What Makes A Perfect Song?

Every person who has attempted to write a song or a poem will, at some point, hit the same decision barrier. How many verses will I deliver before my chorus? Will I have a bridge to break up up the song and add an extra interest dimension? What amount of melodic repetition should I create that might turn this song into an earworm?

What Makes The Perfect Format?

I will be discussing and exploring some of the greats in my exploration of what formats have worked; and what haven't. So let me start by unravelling a song that has really worked. A song that has resurged every few years and is considered to be a classic. I will throw a spotlight on those 'Swedish Hit Masters' Benny and Bjorn for the totally classic earworm 'Dancing Queen'.

The song starts with an intro based on the actual backing instrumentation of the chorus refrain. Add a few aaaahs to that and you have a delicious hook that even now, sees exuberant dancers pushing people out of the way to get onto the dancefloor. The Queen, apparently, loves to dance to it! But before that musical delight, a simple glissando of a finger dragged down a piano lets everybody know what song is about to start. This alone has etched the beginning of this song into our culture.

Set in the key of A Major, the chords move from A to D whilst keeping the A bass note underpinning it. It starts with the actual end of the chorus that effectually creates the anthem that everybody will want to sing along with.

"You can dance, you jive, having the time of your life"

We then get two 8-bar verses that provide a more subtle palette, building up anticipation for the appearance of the first full chorus. Just before the chorus on the second verse though, Ulvaeus and Andersson create a short two bar teaser that throws us right into the chorus.

This is where tweaking with the equality of the song stamps home the effect of that chorus even further. Only one 8-bar verse follows that first chorus with two-bar teasing pre-chorus. The chorus repeats a refrain that leads us out with that aaaah melody from the introduction.

1 Beat Piano Glissando

Intro (8 Bars)

Chorus Refrain (8 Bars)

Instrumental (2 Bars)

Verse 1 (8 Bars)

Verse 2 (8 Bars)

Pre Chorus (2 Bars)

Chorus First Section (8 Bars)

Chorus Refrain (8 Bars)

Instrumental Flavouring (4 Bars)

Verse 3 (8 Bars)

Pre Chorus (2 Bars)

Chorus First Section (8 Bars)

Chorus Refrain repeats till fade

The intelligence behind this format is striking. I will make a bold statement here to say that I believe that this is a perfect format for a pop song. All the hooks in the right places. Embellishments of arpeggio riffs really underpin the catchy melodies. Written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, I cannot ignore the talents of Stig Anderson who wrote so many of the brilliant lyrics of ABBA. Considering that these three Swedish writers were actually creating lyrics in their second language, it is a real testimony to their talent how good the lyrics are.