|
|
|
| ||
 |
Note: All song clips and images are licensed for use in SongU.comTM. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium of this lesson without express written
permission of SongU LLC is prohibited. | |
LYR 230 Mastering Lyrics I
"Sometimes you just have to take the leap and
build your wings on the way down" - Kobi Yamada
Instructor:
Sara Light
Course Introduction
Listen to the instructor talk about this course:
Lesson One
The List Song
Lesson Objective
During this lesson you will:
Example: In a song I co-wrote with Danny Arena and Marcia Ramirez called "I Fall," we develop the song by using a list:
VERSE:
I am a shooting star lighting up the sky
I am a coin that's tossed into a wishing well
I am a melody that's reached its highest note
I'm a leaf in autumn, can't you tell
Everyday I fall - I fall
© Curb/Magnatone Music Publishing (ASCAP). All Rights Reserved.
Listen to the MP3 of "I Fall" and view
the entire lyric:
How can I develop a lyric by using lists? In general, you should strive to come up with unique images for your list. You
might use a list:
I'll explain each of these more thoroughly.
How can I use a list throughout the entire song? This is a method in which the list becomes the pivotal device around which the entire song revolves.
Example:
In his classic hit,
"We Didn’t Start the Fire," Billy Joel strings together a list of historical figures
and events in each verse. The chorus repeats the hook, “we didn’t start the fire” and offers very little further explanation. It is up to the listener to interpret significance of the rapid-fire set of examples that make up the rest of the song.
Take a listen to a sample of "We Didn't Start The Fire" (RealOne
Player):
You can view the entire lyric at Billy Joel's official website
here.
Another example of this is the Patty Loveless hit "I Try to Think about Elvis," written by Gary Burr, a fun, radio-friendly song that is primarily a list of what’s running through the singer’s mind while trying to keep her mind off of the guy she can’t stop thinking about. The
creative list includes, Elvis, Oprah in the afternoon, champagne, freight trains, Shakespeare and sushi bars.
How do I use a list in a portion of my song to set-up or support the hook? Sometimes the lyric needs more plot development than only a list. However, an excellent way to
set up a hook/title is to place the list directly before the hook/title. In the Alan Jackson hit
"Right On The Money" (writers: C. Black, P. Vassar), the singer’s love interest is compared to a list of things that are “right on the money,” in other words, perfect. The lyric mentions examples such as his broke-in sneakers, a home-run pitch, and a three-point jump shot that’s nothing but net. When we get to the hook “she’s right on the money,” we know exactly what the singer means.
In her hit single "A Woman's Worth," pop sensation, Alicia Keys,
uses a list to let her man know what he can do to show her what she's
worth. The list includes buying her diamonds, taking her on a cruise
around the world, running her bubble bath and more. Not a bad start
:-)
Similarly, you can use a list to support your main idea or hook. In this case, the list of examples may not directly precede the title, but it offers specificity that relates directly to the title.
Example: An example is artist Chad Brock’s breakout single,
"Ordinary Life" (writers: B. Baker & C. Harrington) which paints a picture of a man feeling trapped in his ordinary life by listing the daily routine of paying bills, watching TV, going to work, mowing the lawn, etc.
Listen to the use of a list in the chorus of "Ordinary
Life":
Singer songwriter, India Arie broke into the pop world with her album, Acoustic Soul. Her anthem for real women, "Video,"
is essentially a list song. In it, she supports the hook that "she's
not the average girl from your video" by listing how she chooses when, and
if to, shave her legs, comb her hair, or paints her toes. She looks in
the mirror and loves her feet, her thighs, her lips, her eyes.
Exercise #1:
What
else are lists good for? Lists are a great way to jump-start your creative juices and come up with an original song
idea or title. Let’s say, for instance, you want to write a love song, but have depleted your current love song titles. Making a list of
what I love about you (“you” being your lover, pet, child, friend, etc) may spark an idea you haven’t thought of before.
For example, in one of my favorite movies, “Life With Cats and Dogs,” the main character is asked to come up with a “lover’s list.” The first few things on the list are obvious and somewhat cliché like, “I love the way your eyes sparkle.” But as he continues, his list gets more interesting, “I love the way you turn making a tuna sandwich into an event.”
In the Gretchen Peters penned song, "The Secret Of Life" recorded by Faith Hill, each chorus is a list beginning with the words, “the secret of life…” is “a good cup of coffee,” and “Monday night football,” etc.
You can make up a list of just about anything. Here's a short list of some
topics to get you rolling:
Again, when creating your list try to go beyond the obvious and find your personal truth. Making a list forces you to let go, brainstorm and dig deeper than you may normally do. You may find that you can use your list as part of your lyric or that it takes you in a totally different place than you originally thought.
Some other hit songs that use a list include:
Pop/R&B
Country
Lesson Summary
Using a list is an effective lyrical device to make your songs more interesting, specific and original. A list can be the primary focus of the lyric or it can be used to set up and/or support the hook.
Putting It All Together
Estimated time to complete: 10-20 minutes
Look at the list above in the section of this lesson “What
Else Are Lists Good For?” Choose a topic or come up with your own topic and brainstorm on a list. Try to come up with at least ten items. The first five will probably be easy…the next five may take a little more thought (thus being more original). On the discussion board for this class, post your results.
Additional Exercises:
Finding list songs.
On the discussion board for this class, post more examples of list songs. Mention the artist, writer (if you know who that is), and genre (e.g., Pop, R&B, Country, Rap, Folk/Americana, etc.).
Post Your Solution (not active for sample lesson)
|
|
|
