What I Like About You – The Romantics

What I Like About You – The Romantics

(See the video HERE)

Who hasn’t started bouncing around at a party when this song hits the speakers? Let’s see what’s under its hood.

The Riff

The song is based on a single riff, the instantly memorable signature lick which plays throughout the entire song. Sure, there’s a brief little chord detour in the bridge, but the whole song is basically based on that riff, which is this chord progression…

E…A…D…A

I…IV…bVII…IV

 Advanced: This is a mixolydian progression! Also the signature charm of the riff is that the E chord is really a quick Esus4 to E major switch. (I’d be happy to hear from any guitar players who know this riff. It can’t really be replicated on the piano. Those ARE the bass notes however).

This riff is considered a "power progression" which means that chord progression, in that order is used all the time. Here's one off the top of my head, if you think of others please post them in the commentary...

The Dark Side - John Cafferty

Verse/Refrain…In a rock song?

Something that I’ve never thought about (which is one of the great things about doing this blog) is that this song is really a verse refrain. The verse STARTS with the refrain line “what I like about you” AND ends with it. This isn’t uncommon, but it is certainly not the norm. Most verse/refrain songs only end with the refrain/hook. After the verse and last verse, they hammer the refrain line over and over and over. Further gouging it into our consciousness.

Rhyme scheme

Technically, the rhyme scheme is aaxx, (tight, tonight, hear, you), but that doesn’t describe the whole story. Everyone can hear the last two lines are really cut in half with internal rhymes. For my own notation, I’ll write this…

 aa(bb)(cc) – tight, tonight, (ear/hear), (true/you)

…but that’s my thing, I haven’t seen an internal rhyme analyzed in that way (with the double parenthesis), so take it with a grain of salt.

What I like about you, you hold me tight

Tell me I’m the only one, wanna come over tonight

Keep on whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear

Cause it’s true, that’s what I like about you

…all the verses follow that same form. Here’s the lyric with out the rhymes highlighted…

What I like about you, you really know how to dance

When you go up down, jump around, think about true romance

Keep on whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear

Cause it’s true, that’s what I like about you

That’s what I like about you

That’s what I like about you…(repeated)

What I like about you, you keep me warm at night

Never wanna let you go, know  you make me feel alright

Keep on whispering in my ear, tell me all the things that I wanna hear

Cause it’s true, that’s what I like about you

That’s what I like about you

That’s what I like about you…(repeated)

Notice how the internal rhymes of the last lines energize the momentum of the song. They create these two line bursts of speed. The same thing happens in the “up, down, turn around” line. Play it back and feel the momentum surge forward in the spots with internal rhymes.

Melody

This is one of the simplest melodies you’ll ever see. He sings 3 notes…D, E, G. That’s it. It’s basically based on the minor pentatonic scale, but he’s only using three of the five available notes. Even though it is a simple melody to the extreme, the G not really sticks out because that note is a minor 3^rd played over a major 3^rd in the harmony…so you get a wonderful rub. You hear that all the time in rock and roll. It adds an edge to the melody.

There’s your quickie for the day. Try writing something simple today.

~Shane

Buy “What I Like About You” on iTunes…HERE.

So What – Pink – Other Cool Elements

So What – Pink – Other Cool Elements

Power positions are the opening and closing lines of a section. The verse power positions should tell the main story of your song. When they are good, they work together…one compliments the other. The ending line finishes up the opening power position.  So how does this song do?

Let’s take a look at the two verses…

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

The waiter just took my table and gave it to Jessica Simps

I’m gonna get in trouble, my ex will start a fight

 In fact, let’s just look at the first verse. What can we learn?

Here’s the whole section…

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

So I’m gonna drink my money, I’m not gonna pay his rent

I got a brand new attitude and I’m gonna wear it tonight

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

At first glance, any of those lines would make okay power positions. Let’s say you want to keep the “fight line” last, so here’s the three options for the opening line. How well are the combinations working together?

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

So I’m gonna drink my money, I’m not gonna pay his rent

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

I got a brand new attitude and I’m gonna wear it tonight

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

In my opinion, any of those would work. All three combinations show attitude and guts. So why is the first choice so effective? Ahhhh…now THERE’S a great question.

These two…

So I’m gonna drink my money, I’m not gonna pay his rent

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

I got a brand new attitude and I’m gonna wear it tonight

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

…are all about attitude. Both are strong contenders. However, they are missing an important aspect that the original power positions provide…

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

Do you see it? This combination gives us a REASON behind her wanting to start a fight. She lost her husband! This combination isn’t just about her. It is about her EMOTIONAL reaction. By putting that line as the opening line, she’s made the emotional reaction the most important aspect of that section. All her drinking, all of her brand new attitude, is based on what happens in the opening line. Because SHE has placed a priority on her emotional response, WE also have an emotional response to her and her situation. We have sympathy and empathy for her. We cut her some slack, and in the process sing along with her.

Think about it. Let’s take two scenarios. Two people raising cain. Cain raiser #1 is a boorish drunk jerk causing trouble at a club. Cain raiser #2 is also a boorish drunk jerk causing trouble at a club, however we know that she was just completely dumped by her ex after giving it her all. We don’t have to agree with their actions, but who do we have more sympathy for? We have empathy for the dumpee for the simple fact that we know “why” she’s doing what she’s doing.

When she says “I wanna start a fight”…you think to yourself, “Self, she probably needs to let off some steam” and you cut her some slack.

Deeper meaning in a pop song? Go on…

That empathy is a perfect set up for the chorus. In the prechorus, when she says “I wanna start a fight” we’re right there with her. We’ve all been dumped on, and it’s fun to pretend that if “I” was a rock star that’s EXACTLY how I’d behave. I’d throw my star power around and get into some trouble!

[Side note]

The last time I fought anyone was Andy Riddell in the 5^th grade. We were friends but also both wondered what it would be like to fight. I had three things going for me in my first and last brouhaha: 1) My size (I was always bigger than everyone at CT Sewell Elementary). 2) Andy took tap dancing from his mom. 3) AND he was a redhead. How could I lose?

We met at Mr. Anderson’s yard after school and started a punch out. Have you ever heard the phrase “quickness over size”? Probably not, because that phrase was invented the moment Andy buzzed all over my sorry excuse for a sensitive piano playing prize fighter. Let’s try another phrase…Don’t fight a redhead with a Neapolean complex and chip on his shoulder from having to take dance classes, whose dancing skills incidentally made him agile as a freaking red fox. I remember trying to wrestle him to the ground, but he was all about the punching…and punching…and punching.  

Back to the song…

We learn that a great choice for an opening line is one that that gives the emotional motivation for everything afterwards. Make an emotional connection with your character and your listeners will also make an emotional connection.

Two emotions

This next detail is VERY important, but unfortunately I don’t have a lot of time right now to explain it. My lyric students will recognize it, but for the rest of the Songwriter Nation, you’ll have to take my word that I’ll go into detail behind the concept at a later date.

The concept is “two emotions”. In other words, songs where characters go through more than one emotion are more compelling to listeners. You are creating an “arc of character”.  I find this to be THE key element between songs that I really like, versus songs that I really love.  (This isn’t always true, of course, but it is mostly true).   

Pink basically goes through two emotions in this song…the hurt of being let down, and the rejuvenation of self inflicted strength. A “flat” character doesn’t change, he/she stays the same the entire lyric. Going “through” two emotions (at least…not matter what two) gives the character substance, depth, and most importantly, OUR interest!

Go write something!

~Shane

PS. Starting today, you guys can start posting your lyrics in the comment sections. Feel free to comment on each others work. I’ll pick one of your lyrics to do a makeover at the end of week, probably Friday. When you post your lyric, please use the format I’ve been using for this blog. Look at the Pink lyric HERE as an example. Special thanks to everyone who sent in their suggestions. Extra special thanks to Terry Vital and the rest of my now legendary 07 Berkleemusic melody class.

PPS. Several of you have asked privately if I’ll every discuss things I find “wrong” in these hit songs? You know, things I’d change given the chance.  

Hmmm? Your songs? Yes.

A song making a bazillion bucks. No.

Maybe one day if I’m feeling very disgruntled, and need to vent. I will tell you that one of my biggest pet peeves is a lack of point of view consistency.

So What – Pink – Harmony

So What – Pink – Harmony

Verse Harmony

To start this machine today, I want to post a message from Pink’s drummer, the AMAZING Mark Shulman (His website is HERE). They are currently rocking out on tour in the UK!

Mark writes:

Incidentally...Tell dear Shane that I believe that his whole assessment of the verse does not apply because the verse is in the relative minor of the chorus which means that his declaration of instability through starting on the 6th is invalid.  Alecia is actually starting and ending on the root from high to low octave.  I think she is emphatically pissed off, rather than unstable and this melody implies that anger blatantly.  I love the debate!  Forward this to him and his students so they can get my refutation!

xoxo

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Mark brings up a fantastic point! Is the melody major or minor? That’s the slippery thing about pentatonic. It requires context and it depends on the listener. Given a pentatonic scale by itself, most will hear it as major, since major is more common. Remember that Pink (I love that he calls her Alecia! How cool is that?) is only singing the melody in the first verse. There’s no chord or bass line directing us in either direction. I hear it as major, Mark as minor.

Who’s right? The answer: it doesn’t matter. What matters is the question. I like melody even more knowing it is ambiguous and interchangeable. This fits in with the instability scenario. (I should also say I don’t want to imply “instability” as a weakness. I’m talking in terms of tension…instability/tension…not distraught/tension).

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Okay, I lied. I think Mark’s right. :)

I’ve been listening to this song a bazillion times and tried it with his ears. Hmmm? So what do I go with, first impression, or the evolution of that impression? The more I listen, the more minor-y it sounds.

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One thing worth noting is that the entire verse is in that color. It’s a single chord groove for 12 bars (8 bars verse, 4 bars “na na” prechorus).

Most of us do not have the confidence to write an entire section using only one chord. Alecia [I had to say it] did it in two section of this song, as we’ll find out.

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Chorus Chords

Here’s the chorus chord progression…

A…C#m…F#m…D, E…rinse and repeat

Here’s the Roman numeral…

I…IIm…VIm…IV, V…

(I don’t want any grief from anyone using lower case letters for minor chords, as in: ii, vi)

The harmonic rhythm is one chord per measure (except for the D and E chord which are 2 beats apiece).

This harmonic rhythm is pretty standard in most songs, but remember, we just heard an ENTIRE verse where there was NO chord progression. This creates a tremendous amount of tension, which explodes into a momentum of harmony in the chorus. Think of it track runner poised in the starting blocks before the pistol goes off. The muscles tense and BAM(!) they’re off. The same thing happens here.

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Bridge Chord

The entire bridge is centered around an A chord, the “I” chord. The ENTIRE bridge. Isn’t that fantastic? The gorgeous melody is allowed to shine, unconstrained by any harmonic motion for 8 bars. This single chord harmony allows the chorus to rocket forward again.

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The structure is really terrific. Tension/release, tension/release, tension/release. This is a perfect foundation for a song about liberation and blowing off steam.

Now go get in a fight write something cool!

~Shane

So What – Pink – Melody

So What – Pink – Melody

Well…the melody can be summed up in one word…Pentatonic. “A” Pentatonic to be exact.

The guitar riff at the beginning…the “na, na” part…is exactly the same as the verse melody. No variation. No wonder the verse hits so hard. This song has only three melody shapes. One for the verse, one for the chorus, and one for the bridge. That’s it!

Verse melody - That catchy riff!

For you theory geeks, she starts on the 6^th degree of the scale. Why is that important? Because she’s not starting from a position of stability. In fact, the phrase ENDS on the 6^th degree. So the entire melodic phrase starts and ends on instability.

Here’s the steps of the pentatonic scale…1 2 3 5 6

The stable notes of the scale are 1, 3 &  5

The unstable notes are 2 and 6.

With me so far?

So think about the lyrics for a moment. What’s going on? Things are falling apart for our dear Pink. “Guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went…”. Does that sound like a stable environment? :) No, it’s not. How cool then to begin and end your melodic phrase on instability. The instability of the melody emphasizes the instability of her situation.

Chorus Melody – Bipolor Looking Upwards for Stability

Remember those stable and unstable notes of pentatonic scale. The MOST stable note is the 1. The chorus melody fights back and forth between 6 and 1. What word is she singing on the 1? Why, “Rock Star”…of course. Her melody is basically telling us that she is the most stable element of the entire mess. More prosody!

Another vital comparison to make between verse melody and chorus melody is the overall shape. The verse melody moves up and back down, up and back down. It’s relentless. (Again, think in terms of the lyrics…she’s talking about the chaos of her life…what better way to show chaos than constantly moving up and down. It’s bipolar. :)

On the other hand, the chorus melody continues to focus upward. She moves from the unstable 6 to the stable 1, and then finishes the phrase further up the scale (on the also-stable 3^rd).  What words are on the highest notes? Tonight, and alright. So what do those elements say about our dear little Pink. She’s telling us that she’s stable in the chaos…tonight!

Bridge Melody – Reflective and Looking Down

I really LOVE the bridge melody. It’s still pentatonic, but it is really lovely. It’s constantly falling downward. The lyrics are about how much her ex let her down. See the connection? Downward melody…ex letting her DOWN. Brilliant!

Powerful Simplicity

This song is a great example of how powerful simplicity should be. All the fat has been trimmed. The shapes are simple and unencumbered. More importantly, each note COUNTS. The melody she’s singing is directly related to what she’s saying in the lyrics. If that’s not a definition of prosody, then I don’t know what is.

Now it’s your turn to go write something cool.

I’m serious. Shut of your computer and go write. :)

~Shane

So What – Pink – Song Form/Rhyme Scheme

So What – Pink – Song Form/Rhyme Scheme

Most of the songs we’ve looked over have all had odd song forms and/or strange rhyme schemes. Pink's "So What" is a line drive of everything that is normal in a hit song.

Song form = ABABCB

A = verse

B = chorus

C = bridge

 This is one of the two most common song forms (as I’ve stated in the PAST).  The form flows extremely well. You fuss rock for two punky verses and then bust into their anthem choruses. After a quick detour of diva self-reflecting bridge, we stage dive back into the loving fist raised arms of the familiar chorus. 

All the sections are strongly balanced. They all have an even amount of lines. Nothing off-kilter to throw off the forward momentum of the song. (Even the quick prechoruses are doubled up.)

Speaking of prechoruses...notice the prechorus are half as long as the other sections. They feel like an extension of the verse without becoming self indulgent and drawing too much attention to themselves. They ramp up the momentum and let go. 


Verse rhyme scheme = aabb – went/rent/tonight/fight

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

So I’m gonna drink my money, I’m not gonna pay his rent

I got a brand new attitude and I’m gonna wear it tonight

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

In my opinion, aabb is the most common of all verse rhyme schemes, the king of the rhyme trinity…

aabb, abab, xaxa

(and to a lesser extent “aaaa”)

Chorus Form = T--T

T = Hook/Title

“-“ = Swing line (a line that isn’t the title!)

So, so what, I’m still a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t need you

And guess what, I’m having more fun, and now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you…

Tonight I’m alright, I’m just fine and you’re a tool

So, so what, I am a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t want you tonight

Detour 1 of 2 – Tower Records Title Test

I want to jump in and say I wonder why the song isn’t called Rock Star. Rock Star makes more sense from a “what is memorable” stand point. I call it the Tower Records Test (Tower Records was where I bought most of my CD’s before the company folded). If I didn’t know the artist or the actual name of the song, I would sing the line that I remembered from the radio (which SHOULD be the hook) to one of the clerks. If what I sang WAS the title, then we'd find the album and I’d buy it. Cha-ching! Artist makes money. 

It was always disappointing when I couldn't find the song because the "hook" of the song wasn't the actual name of the song.

“So What” makes a statement, but I’m of the school that you should name your song after the line that people will sing to a clerk in a record store. (Bohemian Rhapsody, and Scenes From an Italian Restaurant excluded).

Detour 2 of 2

I can’t resist. Remember me talking about Kurt yesterday? Kurt and I threw a 70’s party and dressed up like the disco you always wanted to be. Splashy Rayon shirts (open to navel?...check!), Bell bottom slacks (sans-a-belt?...check!). Afro/disco wigs (brunette/Kurt, blonde/Shane…check, check!). Disco ball (motorized?...check!). Platform shoes, Elvis shades? (oh yeah…check please!).

The day after the party, we realized we had our costumes for the entire weekend so we decided we’d have a night on the Nashville, Starsky and Hutch style. First stop? Station Inn…bluegrass night! I remember I could see the shadow of my fro bouncing in the reflection of the stage lights as the dumbfounded bartender took our cover charge. A quick thinking banjo player threw out the riff from Superfly (no small feat on banjo) as we sauntered to our seats, high fiving everyone in overalls and flannel shirts. Everyone was giving us the peace sign (which made no sense…peace sign = 60’s?).

After our bluegrass debut, we hit Tower Records thinking it’d be funny to buy the Saturday Night Fever sound track dressed like Bee Gee rejects.

The following is the actual conversation with the goth dressed, faced-pierced, black lipstick, vamp-girl behind the counter…oh yeah, her nametag? Wait for it…wait for it…”Death”!

Shane: Far out groovy chick! Which aisle do we boogie down to find Saturday Night Fever? (Striking THIS pose)

Death (slightly annoyed): Excuse me?

Kurt: Take a chill pill. Dig it. Where’s Saturday Night Fever. That vinyl is Dy-no-mite!

Death (eyes rolling): Seriously?

Shane: It’s a gas. Outta sight.

Kurt: Yeah, real boss. Slip me some skin (extending upturned hand to Death).

Death (recoiling): Soundtracks (pointing with black eyeshadowed eyelids)

Shane: Far out!

Kurt: Keep on Truckin’

Death (under breath): Freaks

…walking back to our car, CD in our little yellow bag…

Kurt: You do realize we just had a brush with Death?

…and close scene [Insert: sound of movie clapper].

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T--T is a very strong chorus form. The opening and closing line of the chorus (or any section for that matter) are the most memorable positions. If you want your title to be noticed, put it in the opening and closing lines. Which Pink did.

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That’s it for today. Go write something groovy.

~Shane


PS. Make sure you voice your opinion in the two polls. Thanks

So What - Pink - Monday Musings

So What – Pink - Monday Musings

For the last decade or so, I’ve kept a list I call Uncle Shane’s Perpetual Top-5 List. This running list has 5 songs that I really like and want to analyze. I start with the top song, figure it out, take it off the list, add a new song to the bottom, and start over. Over the years I’ve looked at hundreds and hundreds of songs. That list eventually became this blog.  

This list sort of started when I was a songwriting student at Berklee College of Music. My roommate Kurt (the funniest guy on the planet) and I used to grab a CD off the shelf, pick a song, and try to write the chords down as the track played by. It was difficult and fun. The first song we did was by Des’ree called You Gotta Be. We did countless songs after that. Luckily Kurt had better taste in music than me. (All of my roommates have had better taste in music than me!)

So what does that have to do with Pink? Well…I was just thinking about how this whole process started. Follow the string…

Kurt moved away from Nashville several years ago and is now a successful lawyer in North Carolina. While still in Nashville, he married an amazing woman who has a name cooler than all y’alls…Xane. Xane has sewn three baby blankets for my three girls. The yellow ducky blanket, the pink leopard print, and the fuzzy pink Pepto Bismol colored creation that my youngest (Sadie, a one-year-old) can’t sleep without. When I put Sadie in her crib she wraps herself up like a pink burrito and conks out. It’s really charming. Because of the pink blanket, when I listen to Pink, in a round about way I think of Kurt and Xane. I said it was a string…not science. :)

I’ve liked this song from the first listen. It’s sort of a modern “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”. I have a couple of friends in Pink’s band. Apparently she’s a hard working road warrior. Early on in her career I dismissed her as another pop diva and didn’t give her enough notice. I was wrong. She’s a solid writer who always includes little surprise bombs in her songs.

This song isn’t even my favorite song by her, but it seemed like a cool contrast from Death Cab for Cutie. :)

Check out the song on YouTube HERE. I’ll leave you with the lyrics*.

*[In case you’re wondering…I don’t use lyric sites to copy and past these lyrics (same thing with the chord changes). I kick it old school Kurt and Shane style…I type them out while listening to the song. If there are lyrical mistakes they are mine.]

Go to iTunes to purchase the songs mentioned in this article:
So What - Pink
You Gotta Be - Des'ree
Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting - Elton John

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So What – Pink

Na, na, na…etc (forgive me for not wanting to write out all the na na’s)

(verse)

I guess I just lost my husband, I don’t know where he went

So I’m gonna drink my money, I’m not gonna pay his rent

I got a brand new attitude and I’m gonna wear it tonight

I’m gonna get in trouble, I’m gonna start a fight

Na, na, na…I wanna start a fight

Na, na, na…I wanna start a fight

(chorus)

So, so what, I’m still a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t need you

And guess what, I’m having more fun, and now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you…

Tonight I’m alright, I’m just fine and you’re a tool

So, so what, I am a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t want you tonight

(verse)

The waiter just took my table and gave it to Jessica Simps

I guess I’ll go sit with drum boy at least he’ll knows how to hit

What if this song’s on the radio, somebody’s gonna die

I’m gonna get in trouble, my ex will start a fight

Na, na, na…he’s gonna start a fight

Na, na, na…we’re all gonna get in a fight

(chorus)

So, so what, I’m still a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t need you

And guess what, I’m having more fun, and now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you…

Tonight I’m alright, I’m just fine and you’re a tool

So, so what, I am a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t want you tonight

(bridge)

You weren’t there, you never were, you want it all but that’s not fair

I gave you life, I gave my all, you weren’t there, you let me fall

(chorus)

So, so what, I’m still a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t need you

Guess what, I’m having more fun, and now that we’re done, I’m gonna show you…

Tonight I’m alright, I’m just fine and you’re a tool

So, so what, I am a rock star, I’ve got my rock moves and I don’t want you tonight