“Say You Do” recorded by Dierks Bentley definitely plays fast and loose with a few songwriting rules. In spite of that (or because of it), Dierks Bentley made it to #1 on the Country airplay charts and stayed for a fair amount of time. Even though the melody and lyrics of this song have a decidedly unique slant, it still appeals to radio’s demanding listeners. So if you’re just dying to be a song crafting rebel, check out how these writers did it.
Tag: hit songwriting
Hit Songwriting: “Believer” by Imagine Dragons
If you could ask Imagine Dragons a question, what would you want to know? You’d probably ask how they do write their hit songs. In fact, you can ask that question and get an answer… just by taking an in-depth look into their biggest hits.
“Believer” – Imagine Dragons
Songwriters: Daniel Wayne Sermon, Daniel Coulter Reynolds, Benjamin Arthur McKee, Daniel James Platzman, Robin Lennart Fredriksson, Mattias Per Larsson, Justin Drew Tranter
TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY:
- Find a fresh approach to your theme/core idea.
- Get listeners involved in your lyric with imagery.
- Use repetition to make your melody undeniable.
- Try a crossover genre like Pop/Rock
Imagine Dragons is one of the most successful Alt Rock, Pop/Rock bands of recent times. They’ve topped the music charts with hit after hit, blowing way past the billion mark in sales and streams. They have consistently created bold, memorable melodies and emotionally authentic lyrics with themes that engage the listener’s emotions.
“Believer” was the band’s third top ten single and a worldwide hit with five times platinum sales. Its powerful lyric theme and emotion-driven chorus have been successfully featured in commercials, film trailers, and TV series.
Hit Songwriting: “All Of Me” by John Legend
“All Of Me,” recorded by John Legend, is a hugely popular piano/vocal love ballad that has been embraced by listeners around the globe. The song went to #1 on seven different Billboard charts in the U.S. and eleven countries around the world. The YouTube video has had over one billion views. (That’s billion with a “b.”) Proof that, even in this era of giant Dance/Pop extravaganzas, a simple song with an honest, emotionally moving lyric can hold its own.
Because the production is so bare bones, the song itself has to sustain the listener’s interest. That’s a challenge for any song, but especially a ballad. There are a number of simple but very effective lyric and melody techniques at work here, ones that you can easily adapt for use in your own songs.
“All Of Me” – John Legend
Recorded by John Legend
Writers: John Legend and Toby Gad
TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY
- Write a ballad melody that keeps listeners engaged.
- Give a personal lyric universal appeal.
- Introduce your characters early.
Listen to the song. Read the lyrics.
Read the lyrics here: All Of Me – John Legend
Genre/Style: Pop/Adult Contemporary
(What is a genre? Watch this video.)
“All Of Me” is a ballad in the Pop genre. The memorable, easy-going melody drops it right into the heart of the Adult Contemporary side of Pop. As its name implies, the Adult Contemporary format features songs that appeal to a broad adult age range, from 25 to 55. Surprisingly, this melodic ballad with minimal production also topped the Pop and R&B charts.
There’s a mix of influences here and it’s a little hard to tell who is influencing whom. Certainly this song reminds me of Adele’s huge hit “Someone Like You” but that song may have been influenced by John Legend’s own Neo-Soul hit of a decade ago: “Ordinary People.” And, let’s face it, everyone here is paying their respects to Lionel Richie.
Song Structure
This song has the same structure as most of today’s biggest Pop and Rock hits, yet it doesn’t really sound like one of those hits.
The structure is:
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
BRIDGE / CHORUS
VERSES: Verse 1 starts the song off with the line “What would I do without your smart mouth?” It’s a great opening line, immediately drawing the listener into the song with an intriguing question and a glimpse into a complex and very realistic relationship.
Verse 2 begins with “How many times do I have to tell you, even when you’re crying you’re beautiful, too.” Another unusual statement that makes us curious to hear more.
Song Guide: Tattoos On This Town – Jason Aldean
Songwriters: Michael Dulaney, Wendell Mobley, Neil Thrasher
Start with a great title
First of all, let’s take a look at this amazing song title:”Tattoos on This Town.” It’s a tremendous example of a short phrase that can support and inspire an entire song. It’s unique and fresh, and immediately made me wonder what the song would be about. Before even hearing the song, listeners are bound to ask: “What does this phrase mean?”
When you have an intriguing title like this, you’ve got to answer the questions it brings up and do it in a way that’s creative, yet clear and understandable. That’s just what these writers did: A tattoo is a permanent mark on the skin. The first line of the chorus is “It sure left its mark on us…” Got it! The town left its mark on the singer. The title is tied right into the lyric.
But these writers went even further: the images in the lyric show us the marks the singer and his friends left on the town. The whole song is framed by the title and satisfying the questions it brings up for listeners. (For more on answering the questions the title asks, read Shortcut #44.)
Listen to the song. Read the lyrics.
Read the lyrics to this song online.
(Shortcut numbers refer to my book Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting.)
GENRE: Contemporary Country
(What is a genre? Watch this video.)
Contemporary Country is a style that blends the melodic Rock sound of the 1970s with today’s songwriting techniques—vivid lyrics and melodies with a lot of momentum. We’ll take a look at both of these as we go through the song.
Fallin’ For You – Colbie Caillat
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.
“Fallin’ For You” recorded by Colbie Caillat
Writers: Colbie Caillat & Richard Nowels
Lyrics are available on the internet.
Shortcut # refers to my book “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting.”
STRUCTURE
The song structure is the current hit song go-to form…
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
BRIDGE / CHORUS
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…”
Listen to the song and notice where the sections begin and end. Pay special attention to the way each section is “announced” by the melody. It helps keep the song organized and lets listeners know where they are in the song.
MELODY
In a Colbie Caillat song, the melodies are always catchy, memorable, and contemporary. Studying her melodies is a great way to get a feel for the current Pop/Singer-Songwriter genre.
This melody uses a simple technique that is characteristic of many songs in this style. There’s a lot of repetition in this melody.