Analyze those Beatles works. You should be able to identify musical movements, generally around a first verse with accompanying arrangement, then repeating for a second verse.

Then you're likely to find a change of dynamics in a chorus or bridge, followed by a 3rd repeat of the first musical movement as a 3rd verse, and perhaps a chorus to close.

The vocal melody, plays very obviously and simplistically, easily duplicated with a kazoo or sax, owing to the obvious and simple lyric, the syllables dictating the notes. The lines are not cluttered with words, like 'cause, and,' or 'but.'

Intros are probably measurably brief, getting them to THE hook within the first minute, or not long after.

I remember observing of their works that, when they end, they could just as easily commence the song from the beginning, without an obvious interruption. The songs are constructed with a continuity. I suspected they practiced them that way, playing those 2:30 pieces 3 or 5 times, taking 10 or 15 minutes, polishing the execution, vocally, harmonically, instrumentally, of each musical movement, the transitions from verse to chorus, what they referred to as 'the middle eight' (bars), bridges or breaks, and the coda to end.

Try playing one of your own 3 times through without break, and you may observe the polish of execution brings up your skills.

If you can write a song and keep it as engagingly interesting as some of the lengthy classics mentioned, "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Stairway To Heaven," "Hotel California," "Light My Fire," endowing them with 'hook factor' to maintain the mass audiences' interest, by all means, write them.

But 'songs,' specifically, compositions designed to tell a short, sweet story, are probably best kept simple, and shorter. "Don't bore us; get to the chorus," preferably in the first 47 to 60 some seconds, get the story told, and get off.

If your poetic lyrical skills are substantial, a long work may also maintain interest. Simpler poem/lyrics are easier to deliver and be received by the listener though.

By all means examine the structures of short pieces and see how they are constructed, dissecting the segments and supporting instrumentation. There is much to be learned by such analytical study.


There will always be another song to be written. Someone will write it. Why not you? www.garyeandrews.com