As songwriters, what we hate to hear most when we’re submitting material for a project are comments like “This sounds good, but it really doesn’t stand out” or, “This is well-written, but it just doesn’t have that special something.” One thing that can make a big difference in this area is the effective use of contrast. Contrast enables us to keep our songs fresh and original, while still sounding familiar enough to sing along with on first listening.

Its importance in today’s music was perhaps most dramatically expressed by those celebrated teenage music critics Beavis and Butthead. Upon listening to the chorus of a full-on headbanging heavy metal tune on their MTV show one night, Beavis tells his partner, “Wow, this is cool.” When the song shifts to a more melodic verse, however, he says to Butthead, “ugh, this part sucks.” Butthead, in his infinite wisdom, then turns to Beavis and replies, “Yeah, but if they didn’t have a part that sucked, the part that’s cool wouldn’t sound as cool.” While we may not elicit such explicit reactions as this from our listeners, it’s a basic truth of life that people tend to lose interest when the same thing is repeated over and over again.

Melody, harmony, and rhythm–the three basic musical components of pop songwriting–are the areas in which we can create musical contrast. An excellent example of melodic contrast occurs in Bon Jovi’s rock hit “Livin’ on a Prayer” (written by Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child). Notice how the staccato accentuated rhythm of the prechorus section (“We’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got”) contrasts with the flowing eighth note melodies of the verse. Although the melodic rhythm remains similar in the chorus, there is a contrast in melodic range, since the melody goes a full fourth higher than it does in either of the two preceding sections. This holds the listener’s attention so that as the song proceeds through its verse to prechorus to chorus development, we are constantly hearing fresh melodic ideas.

A song which strongly illustrates the use of harmonic contrast is Don Henley’s 1989 hit “The End of the Innocence” (co-written with Bruce Hornsby), which earned him a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance. The entire verse consists, with one exception, of Ab, Db and Eb Major chords that last for one or two measures each. Now look at the progression in the first four measures of the prechorus Fm7 Cm7 / Bbm7 Dbmaj7 / Fm7 Dbmaj7/ Eb.

Henley and Hornsby create three distinct types of harmonic contrast in this section. First, they make frequent use of minor chords (four in three measures) as opposed to the major chords which predominate in the verse. They also employ four part minor and major seventh chords compared to the triads used exclusively in the previous section. The final example of contrast is a change in the harmonic rhythm, or number of chords per measure. Notice that the first three bars of the prechorus contain two chords each, while in the beginning of the verse each chord lasts for two full measures. These harmonic variations make the prechorus sound more fresh and interesting, and contribute significantly to making the song the classic it has become.

The rhythm, or groove of a song, is the third area in which we can create effective contrast. Sometimes this may be very obvious, as in the case of Meat Loaf’s “I’ll Do Anything for Love” (by Jim Steinman) where the verse section (Some days it don’t come easy) is more than fifty beats per minute faster than the chorus. Or it can be as subtle as the difference between the first verse of Counting Crows’ debut single “Round Here” where Adam Duritz’s vocal is supported only by the sparsely arpegiatted guitar of his co-writer David Bryson, and the second verse where the bass and drums are laying down a solid groove under the guitar and keyboards.

Contrast is a key element in the craft of successful songwriting. It often makes the difference between a tune that is “just okay” and one that may become a hit or even a standard. As you continue to examine and analyze songs you admire, pay attention to this important element and the impact that it has on the listener, and try to incorporate it into your own writing.

During the ’50s and early ’60s, deciding on new talent was a lot easier than it is today. A&R Reps heard a great voice and, whether or not the artist wrote his own material, that voice was usually enough to seal the deal. Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin, and dozens of other great singers and song stylists were signed because of their pipes. The songs themselves could come from publishers and other pro songwriters.

But then, on January 25th, 1964, something happened that forever changed the way A&R worked. On that very date, a single called “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by a new British quartet called The Beatles, hit the Number One spot on the Billboard Pop Charts. And believe it or not, that event made possible the later-day signings of such artists as Hanson, the Monkees, Shaun & David Cassidy, Spice Girls, Tiffany, Menudo, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and the Go Gos, to name just a few.

By topping the charts, the Beatles proved, for the very first time ever, that musicians could both write and play their own material and be successful at sustaining a career and, that image was indeed responsible for tremendous amounts of record sales. Whether it’s torn jeans, an all-girl band or Nehru jackets, image sells–if marketed properly.

That in itself created a dilemma for the A&R Community that is still perplexing. Since 1964, A&R Vice Presidents, directors, Managers and even lowly Reps, have been wrestling with the question of “Art vs. Commerce.” Whether ’tis nobler to sign an artist who will need years to develop a following, radio play and record sales (Harry Chapin, Tracy Chapman, Randy Newman) or to go for the immediate hit (Hanson, Spice girls, Britney) knowing that the longevity of these artists with blatant image might only be three to five years. Me? I go for the immediate hit–every time! Isn’t that the object of a record company? To sell millions of records and have tons of hits? Sure it is!

I believe that a great, fresh, original image/look, combined with great songs, can only help sell records, expose the artist and build a strong following. So, when I scour the country for new talent, I specify that I want young, good-looking teenagers who are hungry, aggressive and have something special to offer in addition to being able to play and write. Realistically, I want to sell as much merchandise as records. That very combination is what made acts such as Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, Dixie Chicks and others, international superstars.

Notice I used the word “young” in the last paragraph. These days, record labels are making an extra effort to sign acts in their early teens. Not only for the marketing, but as a musician gets into his late twenties and early thirties, he tends to let the frustrations of the business overtake him. He/she gets jaded. He seems to focus more and more on his day job and his boyfriend/girlfriend relationship than his music career. He tends to believe he’s heard it all before and it just didn’t work. He thinks he knows all the answers. The aggression, vitality and hunger are gone.

The changes made in the music industry by the success of the Beatles helped open the doors for a plethora of signings. As an artist, your job is to understand what is being signed and why, and to do whatever you can to make sure you appear attractive to the labels when they come knocking.

Part of your job as a lyricist is to get inside the minds of the characters you create in your songs. You need to express what is real for them. You also need to remember that the words that come from your heart and your pen will hopefully be coming out of a performer’s mouth someday. The exercise that follows will help you craft lyrics consistent with the images projected by the artists you intend them for:

Exercise:
Decide which artist, in your wildest fantasy, you would most want to record your song. Be sure to choose an artist who records outside material. Write down that artist’s name.

Close your eyes and visualize a stage in front of an enormous crowd of cheering fans. Hear the announcer introduce your “dream artist” performing his or her Number One smash hit–your song! Pay attention to the details. Notice what the artist is wearing and what kind of accompaniment there is. Then, listen to the artist singing your song.

Let these images “write” your lyrics. When the performance is over, soak in the praise and adulation of the fans. Then sit down backstage and have a discussion with the singer. Ask what the artist would want to convey in this song and what words and images he or she would use to say it. Now write down everything you saw and heard. Include specific details–especially any lyric ideas the “artist” suggested.

It can also be effective to imagine hearing your song coming out of the radio. In addition to helping you write a “radio-friendly” lyric, this exercise may also help you create the melody and arrangement.

Your fantasy artist may not be the one who ultimately records your song, but if that artist has a proven track record of hits, and you write a song he or she could potentially record, it’s likely that song would also be suitable for a variety of other artists in a similar style.

“Strip away all the filler. It may take three, four, five, ten rewrites. You don’t need five more songs in your catalog. You don’t need one more. You need one great one. It’s too competitive to let yourself off the hook with lines that are just okay. Dig deep to find that part of you that makes it special and get rid of the things that you would discount if it was another person’s song. It’s just too competitive.”

Steve Diamond / Songwriter & Producer

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Excerpted from 6 Steps to Songwriting Success by Jason Blume. Copyright 1999 by Jason Blume. Published by Billboard Books, an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, New York.

In addition to writing mainstream pop, country and R&B songs, there are many other genres songwriters might choose to explore. These include writing Christian, Latin, Christmas, folk/Americana, comedy, cabaret, and children’s songs.

When gearing a song to any specific market, it’s important to remember that some lyrical and musical elements lend themselves to certain styles of songs and are quite inappropriate for others. For example: while poetic, offbeat, non-linear lyrics may work well in an alternative pop or rock song, they’d be out of place in a children’s song or a country song. It’s important to use vocabulary and colloquialisms consistent with the genre you’re writing for.

When writing for specialty markets, the primary motivation needs to be a deep love of the music because these styles of music are rarely as lucrative as the mainstream markets.

Christmas Songs

Christmas songs are typically recorded from December to July, prior to the Christmas season when they are released. Depending on schedules, some artists record their Christmas albums during the Christmas holidays for the following year.

If the album is one of those recorded live during Christmas, with a choir and orchestra, the songs are typically selected by the previous August or September, which is 15-16 months prior to the album’s release. The bulk of country Christmas albums are completed by the end of May, while pop and R&B Christmas albums are sometimes recorded through the July prior to their Christmas season release. Any reputable publisher should be aware of which artists are recording Christmas albums–and should be capable of getting material to those artists or to those who screen songs for them.

The majority of songs recorded on Christmas albums are standards. A large percentage of the original songs are written by the artist, the producer or another individual “inside” the project. Your Christmas song must be incredible enough to make the artist or producer bump one of the standards or their original songs to put yours on. There are only so many Christmas images out there, so you have to work extra hard to craft fresh, unique lyrics in order to have your song rise above the competition.

Lyric Checklist

Photocopy this checklist and keep it where you normally write. Each time you finish a draft of a song, check to be sure that it has successfully incorporated the tools and techniques that follow:

1. Adheres to one of the most successful song structures.
2. Has an interesting title and idea.
3. Has a universal theme–not too personal for others to relate to.
4. Makes the singer look good.
5. Has verse lyrics that clearly lead to the title.
6. Contains one focused idea.
7. Evokes one emotion.
8. Maintains one consistent tense.
9. Uses correct pronouns.
10. Contains opening lines that grab the listener & set the emotional tone.
11. Maintains one consistent tone and style throughout.
12. Uses fresh imagery.
13. Sounds conversational
14. Avoids clichés.
15. Is not redundant.
16. Second verse adds new information.
17. Doesn’t preach.
18. Doesn’t tell how the singer feels–the listener feels it.
19. Bridge (if applicable) adds a new angle.
20. Each line logically flows from the previous line into the following line.
21. Employs rhyme in appropriate places.
22. Has a title that “pays off.”