Learn the Lexicon
The education of aspiring songwriters should never be genre-based. A good song is a good song is a good song. It can be bluegrass or hip- hop. The elements are still the same.
I offer the following suggestions regarding the education of aspiring songwriters.
1. Become familiar with, and learn, the lexicon. Look up the definition of “lexicon”.
2. “Oh Susannah!”.
Look up “Oh Susannah!”
3. There is a continuum. Here’s the short version. It’s in reverse.
- Beyonce – “Put a Ring On It”
- Prince – “Nothing Compares to You”
- Michael Jackson – “Billy Jean”
- Eagles – “Hotel California”
- The Beatles – “Yesterday”
- Chuck Berry – “Roll Over Beethoven”
- Gershwin – “Summertime”
- Kern - “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”
- Berlin – “White Christmas”
- Stephen Foster- “Oh Susannah”
Learn the lexicon and all the bits in between.
Call me when you’re done.