| When I was a kid taking guitar lessons, I was always | | | | same fashion, Neil Young is another great story teller, |
| fascinated at how artists such as Rush, Led Zeppelin | | | | all one need do is listen to songs such as "Sugar |
| and Yes, just to name a few, were able to put | | | | Mountain" and "Rockin' in the Free world. " |
| music and lyrics together to create great works of | | | | The last point, the setting of a mood is the most |
| art. I asked my instructor Jessica, "What is their | | | | cerebral of the creative concept and its process. I |
| secret?" She replied, "They're just creative." I was | | | | find this technique mostly used in heavy instrumental |
| hoping for a more formulaic answer about how | | | | songs that hearken back from the psychedelic era of |
| musical compositions were arranged, how chord | | | | the 1960's, to the prog rock of the 70's, and |
| progressions were written, how certain lyrics fit into | | | | definitely into the 90's with the advent of grunge |
| time signatures, etc. However, I found there were no | | | | rock. |
| mathematical rules to songwriting, only an art that | | | | The Beatles revolutionized the recording process in |
| had to be perfected and crafted with time and | | | | 1967 with Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. |
| practice. | | | | They echoed the vocals heavily to give to the songs |
| In my many years as an astute listener and | | | | a larger than life sound; They sped up and slowed |
| aficionado of music, I have dissected songs that I | | | | down instruments in order to alter the tempo in the |
| felt worthy of study. A well-written song should do | | | | music, and through the art of editing, they |
| at least one of the following: | | | | successfully spliced recording tapes into different |
| 1. Evoke an emotion | | | | orders to give a feeling of detachment and |
| 2. Make a point | | | | disconnection to the listener, thereby supplying the |
| 3. Tell a story | | | | means with which one might escape from reality. |
| 4. Set a mood | | | | Also along these same lines, Guitar greats such as |
| The first point, evoking an emotion, is what the | | | | Jimmy Page, with his signature riffs and innovative |
| majority of well-written songs will do. The melody or | | | | production gave the impression that music and the |
| vocal line is usually the strongest allure that listeners | | | | emotions invoked by it have a tendency to be the |
| hear on the radio. A listener can be drawn in by a | | | | vessel that transports the listener from one state of |
| given situation lyrically, when they can relate to it on | | | | mind to another... "The Rain Song" literally sounds like |
| an everyday basis. In the 90's, what woman could | | | | rain, and, as I learned from my instructor. It was |
| not totally, or at least momentarily, relate to the | | | | written as a combination of sliding major 7 chords a |
| anger that Alanis Morrisette portrayed in "You | | | | half step down and playing the major chords on a |
| Oughta Know "and who among us hasn't felt the | | | | higher register with riffs, audibly emulating drops of |
| emotional fortitude of Steve Perry in songs such as | | | | rain, connecting the chords together. "Ramble On" |
| "Open Arms" and "Don't Stop Believing." Along this | | | | takes the listener to JRR Tolkien's Mordor with clever |
| same vein, "You've Got Another Thing Coming" by | | | | hand drums and tricky guitar rhythms that give the |
| Judas Priest and "I want it All" by Queen are songs | | | | impression of leaves falling, and wind blowing in a |
| that pump up our adrenalin and inspire action. | | | | scene that sets it self within the loneliness of a |
| Songs such as these are often the types of songs | | | | solitary journey. Yes's "Roundabout", with its famous |
| that have a point to deliver to those who are | | | | harmonics of an E chord and sleepy vocal |
| listening, and it is when we feel the need as a listener | | | | introduction, puts me in mind of an eagle waking up |
| to approach these lessons which are offered in these | | | | on top of a mountain to a pristine sky. As the song |
| songs, that we seek out those lyrics and/or rhythms, | | | | crescendos and descends the eagle soars and dips to |
| that seem to, for a time, at least, fend off those | | | | view the valley below him. |
| feelings of impending doom and/or frustration. We | | | | In the 1990's, after the light pop craze prevalent in |
| pursue these avenues of self discovery in songs such | | | | the 1980's, a new genre of music, grunge rock, |
| as these at a time when we most feel the need for | | | | arrived on the scene. The dark decade was upon us |
| an adrenalin rush. The overall feelings of euphoria are | | | | and Nirvana took it by storm. "Smells like Teen Spirit" |
| sought out by our Psyche and when certain songs | | | | with moshable motifs and introspective lyrics gives |
| are played they tend to induce that adrenalin rush | | | | the listener the energy of punk but an outlet for |
| and give to us the desired emotional result, i.e. the | | | | self-absorption. "Lithium" was a direct look at the |
| knowledge that all things considered, It is all fine in | | | | psychotropic drug culture that was put into place to |
| the end. In regards to this aspect of writing, the | | | | counteract the effects of the climbing divorce rate |
| band that comes to mind is Rush. Their lyricist and | | | | affecting the youth of the generation. |
| drummer, Neil Peart, has many recurrent themes that | | | | My last example, "Stairway to Heaven" is a song that |
| he has written about over the years. One of them is | | | | encompasses all four points listed above. The song |
| the ability to be self-reliant in a cold and ever | | | | tells a story of the rich lady in the forest who |
| changing world. "Enemy Within" with its self-evident | | | | believes that she can buy salvation with gold. On her |
| title makes the point that is up to the individual to | | | | spiritual quest, the song makes the point that there |
| take chances in order to advance one's standing in | | | | are two paths to take and it is up to the individual to |
| life, as is "Circumstances", "Roll the Bones", and | | | | take the right one. It evokes the emotion of hope as |
| "Dreamline." | | | | it promises the listener, with the application of correct |
| Thirdly, telling a short story is an art in and of itself, | | | | decisions, a higher spiritual level. The mood is set by |
| but when it is set to music, the story becomes | | | | building constantly building tension in the music that |
| available to a much wider audience. Bob Segar's many | | | | only climaxes in the last few seconds as the lady |
| tunes are prime examples of how a vicarious but | | | | realizes that only the spirit within her, not gold, can |
| realistic situation can find a place to live in the spirit of | | | | buy her everlasting salvation. |
| anyone who longs to travel from and be free of the | | | | In conclusion, songwriting is a combination of personal |
| responsibilities of everyday life. In three to four | | | | experience and the ability to step outside oneself. It |
| minutes Segar can take us on a journey through his | | | | is the knowledge of music and the creativity that |
| youth with songs such as "Hollywood Nights", and | | | | comes from spending countless hours with a guitar or |
| "Night Moves" or with Songs such as "Against the | | | | a piano. Most of all, it satisfies the desire in all of us |
| Wind" and "Main-Street" to the epiphanies that | | | | to breath life into our thoughts and ideas and leave a |
| contain the resolutions which we all struggle to | | | | permanent mark on the world. |
| achieve while transcending into adulthood. In this | | | | |