As a songwriter in Nashville, Maren Morris has always expressed what was on her mind and never pulled punches. Her demand for honesty from other women in “Drunk Girls Don’t Cry” is forthright and refreshing. An edgy sense of humor and fresh Hip Hop-style rhymes light up the lyrics of “Rich.” And she successfully combines elements of the Rock and Blues genres in songs like “My Church” and ‘I Wish I Was.”
So it shouldn’t have come as a total surprise when Maren agreed to lend the power of her voice and attitude to Pop/Dance smash “The Middle,” helping to make that song a #1 Pop smash. Now here she is back in the Country genre with another big hit single.
“The Bones” – Maren Morris
Songwriters: Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins, Laura Veltz
TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY:
Give your singer plenty of character in the lyric.
Add a fresh twist to a familiar lyric phrase or cliché.
Change the beat emphasis in your melody to get attention.
Use a different phrase length in each song section.
If you could ask a question of any successful hit songwriter, what would you want to know? You’d probably ask how they do it. In fact, you can ask that question and get an answer… just by taking an in-depth look into their biggest hits.
“We Don’t Talk Anymore” – Charlie Puth (feat. Selena Gomez)
TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY:
Start a song with the chorus.
Take a fresh approach to a theme/core idea.
Write a melody that keeps listeners engaged.
“We Don’t Talk Anymore” is a contemporary Pop mega-hit. You know you’re “mega” when you’ve got over a billion and a half views on YouTube and triple Platinum sales. But success was no slam dunk. This song is a duet and a mid-tempo ballad, both of which have traditionally had trouble climbing the charts. So, let’s take a look to see what made the difference.
Learn hit songwriting. Study "Believer" by Imagine Dragons. Photo by Nolan Knight.
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.
While the sights and sounds of the season are all around us, this is the time to write those holiday hits. Maybe you want to pitch to a Hallmark holiday special, approach a music publisher with a new Christmas classic, or just share a bit of seasonal cheer with friends and family.
If you’re like me, you’ve combed through YouTube looking for cool songs and videos to share in holiday emails. Don’t miss out on these listeners! Put a simple lyric video together and upload it to YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.
There have been a few Christmas lyrics about getting home in time to celebrate with family and friends. There’s the classic “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and songs like Chris Rea’s “Driving Home for Christmas,” but it’s a theme that still has plenty of room for creativity.
In this song, writers John Legend, Amy Wadge, and Daniel Lafrombe have given it a personal touch that makes you feel you’re listening in as Legend calls home to say he’ll be late.
In the chorus he lists all the things he might do to make it back by Christmas Eve: “I’m gonna walk, if I have to run, I’ll stand on the highway and stop someone. I’ll cross the deserts and oceans, a river that’s frozen…” Give this idea some thought: If you were stuck a thousand miles away, how would you try to make it back home in time for the holiday?
A NOTE ON THE MELODY: This is a slow ballad with a strong melody. There are a few pauses between song sections (and one pause in the chorus after “You can count on me”) but the rest of the melody rolls forward line after line, creating plenty of momentum. That’s one of the essential tricks of good ballad writing—the melody is always in motion. Also notice the pattern of long and short phrases that keep the melody interesting… and keep listeners listening.
I got a real kick out of this lyric! Although the title sounds like another “make it back home in time” song, it’s definitely not! Here, the question is: Will the singer and her boyfriend stay together until the big day? She says:”Don’t know what I’ll say to Dad when he sees the empty chair. Don’t want to hear my Mom say, “Told you so.” Listeners will stay tuned in to find out how it all turns out.
There are lots of Motown overtones in the arrangement that add a nostalgic flavor. In a holiday song, a little nostalgia is a good thing.The melody rolls forward without stopping, carrying listeners along. There’s a strong post-chorus filled with retro-Pop background vocals and a solid hook/title line.
Give the songwriter in your life the gift of knowledge!
Check out this revamping of Freddy Fender’s Tex-Mex classic complete with pumping bass and accordion frills that evoke the genre and locale. How about taking your Christmas song to someplace like Paris? Try a sidewalk café vibe or Edith Piaf-style chanson. (Now there’s a thought!)
Choose your favorite spot and imagine a holiday with local color and sound. This might limit your film and TV pitches to scenes that take place in that particular locale, but it could be a great YouTube lyric video with a few stock photos. YouTubers will love your new holiday classic.
This is an Urban AC tune with a cool Reggae vibe and plenty of warm Jamaican holiday wishes. The lyric is simple but keeps the Jamaican feel throughout—”Though we celebrate it different where I’m from / Joy we keep it strong.” The melody is catchy, with just the right amount of syncopation to get your body swaying.
In this lyric, writers Samantha Jade and Graeme Press chose a single object to represent the holiday season—a candle—and built their lyric around it. You can hear something similar in holiday classics lilke “Silver Bells” and “White Christmas.”
Instead of listing all the familiar sights and sounds of the holidays, choose just one and explore it.BONUS TIP: You can apply this idea to any holiday, from New Year’s to Hallowe’en. Choose one image and write a lyric around it, focusing on the feelings and meaning associated with it.
What kid hasn’t shouted “Finally!!! It’s Christmas!” as they rushed to the tree to tear open their presents? This song, written and performed by the Hanson brothers in 2017, is a wonderful rockin’ tribute to the excitement and anticipation in the build-up to the Big Holiday. I loved it for the fun and enthusiasm of the song, the performance, and the musical arrangement with it’s big nod to the Beach Boys and the Beatles. Check out the YouTube video just for the joy of it.
Writing holiday lyrics
The best way to get authenticity and emotion into your lyric is to put yourself into the situation you’re writing about. That’s why writing your holiday songs at this time of year is such a good idea.As you go through the holidays, be aware of your own emotions and those of the people around you. Or pick a stranger at random and imagine that person’s situation and what they’re feeling. Or watch a classic holiday movie and choose a scene that suggests a song idea.
Draw the listener into the situation with a lyric that features images, actions, and physical sensations. Express the emotion the singer is feeling in ways the listener can relate to. Use the physical senses to evoke sound, touch, smell, and taste. You’ll give your song a unique, believable vibe and guarantee that it won’t be just another holiday song by rote.
Try it now
Start, work on, rewrite, or finish a holiday song. You can write in just about any style from Contemporary Pop to Singer-Songwriter ballad to Reggae to 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll. Choose a style that plays to your strengths. A simple guitar/vocal works great for the Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Reggae, and Americana styles. A piano/vocal is fine for Adult Contemporary ballads. You’ll need a more produced track for some of the Rock and orchestral styles.
If you don’t consider yourself the right singer for the song, call on a friend, a fellow songwriter, or someone in your family. Holiday songs are not about being polished and perfect; they’re all about a real feeling. Keep that in your mind and heart and you’ll do fine!
The new edition of Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting is finally a reality. All the Shortcuts from the first edition are expanded and updated with the latest hit song examples, plus new Shortcuts covering today’s must-have songwriting tools.
There’s so much information, I needed three e-books to cover all 178 song crafting techniques. Read a book from beginning to end or bounce around looking for just the tool you need to turn your new chorus into a hit. You can put every Shortcut to use the minute you start working on a song. Check out all three books on Amazon where you can see the complete Table of Contents and download a free sample.
At just $9.99 each, pick one up right now and get started. If you don’t have an eReader, no problem! Download the free Kindle app and read across all your devices. Print books are in the works for spring, 2020.
