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I got the lyrics for my UOHW (undeniable one hit wonder). I call it, Reflections.

 

I want to believe in something bigger than life

Just for this afternoon or maybe longer

See a sign hanging over the highway

Like a bridge to a promise land of fulfillment

An undeniable infinitesimal

Expression of individualism

A place where I could go to find

My tongue untied with soliloquism

 

Soliloquism isn’t a word so I texted it out

To all my friends  to see who was listening

and if they wanted to join me in a quest

to seek  glory for inventing a word

but they were all busy with day-to-day

or thought to themselves “I don’t want to go with him,

Besides I looked and there’s no such thing

Never is, never was, a soliloquism”

 

Guess I’ll have to look somewhere else

For grandeur and immensity

In introspect, should have known all along

Soliloquisms have no propensity

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On a serious note, here are some of my thoughts on writing a 'hit.'

 

I think the key to writing a hit song is all about perception. You have to be 'in touch' with the sensibilities of the 'common' listener of the set of genres that comprise today's pop music. There is a certain amount of truth in the cartoon I posted @ #70. Yeah, pop music can be stupid simple, but it doesn't mean that it can't be sophisticated. On the other hand, the common listener's range of experience with musical styles and comfort with various melodic, rhythmic, harmonic, arranging techniques is quite narrow.  Save for the fact that a lot of movie scores explore a wide array of compositional techniques, and/or use music from different eras, most people would have little to no taste for, or even exposure to the range of musical expression that's out there.  Yes, a hit can be sophisticated, but it can't be complex. On the other hand, I think a certain amount of innovation can actually be a good thing, but the nature of that innovation can't stray too far from 'common' comfort zone.

 

And I don't mean to berate or put down the common listener.. Just as they may not be able to differentiate Bach from Palestrina, Stravinsky from Persichetti, or Coltrane from Coleman, so would I not recognize or even be able to describe the differences between postmodern and neomodern architecture, much less be able to identify more than one architect synonymous with those styles.  Yet, we all live in a world full of music AND buildings, and we all know when we like or don't like a building.

 

Anyway, that's what I got for now.  I'm sticking with my theory ..until someone bashes it to the ground.  :donatello:

Edited by M57
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Easy enough, here's the lyrics to today's number 1 on Billboards Top 100, courtesy of AZLyrics.  Sophistication aint' got a damn thing to do with this mess.  

 

 

"Uptown Funk"
(feat. Bruno Mars)

 

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh duh (Aaaaaaow!)

This hit
That ice cold
Michelle Pfeiffer
That white gold
This one, for them hood girls
Them good girls
Straight masterpieces
Stylin', while in
Livin' it up in the city
Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent
Gotta kiss myself I'm so pretty

I'm too hot (hot damn)
Called a police and a fireman
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Make a dragon wanna retire, man
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Say my name you know who I am
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Am I bad 'bout that money
Break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me, just watch (Come on)

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Stop
Wait a minute
Fill my cup put some liquor in it
Take a sip, sign a check
Julio! Get the stretch!
Ride to Harlem, Hollywood, Jackson, Mississippi
If we show up, we gon' show out
Smoother than a fresh jar o' Skippy

I'm too hot (hot damn)
Called a police and a fireman
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Make a dragon wanna retire, man
I'm too hot (hot damn) (hot damn)
Bitch, say my name you know who I am
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Am I bad 'bout that money
Break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you
Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me, just watch (come on)

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Before we leave
Let me tell y'all a lil' something
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up, uh
I said Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Come on, dance
Jump on it
If you sexy then flaunt it
If you freaky then own it
Don't brag about it, come show me
Come on, dance
Jump on it
If you sexy then flaunt it
Well it's Saturday night and we in the spot
Don't believe me, just watch (come on)

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Don't believe me, just watch
Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up
Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)
Uptown Funk you up
Aaaaaaow!
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Reflections

I want to believe in something bigger than life

Just for this afternoon or maybe longer

See a sign hanging over the highway

Like a bridge to a promise land of fulfillment

An undeniable infinitesimal

Expression of individualism

A place where I could go to find

My tongue untied with soliloquism

 

Soliloquism isn’t a word so I texted it out

To all my friends  to see who was listening

and if they wanted to join me in a quest

to seek  glory for inventing a word

but they were all busy with day-to-day

or thought to themselves “I don’t want to go with him,

Besides I looked and there’s no such thing

Never is, never was, a soliloquism”

 

Guess I’ll have to look somewhere else

For grandeur and immensity

In introspect, should have known all along

Soliloquisms have no propensity

 

I like this one more.

Edited by M57
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Easy enough, here's the lyrics to today's number 1 on Billboards Top 100, courtesy of AZLyrics.  Sophistication aint' got a damn thing to do with this mess.  

 

 

"Uptown Funk"

(feat. Bruno Mars)

 

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh

Doh doh doh, doh duh (Aaaaaaow!)

This hit

That ice cold

Michelle Pfeiffer

That white gold

This one, for them hood girls

Them good girls

Straight masterpieces

Stylin', while in

Livin' it up in the city

Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent

Gotta kiss myself I'm so pretty

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Called a police and a fireman

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Make a dragon wanna retire, man

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Say my name you know who I am

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Am I bad 'bout that money

Break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

Saturday night and we in the spot

Don't believe me, just watch (Come on)

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Stop

Wait a minute

Fill my cup put some liquor in it

Take a sip, sign a check

Julio! Get the stretch!

Ride to Harlem, Hollywood, Jackson, Mississippi

If we show up, we gon' show out

Smoother than a fresh jar o' Skippy

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Called a police and a fireman

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Make a dragon wanna retire, man

I'm too hot (hot damn) (hot damn)

Bitch, say my name you know who I am

I'm too hot (hot damn)

Am I bad 'bout that money

Break it down

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

'Cause Uptown Funk gon' give it to you

Saturday night and we in the spot

Don't believe me, just watch (come on)

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Before we leave

Let me tell y'all a lil' something

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up, uh

I said Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Come on, dance

Jump on it

If you sexy then flaunt it

If you freaky then own it

Don't brag about it, come show me

Come on, dance

Jump on it

If you sexy then flaunt it

Well it's Saturday night and we in the spot

Don't believe me, just watch (come on)

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Doh

Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh (Hah!)

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Don't believe me, just watch

Hey, hey, hey, oh!

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up

Uptown Funk you up, Uptown Funk you up (say whaa?!)

Uptown Funk you up

Aaaaaaow!

 

 

Guess this blows the "gotta have great lyrics" theory out the window. But it definitely supports the "Keep It Simple Stupid" theory. It could be that most people just give too much thought to their songs to write a hit. I may go home and bash my head into the bricks outside and see if I've dumbed myself down enough to come up with some simpleton-esque fluff. 

 

So Skylark, in answer to your question 

  • Do you think popular music beneath you? 

It appears that yeah I think I do. Not all popular music, but definitely some of it. But, that shouldn't really mean I wouldn't, or would, be able to write songs for a living. Just that I have to give it a lot less thought.

Edited by Just1L
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Easy enough, here's the lyrics to today's number 1 on Billboards Top 100, courtesy of AZLyrics.  Sophistication aint' got a damn thing to do with this mess.  

 

 

"Uptown Funk"

(feat. Bruno Mars)

 

This thread is asking, "Can one make a living writing songs?"

 

The writer of this "mess" would probably answer with a resounding "YES!" (And I realize Bruno Mars is a performing act, but he/they has/have written smash hits for numerous others and would likely be quite comfortable strictly writing.)

 

Sophistication ain't got a damn thing to do with contemporary pop music, but that's not a recent realization. Was Elvis sophisticated?

 

Sophistcation, soSCHMistication...

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I may go home and bash my head into the bricks outside and see if I've dumbed myself down enough to come up with some simpleton-esque fluff. 

 

And there you go... I'll repeat my opinion from earlier: As long as you think the "Pop" audience are "dumb" or in some manner beneath you, you are virtually guaranteed to never create a successful Pop record, and probably never even grasp the concept/process.

 

My 3¢...

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I doubt anyone would call the great Henry Mancini unsophisticated. Yet, not only did he score a Number 1 Pop hit, he did it with a lyric even less substantial than anything written by Bruno Mars. I give you Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, the entire text copied below.

 

------------------------

 

------------------------

 

My 3¢...

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I had to run, back to finish

 

I, myself, am not suffeciently in tune with the simple have fun and entertain the audience factor.  I can't write pop top 100.  I don't want to.  But then again, am I really so self absorbed that I can't be entertaining? 

 

If and when such entertainment element I provide gets to the point where a record company feels they can profit from it, will I have written an undeniable pop hit.  But never until the value of their profit exceeds the value of my talent.  (he,he,he....which is very small indeed).  That is the music business, they don't and never have cared about the artist in any way other than how it best suits them.  I think it suits them best to be profitable, they do too.

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I doubt anyone would call the great Henry Mancini unsophisticated. Yet, not only did he score a Number 1 Pop hit, he did it with a lyric even less substantial than anything written by Bruno Mars. I give you Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, the entire text copied below.

 

------------------------

 

------------------------

 

My 3¢...

good point for a different era of music.  Yesterday's pop hits have all been written already.

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I doubt anyone would call the great Henry Mancini unsophisticated. Yet, not only did he score a Number 1 Pop hit, he did it with a lyric even less substantial than anything written by Bruno Mars. I give you Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, the entire text copied below.

 

 

 

Just in case the use of the word "unsophisticated" was in response to my earlier post.

 

Yeah, pop music can be stupid simple, but it doesn't mean that it can't be sophisticated

 

 

I'm considering changing my opinion here.. It's very possible that lyrical sophistication can be detrimental to a tune's UHP (UH Potential). Certainly, complexity is a no-no, both musically and lyrically.

 

And Skylark.. Instrumentals don't count. I don't consider them to be 'songs.'  If you've got an instrumental in your Top 40, then you really have a Top 39.

Edited by M57
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I give you Harlem Shake, a tune from 2013 that uses the same lyric as the Mancini piece, copied below.

 

------------------------

 

------------------------

 

My 3¢...

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And Skylark.. Instrumentals don't count. I don't consider them to be 'songs.'  If you've got an instrumental in your Top 40, then you really have a Top 39.

 

Actually, I don't consider instrumental works "songs," either (and I don't believe I have used the word song when speaking of one).

 

But I was --in my own goofy way-- trying to show that the lyric of any successful Pop song was really not as important as some other factors, even to the point of being non-existent.

 

ADDENDUM: M57, you and I might be in the minority on how we choose to speak of songs, too. The word song can in the strictest sense refer to a tune with no lyric.

I generally don't bother to listen to any wordless works at SongStuff.

 

Along the same line... I never call a bunch of words a lyric if they have yet to be married to a melody.

Edited by Skylark
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By extension, then, so has the Bruno Mars song. Or are you the arbiter of what is "still in play?"

No doubt he's still getting royalty checks.  Just think how much Francis Scott Key would have made by now.

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No doubt he's still getting royalty checks.  Just think how much Francis Scott Key would have made by now.

 

 

I was JUST thinking that Jimmy Webb was a millionaire --a teenaged, pure songwriter millionaire-- when the royalties were in the 2¢ area! That's a LOT of sales!

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And there you go... I'll repeat my opinion from earlier: As long as you think the "Pop" audience are "dumb" or in some manner beneath you, you are virtually guaranteed to never create a successful Pop record, and probably never even grasp the concept/process.

 

My 3¢...

 

Or, it is the grasping of the concept/process that makes me feel it is beneath me?

 

For example: I think it is a sad concept to think you have to, you must, strip down to almost naked and shake your ass to the camera every time you make an appearance to use sex to sell your music. But that's a common factor with a lot of todays "artists". Do I feel that demeaning yourself to the point of acting like a strip-tease artist is beneath me? Yes I do.  

 

I grasp the concept/process with today's popular music. That's a big part of why I don't like today's popular music.

Edited by Just1L
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Or, it is the grasping of the concept/process that makes me feel it is beneath me?

 

For example: I think it is a sad concept to think you have to, you must, strip down to almost naked and shake your ass to the camera every time you make an appearance to use sex to sell your music. But that's a common factor with a lot of todays "artists". Do I feel that demeaning yourself to the point of acting like a strip-tease artist is beneath me? Yes I do.  

 

I grasp the concept/process with today's popular music. That's a big part of why I don't like today's popular music.

 

It really doesn't matter why you feel Pop music is beneath you, the reality remains that you do. Guess Pop music is simply not for you...

 

I might spin off another thread about this stuff but... I think the discussion has gotten too far from the topic ("Can one make a living as a songwriter?")

 

Pop is not the enemy. Pop is not stupid. Pop is not beneath anyone. It is what it is, play the game or don't. But if the question is "Can one make a living as a pure songwriter." my answer is YES (although I would agree that it seems harder in the computer age than ever before).

 

3¢...

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It is what it is, play the game or don't. But if the question is "Can one make a living as a pure songwriter." my answer is YES (although I would agree that it seems harder in the computer age than ever before).

 

3¢...

 

100% AGREE

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As a matter of curiosity, what do you call them ? 

oh, i'm sure he calls them poems.  But since I'm the arbiter of such things, they are in fact lyrics.

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