It seems like every songwriter writes more ballads (slow songs) than uptempo songs. But MOST ballads will NEVER get recorded. Of the few that do, most never get on the radio. But a few slow songs beat the odds and not only become hits, they become MASSIVE HITS.
Today, I want to discuss one way YOUR ballads can beat the odds and have success.
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I’m a lyricist, and I don’t write melodies. I leave that to folks who are great at that. However, I know from experience and observation that MELODY MATTERS. It’s huge.
Let me be clear- a song with a great melody and average lyric will get cut a lot faster than a song with a great lyric and an average melody.
(Of course, the real winners have BOTH great melodies AND great lyrics. So don’t think you can be lazy on lyrics, because you’ll probably get beat out by songs that are great at both.)
Your melody has to fit your idea, simple as that. This is not to say that sad songs HAVE to have “sad” melodies (I’ll touch on that later), but if your lyric is angry, your melody probably shouldn’t be too “sweet.” Likewise, if your idea is for a tough guy, the melody should be one that a tough-guy artist would sing.
In general (there ARE exceptions), if your song has a slower tempo, it probably needs to have a bigger, more rangy melody. There just aren’t many slow songs with soft melodies getting cut these days. You put your song at a disadvantage when you frame it that way.
If you’re going to go ballad, go big.
A good example of this is “I Drive Your Truck,” written by Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, and Jimmy Yeary and recorded by Lee Brice. It’s a sad ballad. But it doesn’t FEEL like a ballad because of the power in the chorus. Lee just sings his backside off.
If they hadn’t CHOSEN to go the power ballad route, I don’t think the song would have worked as well- and I definitely don’t think it would’ve been a #1 hit country single.
Not only was this ballad a #1 hit, it was named the CMA and ACM “Song Of The Year.”
If the tempo had been too fast, it might have trivialized the subject matter. If they had given it a soft, flat melody, I think the singer would’ve come across too whiney.
Again, if you go ballad, go big.
If you’re interested in writing commercial songs- if you want to give your songs their best chance to succeed, I have a great opportunity for you. In May, I’m hosting Frettie’s “Know The Row” with one of the writers of “I Drive Your Truck,” Jimmy Yeary!
This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional, hit songwriter.
You and I BOTH want to learn what Jimmy has to share.
Here’s the deal. You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, May 24, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time. And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com! (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)
CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER JIMMY YEARY.
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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.
Hey Brent, I would like to reserve a spot. Since I am a Frettie member, it should be free but the link is asking for payment method etc.. just wondering how to do this?
Thanks!
Jayne
I’ll send the invite link to all Frettie subscribers, so just watch your email. See you then!