Songwriting
You don’t have to write the songs that make the whole world sing, to write valid music. You could write a song with a deep message like,
“All we are is dust in the wind” or something more shallow like
“Oh Ricky you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind”.
Crafting a song, like many things we do in life, is better—and more popular—when we keep it simple. There’s a simple formula you can use in writing a song: “You + 2.”
You + 2, hooks and phrases. You + 2, melody and lyrics. That’s it! There are more advanced concepts, but hooks and phrases, melody and lyrics are the basics that get you going. Today, we’ll explore the first of these:
Hooks & Phrases
First, let’s start with their definitions: a hook can be either a melodic motive or a lyric idea. They’re mostly short and repetitive. Their intent is to capture the ear of the listener.
A good example of a melodic hook is in Michael Jackson’s song “Beat It”. The opening guitar riff is short, repeated and catchy. (Sing it). Along with the rhythmic instrumentation behind it, it’s catchy, it makes you want to move.
A lyric hook example is in Eddie Money’s song “Two Tickets to Paradise”. The title is the hook as well as a catchy phrase. The percussive consonants, especially the back-to-back hard “T” sounds along with its repetition makes for a hook you want to sing along with.
If you want further good examples, listen to just about anything Paul McCartney ever wrote. He’s a master.
Like hooks, good phrases should be catchy, memorable, short or descriptive. A good example is from Bryan Adams’ song, “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” where he sings,
“And when you see your unborn children in her eyes”. Very picturesque.
Tomorrow, we’ll explore Melody & Verse.
