Pages

PREVIEW of SECTION 2 - The Hook

CREATIVE SONG LYRICS
Self-teaching Manual


CREATIVE SONG LYRICS
Self-teaching Manual



Self-Teaching Guide to

WRITING SONG LYRICS

By Paul Rodricks

    Have you ever felt the urge to write your own songs?
To compose your own lyrics and melody?
    Are you a lyricist wishing to set music to your lyrics?
Or a music composer desirous of writing the lyrics to
your music? 
Or a music lover and hobbyist wondering how songs are crafted?
    If so, Creative Songwriting is just the right practical
self-teaching manual for you. Because Songwriting has
never been made so easy and simple.


     Is all about Lyrics Composing – Song forms, Title/Hook lines, Storylines and Themes, Rhyme Scheme, Crafting the Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Tag, Song Performing Styles and much more.
  
     The latest in Gospel/Worship Songwriting is also presented in a whole separate chapter devoted to it in this book.
  
     Become a successful Songwriter.  Compose your own Lyrics and Music to styles such as Pop, Rock, Blues, Country, R&B, Jazz and Gospel.
Lyrics: The Composition

SECTION TWO 
(Continued)

SAMPLING

 “To seize the flying thought before it escapes us is our only  touch with reality.” –  Ellen Glasgow


The Hook

(Songs are BEST remembered by their Title/Hook Line)


So, strive to make yours a memorable one.

Your title must be a short one, up-to-date and catchy enough to grab the listener‟s attention. Through the title or hook-line, the listener comes to know what your song is about as the story is built up on the title. The listener also gets an indication from the title as to the mood and rhythm of the song, i.e. the nature of the topic (love & romance and so on) and the type/style (pop, country, ballad, rock and so forth). Therefore, your title should be clear enough and appealing to most people for the song to become popular. Also bear in mind that that lyrical mood and rhythm should match that of the melody.

Purpose & Role of the Hook

You weave lyrics around the title. A simple story line or a narrative ballad or some dark and heavy lyrical stuff that begins with the first verse, builds up in the following verses, and resolves in the last verse, and/or with some additional twist in the Bridge section of the song, fading away in the tag. The Chorus all along summarizes your story line. That‟s the gist of it. Nothing hard and fast to restrict you from the freedom of attempting and coming up with some very good song lyrics in the best manner you can.

Usually, it is the title line of your song that is the HOOK. It very much matters that this title line/Hook attracts the immediate attention of the listener as he or she may relate to it due to some previous association of similarity, or from some personal experience or just that the Hook seems to incite curiosity.

Repeating the Hook

As a general guideline, the HOOK/Title-line can be the first line of your verse or the last line and can be repeated as the first line of your following verses. The hook must definitely be repeated, preferably not less than twice in the Chorus. Sometimes, depending on the genre of the song, the whole of the chorus lyrics is a mere repetition of the hook. However, it would not be wise to over-use the hook/title line.

Here‟s an example of an 8-line Chorus from a hip-hop song, “Baby, What‟s Love if It Isn‟t You?” where the hook is repeated twice at the beginning and twice for the ending. Moreover, the central theme of the chorus is the same as the hook.

Chorus:

Oh, Baby, what's love if it isn’t you?
Tell me, Baby, what's love if it isn’t you?
Breathing a new life in me
The kind of the love I never knew
So wholesome and wonderful
What more could I ask of you?
Oh Baby, what's love if isn’t you?
Tell me, baby, what's love, if it isn’t you?

Copyright 2004 Paul Rodericks

Song Forms & Hook Lines

Some popular song-forms like AACA, use the hook as the first or last line of every verse and not at all in the chorus.

Again, in the AAA form, the hook can be any one of the verse lines, repeating for the same line in the subsequent verses or as the top line of every verse.

BABAB or ABABCB format may have the hook line in the chorus, generally the first and the last line. Given a choice, make the hook the last line of your chorus.

Some Musical Requirements of a Hook:

1. Put a catchy rhythmic melody to your hook that calls for attention

2. Your rhythmic hook melody can come in as an Intro (perhaps a four-bar riff) or as part of your instrumental opening lines to the song and/or amidst vocalization.

3. Use a chord progression that leads into your opening verse or chorus, producing some contrast with that of the latter.

4. Keeping in view the above, experiment with a few different approaches – using both instrumental and vocal variations.

Story-Form Development Questionnaire

1. What is the subject, topic or theme of your song lyrics?

2. What is the subject category, such as love & romance and themes relating to social, political, philosophical and religious aspects?

3. Who moves the story forward - the gender of the character – male or female or neuter?

4. Where, When and How does the story, incident or plot develop?

5. Are the stages of story-development properly distributed in the verses and linked to the summary in the Chorus?

6. Is the time sequence properly maintained in all the sections and is clear to the listener?

7. Do the lyrics contain dialogue and is the speech form properly maintained, including the genders in all the sections of the songs?

8. Is there any interesting part of the theme that you may have overlooked or not fully developed?

9. Does the theme have a universal appeal or limited to a specific area or audience?

***



NEXT: Section 3
"The best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas.”
- Linus Pauling.

 Whence the Topic or Main Theme?

Do not miss out the next interesting component of Songwriting.

+++

Was this useful to you...?  If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact/email me.  





Click to Contact Author

or use the

CONTACT FORM




 Your comments and views will be appreciated.

 Paul Rodricks, Author & Freelance Writer


Blog: www.paulswritersdig7.blogspot.com




















PREVIEW OF CHAPTER THREE (Continued)

INFLIGHT 
Book #2  

Terror Bloodline Series
Book #2
Terror Bloodline Series

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014RP3582


INFLIGHT  Book #2 


Terror Bloodline Series


Featuring Ex-CIA Agent, Jon Bradley



International fast-paced Action #Thriller 

# Suspense #Adventure 

#Crime  #Mystery


Books #2 INFLIGHT continues with the action oriented plot of dangerous and intriguing, multi-dimensional  characters revolving around a family sharing a terrorist bloodline, including their agenda of personal vendetta. 


Read here the Preview of CHAPTER THREE (Continued) of the Thriller INFLIGHT

CHAPTER THREE

Greenwich Village, Manhattan 
Investigating Eugene Lewek’s Homicide
Monday Morning - Earlier


Monday – 5:00 P.M.

    Samantha’s sister took the landline call. She informed him that Samantha had gone for her hypnotherapy session at the St. Morgan Hospital Psychiatrist Ward.  That she would be back by 6:00 P.M.  Would he want to leave any message?  Jon told her that he would call Samantha later on her cellphone.

    Next, he saw the flash and heard the digital tone of an incoming call and pressed the button on his cellphone to receive it.  Since the number showed up on the screen, he knew who was calling.

    “Yes, Brian.  What news do you have for us?”

    “Been a lucky day, Sir.” Brian sounded spirited.  “A concealed manuscript in the filing cabinet and a surveillance camera atop the elm tree, the latter just as you suspected.”

    “A commendable job, Brian.  Tell you what; take the evidence and secure it in one of the lockers at our headquarters.  Don’t let anyone handle it.  Formally record the evidence and keep the key with you.  Tomorrow, we shall have it checked up for forensics and later analyze the contents.”

    “I am on my way to the office, Sir.”

    “Once again, Brian, I compliment you for a job well done.”

    “Thank you, Sir.”

    Somehow, Jon had a feeling that the evidence Brian had collected from Eugene’s crime scene area was going to make a significant contribution to his investigation, not only in solving his mentor’s murder, but also open up leads to the clandestine terror-cells and their masterminds operating  in America and elsewhere.

    Jonathan called his FBI colleagues, Allan and William and informed them about the findings by Brian.  They received the news with surprise because the initial investigation of the place had not turned up anything encouraging so far.  Though it was still at an early stage. 

    They agreed to meet at the FBI Headquarters the following day around 9:30 A.M.

    There were also many loose ends about the Yonkers terror-cell investigation and the Mossad raid, which needed to be pursued. 

    He knew that he would not be able to devote full time to pursuing his principal task of fighting terrorism and bringing to justice the Hezbollah mastermind, alive or dead, unless he first detected and arrested Samantha’s rapist.

    Jonathan drove to a cafeteria in the neighborhood.  He had over an hour and half to spare before his meeting with the real-estate office worker, Jackie. 

    From there, he called one of his former colleagues, who had now risen to a higher administrative rank in the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). He served under Secretary of Defense.   The Center maintained complete databases (past and present) of each individual recruited and serving in all the branches of the armed forces engaged in the country’s defense. That information included service career, personal and family history and welfare details.

    Jonathan was put through three extensions before he got to Moses Rothenberg.

    “Jon, is that you?’ asked the resonant voice coming across the other end. 

    Moses was two years older to him, a New Jerseyite like him, and they had been at college together.  Almost like brothers, but to go their separate ways career-wise and places.

  “Yes, it’s me Jonathan.  How ‘re you doing Moses?”

    “Fine… fine.  How did you know you would find me here?”

    “I like to keep a check on my friends’ careers, Moe.”

    “Oh, you mean as part of your covert work?” Rothenberg was mocking him.

    “That pinches, Moe.  No. But just as a brother would. And, it was only last year that we met.  How is Justina and the two kids?”

    “They are doing just great.  Justina, as usual, involved in her Archealogical work. She and the kids do remember you sometimes. Asking which part of the globe you’re spying in… you know kids, they love spy stories.  But jokes aside, I know you wouldn’t call me if it wasn’t something important.”

    “Yes, Moe.  It’s indeed.”

    Then, Jonathan briefly related to Moses about his relationship with Samantha and her brutal assault.  That her roommate suspected Samantha’s ex-husband as the alleged perpetrator.  Jonathan wanted the army record of Michael Cage to be looked into at the Manpower database.

    “For the present, I have just his name, but am told that he is a commissioned officer in the army.  I shall inquire with the people who know him and later give you some more details like his rank and hopefully where he may be stationed.”    
    
    “That is a small matter, Jon. Yes, we would need a bit more information than a mere name, you know?”

    “I just wanted to call and check if you were in town since you are often away from your office.  Anyway, Moe, I will get back to you in a day or two.  Meantime, give my love to Justina and the boys.”

    “You take care, Jon.  I will ask my secretary to direct your call to me, no matter what.  Hope, I can be of some help to you in putting away that evil guy.”

     Bradley left the cafeteria and headed towards the Crossley Apartment building. He still had about an hour to pass before he could catch up with Jackie and meet her father too.

    He parked the car across the opposite side of the road, placing him outside the view from the Apartment B2 windows, but still able to observe the entrance of the Crossley Apartments.  The real-estate office employees generally used the same passage for their entry and exit.

To be continued...


PLEASE BUY YOUR COPY TODAY


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014RP3582


http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014RP3582



REVIEWERS can avail a FREE digital copy





Your comments and views would be appreciated. Thank you.


Paul Rodricks, 
Author.










CHAPTER FOUR (continuation)

TERROR BLOODLINE Series Book 1




CROSSFIRE  Book #1 


Terror Bloodline Series

Featuring Ex-CIA Agent, Jon Bradley


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XJZ8YT2


By Paul Rodricks

Available now on AMAZON


http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XJZ8YT2


5-Star Review: "The novel is multidimensional. There are several plot elements working simultaneously that the author handles with skill. The murder of his friend and the personal relationship between Jon and his lady friend, a rape victim, add depth to the novel. The story shifts between the current investigation and his previous, very dangerous, actions in Lebanon as a CIA operative."

Read here the Preview of the CHAPTER FOUR (continuation) from this Thriller,                                                        
                                                 CROSSFIRE


                                        CHAPTER FOUR   

                                  BEIRUT, Lebanon - 1993  
                                      American Embassy  


Robert Armstrong left Beirut two weeks later. Salim said his final goodbye to him at a farewell dinner at the Beirut’s Strand Café. He would next rotate between Kuwait and Dubai.

Jonathan Bradley plunged into his work.  It was April in Lebanon, when the day was warm and dry and the evenings long and cools at 19–25°C.

Through his links with agent Salim, they were able to prevent the kidnapping of his Station Chief, Richard Darwin, by a last minute change of the venue of his meeting with Wilson Macleod, the Head of the American University. Both escaped possibe assassination by a rebel Phlangist  group.

    Another instance was that Salim’s advance intelligence information about the possible suicide attack by two Jihadists from a Hamas group of militants on the British Consulate building.  

First, the Jihadists plotted to fire a stinger missile blasting through the entrance checkpoint and immediately follow up by ramming an explosive-laden vehicle deep into the main entrance. 

MI6 agents from the British Embassy coordinated with the Lebanese Security Forces to foil the planned attack.

On route to their target, the Jihadists unexpectedly found the roundabout barricaded by heavy construction machinery vehicles. 

As they slowed down, two cars on either side of the road overtook them.  Then two more came up from behind.  Before they could judge the situation and react, both terrorists were shot dead whilst seated inside the moving car.

    There were dangerous places to be avoided in Beirut and Lebanon, particularly by the American and European nationals, such as the city of Tripoli and the Hezbollah controlled Valley, parts of south Beirut and northern Lebanon, and areas bordering Syria. There was often cross-border firing and air-strikes by the Syrians.

Rockets continued to be fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel increasing the conflicts in the Gaza West Bank, between the Hamas and Israel, while the latter retaliated by air strikes and occupying the Palestine territory.

Actually, Jonathan Bradley found that no place was really safe in Beirut, or for that matter in Lebanon.  Public demonstrations, sudden roadblocks, kidnappings, car bombings, frequent armed clashes between militants, targeting particular individuals or venues, settling family and sectarian disputes by violence, often at the cost of the innocent lives of the bystanders. This had become the way of a normal life for the people of this region.

Jonathan Bradley lived and operated under such unpredictable conditions until his rotation to Saudi Arabia, to complete his next tour there. 

Finally back again in Beirut, where he was put in charge of tracking down an elusive international arms trader, an alleged undercover Hezbollah terrorist, who masterminded terror strikes and suicide bombings both in Lebanon and abroad.

This last tour in Beirut almost ending his active career with the CIA, would entail crossing a deceptive path, also involving the Mossad spy network, by challenging his wits to undo the strands woven by the femme fatale MI6 operative, Claire O’Neal, and the deviously charming Lebanese Christian warlord.


Chapter Four Ends


Please buy your copy of the Thriller at this Amazon link:









Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)