WRITING THE SONG - Part 19

Considerable thought, discretion and common "horse sense" should be employed in selecting the subject for a song. Obviously, it is important to stay clear of any subject dealing with racial, political or religious matters since these would be distinctly distasteful to a great number of people. For the same reason, one must also avoid the risqué, or obscene either in subject matter or in story treatment. Few people realize that songs having doubtful lines are banned from the airwaves. In fact, the lyrics of show numbers that might be inclined in that direction, are changed before they are released for broadcasting purposes. On the whole, it is always best to select a subject that experience has proven to be popular, using as a yardstick, the type of subject that is best fitted to the tempo and character of the melody.

The fad in popular songs changes from month to month and sometimes as often as from week to week. Starting, apparently, from nowhere, there might be a sudden run on western numbers, novelty songs, patriotic songs, etc. This fad will gradually fade out, and another fad will come in. One sees the same thing occurring in books, motion pictures and plays.

If the songwriter is fortunate enough to have the proper type of song on hand to take advantage of a sudden fad, he has an excellent chance of gaining the publishers' attention. On the other hand, if the song should be brought to the publishers when the fad is dying out, the number, which might otherwise be quite commercial, would most certainly be rejected. It is usually rather difficult to write a song for a current fad because by the time that the tune and lyric are written and the song is published, the fad may have died out.

6. The Title Should Be Short, Catchy and Up-to-Date

Just as the melody centers upon the main melodic theme in the "A" phrase, the lyric employs the title as the focal point of interest. By tying the title in with melodic phrase, the songwriter succeeds in impressing his audience with a close association of both tune and title. This is extremely important. In a successful song, the title will always remind one of the tune, and the tune will always be closely associated with the title.

The songwriter attains this effect by stating the title at least twice (and usually three times) in the chorus. Each time the title is stated, the melodic theme is repeated. Thus the theme and title are emphasized.

In our analysis of the melodic theme, we found that while the theme actually occupies eight measures, the principal part of the theme is only four measures long; the other four measures being used for development, repetition, variation or conclusion. The title must, of course, be tied in with that part of the "A" phrase that contains the principal part of the theme. In other words, if the main part of the theme is in the first four measures of the "A" phrase, the title should appear there too. A few good examples of this can be found in: What'll I Do?; For The First Time; Moonlight Whispers; They're Either Too Young Or Too Old; Mairzy Doats. On the other hand, those songs having the main part of the melody in the latter half of the "A" phrase, also have the title appearing there. A few good examples of this are: As Time Goes By; San Fernando Valley; A Second Lieutenant.

Occasionally, we will find songs in which the title appears at both the beginning and the end of the "A" phrase. As a general rule, we will find, in such numbers, that the melody in one-half of the phrase is either repetitive or imitative. A few good examples, are Night And Day; How Blue The Night; In My Arms.

In the AABA form, the title will always appear in the first and last "A" sections and, quite often, in the second "A" section. We will find this to be the case in such songs as As Time Goes By; Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer, and Sunday, Monday or Always. In such songs the "B" section, or "release," never contains the title, for this would only tend to confuse the listener who has been trained to associate the title with the main theme.

The same general rules apply if the song should be in the ABAB or ABAC pattern. Here, again, the title is tied in with the "A" phrase and, quite often, repeated in the "A" phrase forming the third section. Occasionally, the title will also appear in the last four measures of the "B" or "C" section that ends the song. This is not actually a violent departure from the general rule since, in this structural form, the last section does not offer the same contrast to the "A" phrase as it does in the original AABA pattern.

Since the title is confined to a relatively short phrase, the title itself must be short. The average title does not exceed five or six words in length; the majority are only three or four words in length. The short title is also preferable because it is much easier to remember.

The title should always, when possible, give some indication of the character and mood of the song. In other words, the title should prepare the audience for a fast rhythm number, a slow ballad, novelty song, or love song.