INTRODUCTION

It is not easy to write a hit song. But this article will help you evaluate whether your song has the characteristics to be a winner. Most hit songs have many of the characteristics below. Once you have written your song, evaluate it against the 20 checklists below. If you do not have many of the characteristics , the chances are that your song will not take off. So evaluate your song carefully.

1. Christian songwriting is a partnership
   
   Many people expect God to give them every word of the song and the complete melody. If this were so, everyone can be a song writer. In reality, God inspires us with some thoughts, ideas and phrases. The song writer has to slowly craft out the entire song with perspiration. My guess is that for songwriting, inspiration is only 10% . 90% of the song depends on the perspiration of the song writer. He must work hard to develop his ideas and melodies. It is hard work writing songs.

• Inspiration : God's part - 10%

• Perspiration : Man' part - 90%

Here are ways to improve in song writing.

1. Listen extensively to various types of music. Learn and practice the different styles

2. Practice writing. Write and rewrite.

3. Refine and edit the lyrics

4. Get your friend's opinion

2. Communication is the goal
   
   The message is the most important part of your song.
   
   Does you have a message you want to communicate ? If you do not have a message, you should not be writing your song.
   
   

3. Form or structure – the foundation stone
   
   Analyze your song for form (AABA, ABAB, ABABC, AAAA)
   
   Make a framework for your song
   Define your verse, chorus and bridge.
   
   A= Verse B = Chorus C= bridge
   
   Eg:
   ABAB - Because He lives
   AAAA - Many hymns like Stand up for Jesus, All to Jesus I surrender
   ABABC - God is good all the time, The Happy Song
   
   Most modern songs have the structure ABABC. So try to stick to this modern structure if you want to write a modern song
   
   

4. Make your point and stick to it
   
   A song should only have one clear message. Don't wander from this message. You cannot share about the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus all in one song (unless it is a story on the life of Jesus).
   
   Have a logical progression of lyrics. You should have a beginning, middle and end.
   Do not wander from your theme.
   
   Eg:
   I could sing of your love forever - God' love
   Awesome God - God's might
   Great is Thy faithfulness - God' faithfulness
   
   

5. Don't dally
   
   Set the person, place, problem as soon as possible. Introduce your theme early
   
   Eg. Butterfly Kisses - "There are few things I know for sure, She was sent here from heaven, She's daddy's little girl" - Bob Carlisle tells us that the song is a story of his daughter in the first line
   
   Eg. Give Thanks - "Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One" - the song is all about giving thanks to God.
   
   
6. Set the hook
   
   A hook a something you repeat many times so that the audience will automatically remember your melody, lyric or rhythm.
   
   Melody hook
   Lyrical hook
   Rhythmic hook
   
   Eg. I just called to say I love you
   
   Melody hook - I just called ( first 3 lines)
   Lyrical hook - I just called (first 3 lines)
   Rhythmic hook - end of first line
   
   I did not sit down and read the lyrics of the song " I just called to say I love you". I just listened to it from the radio picked up the chorus. We remember a song with hooks very easily.
   
   Eg: This is how we overcome - Lyric and rhythmic hooks
   
   
7. Repetition
   
   Repetition is one of the most important tools of song writing. By repeating a melody or lyric, you get people to remember your song easily.
   
   Repeat lyrics
   Repeat melody
   Repeat melodic patterns (rhythm)
   
   Eg 1
   You were my strength when I am weak
   You were my voice when I couldn't speak
   You were my eyes when I couldn't see
   You saw the best that was in me
   Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
   You gave me……cos you believed
   
   Eg 2 We want to see Jesus lifted high
   Eg 3 Trading my sorrows
   Eg.4 I could sing of your love forever
   Eg 5 Heart of worship
   
   
8. Use phrase throws to get an emotional impact.
   
   Eg.
   God is good all the time
   Alpha and omega
   Every time I pray I move the hand of God
   Ticket to heaven
   Days of Elijah
   Blowing in the wind
   Sound of silence
   Tears in heaven
   Wind beneath my wings
   Butterfly kisses
   
   
9. Do not use cliches
   
   A cliché is something a small group understands but the general public will have no understanding of eg.
   
   Choon - very good and accurate
   Alamak - Ooops'
   Kiasu - afraid of losing
   Kiasi - Afraid to die
   
   You can only use a cliché in a song if you are limiting the audience of the song to a particular group. You cannot expect any one in America or UK to understand the above clichés.
   
   
10. Lyrics should be easy to hear.
    
    Rap songs - sometimes you cannot hear the lyrics until you read the lyric sheet
    
    Rhyme - if possible and it becomes very poetic
    
    Alliteration - 3 Rs or 3P's etc
    
    If you had a choice between emotional or intellectual lyrics, choose emotional lyrics because they are more powerful to impact the listener.
    
    Example of emotional lyrics.
    My heart will go on and on - From the movie Titanic - Celine Dion
    Tears in heaven - Eric Clapton - death of his child
    
    
11. Lyrics should be easy to sing
    
    Eg. Tongue twisters - "She sells sea shells on the sea shore"
    
    Use a thesaurus to find alternative words for your lyrics to make it easier to sing.
    
    
12. Make people think
    
    Allegory
    Metaphors
    
    eg. Sound of Silence - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel
    
    People talking without speaking,
    People hearing without listening
    People writing songs that voices never sang, No one did
    It is the sound of silence
    
    The Greatest Story - Ng Wah Lok
    
    CNN won't have the chance to cover this great event,
    His glory will be so bright, Their cameras can't handle the light
    TIME would want to write, all about this blinding light
    But I doubt they will succeed, Their reporters are at His feet
    
    Days of Elijah - Robin Mark
    
    These are the days of Elijah, Ezekiel, Moses, David …..
    
    
13. Grammar must be correct.
    
    Grammar must be correct unless you are using it for effect…..O..very choon lah ??
    Get someone to check your grammar after you have completed the song. You may have some blind spots.
    
    
14. Title must be attractive
    
    Title must be the main theme of your song. Usually the most repeated word or phrase
    
    Eg:
    Once again - Matt Redman
    My redeemer lives - Hill songs
    This is how we overcome - Reuben Morgan
    Revival fire fall - Paul Baloche
    Over and over - Paul Baloche
    God is good - Don Moen
    Butterfly kisses - Bob Carlisle
    Sound of silence - Paul Simon & Garfunkel
    Wind beneath my wings - Bette Midler
    
    
15. Keep true to your idiom
    
    Write something people all over the world can identify with and not something only a small group can understand. Be careful of slang words.
    
    Eg American slang - "24-7" cannot be understood in many Asian countries
    
    Or Alamak or Choon or lah cannot be understood in America
    
     
16. Keep current
    
    What is happening to your world today ?
    
    Write something people can relate to.
    
    Song "From a distance" - made relevant because of the Iraq war. Bette Midler made the song famous because it was released around the Iraq war period. Most Americans do not like wars. The song has a message of peace.
    
    Are your lyrics and music current ?
    
    Modernize your hymns - Change all the old King James English to modern NIV English
    
    
17. Your music and lyrics must match
    
    A good song is a marriage of a good melody and matching lyrics.
    
    Example:
    
    Prayer song/Deep worship songs on the Holy of Holies - slow and devotional
    
    Praise song - fast and strong rhythm
    
    You cannot do a battle song with slow devotional music. Neither can you do a worship song with a fast rock beat. It just does not match.
    
    
18. Write a variety of songs of different themes and styles.
    
    Use various themes eg Cross, resurrection, Love of God, protection of God, worship , evangelistic, second coming etc.
    
    Styles eg. Rock, sentimental, jazz, pop, praise ?
    
     
19. Check your melodic ranges
    
    Is it for congregational worship ?…Highest note should be the C or D above middle C.
    
    If you are writing for an Artist, make sure you know his/her range.
    
    Example
    
    Female alto ? - Most girls are in the alto range eg. Faith Hill or Sheila Majid
    
    Male tenor ?… G or A….Rich Mullins, Bryan Adams, Michael Bolton
    
    Soprano ? Sandi Patty
    
     
20. If you are writing a story make sure your song has a beginning, middle and end
    
    Example : Butterfly Kisses
    
    Girl was baby, young girl , grows to sixteen and gets married. Her father tells the story.

About the author Wah Lok

Ng Wah Lok has written over 100 songs in 23 years. His song "Every Time I Pray" written in 1981 is widely used in Asia. He has released 2 albums, "Every Time I Pray" and "Shining Stars". He has also co-written 9 songs in the album "Favored Chick" by Barbara Tipper. He can be contacted at ngwl@pc.jaring.my. You can visit his website www.tabernaclemusic.net to read his other articles on music and songwriting.