What are the common elements of a great song?

[eduardo_b]

I consider John Lennon to be one of the greatest song writers ever.

Agreed. Lennon wrote (with a little help from Paul) In My Life, my favorite Beatles song. 'Nuff said.

And the Beatles likely were more popular than Jesus at the time. Not that it mattered one way or another.

[eduardo_b]

I consider John Lennon to be one of the greatest song writers ever.

indeed, he wrote some great lyrics.
imagine, however, was utter shite hippy drivel hypocrisy.

What is the hypocrisy part? I get the hippy drivel part in the sense that the whole flower power belief was doomed from the start. Lennon's legacy for many people, however, still include Imagine.

[generalstargazer]

Vocals are what makes a song a song. The idea is what makes a song great.

Chord progressions, to me, lack the essence of lyrics -- the ability to sing along. When people sing the words -- in their car or at a concert -- there's a connection.

One of the rare times I agree with this mr eduardo_b

[eduardo_b]

Vocals are what makes a song a song. The idea is what makes a song great.

Chord progressions, to me, lack the essence of lyrics -- the ability to sing along. When people sing the words -- in their car or at a concert -- there's a connection.

One of the rare times I agree with this mr eduardo_b

[bugs]

Solid Structure
Great Chord Progression
Great Motion (pulse and rhythm)
Great Lyric
Interesting Melodic Content that is consistent with Lyric
A Hook

Excellent Instrumetation and Arrangement

Great Performers

High Quality Production Values

Great Producer and Engineer

Occam's Razor

Confidence tempered with humility.
Being in service to the music, not the ego or the idea.

Some Cash

Luck

High tolerance for pain and exhaustion.

[ras.s]

Chords are the frame for the melody. If a couple are dancing a waltz, the Man is the chord progression, and the Lady the melody. It's the lady that the eyes follow, but, graceful tho the lady may be in her own right, she is enhanced by them being together, and in context wouldn't be as graceful if the man wasn't holding and enabling her to move like that.

Beautiful wording.


Chords evoke moods in a song. Essential for emphasizing and for the atmosphere in a track.

[KVRdataminer]

Kwai Chang Caine and his flute would agree with those who stated that melody first and foremost.