Handout For: 'Repetition's Sonic Connection in Lyric Writing By: L Dunn

Handout for: ‘Repetition’s sonic connection in lyric writing by: L Dunn ● Chorus or Refrain: is the repeated section in a song that’s function is to crystallize the idea, the intent, the emotional point and statement the song is making and is often repeated verbatim at least 3 times in a song’s structure. I should note for those who don’t already know, that a ‘refrain’ is defined as the same lyric line, word for word, that ends each separate verse section (the last line of the verse). It can occasionally appear as the first line instead of the last line of each verse. It differs from the ‘chorus’ which is a separate multi-lined section of it’s own that generally follows a verse or pre-chorus. But a chorus can also be the first section, leading off a song. ●Pre-Chorus or Lift: is a repeated song section, often using the same lyric each time it repeats. This section precedes the choruses in a song’s structure. ●anaphora: is the repetition of a word or short phrase at the beginning of successive lines. This is a very commonly used device in lyric writing, here are 2 examples: * “When Will I be Loved” by Phil Everly, recorded by: The Everly Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, John Fogerty, and Tanya Tucker among others. I’ve been pushed down/I’ve been pulled ‘round/when will I be loved I’ve been made blue/I’ve been lied to/when will I be loved *“Who’s Cheatin’ Who” by Charly McClain, recorded by Alan Jackson. who’s cheatin’ who/who’s bein’ true/who don’t care anymore who’s doin’ right to somebody tonight Notice the repetition of ‘I’ve been’ in the 1st example and of ‘who’s’ in the 2nd example. Also notice the repetition in the first example of the phrase ‘when will I be loved’ which is an illustration of ‘entire line repetition’ within a lyric section. ●epistrophe: is the repetition of the same word(s) or like sounding words at the end of successive lines. This usage of repetition isn’t quite as common as anaphora but certainly found in lyric. Here are 2 examples: * “Tonight I Wanna’ Cry” by Keith Urban There’s pictures of you and I on the walls around me The way it was and could’ve been surrounds me * “See Me, Feel Me” by Pete Townshend, recorded by the Who See me/feel me/touch me/heal me ●entire line repetition: this occurs frequently at the end of a refrain or chorus and particularly at the end of a song. Also, ‘entire line repetition’ happens within a lyric section and from section to section. The first example is an illustration of song ending repetition. I’ve also included the 1st verse of ‘Try a Little Tenderness” which illustrates epistrophe with ‘weary’ (also epistrophe with ‘her’). An example of another repetitive technique ‘Anadiplosis’ which is ‘the last word in a line, repeated at the beginning of the next line’ happens in the ending section with ‘try’… ‘Gotta try/Try a little tenderness. * “Try a Little Tenderness” by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, and Harry Woods. (The ending uses Otis Redding’s version) (Verse/Refrain): Oh, she may be weary/young girls they do get weary/wearing that same old shabby dress/But when she gets weary/try a little tenderness (Ending): You’ve got to love her/squeeze her/don’t tease her Gotta try/ Try a little tenderness You’ve got to hold her/love her/never leave her Gotta try/ Try a little tenderness * Example #2 illustrates ‘entire line repetition’ that happens: within a lyric section, from section to section, and song ending. Fields of Gold By: Sting (V1.) You’ll remember me when the west wind moves / Upon the fields of barley You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky/ As we walk in fields of gold (V2.) She took her love for to gaze awhile/ Upon the fields of barley In her arms he fell as her hair came down/ Among the fields of gold (V3.) Will you stay with me, will you be my love/ Among the fields of barley We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky/ As we lie in fields of gold (V4.) See the west wind move like a lover so/ Upon the fields of barley Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth/ Among the fields of gold (Bridge) I’ve never made promises lightly/ And there have been some I’ve broken But I swear in the days still left/ We’ll walk in fields of gold We’ll walk in fields of gold (V5.) Many years have passed since those summer days/ Among the fields of barley See the children run as the sun goes down/ Among the fields of gold (V6.) You’ll remember me as the west wind moves/ Upon the fields of barley You can tell the sun in his jealous sky/ When we walked in fields of gold When we walked in fields of gold/ When we walked in fields of gold ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ●In general, rhyme occurs when the ending sound of the last syllable of a word (or the word itself, if a single syllable word) is repeated by a similar ending sound of a neighboring word, creating the chime of rhyme This can happen with matching sounds within a line called internal rhyme or as often occurs, end line rhyme which matches the similar last/final syllable sound of a lyric line to that of another lyric line within a song section. ●Alliteration is the repetition of the same accented common consonant sounds in successive or neighboring words … ‘wait until this time tomorrow night’. ●Assonance is the repetition of the same vowel sound in neighboring words. … ‘shadows in the willow grove’ .

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