line is either at the top or the
end of the chorus, and sometimes at both. The verses have nearly an identical line
structure. Sometimes the chorus ( B ) repeats
twice at the end. Following is an example of this form :
Day by day hearts beat in fear and
prayer
chances of survival grow slimmer and
slimmer
so much pain all over, so much sorrow
wonder how many will see tomorrow
Tears cloud my eyes seeing on television
thousands being killed in a bloody
revolution
Refugees fleeing, the burning homes down
south
Just hear the weeping and wailing up in
the North
We need some peace
There are far too many children crying
We need some peace
Too many men and women dying
We need some peace
Our innocent people are suffering
and the whole world's grieving
We need some peace
Peace
for each and everyone
Think of all the babies getting orphaned
Sirens that keep blaring yet no one
seems concerned
Why are hundreds of tankers rolling West
and police in the East making all the
arrests?
Street riots, political disturbance,
angry protesters putting up a resistance
There's been too much evil going on for
long
and now time has come to stop doing our
people wrong
We need some peace
There are far too many children crying
We need some peace
Too many men and women dying
We need some peace
Our innocent people are suffering
and the whole world's grieving
We need some peace
Peace for each and everyone
c
2003 Frank Zuma - Music: Steven Cooper
3. The ABABCB
Form: Here we have a verses and a chorus that repeats itself plus a “bridge”
. The bridge adds a closing thought to the previous statements of the song. For instance, say the song was about two people
falling in love. The bridge might talk about them “getting married and having
children” or “and now they’re old and gray, still in love as the first day”.
Following is an example of this form along with a full lyric laid out. Note how instead of writing the chorus out each
time a shortcut has been added with “repeat chorus”.
I NEVER HAD A
KEN DOLL
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, EVERYTHING WENT WRONG
WHAT I WANTED MOST WASN'T A JOHN OR TOM
I HAD SUPERMAN AND SILLY STRING IN A CAN
BUT I NEVER HAD A KEN DOLL
HE'S THE PERFECT MAN, FOR EVERY WOMAN
A BLOND ADONIS, I'M HIS GODDESS
I KNOW EVERYONE'S TOTALLY JEALOUS
BYE BYE BARBIE
HE'S WITH ME
Chorus:
A KEN DOLL, A
KEN DOLL
SO TOTALLY
COOL I'M HIS FOOL
HE'S TAN HE'S
TALL
HIS PICTURE'S
ON MY WALL
I REALLY NEED
WHAT I NEVER HAD
A KEN DOLL
I'M ALWAYS ALONE, WAITING BY THE PHONE
I CAN'T GET ENOUGH, SEXY STUFF
THEY GAVE ME SKIPPER BARBIES LITTLE
SISTER
BUT I NEVER HAD A KEN DOLL
THIS OBSESSION IS BAD, I'M GOING MAD
I WISH YOU COULD SEE, DEEP IN MY SOUL
THE JOKE IS REALLY ONE ME
IT'S SOME TWISTED
REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY
Repeat Chorus
Bridge
I WANT TO DRESS THEM UP
I WANT TO DRESS THEM DOWN
I WANT THEM TO DRIVE ME ALL OVER TOWN
OH HOW I NEED
A KEN DOLL
Repeat Chorus - Tag last line three
times
c2002
words by C.Pat Feller and Steven Cooper
Music: Steven Cooper
The way the
lyric above is formatted a good example of the form your lyric should take on the printed
page when submitting the song to publishers, producers, artists etc. You should also
include your contact information, copyright date and the writers of the song. It is
important to try and keep all of this on a single sheet. If your lyric/song takes up
several pages, it’s probably too long for “radio” play. Most publishers are
looking for “radio” play style songs. While they may pay attention to other
songs, their primary focus is the radio song. Once you have established a track record
with them, it’s a lot easier to present the song that is ‘different”. Too
short, too long, too controversial, way out of form, odd subject matter and other out of
the norm things will serve to have your song rejected. If your goal is to have a publisher
take on your song, stick with the safe road. But
as I mentioned early on, there are exceptions to the rules. Most publishers are looking to
make money from signing your song, and they want songs that will be marketable to a wide
audience.
Following is
another example of a finished lyric sheet.
I
CAN HEAR KENTUCKY CALLING
I
CAN FEEL KENTUCKY CALLING
WHEN
THE DOGWOOD TREES
ARE
BLOOMING IN THE SPRING
CAN
ALMOST HEAR
A
NIGHTBIRDS SONG
DOWN
BY THE RIVER GREEN
THERE'S
SOMEONE THERE I MISS
SOMEONE
I CAN'T FORGET
I
CAN SEE THE MOONLIGHT ON HER HAIR
THERE
BY THE RIVER THEY CALL GREEN
OH
I CAN HEAR KENTUCKY CALLING
CAUSE
I'VE BEEN GONE TOO LONG
STILL
GOT THAT BLUEGRASS MUSIC IN MY SOUL
SO
KENTUCKY I'M COMING HOME
AND
I'LL BE THERE IN THE SPRING
TO
WALK WITH THAT BLUE-EYED GIRL
DOWN
THERE BY A RIVER THEY CALL GREEN
I
PACKED MY BAGS
AND
LEFT THE FARM
WITH
DREAMS OF BIGGER BETTER SPACES
NOW
I WANNA GO BACK TO MY HOMETOWN
AND
A GIRL WITH GOLDEN HAIR
OH
THE OLE MASTER PAINTER
WHO
PAINTED KENUCKY PLACES
WHISPERED
IN MY EAR "GO HOME"
THE
GRASS IS GREENER THERE
REPEAT
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
WHEN
MY TIME ON EARTH IS OVER
AND
MY SOUL HAS BEEN SET FREE
HOPE
GOD PAINTED THE HILLS OF HEAVEN
LIKE
KENTUCKY
AND
I CAN FIND A RIVER THERE CALLED GREEN
REPEAT
CHORUS
Steven R. Cooper / Beverly J. Fisher
c 2002
contact:
Steven Cooper P.O.Box 210902
Nashville, TN 37221 615-952-2138
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Credits:
Beverly J. Fisher passed away the day before I CAN HEAR KENTUCKY CALLING was completed. Since
that time, it has been published by Cherri-Holly Music and recorded by a major upcoming
artist. Beverly kept it a secret to all but her
most close friends that she was “blind”. If you spoke on the phone with her you
would have never have known it. And most
remarkable, in discussing and refining this lyric with together she never let on about her
lack of sight. You’d never guess it from the lyric. She is greatly missed
C.Pat Feller is from Wisconsin and wrote COME HOME in 2002.
It presents a highly emotional statement.
KEN DOLL was also written that same year by her
and has been recorded by Irish Artist Kim Dickinson.
Frank Zuma wrote WE NEED SOME PEACE as a honest request to the
events that have unfolded in his country of Nigeria. Hopefully the heartfelt message in
his song will help make a change in the political climate.