What Makes A Song Great? A Catchy Hook Or Emotional Lyrics?
(Title image by DALL-E 3)
Hi WA Friends!
Have you ever thought about what makes a song stick in your head or touch your heart? Maybe it's the catchy melody that you can't stop singing, or the lyrics that really speak to you.
Whatever it is, there's always that one thing that pulls you in and makes you love a song!
Let's talk about what makes a song amazing and explore some of the things that make us love music.
Catchy Hook
A catchy hook is that part of the song you just can't forget. It's the bit that gets stuck in your head in the best way and keeps you humming long after the song ends. A good hook is like a magnet - it sticks in your memory whether you want it to or not.
Think about some of the most famous songs ever. There's probably a hook that you remember right away. The hook doesn't have to be complicated - actually, the simpler it is, the better! That's the magic behind those songs we all sing along to in the car.
Two famous rock songs with super catchy hooks are "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses and "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. These songs are famous for their choruses that make everyone want to sing along!
Emotional Lyrics
For a lot of people, the lyrics are what matter most. Emotional lyrics help us connect to the artist and to each other. They tell stories, share heartbreak, celebrate good times, and remind us that we aren’t alone. A great lyric can change how you feel or make a good song even better.
Think about your favorite song for a moment. Is it the story in the lyrics that makes you love it? The lines that make you smile, cry, or think about your own life? That’s the power of emotional lyrics - they make a song more than just music and turn it into something personal.
Two famous songs with really emotional lyrics are "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton and "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge. These songs are known for their powerful storytelling and the deep emotions they bring out. Eric wrote "Tears in Heaven" after his son tragically passed away, making the song even more poignant!
Complex Arrangements
Sometimes, what makes a song great is all the different parts that come together. Complex arrangements can turn a simple melody into an exciting journey. The way the instruments fit together, the changes in rhythm, or the cool sounds added in all help make a song special.
Imagine listening to a song and hearing something new each time - maybe a quiet guitar part behind the singing or a new sound that pops up during the chorus. These details make a song interesting and make you want to listen again and again.
Two famous songs with complex arrangements are "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen and "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles. These songs are famous for their intricate composition, surprising changes, and the way they keep you interested from start to finish. The entire "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album is filled with songs that have these surprising changes.
Memorable Voices
Some voices are just unforgettable. Whether it’s the powerful high notes that give you chills or a raspy voice full of feeling, the artist's voice can make all the difference. The way a singer performs can take simple lyrics and make them amazing!
Think about singers like Freddie Mercury, Adele, or Stevie Nicks. Their voices are instantly recognizable, and it’s often how they sing that makes the song special. When a singer puts all their heart into a song, we can feel it - and sometimes, that’s what makes a song stand out the most.
Two famous songs with memorable vocals are "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks, featuring her distinct, powerful voice, and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, showing off her incredible vocal range and emotion.
Whenever I hear "Edge of Seventeen," I always think of that part in the movie "School of Rock," where Jack Black uses it to try to persuade the principal to let him take the students on a field trip! Lol 😆
Tell Me What You Think!
Of course, what makes a song great is different for everyone. For me, it’s usually the perfect guitar solo that's almost impossible to play or the way the song makes me think about a special moment in my life.
So, What’s the Most Important Factor For You in a Great Song?
- Catchy Hook
- Emotional Lyrics
- Complex Arrangements
- Memorable Voices
- Other
Let me know in the comments, AND ...
Keep On Rockin' It! 🤘
(Pin by DALL-E 3)
Frank 🎸
~ 80% Human-written content.
Recent Comments
27
Interesting to think about, Frank! All of the points you've mentioned could resonate in ways different for everyone. And some tunes and beats definitely stick in the mind more than others...wonder why that is particularly with some annoying commercials too lol. Enjoy your evening!
Rock on,
Susan 😎🎸🤘
Hi Susan
I really do think that people can like or dislike the same song for different reasons. 😎
Yeah, it seems like commercials are getting more and more annoying! Lol 🤣
Rock On 🤘
Frank 🎸
I think a decent melody with good emotive lyrics for me; it might even be just a single line. There are so many songs i've digested over the years ......
"Now those memories come back to haunt me, they haunt me like a curse, is a dream a lie if it don't come true, or is it something worse?" - Springsteen, The River
"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then" - Bob Seger, Against the Wind
"Shelter me from the powder and the finger, cover me from the thought that pulled the trigger" - Neil Young, Powderfinger
"Well how do you do Private Wiiliam McBride, do you mind if I sit here by your graveside? I see from your headstone you were only 19, when you joined the glorious fallen in 1916" - June Tabor, Flowers of The Forest/No Man's Land
"You'd sneak out your window when I'd come for you, I'd be waiting in the streetlight on Eighth Avenue, You'd slip into my car and we'd drive down past the fence, You and me in Shriner's Park, trying to make some sense" - Melissa Etheridge, Shriners Park
Those just popped into my head.
And check this out, a duet between Springsteen/Etheridge - Thunder Road
https://youtu.be/5cXzFhZVMnQ
"Roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair"
Enjoy
Hi Dave
Great quotes!
Awesome video, too! Very few people realize how good of a guitar player Bruce really is. Check out the guitar solo he does with Tom Morello:
https://youtu.be/e9f-F1CAB24?si=3oYf6uMATDwjlZLR
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
You can make a case for all of these, Frank. Everyone needs to take your time to listen through "I will always love you" to appreciate the lyrics and vocals by Whitney (and Dolly too). Same thing with Bohemian Rhapsody with its complex arrangement.
In contrast, "Walk this Way" by Aerosmith, or "Beat it" by Michael Jackson slap you in the face
with their hooks and won't let you go until the song's over.
Curiously, Frank, what are your thoughts on "Layla", by Eric Clapton? The lyrics and melody are well done, and there are remnants of a hook in his guitar arrangement.
Appreciate the post! 🤘🎸
Isaiah 🙂
Hi Isaiah
Yes, each good song has elements that make it shine.
I think the opening riff in Clapton's electric version of Layla is an iconic opening hook. It's almost as famous as the opening of I Can't Get No Satisfaction by the Stones. 😎
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
Initially, it is the melody that grabs me, Frank. Often, though, after listening to songs that didn't grab me at first a few times, I enjoy those too.
I remember hearing Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time. It was amazing, but I was disappointed in much of the rest of the album. That was back in the 1970s, I think. A few months ago, I listened to the entire album again. It is fantastic now. Did they change it?🤣
Another life-changing event was hearing Rush's 2112 album for the first time. I became an instant fan. I saw them three or four times at the Binghamton Arena back in the day, eyes glued to every move Neil Peart made. They called it cosmic rock, rock fusion. I called it mind-blowing.
Dolly wrote 'I Will Always Love You' in 1973 to farewell her working partnership with Porter Wagoner. Whitney did it well. Her downward spiral was a shame.
Dave
Hi Dave
Hahaha, Queen was the absolute best! Our musical understanding and tastes evolve as we get older.
Yeah, Neil is a great drummer, and I love Alex Lifeson's guitar playing!
It's all part of the beauty of music. 😎
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
⬆️ ALL OF THE ABOVE ⬆️
The George Thorogood version of John Lee Hookers -One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer comes to mind. That steady rhythm along with the storytelling gets me every time.
The anticipation of the David Gilmour guitar solo in Another Brick in the Wall is EPIC!
Black Sabbath’s -War Pigs is another one with a huge guitar riff combined with Ozzy’s unique vocals and storytelling.
The first song I ever heard by the Beatles was I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Those opening chords ringing out, the steady rhythm, and John and Paul’s vocal harmonies are solid. So mesmerizing to me, even now.
Also, the excitement and energy of John Lennon’s vocals carried the Beatles version of Twist and Shout to another level.
Honestly, there’s too many to talk about here. I can talk about music all day and never get tired of it! lol
Frank, you should start a podcast! 🎧
Hi Steve
Great answer!
George Thorogood really copped Joh Lee's sound, right down to the vintage Fender amps he chose with the oversized power transformers.
That Gilmour solo is epic, but my favorite is his two solos in Comfortably Numb.
My high school band used to do War Pigs, and we even had the air raid siren at the beginning of the song! Lol
The Beatles early sound was largely due to the chimey Class-A Vox amps they used with Rickenbacker guitars. That album was so iconic!
A podcast is a great idea! I play guitar about four hours each morning and do about two hours a day of online marketing, not counting the WA classes I watch (because I'm playing a guitar while watching. Lol). Then there are the WA blogs I write, which are mostly on my iPhone with the help of AI while I am out and about.
😎
I might be able to squeeze out another hour each day for YouTube or Podcasting. Luckily, I have a very cool wife.
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
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Hey Frank
Great points that you bring up! And some great examples as well.
A few songs that fall in the complex arrangements category that have always stuck in my mind, are Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meat Loaf and Suite: Judy Blue Eyes by CS&N. I just like the arrangements.
As far as memorable voices, you hit my number one, Whitney Houston. Karen Carpenter is another favorite. Regarding rock & roll voices, some of my favorites would be David Coverdale, Robert Plant and Sebastian Bach from Skid Row. 🤘🤘
Thanks for another thought provoking post, Frank!! 🤔
And keep Rockin!! 😎👍🎸🤘
Tim 🎼
All excellent examples, Tim! 👍👍
Also, sometimes, we can just get used to the original lead singer of a band. For example, to me Ozzy Osbourne was the voice of Black Sabbath, although Ronnie James Dio did an outstanding job.
Trying to replace Freddie Mercury in Queen is a tall order indeed!
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
You are absolutely right about Freddie!!
And also the familiar sound of a lead singer. The VanHalen singer changes took a bit to get used to as well as the AC/DC, Bon Scott to Brian Johnson change.
Keep Rockin!! 🤘🎸😎
Tim 🎼
Hi Tim
Yeah, I prefer David over Sammy in Van Halen, and you can hear the difference in the way Eddie played with both singers.
I thought that Bon and Brian were both excellent choices for AC⚡️DC, although Bon had a bit of a "raw" edge to him that I liked. Either way, Angus is amazing! Try playing some of his solos while running up and down the stage, duck-walking, and spinning around on your back! Lol 😆
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
Hi Frank
Even though I'm a huge Sammy fan, I've always thought Eddie's best guitar work was during the Dave era.
And 35 years ago, I might have tried the Angus moves, but if I tried now, I would be in the hospital shortly there after. 😂😂😂😂
Keep Rockin!! 🤘🎸😎
Tim 🎼
Hi Tim
Yeah, Van Halen is an good example of how the singer can really change the instrumental sound of the music.
I also think the band was trying to broaden its reach on the radio and with female listeners with Sammy.
So, I think they were purposefully trying to move away from their image of being “heavy metal monsters.”
Angus plays every note so perfectly that it’s amazing that he can do it, even while standing perfectly still! Lol 😆
Frank 🤘🎸