Witness Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ‘Waiting In Vain’, written by one of the 20th century’s greatest songwriters, Bob Marley.
As with many of Marley and the Wailers’ songs, the record throbs with heartbreak and longing while also being wistful and bouyant (respect to The Wailers, a great band), making listening a multi-layered emotional experience. (Listen below.)
Start with two chords only – Ab and Db. A four bar pattern, two bars each chord, repeated for the whole song irresistible reggae ballad groove.
Add a memorably poignant refrain: ‘I Don’t Wanna Wait In Vain For Your Love’. Words that most of us can relate to – we’ve been there – sung to a touching 5-note melody, with the word ‘vain’ landing on a C over the Db chord; a major 7, what I call one of the ’tender notes’.
The Verse melody uses only 5 notes: Ab, Bb, C, Eb, F. Marley works lovely and imaginative variations, both melodic and rhythmic, on these few notes – he was very good at that! (Great singer too.) Remember that with the chords being simple, it’s especially important that the melody has motion and variety, and stays interesting.
Add some vulnerable Verse lyrics:
In life I know there’s lots of grief
But your love is my relief
Tears in my eyes burn, tears in my eyes burn
While I’m waiting, while I’m waiting for my turn
I Don’t Wanna Wait In Vain For Your Love
The Chorus adds another note, a passing Db, into the melody mix. The Bridge climbs up to an octave Ab. The range of the entire song is just one octave, using 7 notes.
That’s it. That’s all you need. Ok… all you need if you’re Bob Marley, that is.
But we can all learn something from the transcendent feeling created by those two chords rolling along in a steady groove, a touching melody that uses few notes – though I wouldn’t call it simple -, all in a major scale, and a touching one-line Title/Chorus that ties the whole thing together.
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