I have been thinking about what actually makes a good song.
It would be impossible to pin it down into one particular set of criteria, I know. But still, I guess there are general ways to think about it. I’ve been thinking lately that several of the songs I really like a lot have unexpected elements — things you would not normally think of as “good,” necessarily, and yet, they work in the particular songs I am thinking about.
Maybe, then, the best way to frame this could be what doesn’t make a bad song, unexpectedly (lol).
Here are a few weird things that are great in songs.
Strange Singing Voice or Voice Control: The main example I am thinking of here is Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights,” which I have written about on this blog before. Any other time, the high-pitched voice she does on this track would be annoying as hell, but it works great for what she is doing. She explained in one interview that she did that voice because she was supposed to be a ghost, so it just seemed to be appropriate. Another example is HIM’s “Gone with the Sin.” The way that Ville Valo uses his vocals to create very low tones in this song is spooky and spine-tingling.
Odd Instrument Combos: Think about the various instruments on songs like Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” which I also recently wrote about. There is literally an organ, a tambourine, and piano, and guitar. When you think about it, it’s not too odd of a combination, but that’s because the musicians on that album knew what they were doing. Lana Del Rey’s song “Video Games” uses a harp, which one would not think of using in a song about video games, but it works so well because of the mood of the song. It’s whimsical and sad, so it works for Lana.
Unsettling Instrumentals: One song that I recently listened to which does this is “The Wild Rover” by Lankum. I don’t know much about this band, but this song definitely uses a beat that is so ambient that it’s unsettling to listen to. However, that is what makes it work so well. Another example I am thinking of is Evanescence’s deep cut “Even In Death,” which was on their demo album. This song opens with very eerie synth sounds which evoke creepy graveyards, haunted houses, and abandoned asylums. These sounds remain in the song throughout, down to the very last second, like a phantom. (Can you tell I have a certain taste? Lol.)
The next time you’re listening to one of your favorite songs, see if it has any of these things. Do you listen to any songs that have any of these elements?
Talk soon! :)
-Josee