Understanding what an artist has recorded before can help you predict what he or she might record in the future. So, today, I decided to dive into Blake Shelton’s album, “If I’m Honest.” Here’s what I found, track-by-track. (Note: “PUL’D” is a reference from my workbook “Cut/able: Lessons in Market-Smart Songwriting.” It means “Positive-Uptempo-Love/Depth.” “Neighborhood” and POV (“Point Of View”) are also explained in “Cut/able.” Check out the workbook HERE.)
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Writers: Marv Green, Ben Hayslip, Justin Wilson
POV: Me-to-the-world
Timeframe: In-the-moment
PUL’D: Positive, Midtempo
Neighborhood: Bro, redneck, blue-collar
Subject: Country life pep rally
Notes: Rap-like lyrics, lots of imagery, “We’re country and that’s awesome” theme. Play off “Straight Outta Compton,” fun, clever. Drinking, Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Solo-Chorus
Writers: Andy Albert, Marc Beeson, Wyatt Earp
POV: Me/Her
Timeframe: In-The-Moment (with some looking back)
PUL’D: Negative (but humorous), Midtempo, Love (lost love)
Neighborhood: Country boy. Lyrically pushes the envelope. Sarcastic.
Subject: Lost Love
Notes: SINGLE, Breakup, fun/funny, clever lyric, quirky, not much imagery, not a very “big” melody. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Chorus
Writers: Park Chisolm, Mark Irwin
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Want-you-back, hopeful, mid-ballad, big chorus, love/lost love
Neighborhood: Country
Subject: Love love
Notes: Melodic, hook in the pre-chorus, not a lot of imagery. Tells the listener (the girl) that she’s still wanted. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Chorus.
Writers: Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Brad Warren, Brett Warren
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment, looking back
PUL’D: Sad, Mid-power ballad, Love/lost love
Neighborhood: Country
Subject: Lost love, music
Notes: Big melody, falsetto. Tells the girl (listener) that she’s still wanted. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Solo-Bridge
Writers: Deric Ruttan, Craig Wiseman
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Sad but hopeful, Mid-tempo, Love / lost love
Neighborhood: Country, Pop-country
Subject: Lost love and hooking up with someone new. Drinking.
Notes: SINGLE. Mid-groove. Kinda dark. Lots of imagery. Weed reference. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus
Writers: Busbee, Ryan Hurd, Liz Rose
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Midtempo, Love/Lost Love
Neighborhood: Blue collar country boy
Subject: I lost her. You lost him. Let’s hook up.
Notes: Bouncy feel-good groove, drinking, not a ton of imagery. Getting over a heartache, but not a sad feel. Feels very positive. Verse-Lift-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Lift-Chorus
Writers: Rhett Akins, Mat Dragstrem, Ben Hayslip
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, mid-groove, love
Neighborhood: Soulful country.
Subject: It ain’t easy for him to leave her place ‘cuz he’s so in love.
Notes: Telling the girl what she wants to hear. Horns. Hook-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Bryan Simpson
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Uptempo, Love
Neighborhood: Country boy. Blue collar, kinda redneck.
Subject: When I’m with you, nobody’s paying any attention to me- cuz you’re so beautiful.
Notes: SINGLE. Telling the girl what she wants to hear. Praising her. Feels good. Good imagery. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus.
Writers: Blake Shelton, Gwen Stephani
POV: Me/You (duet)
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Negative (but feels good), uptempo, love/lost love
Neighborhood: Pop country
Subject: We hooked up getting over other people, but it’s a temporary thing? But we’re into each other? Honestly, I’m not really sure what’s going on here.
Notes: Negative, but feels good. Messed up relationship. On-again, off-again. Good imagery. Verse-Verse-Lift-Chorus-Verse-Verse-Lift-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus.
Writers: Blake Shelton, Jessi Alexander
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: Looking back / In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Uptempo, Friendship
Neighborhood: Movie song. “Angry Birds.” Country.
Subject: Friendship
Notes: Buddy song, smile-factor. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus.
Writers: Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson
POV: Me/You
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Uptempo, Love
Neighborhood: Country boy. Bro.
Subject: It’s daybreak after the 1st date, and he’s telling her he wants to spend more time with her.
Notes: Love, not sex. New love. Big chorus. Good imagery. Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus.
Writers: Marty Dodson, Jacob Lyda, Paul Overstreet
POV: Me/Her
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Mid-tempo, Music
Neighborhood: Country, honky tonk.
Subject: Country music and sex.
Notes: Features the Oak Ridge Boys. Storytelling. Lots of imagery. Double-meaning. Clever, fun, funny. Verse-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Solo-Chorus-Chorus-Chorus
Writers: Blake Shelton, Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall
POV: Me-to-the-World
Timeframe: In-The-Moment
PUL’D: Positive, Ballad, Depth
Neighborhood: Country gospel. No angel. Bluegrass.
Subject: The devil tried to break me, but God pulled me through.
Notes: Worshipful, acoustic/strings, contemplative. Verse-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Chorus.
This record feels good. The happy songs feel good. Even the heartbreak songs feel good. Not a tearjerker in the bunch. A theme that keeps popping up is curing a fresh heartache by finding someone new (“Came Here To Forget” “Every Goodbye”).
Women are lifted up on tis album. The possible exception is “She’s Got A Way With Words,” but even that comes off more funny than angry. Other songs, he wants the girl back (“Every Time I Hear That Song” “Bet You Still Think About Me”).
New relationships: “Came Here To Forget” “Every Goodbye” “It Ain’t Easy” “One Night Girl”
Established relationships: “A Guy With A Girl” “Doing It To Country Songs”
It’s all pretty light, except for “Go Ahead And Break My Heart” and “Savior’s Shadow.” The only hopeless or lost love is “She’s Got A Way With Words.” Not much sex or sexy. Lot of new love, but not much making out except for the double-meaning of “Doing It To Country Songs.”
“If I’m Honest” hits on a lot of commercial principles I advocate in Cut/able. The songwriters really hit the nail on the head with this one.
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God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,
Brent
Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.
Thanks for the breakdown Brent! I agree completely. I also think this is perfect timing for where Blake seems to be in his career and personal life, which tend to make the songs “more believable” coming from him. I also noticed where these songs for the most part seem to be in the verse-chorus, verse-chorus, then to a bridge/lift and chorus to end. I’d be curious to find out whether this scheme is what he prefers, or if it’s even a pattern seen now more and more in today’s country music. I’m going to have to dissect more!! Excellent work Brent!
hi brent that is the first thing iv heard about finnally getting some one in the country music arena it would be god sent if he would sing any of my 9 iv got on itunes my alb(just like the weather) all cws& thanks for the oppoer tunita to finnally get 1 of my life songs out i lived&did sing befor accident that did end my plans but noy my dreams please email me thanks TERRY BALL@terrysongwriter@gmail.com
thanks
brent please tell him to sing 1 of mine&will be happy with the song (LEAVE THE BUDLIGHT ON) or any of my nine iv got cws please let me know if it can hapen terry ball in tennessee
This was a really interesting read Thanks Brent.
Interesting to see song structure too and what works.
Bridge not always needed, repeat chorus twice etc.
May I please ask – what is a lift? Also do you just write SOLO and when music is being developed they add it?
Many thanks for all your efforts.
Cheers
Sonya
I agree with you Brent and can appreciate and relate to your breakdown.
Some of the acronyms you use, are also used in other songwriting methods with a different name. I’m not sure if the actual methods are the same as each “professor of songwriting” teaches differently. What you’ve written here and what I have learned in my collegiate songwriting courses, are seemingly and seamlessly connected to one another. I feel I can relate to this article and your view behind it respectively.
I am curious about the same as Sonya. It’ll be interesting to hear back on that one!
Thanks for the knowledge Brent!
