Songs with sections – Verses, Choruses, Bridges – in which every line has a similar note and syllable count are very common.  This isn’t always a bad thing, but excessive use tends to make songs feel predictable and ‘boxy’.  It’s surprising how many of the really good songs have asymmetrical line lengths.

I’m speaking here about melodies and words – most of the examples below have one note per word, so just by looking at and/or speaking the lyric you can also get a sense of the musical flow – or lack of flow – in the melody.

For example, here’s a Verse of a song in which every line’s pretty much the same length:

I bought some new boots and a red pickup truck
I lost a few pounds and I got my hair cut
Been cruisin’ around so ev’ryone can see
Now the talk around town is you’ve been lookin’ for me

Not bad; it has rhythmic momentum and would be easy to put to music… but once it gets going you know what to expect – no surprises.  Here are the first few lines of this song’s Chorus:

I’ve waited for the day when you’d look my way
And I’ve dreamed of a time when you’d be all mine… (etc.)

Same line lengths as the Verse… more of the same.  So even though the melody notes might end up being quite different, it’s still going to have the same rhythmic ‘bones’ throughout the whole song – both within and between sections.

I think in most cases this is worth avoiding.  Variety in line length gives melody and lyrics a much more musical flow.

For example, here are lyrics from great songs with melody lines of uneven lengths:

Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true

(‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ – Arlen/Harburg)

What’s it all about
Alfie
Is it just for the moment we live
What’s it all about
When you sort it out Alfie
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind

(‘Alfie’ – Bacharach/David)

Is there anybody going to listen
To my story
All about the girl who came to stay

(‘Girl’ – Lennon/McCartney)

His palms are sweaty
Knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already
Mom’s spaghetti
He’s nervous but on the surface
He looks calm and ready

(‘Lose Yourself’ – Mathers/Resto/Bass)

None of these songs lapse into predictability – there are surprises built into each line that keep the listener off-balance just enough.

It can be good to become aware of songwriting habits that may be unconscious… such as having lines of a lyric ‘match’ each other too much, particularly when the matching is thoughtless or just a habit, and doesn’t suit the point, the vibe, the feeling of the song.

Usually melodies that are asymmetrical from line to line, uneven in note and syllable count, help a song feel more musical, unpredictable, and satisfying.

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