Elements Of A Well Written Song
When I listen to a song for the first time, I notice a few things from the start. Firstly I hear the chord progression at the beginning as well as the musical hook if it has one. Then we move into the vocalist and that all-important opening line.
Let's use the example of "Mine" by Felix Cartel and Sophie Simmons.
“I remember we were too broke to have a car. Hitchhiking down the highway to get to the supermarket store.
Buying beer with ID's that don't even look like us But we never cared, we were rich in love.”
I love that the writers took us into an honest memory of a certain time and place. It's also a very relatable situation for most people at some point in life, so I'm instantly drawn in! And I want to hear more.
As the song continues, we find out that this memory is sparked by seeing this person again after a long time. Again, many of us can relate to this feeling for better or worse.
The chorus is huge, and the chord structure changes to escalate the feeling. The catchy musical motif comes back around to keep me hooked, and I continue on the journey.
I feel like I'm being told a story with a beginning, a middle, and an ending. In the end, this person chooses not to speak to the person and rekindle the relationship. Instead, they decided to hold onto the beautiful memories they shared.
In my opinion, this is songwriting done well!