General Music Chat

I was working on a new song, which had two parts to it: two progressions.
It was cool, but a bit repetitious.
I wanted to break up the repetition.
So I started working on a simple bridge.
After 3-4 tries I came up with something that fit the song rather nicely.
I was playing the new bridge, and started singing along.
Oh, wow!
Suddenly the bridge took on a whole new meaning. And I REALLY like that bridge!
I started playing the rest of the song . . .
Umm, it now longer sounds as good as it used to.
Well: crap!
All-righty, then . . .
The bridge is definitely the best part of the song; I didn't want to 'waste' it, by putting it in with what I already had.
.
REWRITE!
.
Now I am trashing 1/2 of part one, and 1/3 of part two.
The bridge NOW becomes all the verses throughout the song (not sure how many, yet).
Old song order:
part 1, part 2, repeat till end.
New song order:
Verse, verse, part 2, part1, part 2, verse . . .
I am really enjoying this new song.

Rman

Sometimes a skeleton of song, sort of a placeholder, will drop out of your head and get it down quick as you can. Soon as you revisit you have the sort of fun you are having with your tune.

Songs are our children - its fun to watch them grow.

Talbot

My songs tend to get 'locked in' sometimes when I'm writing them. That's where I found the songwriting circle to be very beneficial - someone could make a comment about 'put the bridge here' or the 3rd verse lyrics don't tie in with the rest of the story well'.

My song structure is/was often identical to what you just posted. I would write the lyrics that way on purpose (usually the chorus comes first, then the 3 verses).
From the Berklee songwriting class and the sw circle, I've come to realize they don't have to be that way. Many times during the lyric writing stage I'd be stumped for a 3rd verse, and end up with 3 good verses and a sucky 3rd one. Or a bridge that said the same thing as the 3rd verse.
So now I'll write with a basic guideline (usually) of what the song is supposed to say/go. If I find I need a bridge to go to the end 'result', I'll write the lyrics, but if the song musically requires a bridge, it can just be a lead (guitar) part.

I think the most important part of a song can be the chorus (or the last line or two in the verse if it is a refrain) because this is where the 'hook' is. The 'chorus', as the name implies, is supposed to be where everyone sings along, so if you make it too difficult or don't repeat it enough times that the listener 'learns' it, then it fails to meet that purpose. It can still be a very well-written song, but wont' capture the 'average' listener's attention enough.