BETWEEN the LINES Deconstructed
BETWEEN THE LINES deconstructed
Artist: Stone Temple Pilots Song: Between the Lines Album: Stone Temple Pilots (2010) Genre: Rock
deconstructed
July 20, 2010 GENERAL INFORMATION AT-A-GLANCE
Artist: Stone Temple Pilots Length: 2:48 Song: Between the Lines Structure: A-B-A-B-C-Solo-A-B Album: Stone Temple Pilots (2010) Tempo: Mid/Up Song Writer(s): Scott Weiland, Robert DeLeo First Chorus Hits: 0:31 (18% into the song) Week on BB Chart: Week of 4/17/2010 Intro Length: 0:04 Chart Position: #1 Billboard Rock Song Outro Length: n/a Genre: Rock Primary Tone (Electric/Acoustic): Electric Sub Genre: 70’s Sleaze Rock Mood: Sleazy/Dark/Grooving Lyrical Theme: Scott looks back “fondly” at one of his “healthy” relationships. Primary Lyrical P.O.V: 1st Person STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
At-A-Glance:
Intro Verse P-Chorus Chorus Turn Solo Bridge Outro
# Of Occurrences 1 3 3 3 3 1 1 n/a
Average Length by Section 0:04 0:14 0:13 0:14 0:03 0:18 0:14 n/a
Section % to Total Song 2% 25% 23% 25% 5% 11% 8% n/a
Here we see an equal amount of occurrences of the verse, pre-chorus, chorus and turn-arounds. The section with the longest average length is the Solo, at 0:18. In regard to totaled up sections within the song, both the verse and chorus make up the largest percentage at 25% each. Not far behind is the pre-chorus, which still features prominently totaling 23% of the entire song.
Section Length: (Length of each individual section within the song)
July 20, 2010 As you can see from the graph, equal emphasis is given to the Verse, Pre-Chorus and Chorus throughout the song with quick turn-arounds interspersed to break things up. The solo gets the most amount of time of any section at 0:18, but if you take into account that the end of the solo could technically be considered a turn-around, the solo length would be equal to the A & B sections.
Structure Timeline: (Shows when each section hits within the timeline of the song)
Here we can easily see how you keep a rock song interesting when there aren’t lots of sonic peaks and valleys, or shifts in momentum. Approximately every 14 seconds a new section of the song is introduced, keeping the listener engaged throughout. The chorus hits just about at 0:30 on the button, which is right on the mark for a well constructed song. Otherwise, we see that the song is pretty much linear in construction with equal amounts of time being devoted to all sections with the exception of the turn-arounds.
Total Section Analysis: (Total time consumed by each section and its percentage of the total song)
When we total up each section of the song (i.e. all the choruses, verses, etc…), again we see that equal emphasis is given to the verse, pre-chorus and chorus. The intro is basically just a turn-around and not a lot of time is devoted to it.
Intro: 0:04 / 3% Verse: 0:42 / 25% Pre-Chorus: 0:39 Chorus: 0:42 / 25% Turn Around: 0:09 / 5% Solo: 0:13 / 11% Bridge: 0:14 / 8%
July 20, 2010 Momentum / Intensity Factor: (Evaluation of the intensity of each section within the song timeline on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the most intense)
Here we see that there isn’t much fluctuation in momentum (intensity) throughout the song. With the exception of the first half of the third verse, the momentum of the song is pretty much linear in nature. There are gradual builds during the verse and pre-chorus leading into the chorus, but for the most part the groove stays on a singular path. SECTIONAL ANALYSIS
Intro: Short, effective and to-the-point, the section nicely sets up the verse. It’s not the most interesting intro ever, but it does make the song identifiable the second that you here it. Rating: 7.5/10
Verse 1& 2: The feel has a 70’s vibe with a bouncy, 60’s go-go grooving beat. It’s catchy, raw and memorable with excellent phrasing, and the groove between the vocal delivery and instrumentation locks you in. The second verse is differentiated from the first by adding some clean, trebly guitar overlays. Rating: 8/10
Pre-Chorus: This is vintage STP, and it perfectly bridges the verse to the chorus. The reverb drenched guitar stabs that pan left to right add a great touch. Pay attention to the last lyric of the section, “drugs”, and how it’s phrased. The way that Scott delivers the vocal it melts right into the chorus. It reminds me of “Rocks” era Aerosmith. Rating: 9/10
Chorus: The first chorus kicks in at 0:31 – right on the money for a well constructed song. On first listen, I came away wanting something a little more grand – more of a payoff. However, it works by keeping in line with the “grooving sleaze” vibe.
July 20, 2010 The handclaps add a nice touch, and of course, our friend REPETITION. That being said, I think they could have fleshed it out a bit more, but it does serve the song. Btw – it may just be me, but if you close your eyes you can almost see Kurt Cobain singing the chorus more than Scott. Seems “Nirvanaish” to me. Rating: 7.5/10
Bridge: It’s interesting, and works to a degree, but I think having more of a momentum departure from the rest of the song would have served much better (refer to the momentum graph section for reference). The way that it is it keeps in line with the momentum of the rest of the song, resulting in a very linear listening experience. I would have brought the intensity way down so that the listener could take a breather, and then build up to a point where the solo explodes out of it. That way the song would be much more dynamic and interesting, providing the listener with more of a payoff. Rating: 6/10
Solo: I see George Lynch of Dokken at the first part of the solo, 70’s Joe Perry “Rocks” style in the middle, and then some Mr. Page riffs toward the end. Not the most original solo in the world, but it serves the song and is well played. Rating: 7/10
Verse 3: As with the pre-chorus, here we have a taste of vintage STP. A breakdown fuzz rhythm with guitar feedback and drums, then kicking back into the style of verses 1 & 2. It’s not a huge momentum shift, but it’s the most we get to break the song up a bit, from a momentum perspective. Rating: 8/10
End: Same phrase as the intro and turn-arounds - no new ground tackled here, but it works. Rating: 7/10 WAVEFORM
July 20, 2010 All you need to do is take a quick glance here to realize that this song was compressed and saturated to the max. Not a lot of breathing room here, folks. This song was engineered for high-volume, in your face impact. PRIMARY INSTRUMENTATION, TONE & MIX
INTRO Tone / Comments Pan
Rhythm Guitar 1 Treble Fuzz Distortion 9:00
Rhythm Guitar 2 Treble Fuzz Distortion 2:00
Bass Full, Slight overdrive 11:00
Drums Full and bright 12:00
VERSE Tone / Comments Pan
Rhythm Guitar 1 Treble Fuzz Distortion 9:00
Rhythm Guitar 2 Treble Fuzz Distortion 2:00
Bass Full, Slight overdrive 11:00
Drums Full and bright 12:00
Vocals Male (Scott) 11:00
*Guitar Effects 2nd Verse – clean strum with reverb 3:00
**Guitar Effects 3rd Verse – Solo feedback 12:00
**Vocal Effect Beginning of the 3rd verse – megaphone vox 11:00
CHORUS Tone / Comments Pan
Rhythm Guitar 1 Treble Fuzz Distortion 9:00
Rhythm Guitar 2 Treble Fuzz Distortion 3:00
Bass Full, Slight overdrive 11:00
Perc Claps – reverb processed 3:00 & 9:00
Drums Full and bright 12:00
Vocals Male (Scott) – multi-layered 11:00-12:00
July 20, 2010 SOLO Tone / Comments Pan
Rhythm Guitar 1 Treble Fuzz Distortion 9:00
Rhythm Guitar 2 Treble Fuzz Distortion 3:00
Bass Full, Slight overdrive 11:00
Lead Guitar 70’s Style distortion 11:00
Drums Full and bright 12:00
Benchmark Analysis
Compares the song being analyzed against all Rock songs that have entered the Billboard Rock top 10: Q1 through Q2-2010.
CATEGORY Between the Lines Y-T-D: All Top 10 Rock Songs Comparison
Song Structure A-B-A-B-C-Solo-A-B A-B-A-B-Solo B Not In-Line
Song Length 2:48 3:58 (Average) -1:10
Intro Length 0:04 0:21 (Average) -0:17
Outro Length n/a 0:23 (Average) n/a
Time For 1st Chorus To Hit 0:31 0:57 (Average) -0:26
% Of Song Where 1st Chorus Hits 18% 25% (Average) -7%
Tempos Mid/Up Mid/Up (Majority) In-Line
Primary Tone Electric/Distortion Electric/Distortion (Majority) In-Line
Primary Instrumentation Electric Guitar Electric Guitar (Majority) In-Line
Primary Vocal Gender Male Male (Majority) In-Line
Pre-Chorus Yes 45% In-Line
Solo Yes 63% In-Line
Bridge Yes 65% In-Line
Lyrical Theme Love/Relationships Pers/Dev & Love/Rel In-Line
Style Hard Rock Hard/Heavy rock In-Line
July 20, 2010 The key elements present in “Between the Lines” are in-line with all year-to-date top 10 Rock hits EXCEPT: • The overall song differs in nature from the majority of top 10 Rock songs. • The song length is 1:10 shorter than the average top 10 Rock song. • The intro length is 0:17 shorter than the average. • The 1st chorus hits 0:26 (7%) earlier in the song than the average top 10 rock song. OVERALL ASSESSMENT
Structure - Does the song flow in a cohesive manner? “Between The Lines” is structured quite well, constantly changing from section to section, keeping the listener engaged throughout. Rating: 8/10
Production - How does the production stand up in maximizing the songs impact? As I stated in the Waveform Analysis section, this song was produced and engineered for maximum “in your face” impact. That being said, it is well produced in the sense that the production maximizes the vibe of the song (i.e. accentuating its raw grit nature), and each instrument sits well in the mix, and is clearly identifiable. Rating: 8.5/10
Music/Tone - Does the instrumentation and sound maximize the vibe of the song? This is a raw, down and dirty rock song and the overall music and tone work perfectly in accentuating that vibe. The overall feel is organic and analog in nature, perfectly capturing the essence of 70’s style hard rock (Aerosmith, most notably). The guitars have real raw grit to them, the bass is full and provides excellent counterpoint, and the drums are propulsive and grooving. All the elements come together quite nicely in establishing the overall vibe of the song. Rating: 9/10
Lyrics - Do the lyrics serve the song and jibe with the vibe of the music? The sarcastic, biting, dysfunctional relationship themed lyrics work in perfect tandem with the sleazy 70’s style rock in creating a great down and dirty rock song. Rating: 8.5/10
Vocal Delivery - Does the tonality and phrasing of the vocals maximize the songs impact? Yes. Scott’s sneering vocal style works in perfect unison with the “down and dirty” music in maximizing the overall vibe of the song. The phrasing is excellent, locking in perfectly with the grooving vibe to create a very memorable song. Rating: 8.5/10
July 20, 2010 HIT FACTOR ASSESSMENT
Memorability - How Easy is it to remember this song after you hear it once? There are two key elements that make this song quite memorable – the groove and repetition. The vocal phrasing works in perfect unison with the music in creating a groove that carries the listener throughout the entire song, most notably during the verse sections. Repetition is used throughout , most notably during the chorus. These elements coupled with overall vibe of the instrumentation create a very memorable song. Rating: 9/10
WOW Factors - Does this song possess any standout elements or contain special moments that aid in catapulting it to HIT status? No. It’s a good song, but there aren’t any “magic” moments within the song that make you say, “wow – now that’s a really cool part!!!” Rating: 4/10
Payoff - Does the song provide the listener with a strong payoff (i.e. a hot chorus)? “Between the Lines” does provide the listener with a good payoff within the chorus – resolving the build that was generated during the verse and pre-chorus sections. As I stated earlier, it’s not the most amazing chorus in the world, but the good use of repetition coupled with the overall vibe does provide the listener with a good payoff. Rating: 7.5/10
Originality - Does this song have its own unique vibe when compared to other songs/artists in the genre? Yes and no. Yes in the sense that it’s clearly identifiable as an STP song the second that it kicks in. It also stands out amongst most other songs in the current rock genre in the sense that it is a raw, down and dirty rock song. It’s not overly or slickly produced like so many others are. That being said, I would also have to say no in the sense that, as with most STP songs, they wear their influences on their sleeves, in this case Aerosmith and Bowie with some 60’s beat thrown in for good measure. Rating: 7/10
Longevity - Does this song have what it takes to stand the test of time? Will it become a staple of the artist’s repertoire? “Between the Lines” is not the best song that STP have ever written, but it is a good down and dirty rock song, and will no doubt get the crowd going during live shows. I would imagine that it will remain in their set list for some time to come. I don’t believe, however, that it will survive the test of time like some of their other songs, such as “Plush” and “Sour Girl.” Rating: 7/10
July 20, 2010 CONCLUSION: 7/10
The Good: • It’s a good, catchy, down and dirty raw rock song that stands out amongst the slick, overproduced songs in the current rock genre. • The song is well structured with a new section being introduced about every 14 seconds. This helps to compensate for the lack of momentum shift throughout the song. • All elements, including vocal delivery, lyrics, music, tone, etc…work in perfect unison creating the intended vibe of the song – down and dirty raw rock. • The song is quite memorable due to effective use of repetition and groove. • After a long hiatus, STP is back in classic form.
The Bad: • The momentum of the song is very linear in nature (reference the “Momentum/Intensity” graph analysis), and as a result the song comes across very one dimensional. • If done differently, the bridge could have been the savior to really take this song from good to great by adding a more drastic momentum shift and departure from the rest of the song. The way that it is, however, it just keeps the song on a one dimensional track. WHY IT’S A HIT
There are three primary factors that work together in making “Between The Lines” a hit: 1. STP reunion hype. This is probably the primary reason for “Between the Lines” reaching hit status. STP has been on hiatus for quite some time, and fans have been clamoring for anything new from STP for years. The fact that they reunited and delivered a song molded in classic STP fashion clearly satiated fans expectations, catapulting it to the top of the charts. 2. Memorability. All the elements including the groove, repetition, tone and vocal phrasing work in perfect unison to create a highly memorable down and dirty rock song. 3. STP reunion hype. This is probably the primary reason for “Between the Lines” reaching hit status. STP has been on hiatus for quite some time, and fans have been clamoring for anything new from STP for years. The fact that they reunited and delivered a song molded in classic STP fashion clearly satiated fans expectations, catapulting it to the top of the charts.
Overall, Between the Lines was the “safe” choice to release as their first single for the fact that it doesn’t chart any new ground, it just delivers what most fans love about STP – raw dirty rock. And there’s nothing wrong with that – we need a little bit more raw and a little less overproduced music in this industry.
July 20, 2010 TAKE AWAYS FROM “BETWEEN THE LINES”
• Try to incorporate some momentum variation between different sections of your song to keep the listener engaged. Too much linear direction makes the song one dimensional and will eventually bore the listener. • If your song doesn’t warrant momentum variation as described above, then make sure you move through sections on a frequent basis to keep the listener engaged. Adding new instrumentation into the mix in different sections will help as well. • A key factor in creating memorabiltiy within a song is the effective use of repetition. “Between the Lines” uses repetition in the construction of the verse, pre-chorus and chorus sections throughout the song, as well as having the same line repeat throughout each chorus. The more you use repetition within your song, the more it’s going to stick in someone’s head. • The overall vibe and effectiveness of your song is determined by the tone/feel of your music working in unison with the lyrical content and vocal delivery. Take the time to really identify what your song is about, and construct the parts accordingly to maximize its chances for success. “Between the Lines” achieves this in grand fashion.
July 20, 2010