Murphy's Laws of Songwriting

Drawing Maximum Attention To Your Hook

As you go through your song's story and the verses, check your rhyme scheme. Whatever it is -- change it in your chorus.
For instance, change an A B A B rhyme scheme to A B C B.

The reason you do this is to subtly alert listeners that something important is coming. A change in rhyme scheme combined with the change in melody going into the chorus should have them ready for the hook.

A couple of effective ways to get the most out of your hook (90 percent of the time, your title is the final line or hook) are to:

1. Put an internal rhyme immediately preceding the hook line

For an example,

"I love you, you love me too,
But we can't make it"

or

"I hate your dog, he ate my frog,
And now I hate you."

"And now I hate you" and "But we can't make it" are the lines you intended to emphasize (i.e your hooks).

2. Don't rhyme your hook with anything

A great example of this can be found in Larry Henley's and Jeff Silbar's "Wind Beneath My Wings." In their chorus, except for a very subtle implied rhyme with the word "everything," which is tucked in the middle of the second line ("and everything I'd like to be"), the title stands alone. It's also, on examination, made very singable by the use of alliteration. The W's in "Wind Beneath My Wings" really make it soar. (I hope "soar" is spelled right!)

Write a hit!

© Copyright 2003 Ralph Murphy

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