A song’s lyrics are an integral part of its success, as they provide the story that connects with other stories in your ears. Many people may know the songs, but how many really understand the process behind writing them?
It is very important to realize that writers write because they want to tell a story or express their thoughts and feelings. Writing is a tool used for personal growth, so most professional writers learn how to do it at some point in life.
Many musicians find inspiration from music that others have already made, then add to it and make it their own. Others create new melodies or patterns that stick and grow into something else.
In this article, we will talk about some interesting things about famous songs and what writers can take away from them. Read on to discover more!
I hope you enjoy reading these tips as much as I did! For more information, you could also read my article: The 9 Most Important Elements In Songwriting.
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Famous songs and songs written by professionals all share similar traits. They are typically narratively structured, use metaphorical language, contain references to other songs and literature, and establish tone and flow.
Most people know the song “Happy Birthday” as the catchy, sing-along melody that gets stuck in your head. But what many don’t realize is that the lyrics to this classic track were written by someone other than its author, Frank Loesser.
He wrote the first line as a poem, then took out the word ‘birthday’ and replaced it with the word ‘happy’. The rest was just naturally flowing from there!
Written by Rick Reed, this article will show you how to write your own version of this famous song.
Many people are familiar with the lyrics to some of the greatest hits ever written, but few know how they were actually written. Some writers keep their process private, so it is hard for others to see exactly what goes into creating their music.
But like any other form of art, there’s always someone who decides to do things differently. Artists share their writing processes with us by sharing their work, which can sometimes be difficult to evaluate because we as readers/observers don’t have the context behind the material.
So rather than just saying “This song was written by this person,” we get to explore what tools they used to create their masterpiece! These creative modes include using word fragments or rhyme schemes, drawing from experiences for lyrics, and even including references to something that was happening in the world at the time.
Many people are familiar with the song lyrics, but few know how they were written or who wrote them. In fact, most do not even realize that there is an author attached to each lyric! This may be because music publishers have become very efficient at protecting their intellectual property — the copyright for your favorite songs has been assigned to them. Or it could be that music writers are professionals who use cover stories to protect their anonymity.
With over 100 years of recorded music, there’s always going to be something new to learn about the art of writing songs. People often get credit as a writer for putting words to a famous melody, but many authorship errors exist. Some might surprise you!
In this article, we will take a look at some of the ways popular songs were written, including:
The writer of the poem (or “poetry segment”) next to the music
The composer of the notes (music) under the lyrics
The lyricist (author of the lyrics) next to the music
The guitarist, bass player, keyboardist, etc. under the lyrics
The singer, instrumental performer, etc.
Many people are familiar with some or even most parts of a song, but few know how the whole thing came together. A lot of times, artists will write their own lyrics or collaborate with someone else to write a line that is then incorporated into another lyric or the final product.
Famous songs such as “Happy Birthday” and “Baby I Love You” were not written by the singer nor was it just the vocals in those cases. There are instruments involved as well!
A great deal of music is made up of repeated patterns and/or melodies. These patterns and/or melodies can be borrowed or adapted from something else; either completely new material or a slightly altered version.
Some examples of this include The Beatles writing many of their songs and using rhythmically similar chords as The Rolling Stones. Or Adele incorporating musical notes and phrases for her songs that she did not create herself.
In fact, there are several theories about what exactly happened during the recording process for some songs. For example, musicians may have subconsciously listened to or heard fragments of other songs and used them when working on their own compositions.
There are so many awful songs out there, it’s impossible to make a list that doesn’t have too long of a tail. Some people just can’t seem to grasp the concept of putting together a song with lyrics and music! But we’ve got your number right here — the ten worst songs ever written.
So let’s take a look at our top ten contenders for this dubious honor by exploring some potential reasons why these songs hurt like hell.
The first thing we need to address is what makes up a song. A song has three parts: the verse, the chorus, and the bridge. The rest of the song is made up of either an extension of the chorus or another part of the same structure.
A good song will get you dancing and/or singing along, but a bad one may leave you feeling nauseous. It could be the lyrics themselves, the way they rhyme and use internal rhymes, or the melody, which should be catchy but not annoying.
Many people are familiar with the songs that feature great lyrics, but few know how those lyrics were written. Some songwriters keep notes in what they call the “lyric book” to help them write their lyrics, but not everyone does.
A lot of artists don't do this because they find it too distracting. They would rather just let inspiration take over and see where the words go instead of writing down the rhyme or rhythm for each line.
But if you want to be a master lyricist, you have to work outside the house at some point! You have to make space to put aside your personal things so you can later re-write them and add to the artistry of the music you create.
Most people are familiar with this song’s famous chorus, but what many don’t realize is that it took over two years to write. It was only when McCartney added his own lyrics to the tune did it become a true hit.
Before he wrote those words, though, there was an entirely different verse and pre-chorus. Both of these parts were much more musically complex than the final version we know today.
It takes a lot of skill to turn a good chunk of music into a great piece of art. When artists use well-known songs as templates for their new pieces, they must figure out how to adapt them while keeping the essence of the original intact.
Many musicians are well known for their catchy songs with great lyrics, incredible melodies, and engaging rhythms. These types of songs usually have a very unique rhythm or pattern that listeners can focus on while listening to them. This specific element, referred to as the ‘great beat’, has been adapted and incorporated into many other styles of music.
The term ‘great beat’ was first used in the 1970s by British DJ Tony Blackburn. He would describe what made up a song's rhythm as being like a party or an event that people look forward to every time it is happening.
This type of rhythm is not only heard in pop songs, but also in hip hop, dance, funk, rock, and country music. It is present in songs such As The Proclaimers' I'll be loving you tonight, Grouplove's My Favorite Word Is Yes, and Michael Jackson's Beat It.
