Tag / song analysis

by Veronica Tan

Chord Tips to Learn from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

Chord Tips to Learn from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is one of the Beatles most popular and well-known songs. Buried within this masterpiece are some truly amazing chord sequences! In this article, we’ll break down those chord sequences so that we can learn from them and use these tricks in our own songwriting.

This article is a summarised transcript of our video “These Beatles Chord Moves will Blow Your Mind”. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Borrowing Chords from Outside the Key

Before we begin to discuss how The Beatles borrowed chords from outside the key, we must first understand the chords that the key contains. The following are the chords in the key of A Major, which is the key of the song:

The verse of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” contains the chord progression A A/G F#m F, which in chord theory is I I7 vi bVI. As you can see, F#m is not in the key of A, and this creates an element of surprise for the listener. So, this F chord really creates a sense of intrigue because we’re not expecting it.

If you need to brush up on what chords are diatonic to a key, then download this free PDF of the “Functions of Chords in a Diatonic System”:

Variation in the Chromatic Bassline

In the verse of the song, the chords are varied slightly the second time around, which creates this really nice descending bass line. When it cycles around to the A, The Beatles could have just used the same A chord in root position. Instead, they used an A/E, which created a descending bassline that goes from G to F# to F then E. 

This is an important lesson on how we can try to look for ways to create variation when a chord progression repeats. It keeps your listeners wondering what’s going to happen next.

Playing with Rhythm and Timing

Another detail worth mentioning in regards to the verse is how the F chord at the end is held twice as long as the other chords in the progression. This is such a great technique because we’re really expecting the sequence to be balanced or symmetrical. 

Prolonging the F chord creates instability because it makes the chord progression have an uneven number of bars. When you have instability or an odd number of bars in a sequence it creates forward momentum because it’s unresolved and you want to hear a resolution.

Modulation Using Borrowed Chords

The second half of the verse is almost exactly the same as the first half, except with the addition of Dm and Dm/C at the end. The Dm has the same borrowed chord sound as the F chord. But one important difference here is how there’s a new descending bass line which goes from D to C, and leads us towards the first chord of the pre-chorus, which is Bb.

In the context of the original key of A Major, Bb would be the b9, C would be the major chord of the b3 and as we’ve previously established, the F is a borrowed chord. When there are 3 borrowed chords in a row like this, it means that we’ve modulated keys.

Our ears will now tell us that Bb is the new key. The presence of the C chord might be confusing since it isn’t diatonic to Bb. However, when we listen to how the V chord ie the F brings us back to Bb, we can confirm that Bb is the new key. The reason our ears accept this key change  is because The Beatles have employed a technique known as priming.

Priming is the process of exposing your listeners to some of the sounds that they’ll hear later on in the progression so that their ears can accustom themselves to it first. So, since we’ve heard the F as a borrowed chord throughout the verse, our ears easily accept that F is the new key in the pre-chorus.

This happens again in the second half of the pre-chorus. We’ve already established that C is a borrowed chord since it’s not diatonic to Bb. The next two chords which are G and C, are also not diatonic to the key of Bb. And since there are 3 borrowed chords in a row, that means we’ve modulated keys again This change is once again, facilitated by the use of priming.

The C chord is easily accepted because a Dm/ C was used at the end of the verse. In addition, the G can be heard in the bass of the A/G chord. The D chord gets introduced to us just for a moment before we hit the F#m in the verse, through the use of the notes in the melody. The progression that is formed creates a modulation to the chorus, which uses the same 3 chords (C G and D) in a different order.

Time Signature Change

An interesting thing to note is that the chorus is in a completely different time signature compared to the rest of the song. Up till the end of the pre-chorus, the song is counted in threes. However when we get to the chorus, we notice that there’s a complete shift to straight fours instead. 

The final trick that The Beatles uses in “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is to hold the D chord for an extended period of time at the end of the chorus. D is the IV chord of the original key of A Major. So, by playing the modulated chords in the second half of the chorus then holding the D at the end, it makes us feel as if all these chords belong together. This is how The Beatles take us back to the song’s original key.

How to Apply this in Your Own Songs

Based on everything that we’ve discussed so far, the following are ways you can apply these chord tricks in your own songs:

  1. Write down the chords of the key you’re writing in then look for ‘borrowed chord’ options.
  1. Look for opportunities to extend the form by adding beats or bars at the end of a section.
  1. Consider a modulation (key change) as you move between sections – look to use your borrowed chords as ‘priming’ devices.
  2. Look for opportunities to change the time feel and use other rhythmic variations.

Conclusion: Chord Tips to Learn from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

An important lesson here is that Lennon and McCartney were always looking for these little variations and ways that they could surprise their listeners. It’s these changes that help keep our listeners interested and create a truly memorable song.

If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now.

Level up your songwriting with five radically practical exercises used by professional songwriters around the world:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #6 – Keep It Short

Songwriting Tip #6 – Keep It Short

A common issue that songwriters often struggle with, is how to determine the length of their song. In this blog post, we’ll learn the importance of song length, by studying Queen’s famous rock anthem, “We Will Rock You”.

This article is a summarised transcript of the sixth part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Short and Sweet

The original recorded version of “We Will Rock You” is two minutes and two seconds. It’s straight to the point, with absolutely no fluff or filler. In order to understand why the song is this short, we have to first understand the purpose the song was written to fulfill in the first place.

Queen created this anthem to encourage people to sing and clap along. To this end, the song has three refrains which in turn provides the audience three opportunities to join in. However, once that’s been done, the song would have served its purpose.

Imagine, if the song had been even 30 or 40 seconds longer, we may have felt that it was dragging and thus, the punchiness and impact that the refrain currently has might have been entirely lost.

If you’d like to learn more about how you could plan your song sections out, click here to download a free “Song Map Template” PDF now:

Questions to Ask Ourselves

Based on what we know about the length of “We Will Rock You”, we can surmise that it’s important for us as songwriters to ask ourselves the following questions when determining the length of our songs:

  • What is the purpose of our song?
  • Does the length of our song currently support its purpose?
  • Have we given enough time so as not to detract from the punchiness of our refrain/ chorus?

Remember that there isn’t a fixed answer to how long a song should be. Some songs might even need as long as six and a half minutes to tell the full story. Instead of trying to follow a specific songwriting formula, what’s important is that we tailor our song lengths to suit the purpose of our songs.

In the case of “We Will Rock You”, Queen felt that it needed to be short and sweet, with three verses and three refrains. This keeps the song punchy, and successfully carries its point across.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #6 – Keep It Short

As an overall, it’s important to remember that every song is unique and the appropriate length will vary. However, embracing the concept of keeping it short and sweet, as exemplified by “We Will Rock You,” can lead to powerful and memorable compositions that leave a lasting impression on our listeners.

This is only the sixth of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #5 – Listening to Your Audience

Songwriting Tip #5 – Listening to Your Audience

As songwriters, we’re often focused on the details of our songs and the creative process. However, it’s important for us to remember that our audience deserves to feel like they’re a part of our songs as well. Through analysing Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”, we’ll discuss the importance of listening to your audience as a songwriter.

This article is a summarised transcript of the fifth part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

The Story Behind “We Will Rock You”

The story goes that the song came about after Queen had played a show at Bingley Hall in Stafford on 29th May 1977, and at the end of that show the crowd began to sing a classic football anthem known as You’ll Never Walk Alone. Brian May in particular was really moved by this experience. 

In an interview with Radio One, he said “We were just completely knocked out and taken aback. It was quite an emotional experience really”. Following this, the band felt inspired to create their own anthem that a crowd could engage with, sing along to, clap along to, and even stomp along to.

If you’re interested in finding some inspiration for you to write great lyrics, then click here to download this free PDF ebook entitled “The 5 Best Exercises for Writing Great Lyrics”:

What We Should Learn from This

What’s important to notice here, is that instead of dismissing his experience as just him having a particularly rowdy and excitable crowd, he took it and sought to create a song where he could give back to his audience. He actively tried to learn from this, and wanted to include the audience and seek more engagement with them to make them feel like they were part of the show.

This is one of the reasons that Queen became one of the most successful live bands of all time.
As songwriters and musicians, we often value the creative process over everything else. While this is definitely a crucial part of the process, this doesn’t mean that we should overlook what we can give back to the audience instead. In hindsight, the greatest rock anthem of all time was born out of this very simple idea of giving everyone in the crowd a song that they could perform with the band.

By making it all about the beat and the chanting, everybody in the crowd was able to feel like they were a part of the song and weren’t limited by not being able to play an instrument. Instead, they got to use their feet, hands and voices so that for a very brief moment, they got to feel like they belonged in a rock band.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #5 – Listening to Your Audience

In conclusion, it’s important for us to take into account our audience’s or listener’s needs as well when writing a song. This way, our song will be able to capture the attention of our listeners, thus further ensuring that it sticks to their minds and hearts.

This is only the fifth of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Let It Go – A Lesson in Songwriting

Let It Go – A Lesson in Songwriting

The song “Let It Go” from the Disney musical Frozen is a song that solves an age-old problem that songwriters face: how to repeat something, but make it get more interesting, not less interesting. So, whether you’re into Disney or not, take a moment to read this blog post and learn the crucial songwriting tricks that “Let It Go” uses.

This article is a summarised transcript of our video “Why Let It Go is a Songwriting Masterpiece”. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

The Problem

Repetition is a fundamental element of songwriting. Listeners don’t just enjoy hearing something repeated; they need it. It’s the repeating part that draws them in, creating an emotional connection with the song. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that each repetition feels fresh and emotionally resonant rather than becoming stale or predictable.

For example, if you tell the same joke again and again using the same punch line, the joke gets increasingly less funny. Similarly, if each of your verse sections use the same words or imagery, then your song will become less interesting and get less of an emotional reaction.

This is a problem that many songwriters struggle to overcome, and it’s something that “Let It Go” solves very well.

Analysing “Let It Go”

Before we jump into some techniques we could use to overcome this problem, let’s take a look at how “Let It Go” does it. 

“Let It Go” is not only the title of the song, but also its hook. In line with that, the phrase is repeated multiple times throughout the song. However, instead of becoming dull, the phrase “Let It Go” means something different each time it’s sung. Below are the different meanings of the hook throughout the song:

  1. Letting Go of Expectations: The first time Elsa sings “Let It Go,” she sheds the weight of other people’s expectations, revealing her true self and powers to the world. She is letting go of the person she’s expected to be.
  1. Letting Go of Limits: In the second instance, she lets go of her own self-imposed limitations on her powers. She’s no longer bound by rules, and she’s eager to explore the extent of her abilities. This shift in meaning helps the emotion grow and gain power, rather than lose it.
  1. Letting Go of Relationships and the Past: Finally, in the third iteration, we understand that Elsa is actually letting go of the past. She is severing her identity and becoming someone new.

Each time Elsa sings the same words, they take on new layers of meaning and emotion, creating a captivating story that resonates with listeners.

Technique #1: Title Strategies

The first technique we can use to create interesting repetition in a song is title strategies. This means that we should try to choose a title that can be re-colored from different angles. 

Instead of looking for just any memorable or interesting phrase, look for phrases that could be approached from different angles. We can apply this thinking even as we’re brainstorming for titles by asking ourselves:

  1. Are there at least two angles from which I could approach this title?
  2. Are the two angles able to be related to the core idea of the song, but not take the same approach?

Once we’ve decided that, then we can use the different angles as different parts of our song. For example, take the phrase “No one but me”. We could approach the phrase as follows:

  1. All alone, there’s … “No one but me”
  2. No one has answers…”No one but me”
  3. I don’t need … “No one but me”

The 3 different meanings can all be used as different song sections, which would then serve to further deepen our song’s story.

Another important part about this process is to try and structure your thoughts in the form of a song map.

Click here to watch a video that explains more about the concept of a song map.

And to download a free PDF song map template, click here:

Technique #2: Trigger Lines

The second technique involves the use of trigger lines, which are the lines immediately before the repeating chorus. These lines “trigger” the meaning of the chorus into something new with each iteration. They’re called trigger lines because their proximity to the hook or chorus or title of the song triggers its meaning into that repeating thing

To give you a clearer idea of how they’re used, the trigger lines from “Let It Go” have been highlighted in the image below:

One way to use trigger lines is to reverse engineer them. First, ensure that you have your title and a song map. You also need to have a clear idea as to the different ways that you’d like to approach the title. Then, start at the end of a section and work backwards to write your trigger lines.

Sting has previously talked about this in a Sodajerker podcast. In it, he talks about reverse engineering his sections from the titles or from the important lines that he wants to put at the end of sections

Conclusion: Let It Go – A Lesson in Songwriting

Disney’s “Let It Go” demonstrates that the art of repetition in a song is not magic, but the result of carefully crafted technique. As songwriters, we should learn from songs such as these and consciously employ these techniques to create songs that people will listen to over and over again.

If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now

Level up your songwriting with five radically practical exercises used by professional songwriters around the world:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #4 – Turning the Chorus into an Anthem

Songwriting Tip #4 – Turning the Chorus into an Anthem

The goal in most songs is to shine a spotlight on the chorus, and really ensure that the hook sticks in our listener’s minds. In this blog post, we’ll analyse how “We Will Rock You” by Queen turns their chorus into a powerful anthem.

This article is a summarised transcript of the fourth part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Phrasal Deceleration

If we take a look at the phrasing of the verses, we’ll see that it goes from extremely busy at the start of the verse to less busy as the song heads towards the chorus. This is an interesting phenomenon that is known as phrasal declaration. 

In a nutshell, phrasal deceleration is when we go from having a lot of notes in a bar to having less notes in a bar. This results in us feeling a sense of deceleration, even though the tempo of the song remains unchanged. By using phrasal declaration, we anticipate the refrain even more, as it provides a release from the tension that was building in the verses.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can build tension and release in a song, download this free PDF entitled “Functions of Chords in a Diatonic System”:

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #4 – Turning the Chorus into an Anthem

By creating a sense of anticipation using phrasal deceleration and ensuring that the refrain only lands on downbeats, Queen successfully creates an anthem that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds. As songwriters, we should learn from this and try to implement these techniques in our own songwriting as well.

This is only the fourth of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline

Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline

A common problem that songwriters face is not knowing how to structure our verses. Through analysing Queen’s hit song “We Will Rock You”, we’ll learn one of the ways we can develop the storyline of a song.

This article is a summarised transcript of the third part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Tell A Story

Sometimes when we write songs, we’re simply describing a specific moment. In the case of “We Will Rock You”, they’ve instead opted to describe the different phases of a character’s life. Observe the first line of each of the verses of the song, as below:

Verse 1
“Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise”

Verse 2
“Buddy, you’re a young man, hard man”

Verse 3
“Buddy, you’re an old man, poor man”

From this, we can see that the verses take us through different stages of Buddy’s life. Verse 1 describes him as a boy, Verse 2 describes him as a young man and Verse 3 then describes him as an old man.

If you’d like to learn more about how you could plan your song sections out, click here to download a free “Song Map Template” PDF now:

The Effect This Has

This chronological storytelling approach evokes a sense of nostalgia and reflection.

By assigning each verse to a different era of Buddy’s life, this allows listeners to contemplate the various stages and challenges we all face throughout our lives. The lyrics suggest that despite growing older, Buddy’s circumstances and struggles remain unchanged, creating a sense of constancy and a never-ending cycle of hardships.

While “We Will Rock You” is often seen as a confident and empowering anthem, this storytelling technique adds depth and complexity to the narrative. It portrays a character who persists in the face of adversity, regardless of the challenges that life presents.

It’s to be noted that as with any song, interpretations may vary, and listeners may find their own meanings and connections within the narrative. This is just one of many potential interpretations, but it’s not necessarily the only one that there is.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline

“We Will Rock You” is a great example of the power of storytelling in songwriting. It’s important for us to learn from this song and remember that a song doesn’t necessarily have to be about just a moment, but can take us through the timeline of a story instead.

This is only the third of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument

Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument

Usually when we write songs, we focus a lot on using a good amount of variation between our verses and choruses. This is so that we can create a build-up of tension, followed by resolution in the chorus. However, it’s entirely possible to place very little emphasis on pitch movement to create a release of tension. Here, we’ll discuss how Freddie Mercury uses his voice as a percussive instrument in Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”.

This blog post aims to summarise the second part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Analysing the Verses of “We Will Rock You”

Similarly to a lot of great anthems, Queen’s hit song is largely about the refrain line i.e. the line that goes “We will rock you”. 

So, the verses are there to take us on a lyrical journey and provide a build-up for the song’s narrative. This build-up in tension can then be released when the refrain line lands. The unusual thing about the lyrical phrasing in the verses of this song is that there’s very little emphasis on pitch movement and a lot of emphasis on rhythmic movement.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can build tension and release in a song, download this free PDF entitled “Functions of Chords in a Diatonic System”:

How Is this Achieved?

If we break-down the melody of the verses, we’ll notice that Freddy Mercury focuses on one repeated note that he hits in a short staccato rhythmic way, before then descending at the end of the phrase down the pentatonic scale. Take a look at the first verse of “We Will Rock You”, as below:

Buddy, you’re a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place

The sections highlighted in yellow are approximately where the melody starts descending down the pentatonic scale. From this, we can see that a large portion of the verse doesn’t have much melodic variation at all.

The Effect this Has

By limiting the melodic movement, and instead opting to focus on rhythmic movement, this creates a verse that’s extremely tribal in nature, as well as being easy for anyone to sing along to. 

Even if we remove the lyrics, the melody line still feels like it’s driving the song because of the way it’s been phrased rhythmically. As a result, the verses feel punchy, and really help drive home the point of the song. This also has the effect of making the refrain sound like a huge event that we’ve all been waiting for, and further emphasises the release in tension that occurs.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument

From Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”, we can clearly see how using the voice as a percussive instrument can be used to great effect. By limiting melodic movement and instead emphasising rhythmic movement, it’s possible to build tension in an entirely different way, thus helping us to create anthems that truly stand out.

This is only the second of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity

Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity

As songwriters, we try hard to distinguish ourselves and create memorable songs. Unfortunately, many songwriters often feel as if things need to be complicated in order to stand out – this is inaccurate. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the power of simplicity through studying Queen’s classic rock anthem “We Will Rock You”.

This blog post aims to summarise the first part of our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

The Drum Groove

“We Will Rock You” begins with the drums playing a classic rock groove, predominantly using the kicks and snares. However, what differentiates this groove and really makes it stand out, is that the kicks and snares are being accented with foot stomps and claps. 

Although all of this sounds extremely simple, it’s actually very difficult to execute it well because the reality of it is that simple is hard to do. The fewer elements there are, the harder those elements have to work to stand out. Otherwise, the simplicity of it could backfire and instead result in the song sounding boring. As Chopin eloquently says, “Simplicity is the final achievement”, and in the case of “We Will Rock You”, simplicity equals powerful.

If you’d like to learn more about how you could plan your song sections out, click here to download a free “Song Map Template” PDF now:

Why Does this Work?

The drum groove that is created feels tribal and primal. Even though it’s so simple and uncluttered, it still manages to drive the song forward from that very first beat because the general arrangement of the song is so sparse. When Freddie Mercury’s voice comes in, we’re hyperfocused on his delivery because of the very few elements that are in the mix in the first place.

This is where the power of simplicity really shines, as it allows us to draw the listener’s attention to a few specific elements and really make those elements land emotionally with the listener.

How Is this Achieved?

This powerful groove couldn’t have been achieved without layering the kicks and snares. There are a few ways we could go about this:

  • Get other people to join in: You could record other people stomping their feet and clapping, and then use those recordings to layer with the kicks and snares. This creates a really cool natural variation to the layers.
  • Record yourself: If you aren’t able to record other people, you could always record yourself stomping and clapping. This way, you’ll still be able to create a more natural feel, even without recording others.
  • Using samples: You could also layer using different samples of people stomping and clapping. There are loads of free sample libraries online, and even Logic Pro X’s stock library has ample amounts of samples to work with. Through manipulating these audio files, you’ll be able to create lots of different layers and textures without needing to record anything live.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity

In conclusion, “We Will Rock You” teaches us that simplicity can be a potent tool in songwriting. By focusing on a few key elements, you can create a powerful impact and draw your audience’s attention to the core message of your song.

This is only the first of seven songwriting tips we have for you from analysing Queen’s song, “We Will Rock You”. Check out the full article for all 7 tips or watch the video here now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Songwriting Tips to Learn from Queen’s “We Will Rock You”

Songwriting Tips to Learn from Queen’s “We Will Rock You”

“We Will Rock You” by Queen is arguably the greatest rock anthem of all time. In this blog post, we look at some of the songwriting secrets buried within its seemingly simple form.

This blog post aims to summarise our video “How to Write a Killer Rock Anthem – 7 Secrets from Queen’s We Will Rock You’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

The Power of Simplicity

“We Will Rock You” begins with a deceptively simple drum groove that packs a powerful punch. Brian May’s clever use of hand claps and foot stomps to emphasize the snare and kick drums gives the song a tribal and primal feel. This uncluttered and straightforward arrangement allows listeners to be hyper focused on Freddie Mercury’s vocals once they come in.

Whilst the groove is really simple, the power of it really comes from the layers used to create it. From this, we can see that simplicity allows us to draw our listeners attention to a few sparse elements in a song, thus helping to ensure that they land emotionally with the listener.

Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument

Similarly to most great anthems, this song is mostly centered around the refrain line, which is “We will rock you”. The verses are meant to build tension, thus creating a satisfying release once the refrain hits. However, unlike most songs, the verses use variations in rhythm rather than pitch to achieve this.

By using his voice as a percussive instrument, Freddie Mercury creates an infectious rhythmic drive that keeps the song moving forward. Even if we remove the lyrics, just listening to the short, staccato, and rhythmic melody in the verse allows us to feel the bounce, rhythm and drive of the song.

To learn more about writing catchy hooks, click here to download a free 30-minute masterclass entitled “Hook Writing: Making Memorable Melodies”:

Moving the Story Through a Timeline

The lyrical structure of “We Will Rock You” moves the story through a character’s life journey, instead of just a particular moment or day in their life. Each verse represents a different phase in the character’s life, showcasing the progression from a boy to a young man and eventually an old man. This narrative style invokes a sense of nostalgia in listeners, and prompts them to relate and think back to phases that we all go through in our own lives.

Each of the verses also features a play on the line “You got mud on your face, you big disgrace”. This makes us feel as if nothing has changed, and that the character is always struggling, even up till the very end. When this is combined with the refrain “We will rock you”, we get an extremely relatable story of a character who’s always struggling but still chooses to continue to fight.

Turning the Chorus into an Anthem

If we observe the lyrics of “We Will Rock You”, we’ll notice that the lyrics go from being very busy in the verse, to being less busy as the song heads towards the refrain line in the chorus. This is a technique known as phrasal deceleration. When we go from having lots of notes in a bar, to having less notes in a bar, it results in us feeling deceleration even though the tempo is the same.

In addition, the refrain lands entirely on downbeats. Since downbeats are extremely stable, this further reinforces the central message of the refrain. This technique adds to the chant-like quality of the chorus, inviting the audience to participate and creating a memorable anthem that compels listeners to sing along.

Listening to Your Audience

The story goes that “We Will Rock You” was written after Queen had played a show at Bingley Hall in Stafford 29th May 1977. At the end of that show the crowd began to sing what is known as a classic football anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone. Brian May was really moved by this experience and wanted to write an anthem of their own that the crowd could sing along with, as well as stomp and clap to.

Instead of dismissing the experience as just him having an easily excitable crowd, he took it and used it to create a song that he could use to actively engage the audience with. As songwriters and musicians, we’re often very focused on details, and our own creative process. However, consider that one of the most famous rock anthems of all time was written to allow the audience to participate regardless of an instrument, and feel like they belonged to the band. 

From this, it’s clear that it’s important for us as songwriters to listen to our audience as well, rather than just serving ourselves in our songs.

Keep It Short

At just over two minutes and two seconds, “We Will Rock You” is short and to the point. A question that often comes up at this point is “How long should my song be?”. Unfortunately, the answer is rather philosophical, which is as long as the song needs to be. To do that, we need to decide what the purpose of our song is, and ponder upon why it was created.

In this instance, Queen’s goal was to create an anthem that the crowd could sing along to and clap with. To achieve that goal, the song has 3 refrains, thus providing the crowd 3 opportunities to join in. Once that’s been done, the song has served its purpose. If the song had been even 30 or 40 seconds longer, we might have felt that it was dragging rather than memorable.

There is no exact formula for how long a song should be but in the case of “We Will Rock You”, it being short and sweet helped it to serve the purpose of the song well.

Using Unconventional Song Forms

Instead of following the typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure or other popular song forms such as AABA, “We Will Rock You” consists of three refrain lines and three verses, followed by a soaring guitar solo at the end. What makes this even more unusual, is that the entirety of the three refrains and verses is done acapella with only drums as accompaniment.

The contrast between these sections creates a delightfully surprising and charming song. In addition, Brian May’s guitar solo focuses mostly on the A Major chord, even though up till this point, the song has mostly centered around the E Minor chord. The guitar lick he plays is essentially a country lick, played on the 14th fret with lots of distortion. 

The important thing to take away from this, is that there’s so much crossover between blues, country, folk, rock, R&B, and soul, and we can often find so much inspiration from other forms of music. Even if we don’t play them, these concepts can transfer over beautifully to the style that we’re making music in.

Conclusion: Songwriting Tips to Learn from Queen’s “We Will Rock You”

There are lots of aspects of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” that make it a memorable song. The important part is for us to adapt what we learn from this classic rock anthem into our own music. This way, we too can create songs that captivate our audiences and withstand the test of time.

If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them:

by Veronica Tan

Essential Songwriting Tips for Beginners

Essential Songwriting Tips for Beginners

Amidst all the doubts and fears, it can be difficult to know where to begin when songwriting. All too many times, songwriters get stuck staring at an empty page in frustration. In this blog post, we’ll explore three essential songwriting tips for beginners that will help ensure that this is a situation of the past.

This blog post aims to summarise our video ‘New to Songwriting? Start here (3 tips)’’. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.

Tip 1: Write Small Moments, Not Big Themes

Many beginner songwriters fall into the trap of attempting to tackle grand themes right from the start. While it’s admirable to want to write about homelessness, climate change, or heartbreak, approaching songwriting in this way can put excessive pressure on the song. Often, the result is either cramming too much into the song, causing it to lose focus, or creating something generic and lacking in relatability.

Instead, focus on small moments from your own life. Hone in on the details, emotions, and perspectives within those moments. By doing so, you’ll discover universal themes that resonate with others.

In an interview with John Mayer that I love, he compares the process to attempting to fit the universe into a glass of water. He says that instead of trying to approach songwriting from a glacial perspective, where you fit the universe into a glass of water, to try and write about the glass of water itself. In doing so, you’ll find that focusing on small moments from our lives instead, allows us to find universal themes that not only we relate to, but that our audience will relate to as well.

Here are some practical exercises to help you hone in on these small details and moments in life:

  • Homework for Life: This involves spending a few minutes each day noting something that made that day different from others. This exercise allows themes and emotional truths to emerge from seemingly ordinary experiences.
  • Sense Writing: This exercise involves using your senses to describe moments and experiences in detail, thereby capturing the essence of emotions and creating relatable content.

You can find out more about sense writing and other exercises in the free PDF ebook, “The 5 Best Songwriting Exercises for Writing Great Lyrics.” Click the image below to download.

Tip 2: Balancing Truth and Fact

As songwriters, we deal in truth, not necessarily facts. 

Many beginners feel constrained, thinking they can only write about experiences that have happened to them. However, it’s crucial to distinguish the difference between truth and fact. 

Songwriters have the artistic license to bend facts to convey core emotional truths effectively. For example, you can write about the grief and loss of a pet without explicitly mentioning the specific details of your cat’s passing. By excluding certain autobiographical facts, you can communicate the emotional truth in a way that resonates deeply with others who have experienced similar emotions.

Remember, writing what you know doesn’t mean writing the facts you know, but rather capturing the emotions you know.

Tip 3: Study Your Heroes

Studying and learning from your musical heroes is an essential part of the songwriting journey. Learning how to play your favorite songs by heart is an excellent starting point, but our journey as songwriters doesn’t end there. 

As songwriters, we need to critically and analytically listen to songs. This means that we need to actively dissect the songs, paying attention to things like chord progressions, relationships between chords and key centers, and song structures.

Examples of questions that you could ask yourself are:

  • What chords are used in specific sections? How are they used? Are there chords deliberately avoided? 
  • What is the relationship between the melody and the chords used?
  • Are high notes used in specific places for any reason in particular?

By analyzing and understanding the components that make your favorite songs resonate, you’ll begin to grasp the artistry behind them.

Moving beyond imitating your heroes, strive to emulate them instead. Emulation involves not only striving to look like your heroes, but also to see like them. It’s about understanding their thought processes, and through this understanding, your own artistic voice will start to emerge. 

Emulating your musical heroes and combining their influences with your unique perspective will allow your songwriting capabilities to truly be used to their fullest.

Conclusion: Essential Songwriting Tips for Beginners

In short, the three tips can be summarized to the following:

  • Focus on the small moments
  • Find the balance between truth and fact
  • Actively study your musical heroes

By using these three essential songwriting tips, you can help yourself overcome the initial struggles that many beginner songwriters face, and ensure that you have the tools for a smoother songwriting journey.

If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now.

Turn your inspiration into beautiful songs with step-by-step guidance through two professional songwriting methods. By the end of this course, not only will your tool belt be stocked; you’ll have a plan and a method for finishing your songs – all of them.