Singing in the shower

I posted a video of a song I wrote and my grandma of all people suggested that it would be better if I had been fully clothed in the shower while I sang it. Odd, but the more I thought of it, the more it made sense. I mean, I did write it in the shower, and the acoustics are better in there...

Here is my "Ukulele Song". It encompasses the formula for the greatest song ever written. It's simple, really. The sad news is that I may not have the ability to write hit song lyrics...

First, to appeal to the masses, the music has to be simple, not complex. This may be a difficult concept to grasp, but go ahead and listen to a "popular" music channel on the radio, and you'll find 4 out of five songs repeat the same thing over and over and over and over again, usually about the same thing everyone sings about. 

Second, you need a chorus that people can sing along to. The lyrics in the verse rarely matter, simply because when someone requests a song, they say "play the 'chorus' song." Ever heard that? How about "Play that song that goes "hey-yay, hey yay yay yay . . ."". That's Train's "Hey soul sister."

Third, and relevant to the second point, use as few words as possible in your chorus. The more "hey's", "yay's", "ho's" and "yo's" you use makes people more willing to sing along. Think about it.

Fourth, transitions are key. You can't simply play the same progression over and over. You have to add some kind of transition in your song. Bridge before the chorus is a good example of this.

Have two verses, and then in place of a third verse, either add a solo, or if you can't solo, like me, just add a different format to the third verse. Wrap up the song with a few passes of the chorus, and end it however you like. Not too long, but enough to give them what they needed.

The formula for the hit song goes: Intro, verse, bridge, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, interlude, chorus, chorus.

Song writers, you may not agree with this, but if you happen to want to write a popular song, which should not be confused with a good song, use this formula.

Here is my own "Ukulele Song," which will be a HUGE hit, as it demonstrates the hit song formula.