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I had ones in the 90's that were 2:30 minutes... This 2001 pop tune is a perfect example of the nuances that go on... I'll break it down... Because it is more than just lyrical arrangement. You can play the song pause it and follow along
with the thought/feel process...

Little Things ©Caro/Delgaudio 3:35
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=3460736


Intro - Music guitar & drum machine beat only 10 seconds

Verse 1 - First word spoken at 11 seconds

A simple note stuck to the door
Makes your love seem to much more
Pen a heart a smiley face
X's O's and leave a space to sign your name - 26 seconds

Verse 2 - starts at 27 seconds... Bass guitar is now introduced
for the first time, riffing a catchy lick. To support it the drums play on the floor toms to follow the bass phrase. Therefore another hook is added.. musical hooks make songs and buy time..

Eight o clock the corner seat
The time and place we can meet
Share a drink way too tall
Laughing until....... 43 seconds

Chorus - Starts at the 43 second mark, it get's introduced by a stop for 4 beats. The hi hat plays the 4 beats. Now the live drums take over and the whole band kicks in full force. Led by the vocal starting after the second beat... The SNARE hits twice accenting the chorus words Something / To Say

// There's something to say
Say for the little things
That you give
They mean more than anything
As long as I live
I'll savor the little things
In my heart, in my heart.... Chorus ends with another accent at the 1:02 mark

Re- Intro plus... 1:03 mark
Now we could have jumped straight into a verse here and it would have worked and made the song even shorter, BUT because we did such a smooth job so far it allows us to re-set.

We got the WHOLE song across in 1 minute. We made it so we could afford that move.. which is better for the song. Why though technically did it work so well? NO PRE-CHORUS Ah ha that bought us the time for a re-intro. So now it all evens out...

So the more effective thing was to re-intro.. So now I add that
airy organ riff, it brings in yet another hook. This only goes around twice Re-intro with add ons 10 seconds

Verse 3 1:12 Organ is in and so is an acoustic guitar picking gently in the back ground.. that with the sharp electric stabbing chord brings 4 guitars playing something completely different... Hooks!

Take the time to talk to me
Hold me close and quietly, whisper all
the things you said like the first time
that we laid in bed......

Chorus 2 1:30

Oh my goodness second chorus already and 3 verses done?? And all only in 1:30 seconds..

There's something to say
Say for the little things
That you give
They mean more than anything
As long as I live
I'll savor the little things
In my heart, in my heart.... Chorus ends 1:46 mark

Bridge - 1:47 starts with a musical breakdown, to set up the mood. Why not comie in singing? Well we just did a bunch of that and why not let this cool bass guitar effect breathe for a few seconds..

Music 10 seconds Bridge lyric starts at 1:57 seconds...
All kinds of cool subtle musical rhythmic changes. Plus some nice effects.. to set the mood. For a big build up and blast off.

If your thinking
That all I wants the biggest piece of pie
etc.... Don't fill your head..... 2:12 second mark

Solo - What a bridge & a solo, cool
Solo starts at 2:12 seconds....
Short effective solo very catchy over the chorus music.

Solo goes right into Chorus #3 at 2:30 seconds...

Chorus #3 ends at 2:51 - lead kicks back in & vocal starts to add lib... The drums and bass really start pounding to add the intensity, it comes to a BIG 2 beat accent at the end at 3:04

SONG IS OVER by 3:04 seconds... For fun we decide to bring back the cheesy drum machine (intentionally cheesy)
The guitar plays a very cool tremolo volume thing while the bass
bangs a new accent as it fades away.. The fade last to about 3:35
which can be shortened easily for radio. Besides we had the room to spare so why not be creative with your ending?

Intro,Verse/verse/chorus/re-intro/verse/chorus/breakdown/bridge/solo/chorus ALL by 3:04

Now do you think this all happened by accident?

I think about my songs ALOT... Yes you depend on your natural instincts BUT if you only do that your songs can get VERY similar.. the simpler sometimes the more thinking. No sacrifices either, I got to play my butt off & be self indulgent a little bit and have a catchy song that was radio friendly all at the same time.