lyrics Archives – Page 4 of 8 – Songwriting Craft & Inspiration

Hit Songwriting: “These Days” by Foo Fighters

Songwriters: Odie Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Georg Ruthenberg, David Eric Grohl

I was looking through the songs I’ve analyzed over the last couple years and realized I’d never done a song by Foo Fighters. Their huge presence looms over the Rock genre, inspiring dozens of top bands. Grammy wins for Best Rock Album and over a decade of hit Rock songs means that I am long overdue.

This beautiful song from 2012 is one of my favorites. And David Grohl has said that it’s one of his. The passionate chorus lyric and unpredictable but catchy melody make this song a Rock classic that will live on and on.

Watch the video. Read the lyrics.

Watch on YouTube
Read the lyric
Shortcut numbers refer to my books “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” (“Hit”) and “Shortcuts to Songwriting for Film & TV” (“Film/TV”).

GENRE

The genre is Mainstream Rock. Grohl’s gritty vocal, the layered electric guitars, and hard, punchy drums give it plenty of Rock cred. At the same time, the lyric is thoughtful and the theme serious. There’s an intimate approach to the verses that bursts into a solid, rockin’ chorus with a powerful message that landed this song at the top of the Rock charts.

STRUCTURE

The song structure is:

VERSE / VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
DOUBLE PRE-CHORUS / HALF VERSE / CHORUS

The song opens with a double verse. The verses each consist of two long lyric lines broken up into short phrases. A pre-chorus (“But it’s all right…”) provides some release and begins the build up to the huge vocal leap at the top of the chorus (“Easy for you to say…”).

The overall structure is typical for a hit song up until the bridge. Grohl uses a double pre-chorus as the bridge before going into a final verse and chorus. Notice that he doesn’t return to the pre-chorus again, using just a half verse before roaring into the final chorus of the song.

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is definitely paying his respects to Van Morrison here. The vocal style, the blue-eyed soul groove and melody, and the personal, honest lyrics all recall hit singles like Van’s “Into the Mystic.” But there are contemporary elements, too – an emphasis on current melody phrasing patterns and tight lyric focus that appeals to today’s listeners.

This song is a co-write with Amy Wadge, a songwriter Sheeran has worked with before. In fact, he wrote an entire EP of songs with her called Songs I Wrote With Amy. It’s a great example of a first-rate songwriter who certainly doesn’t need a co-writer. There are many reasons to collaborate: speed, new ideas and techniques, another writer’s perspective, and more.

TECHNIQUES TO HEAR AND TRY:
– Keep your lyric focused on your theme
– Use your melody to make a basic chord progression   sound fresh
– Create a simple but effective instrumental arrangement

Read the lyrics here: Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

Watch on YouTube

Recorded by Ed Sheeran
Writers: Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge

GENRE/STYLE (What is a genre?)

The song’s blend of Blue-Eyed Soul and contemporary singer-songwriter propelled this song to the top of the Mainstream Top 40 charts in the U.S. and global hit status. It has the kind of positive, love-themed lyric and easy melody that suggests it’s likely to be a standard on Adult Contemporary (AC) radio for years to come.

Hit Songwriting: Beautiful Day by Joshua Radin

Songwriter Joshua Radin

I usually feature a hit song from the music charts in this section, but this time I want to take a look at an artist who has built an extremely successful career on Film & TV placements, Joshua Radin. More than 40 of Radin’s songs have appeared in top TV series, including Bones, Parenthood, Grey’s Anatomy, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago Med, 90210, and the list goes on. You won’t find his songs on the mainstream music charts, nevertheless, he has sold millions of downloads and singles.

Radin’s songs are atmospheric, mood-based, and emotionally evocative rather than attention grabbing radio hits. They tend to feature one- or two-line refrains instead of big, over-the-top choruses, as radio singles do. The production is simple but carefully thought out, with chiseled performances that lock into a groove.

Every song is filled with insight, fresh twists, and beautiful payoff lines that are perfect for film and TV uses. If you’re a singer-songwriter looking at the Film & TV market, here’s an artist who is worth studying.

Hit Songwriting: “Classic” by MKTO

“Retro-Blend” is definitely the phrase du jour. Today’s Pop charts are sounding more and more like the music charts of long ago, from the Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks” to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” to Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven.”

Retro-influenced songs like these evoke the best of yesterday blended with today’s melody, lyric, and production techniques.

Two of the latest hits to pay their respects to the oldies are Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” and MKTO’s “Classic.” If you can remember dancing to Marvin Gaye and the Jackson 5, then you’ve got a big head start on this style. But the commercial magic is in the blend of old and new. Today’s listeners want it ALL. So, let’s a take a look at a Pop hit that delivers the best of yesterday and today. It’s CLASSIC!

Play It Again – Luke Bryan

Hit songwriting with Luke Bryan: Play It Again.

There are always a whole lotta party-all-night, feel-good songs on the Country music charts, especially in the summer. It’s a theme with tons of appeal for Country listeners.

The songwriting on all these hits is solid, of course, but, after a while you might start to notice a certain same-ness to the lyrics. They all seem to have pickup trucks, beer, and girls in shorts. So, wouldn’t it be cool if you could write a hit song with this commercially appealing theme and set yourself a little apart from the crowd? Let’s take a look at a Country hit that does exactly that.

“Play It Again,” a summertime hit recorded by Luke Bryan, has the required tailgate and girl in shorts but the song brings this girl to life in a way that’s vivid and believable. You get a real sense of both the singer’s character and the girl’s. The song plays out like a series of scenes, fun to watch and easy to get caught up in.

Read the lyrics here.

W atch on YouTube .

Artist: Luke Bryan
Writers: Dallas Davidson & Ashley Gorley

GENRE/STYLE

(What is a genre?)

The genre is 100% pure Contemporary Country. The detailed story line and physical actions of the characters are clearly drawn. It all takes place within a classic Country setting of tailgates and outdoor summer fun.

The song creates a vivid mental movie that keeps listeners engaged. The insight into the singer’s feelings and the picture of the girl he’s attracted to add to the enjoyment. But to my mind, the youthful, engaging characters in this lyric are the real standout.

SONG STRUCTURE

The song structure is…
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
VERSE / PRE-CHORUS / CHORUS
BRIDGE / CHORUS

Tag: lyrics