Kenny Chesney “American Kids”

by | Sep 26, 2014 | Rhyme

I once heard someone say there are three kinds of songs: Ballads, Dancers and Anthems. This one is definitely an anthem. “American Kids,” written by Rodney Clawson, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird, is a celebration of being a kid in a small town – and...

‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ (II)

by | Dec 27, 2013 | Rhyme, Songs Analyzed, Worksheets

Part 2 of the post “Mama’s Broken Heart” (I) Written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves   Rhyme Scheme & Lyrics   Rhyme scheme in the song is a relatively simple quatrain (A/B/A/B, C/D/C/D, etc.) for the verses and “heroic...

“Mama’s Broken Heart” (I)

by | Dec 27, 2013 | Rhyme, Songs Analyzed, Worksheets

Three terrific songwriters: Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves took an age-old story line (mother / daughter “you listen here little missy! Act like a lady!”) and found a unique way to tell the daughter’s story of rebellion. Miranda...

Rhyme Families: Your Secret Weapon

by | Oct 31, 2013 | Rhyme

Using rhyme families effectively can help you not only move through a song, but add nuances to the rhythm, melody and feel or tone imparted. The goal is to find rhymes that don’t sound awkward, like “with love I swing for the fences/when I see you it all...

Keith Urban & Mary Gauthier: Drinking Songs

by | May 1, 2013 | Rhyme, Song Craft

Mary Gauthier’s “I Drink”, and “Nobody Drinks Alone,” written by Matraca Berg and Jim Collins (recorded by Keith Urban) are two great examples of well-written songs about the same subject but with very different perspectives. There are...

Rhyme Patterns

by | Mar 21, 2009 | Beginning, Rhyme

I think understanding rhyme and rhyme patterns is one of the best ways to increase your songwriting ability. To me, rhyme is one of the fundamental building blocks, or can be one of the most destructive forces, in a song. While a literal scene is important, the rhythm...

Paula Cole: Poetic Meter & Rhythm

by | Jan 22, 2009 | Beginning, Rhyme

I suspect Paula Cole was a poet in another life. She’s just that good at forms. William Carlos Williams once said, “measure is all.” Ezra Pound insisted in 1915 that “rhythm must have meaning.” A line, any line, whether in a poem or a...