Great Topic,

Bob is right that it is all subjective. Bob, my point was not about one-hit wonders because as you know, one hit does not establish a proven track record. I didn't want to get into examples but here are a couple...

Elton John: Great early work and also great later work but he's gotten away with a few songs that *I* call crap... The best example is "Don't Go Breakin' my Heart" with Kiki Dee. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," and a few more I can't think of off the top of my head.

Shania Twain: She has had many solid hits but can you (or anyone else here) honestly say that some of the songs off her lastest CD are great songs? Songs like *UP* and *I'm Gonna Getcha* or whatever that song is called. These are what I call crap songs yet the album sales are huge. Anyone find it interesting that her songs have gotten worse as she has taken more control over the songwriting? Maybe it's just me but Shania's gotten away with quite a few more because she has star power.

I could go on but I hope my point on that is clarified.

Ed is also correct about melodies sometimes carrying a song. The best example I can think of at the moment is "The One I Love" by REM. That song has a great, rockin' melody IMO but the lyrics are nothing more than the exact same verse sung three times with a brief instrumental section thrown in. It's really lame as an overall song but I have to confess to enjoying the melody.

I also agree that there are too many rules and at the same time, there are no rules. That's the paradox of this business. How many times have you sent your songs to publishers who have rejected them because they don't fit a certain formula. How many times have you received a poor critique because your song doesn't fit a certain formula? Yet, how many songs and artists have become famous by going against the "conventional wisdom?"

Can anyone say Bob Dylan? There aren't a whole lot who challenged conventional wisdom as dramatically as Dylan but there are a whole lot who have become famous by going against the grain if only just enough to put a new twist on an old idea.

Bottom line, there is no magic formula yet there are certain conventions you should try to follow. That doesn't make sense does it? I know, that's why it's so damn hard to write a hit song.

Van

Van Borden
a.k.a. Buzz Grudge