Scream & Shout Deconstructed

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Audio/Video At a Glance Introduction Structural Analysis Momentum/Tension/Intensity (MTI) Lyrics & Harmonic Progression The Music The Vocal Melody Compositional Assessment Hit Factor Assessment Conclusion Why it’s a Hit Songwriter/Producer Take Aways

Audio/Video Back to Top

At a Glance Back to Top

Artist: Wil.i.am featuring Britney Spears Song/Album: Scream & Shout / #willpower Songwriters: Will Adams, Jean Baptiste Kouame, Jef Martens Producers: Will Adams, Jef Martens Genre: Pop Sub Genre: Straight-Up Electro Pop, Dance Length: 4:44 Structure: A-B-IB/VB-A-A-B-IB/VB-C-B Tempo: 130 BPM First Chorus: 0:44 (15% into the song) Intro Length: 0:14 Outro Length: 0:18 Electric vs. Acoustic: Electric Primary Instrumentation: Synth Lyrical Theme: Partying/Clubbing (primary), Love/Relationships (secondary) Title Occurrences: Scream & Shout occurs 14 times within the song Lyrical P.O.V: 1st, 2nd & 3rd

Introduction Back to Top

Futuristic, egotistic, repetitive, dark, evocative, generic, clever, cliché, unique, familiar, ultra-

1 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com infectious, fun and of course, “Britney bitch!” These are just some of the terms that describe Will.i.am’s collaboration with Britney Spears on the third single from his forthcoming album, #willpower.

To-date Scream & Shout has hit #1 in 21 countries on 23 charts throughout the world, so suffice it to say that the song contains a host of hit factors that enabled it to rise to the top, which we’ll be exploring in depth throughout the report.

However, the song ALSO possesses certain characteristics that should be avoided by up and coming songwriters at all costs. Read on to find out what they are!

Structural Analysis Back to Top

At-a-Glance

Section Length (Length of each individual section within the song)

I=Intro, V=Verse, C=Chorus, T=Transition, B=Bridge, IB/VB=Instrumental/Vocal Break, O =Outro

Scream & Shout contains 12 individual sections within its framework (excluding the brief transitions), with the longest landing at 0:41 (the extended chorus-3), and the shortest landing at 0:13 (the instrumental/vocal break sections).

Key Points

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Verse Each of the 3 full verse sections within the song landed at 0:29. Verses 1 & 3 possessed essentially the same characteristics except for the lead vocal duties (i.e. “when you here this in the club…“), while verse 2 was completely different in nature (Will.i.am’s section). Additionally, notice that verse 2 was essentially split into two individual segments, with the first landing at 0:15 and the second at 0:14 (more on this in the Music/Instrumentation/Vocal section of the report).

Chorus The first and second chorus occurrences within the song each landed at 0:26. Notice that each full chorus is basically split into 2 halves, repeating twice:

First “I wanna scream & shout / Oh wee oh…” (0:15)

Second “I wanna scream & shout / Oh wee oh…“ (0:11)

The second time around the last “oh wee oh...” line is done away with and in its place we have the “You are now, now rockin’ with...” 0:04 transition segment.

As for the third (and last) chorus occurrence within the song, this one was extended out to 0:41 (the 0:15 “I wanna/oh wee oh…” section is repeated twice, followed by the 0:11 segment).

Notice that the melody remained the same as the other chorus occurrences within the song, but this time around the backing music is more intense, and the extended time of the section enables the excitement level of the song to be taken to a crescendo (more on this in the Music/Instrumentation/Vocal section of the report).

Bridge As with the chorus, the bridge also essentially repeats twice as well (with some vocal and backing music differentiation the second time around – more on that later). Each half lands right around 0:15, and as a whole it’s the longest section of the song next to the extended chorus 3 as mentioned above.

Transitions There are 2 individual vocal transitions that occur within the song, both of which are exceptionally short in nature and work to break up and transition from one section to the next:

Transition-A (0:01): “Bring the action” (this occurs between the intro and verse-1, the IB/VB and verse-2, as well as between verse 2 and verse 3).

Transition-B (0:04): “You are now now rockin’ with Will.i.am and Britney bitch” (this occurs in place of an additional “oh wee oh…” line at the end of each chorus section within the song). The first two times it’s followed by the IB/VB section, and the third and final time it’s followed by the outro.

Let’s now see how Scream & Shout’s section length compared to the 21 songs that landed in

3 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com the Billboard Pop Songs Chart top 10 during Q4-2012:

Scream & Shout / Top 10 Hit Pop Song Averages

Intro: 0:14 / 0:11

Verse: 0:29 / 0:21

*Chorus: 0:26 / 0:31

Bridge: 0:31 / 0:21

Instrumental/Vocal Break: 0:13 / 0:13

Outro: 0:18 / 0:23

*This reflects the lengths of “standard” full choruses – NOT extended chorus sections.

Overall, the intro, chorus, outro and especially the instrumental/vocal break sections are pretty close to top 10 averages. The verse and bridge however are 0:08 and 0:10 longer than the average, respectively. Regarding the bridge, this is primarily due to the fact that it essentially repeats twice as mentioned above. As for the verse sections of the song, they’re just as much a focal point as the choruses, and therefore warrant the additional time (more on this later).

Now, let’s see how Scream & Shout’s section count compared to the 21 songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs Chart top 10 during Q4-2012:

Scream & Shout / Top 10 Hit Pop Song Averages

Intro: 1 / 1

Verse: 3 / 2

Chorus: 3 / 3

Bridge: 1 / 1

Instrumental/Vocal Break: 2 / 3

Outro: 1 / 1

Besides the obvious (i.e. of course a song is only going to have 1 intro and 1 outro), Scream & Shout is right in line with the chorus and bridge count, but deviates on the IB/VB and verse counts. It contains 1 more verse than the average and 1 less IB/VB section than the average.

Regarding the verse, keep in mind that both verse section occurrences in most mainstream Pop

4 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com songs are always similar in nature, both from a vocal melody and backing music standpoint (i.e. repetition fosters memorability). This is essentially the case with verses 1 and 3 in Scream & Shout, but it’s the second verse as previously mentioned (Will.i.am’s section), that is completely different in nature.

Timeline (Shows when each section hits within the timeline of the song)

I=Intro, V=Verse, C=Chorus, T=Transition, B=Bridge, IB/VB=Instrumental/Vocal Break, O =Outro

Total Section Analysis (Total time consumed by each section and its percentage of the total song)

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Scream & Shout is comprised of 7 full sections within its framework (i.e. all choruses, verses, IB/VB’s, transitions, plus the intro, outro and bridge), accounting for 33% of the song’s total composition all the way down to just 5%.

The most important thing to take note of is the fact that an almost equal amount of time was allocated to the chorus and verse sections. This just goes to show that even though the chorus is exceptionally infectious and memorable, the verse sections were deemed equally as important within the framework of the song as mentioned earlier.

The bridge and IB/VB sections followed, encompassing 11% and 9% of the song’s total composition, respectively. And lastly, as you would expect, the intro and outro sections (along with the brief transitions) accounted for the least amount of time within the song, accounting for 5%, 6% and 5% respectively.

Now, let’s now see how the sectional breakdown of Scream & Shout compared to the 21 songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs Chart top 10 during Q4-2012:

Intro Scream & Shout: Comprises 5% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 5% of the total song.

Comparison: The percentage of time allocated to the intro was exactly the same as the Q4-2012 top 10 hit Pop song average.

Verse Scream & Shout: Comprises 31% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 21% of the total song.

Comparison: Scream & Shout allocated 10% more time to the verse compared to the average. This was due primarily to the fact that Scream & Shout contains 3 verse sections, while the majority of top 10 hit Pop songs only contain 2.

Chorus Scream & Shout: Comprises 33% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 45% of the total song.

Comparison: Scream & Shout allocated 12% less time to the chorus compared to the average. This is directly related to more time being given to the verse as mentioned above (the additional time had to come from somewhere).

Bridge Scream & Shout: Comprises 11% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 10% of the total song.

Comparison: The percentage of time allocated to the bridge was almost identical to the top

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10 average (+1%).

Instrumental/Vocal Break Scream & Shout: Comprises 9% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 15% of the total song.

Comparison: Scream & Shout allocated 6% less time to the IB/VB sections than the average.

Outro Scream & Shout: Comprises 6% of the total song. Q4-2012 Average: Comprises 9% of the total song.

Comparison: The amount of time allocated to Scream & Shout’s outro was 3% less than the average.

Summary Overall, Scream & Shout dedicated less time to the IB/VB and outro sections, significantly less time to the chorus, significantly more time to the verse and virtually an equal amount of time to the intro and bridge compared to top 10 hit Pop song averages.

Music, Instrumentation & MTI (Momentum/Tension/Intensity) Back to Top

(Evaluation of the intensity of each section within the song timeline on a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being the most intense)

I=Intro, V=Verse, C=Chorus, T=Transition, B=Bridge, IB/VB=Instrumental/Vocal Break, O =Outro

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When we talk about a song’s MTI level, we’re referring to how fluctuations in momentum, tension and intensity levels are utilized in each section of the song.

For the most part, Scream & Shout is kept at a moderately high MTI level, primarily fluctuating in the 6 to 8 range (remember, this is straight-up Electro Pop fused with Dance, so it needs to keep moving). That being said, in order to make sure that the song remains engaging for the listener, there needs to be MTI level fluctuation at certain points. Otherwise, the song will come across in a linear fashion and lose its effectiveness.

Momentum shifts BETWEEN primary sections

The lower momentum level of the intro (due to the fact that there aren’t any drums in the mix) is kicked up in the verse that follows.

The higher momentum level of the verse sections is brought down at the onset of the chorus (primarily due to the kick being removed from the mix).

The lower momentum level of choruses 1 & 2 is kicked back up during the instrumental/vocal break sections (here the kick is added back into the mix).

The higher momentum level of the instrumental/vocal break is brought down at the onset of the bridge (the bridge is a “breakdown”).

The lower momentum level of the bridge is kicked way back up in the third (and final) chorus (this section has the highest MTI level within the song – the drums are in full effect).

The high momentum level of the final chorus is brought way back down during the solo synth natured outro section.

Momentum shifts WITHIN primary sections

This is most noticeable between the first and second half of verse-2 (Will.i.am’s section). The second half is more driving in nature compared to the first, primarily due to the nature of the synth pattern. It’s also noticeable during the second half of the bridge via the arpeggio synth that speeds up throughout the section.

Tension/Intensity shifts WITHIN sections

The tension/intensity level increases from the first half of choruses 1 and 2 into the second half primarily due to the addition of Britney’s higher-register vocal harmony coupled with additional synths being added to the mix.

The tension/intensity level increases during the second half of the bridge, primarily brought about by the arpeggio synth patterns coupled with the vocal effect at the tail end of the section.

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Vocal Transitions A and B

“Bring the action” This brief 0:01 solo vocal immediately brings the momentum of the preceding section to a halt and provides the segue into the section that follows:

It stops the momentum of the intro and segues into the first verse

It stops the momentum of the instrumental/vocal break and segues into the second verse

It stops the momentum of the second verse and segues into the third verse

“You are now, now rockin’ with Will.i.am and Britney, bitch” This 0:04 vocal (plus synth pad) comes at the tail end of the chorus, in place of the last “oh wee oh…” line. What it does is bring the flow of the chorus to an end and segues into the instrumental/vocal break section that follows (except after the third chorus, where it leads into the outro and has a higher MTI level than the preceding 2 occurrences considering that the backing music of the chorus is still in play).

Essentially what these spoken transitions, or turnarounds (which you could also call them) are doing is enabling completely different sections that normally wouldn’t flow directly into one another the ability to do so.

MTI Play by play

Scream & Shout kicks off with a low to moderate MTI level, specifically due to the breakdown nature of the intro (i.e. there are no drums in the mix).

Directly following the intro, the MTI level then takes a brief dive when the backing music is pulled out from under the solo spoken “bring the action” transition (T-A). Essentially what this does is set up the more intense “dance/club” nature of the verse that follows, providing it with more impact when it hits.

The high MTI level of verse-1 continues throughout the section, until being brought back down at the onset of chorus-1(notice that the kick has been replaced with claps, which aided in lowering the MTI level). The MTI level then starts to increase once again as the section progresses, primarily brought about via the addition of Britney’s higher register vocal harmony and the additional synths as mentioned earlier.

As soon as we reach the tail end of the chorus where the MTI level reaches a climax, the backing music (except for the synth pad which keeps the tension up there) is pulled out from under the “you are now now rockin’ with...” vocal (T-B), which brings the momentum briefly back down before shooting right back up once again in the instrumental/vocal break that follows.

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The MTI level remains constant throughout the section until it’s briefly brought back down during the T-A section once again. It’s then kicked back up during the first half of verse-2, whose MTI level is on par with that of verse-1.

The MTI level then takes another brief dive at the tail end of the first half of the second verse when the backing music is pulled out from under the “blow blow blow” vocal. This is then followed by the second half of the section, where the MTI level increases over the first half primarily due to the change-up in the backing music (specifically the driving nature of the synth – see the music/instrumentation/vocal section below for details).

Directly following the second half of the second verse, we have another T-A occurrence that once again briefly brings the momentum back down, before kicking it up in verse-3.

The MTI level pattern then repeats as it did the first time around within the song in chorus-2, T- B and the instrumental/vocal break. Directly following the IB/VB, the MTI level is then brought way down as we enter into a brief lull (characterized by the synth pad), which is then followed by the low MTI level of the first half of the “breakdown” bridge.

The MTI level then starts to increase during the second half of the section once the additional arpeggio synths are brought into the mix, which is then directly followed by chorus-3 slamming in, bringing the MTI level of the entire song to a climax. The MTI level remains constant throughout, until dropping down a notch during the final T-B (though notice that the backing music is kept in this time around, which keeps the MTI level up there), before dropping all the way down during the solo synth natured outro.

MTI LEVEL: Section By Section

Intro into Transition-A: MTI Decrease

Transition A into Verse-1: MTI Increase

Verse-1 into Chorus-1 (first-half): MTI Decrease

Chorus-1 (first-half) into Chorus-1 (second-half): MTI Increase

Chorus-1 (second-half) into Transition-B: MTI Decrease

Transition-B into Instrumental/Vocal Break: MTI Increase

Instrumental/Vocal Break into Transition-A: MTI Decrease

Transition-A into Verse-2 (first-half): MTI Increase

Verse-2 (first-half) into Verse-2 (transition): MTI Decrease

Verse-2 (transition) into Verse-2 (second-half): MTI Increase

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Verse-2 (second-half) into Transition-A: MTI Decrease

Transition-A into Verse-3: MTI Increase

Verse-3 into Chorus-2 (first-half): MTI Decrease

Chorus-2 (first-half) into Chorus-2 (Second -half): MTI Increase

Chorus-2 (second-half) into Transition-B: MTI Decrease

Transition-B into Instrumental/Vocal Break: MTI Increase

Instrumental/Vocal Break into the brief Lull: MTI Decrease

Lull into Bridge (first-half): MTI Increase

Bridge (first-half) into Bridge (second-half): MTI Increase

Bridge (second-half) into Chorus-3 (first-third): MTI Increase

Chorus-3 (first-third) into Chorus-3 (second-third): MTI Increase

Chorus-3 (second-third) into Chorus-3 (last-third): MTI Increase

Chorus-3 (last-third) into Transition-B: MTI Decrease

Transition-B into Outro: MTI Decrease

Waveform

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Looking at the waveform graphic above, you can easily see how sonic levels and the use of compression vary throughout the song.

Sonic levels are at their lowest point during the intro and outro sections of the song, followed by the bridge and then choruses 1 & 2. Notice that all of these sections are essentially “breakdowns” (specifically the fact that the full drums are not in effect).

Sonic levels reach their peak during chorus 3, jibing with the more intense, driving nature of the section relative to other sections within the song (again, this is where the song reaches its climax). This is followed close behind by verses 1 & 3 (i.e. “when you hear this in the club…“), and then the instrumental/vocal break sections of the song.

MUSIC / INSTRUMENTATION / VOCALS – SECTION BY SECTION Note: Pan is represented on a scale from 9:00 to 3:00 (i.e. left to right, with 12:00 being right up the middle). Keep in mind that in most cases an instrument will bleed throughout the entire mix, but the pan depicted here represents its primary placement in the mix (i.e. where the level is most pronounced).

Primary Synth Patterns There are 2 primary synth patterns that define each section of the song.

Key: Blue & Red Lines: Primary Synths / Synth Bass Green Fill: Eighth Note Yellow Fill: Sixteenth Note

Synth Pattern-1

Synth pattern-1 follows a D/G – F/B – C/F – G/C progression and consists entirely of eighth- notes. Notice at the end of each run that instead of immediately changing to the next progression a slight “embellishment” is added that gives the full progression a bit more “color”:

Before the D transitions up to F, it first drops down to C

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Before the F transitions down to C, it first ascends to G

Before the C transitions up to G, it first drops down to B-flat

Notice that this embellishment DOES NOT occur on the G – B-flat – F – C progression (denoted by the red line in the graph).

Synth pattern-1 defines the following sections of the song:

Intro

Chorus

Verse-2 (second half)

Synth Pattern-2

Synth pattern-2 is very simple, and ULTRA repetitive. Note the following:

Each full run as shown in the graph above consists of 4 virtually identical segments. The full run repeats 4 times during verses 1 and 3, and twice during the instrumental/vocal breaks and the first half of the second verse.

The first 3 segments follow a D – D – D – D – E – F progression, with all notes possessing eighth-note timing EXCEPT for the E, which is a sixteenth-note.

The only (slight) variation occurs in the forth segment. The first time around, it forgoes the E and instead jumps directly from D to F, with the D possessing sixteenth-note timing. The second time around (and this only occurs in verses 1 and 3) the D remains an eighth-note, jumps right up to F (which is now a sixteenth-note), and is followed by an additional F before dropping back down to D. These variations, however subtle they are, are paramount to keeping the progression from becoming overly monotonous and wind up boring the listener.

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Synth pattern-2 defines the following sections of the song:

Verse-1

Instrumental/Vocal Break

Verse-2 (first half)

Verse-3

Sectional Differentiation As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, Scream & Shout is an exceptionally repetitive song. Below we take a look at the factors that remain pretty much constant in each section of the song (i.e. the repetition) and what “differentiators” are utilized to keep each section from becoming overly monotonous.

Intro (repeats twice)

The constant:

Synth pattern-1

The Differentiator:

The “airy” synth that becomes increasingly prominent in the mix throughout (especially the second time around).

Verse 1 (4 stanzas):

Constants:

Synth pattern-1

Kick drum

The overall nature of the vocal melody

Differentiators:

Second stanza: An additional Britney vocal track is added to the mix, filling out the sound.

Third stanza: The additional high-pitched synth is added to the mix

Fourth stanza: Will.i.am enters into the mix with his vocals working in tandem with Britney’s. Notice how he’s dropping down to a D on “us,” providing increased color to

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the vocal melody (more on that later).

Verse 2 (2 individual segments)

The second verse is essentially split into two halves, both of which differ in nature from one another from a vocal melody and backing music standpoint. Additionally, the fact that it’s primarily Will.i.am’s section as opposed to Britney’s (which was the case during verse-1) differentiates it from all of the other verse sections as well.

Notice that the first half of the section consists of the backing music that defined verse 1 (i.e. synth pattern -1 and the kick). The second half of the section then switches over to synth pattern-2 plus a differentiated lead vocal from that which defined the first half.

Verse 3 (4 stanzas):

Constants:

Synth pattern-1

Kick drum

The overall nature of the vocal melody

Differentiators:

Second stanza: Here Will.i.am enters into the mix alongside Britney in the exact same manner that defined the fourth stanza of verse-1, minus the high-pitched synth (as detailed above).

Third stanza: This is solo Will.i.am – no Britney. The additional high-pitched synth is added back into the mix at this point as well (same as in verse-1).

Fourth stanza: Here we return to the same exact nature that the defined the second stanza coupled with the high-pitched synth in the mix.

Chorus 1 & 2 (2 segments)

Constants:

Synth pattern-2

Claps

The vocal melody and lyrics

Differentiators

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Britney’s higher-register vocal harmony is added into the mix during the second segment.

Additional synths are added to the mix during the second segment which become more prominent as the section progresses.

Chorus 3 (3 segments)

First, notice that chorus-3 differs from choruses 1 and 2 specifically due to the nature of the backing music. It’s still following the synth-1 progression and utilizing the same vocal melody as with the other occurrences, but this time around it’s MUCH heavier in nature – specifically due to the nature of the drums and additional synths within the mix.

As far as what keeps the entire section from being static, the primary differentiator are the synths that are added and subtracted from the mix throughout, working to increase the intensity and pull back just enough at times to keep the listener engaged.

Bridge (2 segments)

First, as any bridge should be, it’s completely different in nature than any other section of the song – vocally, lyrically and musically. The second time around the primary differentiator is the arpeggio synth that enters into the mix, coupled with the vocal effects at the tail end.

Instrumental/Vocal Breaks (2 segments)

Notice that there isn’t any differentiation - it repeats in the same exact manner.

Nature of the Duet Here’s how the duet was utilized within Scream & Shout:

Intro (Transition-A):

Will.i.am (“bring the action“)

Transition-B

Duet. Will.i.am solo up until the “Britney bitch” sample, which obviously is solo Britney.

Verse-1:

1st Stanza: Britney – lead

2nd Stanza: Britney - lead

3rd Stanza: Britney – lead

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4th Stanza: Duet, with Britney at the forefront except on the lyric “us.”

Verse-2

Will.i.am - lead

Verse-3:

1st Stanza: Britney - lead

2nd Stanza: Duet, with Britney at the forefront except on the lyric “us.”

3rd Stanza: Will.i.am - lead (this corresponds to “see them girls in the club…”)

4th Stanza: Duet, with Britney at the forefront except on the lyric “us.”

Chorus:

First-half: Duet. Will.i.am – lead on the first stanza, Duet with Britney up-front on the second stanza.

Second-half: Duet. Pretty much an equal harmony in the first stanza, same story as the first-half of the second stanza.

Last-third (Third Chorus only): Continues with the duet as per the second-half line above.

Bridge:

Will.i.am – lead

So as you can see, both artist’s had their time to shine within the song. Britney was the primary factor is verses 1 and 3, Will.i.am had verse-2 all to himself as well as the bridge, and both had an important role within the chorus sections (Will.i.am’s lead coupled with Britney’s higher-register harmony plus the “oh wee oh” section).

SECTION BY SECTION

Intro (0:01 – 0:14)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-1 – Up-front in the mix) 10:00 – 2:00

Secondary Synth (“airy” in nature – fades in and increases in level as the section progresses) 9:00 / 3:00 (but bleeds throughout)

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As is the case with many other mainstream Pop songs, the intro consists of just an element of the backing music from one of the sections within the song. In most cases, it’s part of the backing music of the section that directly follows (i.e. the verse or chorus). Here, however, that’s not the case. Note the following:

The intro is a breakdown (specifically due to the fact that there aren’t any drums in the mix), consisting of synth pattern-1 (as described earlier) coupled with the “airy” secondary synth that’s just quarter-G notes that increase in level as the section progresses.

Remember that synth pattern-1 only occurs during the intro, chorus and the second half of verse-2. The section that follows the intro is verse-1, which is defined by synth pattern-2. So – as with other Pop songs where we have a seamless transition between the intro into the section that directly follows because they utilize the same backing music, it’s not the case with Scream & Shout.

Instead, we see the first appearance of transition-A (i.e. the solo Will.i.am vocal – “bring the action“) which occurs after the abrupt stop to the synth progression, bringing everything to a brief halt and enabling the song to completely change direction into the first verse (synth pattern-2).

In regard to intro length, it essentially repeats the synth pattern-1 progression twice (except where it’s cut off at the end) and is just 0:03 longer than the Q4-2012 top 10 hit Pop song average as mentioned earlier.

Considering that it repeats twice, it’s the secondary synth that fades in and increases in level that keeps the section from becoming overly monotonous. Without that other element, one time around would have sufficed.

Additionally, the nature of the synth instantly establishes the fact right off the bat that this is an Electro Pop song. It’s progression also serves to act as a unique identifier - the second you hear it, you know exactly what song it is amidst all of the clutter on the airwaves.

So – all in all, there is nothing overtly special about Scream & Shout’s intro. It does serve the song effectively, however, hooking the listener in and holding their attention until the first verse takes over.

Transition Point – Intro into Verse 1: Full music stop followed by the solo Will.i.am vocal “bring the action.”

Verse-1 (0:15 – 0:44)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – quarter-note timing – mid/up in the mix) 12:00

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Perc (Claps – single hit followed by a quarter-rest- mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-2 – mid/up in the mix) Primary around 11:00 – 12:00

Secondary Synth (High-pitched, enters the mix during the second half of the section – mid to mid-up in the mix ) 10:00 – 2:00 (primary)

Synth Bass (Works in tandem with the kick – mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal (Britney Spears – multi-tracked – processed in nature – up-front in the mix) Primary around 12:00 but bleeds throughout the mix.

Secondary Vocal (Will.i.am – low to mid-level in the mix under Britney except on the lyric “us,” where it moves to the forefont) Primary around 12:00.

In contrast to the intro, as soon as we hit the verse the entire nature of the song changes.

First, we’re now in full Electro-Dance mode, with the lead synth sound and nature of the progression possessing many of the same characteristics that can be found in other Will.i.am / Black Eyed Peas songs. It’s this fact that provides the song with a unique identity that is clearly identifiable as Will.i.am (i.e. “branding”), and enables it to stand out amongst others in the mainstream Pop pack.

Second, as mentioned earlier, the section is exceptionally repetitive in nature. It’s the addition of the secondary synth as well as Will.i.am’s vocal as the section progresses that keeps it from becoming overly monotonous where the listener may start to lose interest (remember – you need to keep the listener engaged. If the melody is exceptionally repetitive, you need to do something, like introducing new elements into the mix to get the job done).

Now, in regard to vibe, Britney’s “icy, cocky, seductive, semi-British ala Madonna” vocal coupled with the characteristics of the lead synth provides the section with a dark, hypotonic quality. It’s definitely not “light and carefree” like other Electro Pop/Dance songs such as the Owl City/Jepsen duet Good Time or Will.i.am and the Pea’s I Gotta Feeling. This is another attribute that enables it to stand out amongst others in the mainstream Pop pack. Also notice how Britney’s vocal starts to become increasingly British with each successive stanza (it’s subtle, but you can hear it).

Transition Point - Verse-1 into Chorus-1: Turns on a dime

Chorus-1 (0:44 – 1:10)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

First Half Of Section

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-1 – Up-front in the mix) 10:00 – 2:00

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Synth Bass (Deep – Mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Perc (Quick dry claps – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 1:00 with the primary around 12:00

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – processed in nature coupled with reverb and delay) Primary at 12:00 but reverb/delay bleeds

“Oh Wee Oh” Vocal (Duet – Will.i.am now drops down to low to mid level in the mix, while the multi-tracked Britney vocal is up-front and spans the entire mix). 12:00 (Will.i.am), 9:00 – 11:00 / 1:00 – 3:00 (Britney)

Second Half Of Section (Add)

Harmony Vocal (Britney – processed in nature – increases in level and register through each progression) Primary at 12:00 but reverb/delay bleeds

Lead Synth #2 (“Fuzzed” in nature – level increases as the section progresses) 10:00 – 2:00

Synth Pad (“Airy” in nature, enters the mix low-level toward the tail end but increases during the transition B section that follows) Pretty much spans the entire mix

Initially ushered in by a solo Will.i.am vocal (“I wanna“), the backing music is briefly pulled enabling for the transition from synth pattern-2 that defined the preceding verse into the synth pattern-1 chorus (which just as a reminder is the same pattern that defined the intro). If the backing music wasn’t pulled, it would have been much harder to fuse these 2 sections.

The first thing to notice is the reverb and delay present on Will.i.am’s processed vocals. Notice how it does a great job of providing atmosphere as well as filling out the soundscape considering the section’s sparse synth / clap nature.

Second, notice that the synth pattern sounds more “full” than it did during the intro. This is because the synth bass is a lot more prominent in the mix and follows the same progression as the lead synth.

Third, as was the case with the preceding verse, the chorus essentially repeats twice (that is until the tail end where the last line is excluded for transition-B). As previously mentioned, in order to keep it from becoming overly monotonous additional elements were added to the mix (specifically Britney’s vocal harmony and lead synth #2).

Regarding the vibe, the first thing to notice is that it’s not as “heavy” and “dark” as the preceding verse. That’s not to say it’s light, though. It’s not. The section is basically a tension builder that grows in intensity as the section progresses before hanging in limbo during the spoken “you are now now rockin with...” transition-B section. The tension relief then comes during the instrumental/vocal break section.

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Transition Point – Chorus-1 into the Instrumental/Vocal Break: The backing music (except for the synth pad) is pulled out from under Will.i.am’s “You are now, now...” vocal, followed by the music coming to a complete stop during Britney’s sample “Britney Bitch.” The instrumental/vocal break kicks in immediately afterwards.

Instrumental/Vocal Break (1:14 – 1:27)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Drums (Kick – quarter-note timing – mid/up in the mix) 12:00

Perc (Claps – single hit followed by a quarter-rest- mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-2 – mid/up in the mix) Primary around 11:00 – 12:00

Secondary Synth (High-pitched, same as the one during the second half of the first- verse – mid to mid-up in the mix ) 10:00 – 2:00 (primary)

Synth Bass (Works in tandem with the kick – mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – “oh yeah” – processed in nature – prominent delay trail-off on the lyric “yeah” that bounces left and right in the mix) Primary at 12:00, delay 9:00 – 3:00

The backing music of the instrumental/vocal break section of the song is virtually identical to that of the second half of the first verse. The key difference is in the vocals – it’s all Will.i.am and the 3 times repeated “oh yeah.“

Additionally, notice how the delay effect on the lyric “yeah” provides additional coloring and atmosphere to the section as well as acting in a rhythmic fashion in a subtle manner as well.

All in all, essentially what this section is doing is reestablishing the Electro/Dance vibe that defined the first verse but diminished during the preceding chorus.

Transition Point – Instrumental/Vocal Break into Verse-2: The IB/VB section comes to a brief halt (via transition-A “bring the action“) and is then directly followed by verse-2.

Verse-2 (1:28 – 1:57)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

First-Half of the Section

Drums (Kick – quarter-note timing – mid/up in the mix) 12:00

Perc (Claps – single hits that occur in between the kick – mid-level in the mix) 12:00

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Lead Synth (Synth pattern-1 – mid/up in the mix) Primary around 11:00 – 12:00

Secondary Synth (High-pitched, enters the mix during the second half of the section – mid to mid-up in the mix ) 10:00 – 2:00 (primary)

Synth Bass (Works in tandem with the kick – mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – processed in nature – some reverb and delay – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Background Vocal (“Hey Yo” – multi-tracked – good amount of reverb – up-front in the mix) Primary around 2:00 but bleeds throughout

Second-Half of Section

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-2 – Mid/up in the mix) 10:00 – 2:00

Secondary Synth (High-pitched, enters the mix during the second half of the section – mid to mid-up in the mix ) 10:00 – 2:00

Synth Bass (Works in tandem with the kick – mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Synth Pad (Generally the same characteristics as the lead synth – enters the mix during the second half and becomes most audible at the tail end of the section) Primary around 12:00 but bleeds throughout

Perc (Claps – single hit followed by a quarter-rest- mid-level in the mix) 12:00

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – processed in nature – some reverb and delay – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Background Vocal (“Hey Yo” – multi-tracked – good amount of reverb – up-front in the mix) Primary around 2:00 but bleeds throughout

Vocal Effect (Occurs on the lyric “down.” Think of it like someone pulling the plug on a tape or record player).

The first thing that you’ll notice about the second verse is that it’s completely different in nature from verse-1. During the first half, however, the differentiation stems solely from Will.i.am’s vocals (see the vocal melody section of the report for details). The backing music on the other hand is the same that was used during the second-half of the first-verse, with the dance vibe in full effect. Also take note of the “hey yo” vocal, which also didn’t occur during the first verse.

Now, to bring the first half of the section to a conclusion, the backing music is pulled out from under Will.i.am’s “blow, blow, blow” vocal. This is immediately followed by the second half of

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Notice that the primary difference between both halves of the section (besides the nature of the vocal melody – more on that later) is that the lead synth has now changed over to synth pattern-1 (which was defining the chorus) as opposed to synth pattern-2, which was defining the first half of the section as well as the entire first-verse. There are 2 remnants in effect from those preceding sections, however – the “high-pitched” synth that was present during the second half of the first-verse as well as the instrumental/vocal break section and the “hey yo” vocal from the first half of the second verse.

Additionally, notice the effect that transpires on the lyric “down.“ The backing music is instantly pulled from the mix and the pitch drops in a manner like the plug being pulled from a tape or record player. Not only does this effect completely jibe with the nature the lyric (i.e. “down“), but it also serves to catch the listener off-guard, providing them with a “surprise” moment that takes the engagement factor to the next level.

As a whole, the second verse provides much needed diversity to an exceptionally repetitive song, not only in relation to other sections but within the section itself (i.e. first half vs. second half).

Transition Point – Verse-2 into Verse-3: Once again we have Transition-A entering the mix directly following the “false ending” of the preceding “’cause everywhere that we go we…” line. Notice how as opposed to how “bring the action” was a stand-alone line at the end of the intro, here it actually completes the last line of the preceding verse. It’s quite clever in its execution.

Verse-3 (1:58 – 2:27)

The nature of the third-verse is pretty much identical to that of the first verse except in regard to how the vocal duties are assigned (reference the preceding Nature of the Duet section for details.

Transition Point – Verse-3 into Chorus-2: Turns on a dime

Chorus-2 (2:27 – 2:53)

Same as Chorus-1

Transition Point – Chorus-2 into the Instrumental/Vocal Break: Transitions in the same manner as Chorus-1 into the IB/VB.

Instrumental/Vocal Break (2:57 – 3:10)

It’s exactly the same as it was the first time around within the song with the only difference being how the section ends (see transition point below).

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Transition Point – Instrumental/Vocal Break into the Bridge: This time around there’s no “bring the action.” Instead, the drums are pulled at the tail end of the preceding IB/VB, the lead synth pattern comes to a stop and a synth swell enters the mix, sweeping into the bridge that follows. Notice that it peaks on the lyric “on,” and is given increased impact with a bass hit as well. It then dissipates as the bridge progresses.

Bridge (3:10 – 3:41)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – processed in nature, slight reverb – up-front in the mix) 12:00

Synth-1 (Modulating organ type synth – mid-level in the mix) Primary around 11:00 – 12:00

Synth-2 (Single hits with prominent pinging delay – up-front in the mix) 9:00 – 3:00

Synth-3 (“Fuzzy” arpeggio synth – enters during the second half of the section – up- front in the mix) Primary around 12:00, secondary pan 10:00 – 2:00

Synth Bass (Clean in nature – becomes more prominent in the mix as the section progresses) 12:00

Synth Pad (Same “airy” type synth that appeared toward the tail end of the first chorus and transition-B that followed. Increases in level toward the end of the Bridge) 9:00 – 3:00

Here in the bridge the listener is provided with a departure from the nature of the rest of the song on all fronts – lyrically (it’s now more about love/relationships than partying/clubbing), momentum (the drums have been pulled from the mix, providing the section with its “breakdown” nature), musically (different synths and corresponding patterns define the section) and in the nature of the vocal melody and Will.i.am’s delivery.

Some key points to note:

The nature of the backing music of the first half of the section perfectly jibes with and accentuates Will.i.am’s more “sentimental” lyrics and associated vocal delivery.

The second half of the section is defined by the synth and synth bass arpeggios that speed up as the section progresses, doing a great job of adding additional color to up the overall engagement factor.

Notice what’s going on with the vocals at the end of the section. The lyric “ever” is repeated (looped) 5 times and during the last 3 there’s an additional lower-pitched “ever“ vocal that’s panned right in the mix. Again – additional “coloring” makes for additional engagement value for the listener.

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Also notice that the primary arpeggio synth is pulled from the mix during the last 4 “ever’s.” At this point, it’s only the synth bass (plus the pad) running some lower- pitched arpeggios and concludes with two fast “arpeggio flurries” that transition into the final chorus that follows.

All of the factors mentioned above do one key thing – they work in conjunction with one-another in changing the overall vibe of the song, providing substantial differentiation from all other sections.

Transition Point – Bridge into Chorus-3: Synth Bass arpeggio flurries followed a quick airy mid-level synth swell.

Chorus-3 (3:41 – 4:22)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

First Half Of Section

Lead Synth (Synth pattern-1 – Mid/up the mix) 10:00 – 2:00

Synth-2 (High-pitched, enters the mix during the second-third of the section – similar in nature to the second half of the first and third verse as well as the instrumental/vocal break – mid to mid-up in the mix ) 10:00 – 2:00

Additional Synths (Fuzzed in nature, providing the section with its “heavier” feel – varies from mid to upper level in the mix) 9:00 – 3:00

Synth Effect (Quick “sweeps” – used to transition between stanzas in the chorus – mid- level in the mix)

Drums (Kick, snare, ride, hats – mid to up-front in the mix) Primary around 12:00

Synth Bass (Mid-Up in the mix) 12:00

Perc (Quick dry claps – up front in the mix) 11:00 – 1:00 with the primary around 12:00

Lead Vocal (Will.i.am – processed in nature coupled with reverb and delay – up-front in the mix) Primary at 12:00 but reverb/delay bleeds

Harmony Vocal (Britney – processed in nature – increases in level and register through each progression) Primary at 12:00 but reverb/delay bleeds

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The first thing that you’ll notice once the third and final chorus of the song hits is that it’s HEAVY. Not only is it drastically more intense than the other chorus occurrences within the song, but it’s also the most intense section in the ENTIRE song.

Note the following:

The 2 key factors that make this section so intense are the nature of the drums and the additional synths that have been added to the mix.

The drums, for the first time in the song, are driven by the snare and ride, which provides the section with more of a Rock natured vibe.

Next we have the additional synths. They’re still following the synth pattern-2 progression which defined the other chorus sections of the song, but notice how their fuzzed nature really accentuates the heaviness and intensity of the section.

We also have some effect natured synths in the mix as well, including the brief sweeps that transition from one stanza to the next and also the modulating synths that increase and decrease in pitch, adding color and varying levels of intensity to the section.

Bottom line – the third chorus does a fantastic job of taking the song to a climax and peaking the “excitement factor” for the listener, all the while once again changing things up from the preceding sections of the song to provide additional diversity so that it didn’t become overly monotonous (the listener might have lost interest in the song if the nature of chorus’s 1 and 2 made a return appearance during the third).

Transition Point – Chorus 3 into the Outro: Once again we have transition-B (“you are now, now...). This time around, however, notice that the backing music of the preceding chorus is still in effect (drums, synth, pad) up until Britney’s “Britney bitch” sample where all of the backing music is abruptly pulled.

Outro & End (4:26 – 4:44)

Vocals & Primary Instrumentation Featured In The Mix:

Synth-1 (Organ type synth from the bridge – mid-level in the mix) Primary around 11:00

Synth-2 (Single hits with prominent pinging delay from the bridge – up-front in the mix) 9:00 – 3:00

Directly following the super-intense chorus and the transition, here in the outro we once again have an abrupt change in direction and vibe. The outro essentially reverts back to the nature of the first-half of the bridge, minus the vocals. Those 2 synths as mentioned above end the song on a mellow note, basically putting the listener back gently on the ground after all of the preceding intensity. If you think about it, it sounds more like New Age Enya than anything

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As for the end, as with most other Pop songs it’s a “false” ending (i.e. there isn’t any firm resolution to the song), with the synth cutting off in mid-stream.

Song Title / Lyrics / Harmonic Progression Back to Top

Song Title: When gauging the effectiveness of a song’s title, there are a number of factors that you need to consider:

1. Is it unique & clever? 2. Does it stand out? 3. Is it memorable? 4. Does it pique your interest enough to take a listen to the song? 5. How does it work within the lyrical framework of the song?

Is it unique & clever? Does it stand out? On its own, not at all. In fact, it couldn’t be more generic.

Is it memorable? Even though it’s not unique or clever, the phrase “scream and shout” is certainly memorable due to its generic, widely used nature. Additionally, it’s association with the performing artists takes the memorability factor to the next level (it’s the kind of title that you would expect from them).

Does it pique your interest to take a listen? Yes and no. On its own there’s absolutely nothing about it that would cause someone to say “now that sounds like a really interesting song – would love to hear it to find out what it’s all about!” On the other hand, when you add the artists into the equation (i.e. Britney Spears and Will.i.am in this case), you pretty much know right off the bat that this song is going to be a partying/clubbing oriented song, and if that’s your thing, it will pique your interest to take a listen.

Does it work within the lyrical framework of the song? Yes. The entire story revolves around a partying/clubbing theme, and the title “scream and shout” fits perfectly in as a focal point in the chorus.

Title Occurrences: “Scream & Shout” occurs 14 times within the song, 4 times in each full chorus section and repeated in the same exact manner:

I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out And scream and shout, and let it out

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We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out And scream and shout, and let it out

We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

STORY FLOW & MEANING

As you’ve by now noticed, the lyrics that define Scream & Shout are not deep. On the contrary, they’re quite shallow, generic and cliché. But you know what? They SERVE THE SONG PERFECTLY, jibing with the nature of the backing music as well as Britney and Will.i.am’s vocal deliveries.

Remember, this song is all about partying and clubbing (musically and lyrically), and will be by far most effective in a club atmosphere. It’s not a song that you’re going to sit around listening to over and over again trying to find a deep hidden meaning in the story. It’s about having fun – pure and simple.

So, when you see people slamming songs like this because they’re so “shallow,” they’re not taking into account the purpose of the song, which is FUN ENTERTAINMENT. If the song were more complex and utilized cryptic, deep lyrics, it would never have been able to connect with people in a club or at a party as effectively (where it’s about the groove and lyrics that are EASY to remember).

Now, I will say this though – the lyrics are REALLY generic and cliché, so much so that they might actually be a detriment to some people connecting with the song (seriously, how many times have you heard the lyrics “let’s hit the floor“)?

But before you slam the lyrics as a whole, put yourself in the club for a minute. Picture a group of girls who are there partying when this song comes on. Now read the lyrics again. Do they perfectly suit the environment and are they engaging to a point where they would hit the floor and have a great time singing the lyrics? ABSOLUTELY.

Verse-1 This section primarily has to do with ego, be it the performing artists Britney and Will.i.am, or whatever group of people may be singing these lyrics while they’re in a club (it works with both, which is quite clever).

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Notice that the first stanza pertains directly to the song, while the next three are all about people in the club taking notice of them.

First stanza: When you hear this in the club, you’re gonna turn this shit up

This would be more in line with Britney and Will.i.am’s ego’s – meaning, this song is really hot, when you hear it you’re gonna crank it. Additionally, just that one lyric, “shit,” lets us know that this is not “tweeny” Britney. This is adult, edgy, “turn this shit up” Britney!”

Second stanza: When we up in the club, all eyes on us

More ego via “all eyes on us.”

Third stanza: See the boys in the club, they watchin’ us

Same premise as the second stanza, except that it pertains specifically to the boys in the club. Additionally, notice that Britney is singing this solo (i.e. a girl singing about the boys in the club). Keep an eye out for the switch up lyrically and vocally in the third verse.

Fourth stanza: Everybody in the club, all eyes on us

Again, it’s same general premise of the second stanza, but this time sung as a duet.

Verse-2 This is exclusively Will.i.am’s section of the song. In contrast to the ego driven nature of the first verse, here it’s all about partying and clubbing.

First stanza

Not much to interpret here -it’s just typical, generic clubbing lyrics (“rock & roll, everybody lose control, on the bottom we let it go“…).

Second stanza

Here the first line relates to hearing the music and “hitting the floor,” while the second and third lines take the degree of partying to the next level via “drink it up and then drink some more” and “light it up and let’s let it blow…“ I don’t think he was talking about cigarettes here (but I could be wrong).

So – besides Britney’s “shit,” this line was the final nail in the coffin if the song ever wanted to receive a PG rating and resonate with a younger (tween) demographic. I think most parents may have a problem with it. Of course you can do a clean edit of the song, easily subbing “shit,” but it’s not going to work so easily with the lines above which are focal points of the stanza.

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Third stanza

More generic, run of the mill, been there done that club lyrics (“hey, yo, rock it out…if you know what we talking ’bout, turn it up and burn down the house“).

As a side note, I don’t know how well the lyrics “burn down the house” work after that horrifically tragic club fire in Brazil. It was the same story with Ke$ha’s Die Young after the equally horrific Sandy Hook shooting. A lyric or line may not seem controversial when you first write it, but unfortunately it can take on unintended meaning due to circumstances beyond the artist’s control.

Fourth stanza

Here we initially have more of a continuation of the generic club lyrics (“turn it up, don’t turn it down, here we go gon’ shake the ground...”). The last line, however, reverts back to the egoic nature of the first verse via the line “‘cause everywhere that we go we bring the action.“

Notice how that line also ties directly into the premise of the first verse as well. In the first verse it was about “all eyes on us.“ Why should all eyes be on them? Because everywhere that they go they “bring the action” as stated in the second verse.

Verse-3 Verse-3 possesses the exact same lyrical content as verse-2 except in the second stanza, “you see them girls in the club, they lookin’ at us.”

Remember, in verse-1 it was Britney singing “see the boys…” This time around its Will.i.am singing “see them girls.” As simple as it may be, it does provide differentiation between the sections and also works perfectly in maximizing the effectiveness of the duet.

Chorus Again, not much to interpret. “I wanna scream and shout and let it all out. And scream, and shout and let it out.” Simply translated – it’s all about letting loose. Additionally, it’s simple, basic nature works great in a club atmosphere (i.e. it’s ripe for clubgoer participation).

Even more infectious and engaging is the line that follows – “oh, wee, oh, wee oh wee oh.” What does it mean? Absolutely nothing – and that’s what’s great about it. So many Pop and club songs utilize lyrics like this because they’re fun, easy to sing and remember.

Bridge As you know, the bridge is meant to provide a departure from the rest of the song (usually both musically and lyrically, but at least one of the two), and that’s exactly what the bridge does in Scream & Shout. Here, for the first time in the song, a bit of a love/relationship lyrical theme enters into the mix:

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It goes on and on and on and on When me and you party together (there’s your relationship) I wish this night would last forever ‘Cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

It’s still about partying/clubbing (tying into the premise of the rest of the song), but now we see Will.i.am taking on more of a sentimental nature as he “wishes this night would last forever” because when he parties with this particular person it makes him feel better when he’s down.

Transitions A and B

“Bring the action”

This line, along with the manner in which it’s communicated, is pure Will.i.am. Along with “switch up” in Just Can’t Get Enough for example, the line almost provides a “video game” feel, jibing with the nature of the song and transitioning between sections of the song which possess a completely different nature.

“You are now, now rockin’ with Willl.i.am and Britney bitch”

This phrase functions in the same general manner as “bring the action” as detailed above, with a couple of other benefits as well:

First, it plugs the performing artists (Pitbull is NOT the only artist who does this so effectively!)

Second, the highlight of the section is most definitely the lyrical surprise “Britney bitch ,” which was a sample taken from 2007?s Gimme More. Not only does it perfectly jibe with the nature of her vocals and associated lyrics throughout the rest of the song, but it also serves to act as an “exclamation point” on the transition – heightening the attitude and ego.

The phrase also does a fantastic job of taking the taking the engagement factor of the song to the next level as well as working as a marketing tool, considering that it’s definitely going to be a talking point amidst her fans and critics alike.

Lyrics / Harmonic Progression / Word & Syllable Count:

Key

(*): Indicates a chord that occurs before the beginning of the line

Blue Font On Lyric: Indicates where the chord change takes place

(Parethesis): Indicates a chord that carries over from the previous line

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INTRO (TRANSITION-A)

N.C. Bring the action

VERSE-1

1st Stanza

*G5 (7 words / 7 syllables) When you hear this in the club

(G5) (6 words / 7 syllables) You’re gonna turn this shit up

2nd Stanza

(G5) (6 words / 6 syllables) When we up in the club

(G5) (4 words / 4 syllables) All eyes on us

3rd Stanza

(G5) (6 words / 6 syllables) See the boys in the club

(G5) (3 words / 4 syllables) They watching us

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(G5) (3 words / 4 syllables) They watching us

4th Stanza

(G5) (4 words / 7 syllables) Everybody in the club

(G5) (4 words / 4 syllables) All eyes on us

CHORUS

G5 / B-flat5 (10 words / 11 syllables) I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out

F5 / C5 (8 words / 8 syllables) And scream and shout, and let it out

G5 / B-flat5 (9 words / 10 syllables) We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

F5 / C5 (9 words / 10 syllables) We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

G5 / B-flat5 (10 words / 11 syllables) I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out

F5 / C5 (8 words / 8 syllables) And scream and shout, and let it out

G5 / B-flat5 (9 words / 10 syllables) We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

TRANSITION-B

(B-flat5) / N.C. “now” on… (10 words / 14 syllables) You are now, now rocking with Will.I.Am and Britney, bitch

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TRANSITION-A

N.C. (3 words / 4 syllables) Bring the action

VERSE-2

1st Stanza

*G5 (7 words / 11 syllables) Rock and roll, everybody let’s lose control

(G5) (7 words / 8 syllables) On the bottom we let it go

(G5) (8 words / 110 syllables) Going fast, we ain’t going slow, no, no

2nd Stanza

(G5) (10 words / 10 syllables) Hey yo, hear the beat, now let’s hit the floor

(G5) (8 words / 8 syllables) Drink it up, and then drink some more

(G5) (10 words / 10 syllables) Light it up, and let’s let it blow, blow, blow

3rd Stanza

*G5 / B-flat5 (7 words / 8 syllables) Hey yo, rock it out, rockin’ out

F5 (7 words / 8 syllables) If you know what we talking ’bout

C5 / G5 (9 words / 10 syllables) Turn it up, and burn down the house, ho-house

4th Stanza

B-flat5 (10 words / 10 syllables) Hey yo, turn it up, and don’t turn it down

F5 (8 words / 8 syllables)

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Here we go, we gon’ shake the ground

C5 (6 words / 8 syllables) ‘Cause everywhere that we go we

(Bring the action)

VERSE-3

1st Stanza

*G5 (7 words / 7 syllables) When you hear this in the club

(G5) (6 words / 7 syllables) You’re gonna turn this shit up

2nd Stanza

(G5) (6 words / 6 syllables) When we up in the club

(G5) (4 words / 4 syllables) All eyes on us

3rd Stanza

(G5) (7 words / 7 syllables) You see them girls in the club

(G5) (4 words / 5 syllables) They looking at us

(G5) (4 words / 5 syllables)

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They looking at us

(G5) (4 words / 5 syllables) They looking at us

4th Stanza

(G5) (4 words / 7 syllables) Everybody in the club

(G5) (4 words / 4 syllables) All eyes on us

BRIDGE

1st Stanza

Gm / B-flat (9 words / 9 syllables) It goes on and on and on and on

(B-flat) / F / C (6 words / 9 syllables) When me and you party together

(B-flat) / F / C (9 words / 12 syllables) ‘Cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

2nd Stanza

(B-flat) / F / C (6 words / 9 syllables) When me and you party together

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I wish this night would last forever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever

Rhyming Lyrics The highlighted lyric indicates the “rhymer.” In some cases it’s a full lyric, and in other cases it may be just one letter or a syllable.

Verse 1 The last lyric on each line: club, up, up, up / club, us, us, us

Verse 2 The last lyric(‘s) on each line of each stanza:

First stanza: control, go, slow, no, no

Second stanza: floor, more, blow (it’s primarily due to the manner in which he sings it)

Third stanza: out, ‘bout, house

Verse 3

Same as verse 1

Chorus The last lyric on lines 1 and 2, and the last lyric on lines 3 and 4 are the same:

Lines 1 and 2: out, out

Lines 3 and 4: oh, oh

Bridge: The last lyric on lines 2, 3 and 4: together, forever, better

LYRIC TYPES This section highlights the types of lyrics and phrases used throughout each section of the song. Notice that some of the lyrics and phrases appear in more than one category.

The entire song is basically centered around club scenario detail - either what’s going on or what will be going on.

Imagery, Place & Time Based Lyrics & Phrases (These lyrics “paint a picture” in your head, describe what’s happening and establish the place and time within the story)

Verse 1

Club (place)

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Verse 2

None

Verse 3

Club (place)

Chorus

None

Bridge

On and on (time reference)

This night (time)

Emotional/State Of Mind Based Lyrics and Phrases: (These lyrics and phrases shed light on the character’s state of mind and convey emotion –either directly or indirectly- enabling you to connect with what the characters are feeling or going through on an emotional level within the story)

Verse 1

The entire section pertains to ego, or cockiness

Verse 2

Lose control (can relate to the state of being carefree)

Verse 3

The entire section pertains to ego, or cockiness

Chorus

I wanna scream and shout and let it all out (pertaining to getting into a carefree, jovial state of mind)

Bridge

The entire section has an emotional context (i.e. how partying with this person makes him feel)

Action Based Lyrics & Phrases:

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(These lyrics get you into what the characters within the story have done, are doing or will do)

Verse 1

When you hear this in the club

You’re gonna turn this shit up

They watchin’ us

Verse 2

Pretty much the entire section conveys action (detailing what’s going on or will be going on within the club)

Verse 3

When you hear this in the club

You’re gonna turn this shit up

They lookin’ at us

Chorus

I wanna scream and shout and let it all out (pertaining to the actual act of screaming, shouting and letting it all out)

Bridge

When me and you party together (in regard to the act of partying)

Character/Person Based Lyrics & Phrases (Including Pronouns): (These lyrics show how all of the characters within the story are defined)

Red Font: 1st Person Blue Font: 2nd Person Green Font: 3rd Person Bold Black: Specific person or group

VERSE-1

When you hear this in the club You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up

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When we up in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

See the boys in the club They watching us They watching us They watching us

Everybody in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

CHORUS

I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out And scream and shout, and let it out

We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out And scream and shout, and let it out

We saying, oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

You are now, now rocking with Will.i.am and Britney, bitch

VERSE-2

Rock and roll, everybody let’s lose control On the bottom we let it go Going fast, we ain’t going slow, no, no

Hey yo, hear the beat, now let’s hit the floor Drink it up, and then drink some more Light it up, and let’s let it blow, blow, blow

Hey yo, rock it out, rockin’ out If you know what we talking ’bout Turn it up, and burn down the house, ho-house

Hey yo, turn it up, and don’t turn it down Here we go, we gon’ shake the ground

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‘Cause everywhere that we go we bring the action

VERSE-3

When you hear this in the club You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up

When we up in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

You see them girls in the club They looking at us They looking at us They looking at us

Everybody in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

BRIDGE

It goes on and on and on and on When me and you party together I wish this night would last forever ‘Cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

And baby it goes on and on and on and on When me and you party together I wish this night would last forever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever

The Vocal Melody Back to Top

As you’ll soon see, there were five key factors that went into making the vocals, and the song for that matter, so engaging, infectious and memorable.

Short Phrases / Segmenting Enables the melody to easily connect and get engrained within the listener’s head (i.e. the “phone number” method).

Simplicity For the most part, there weren’t any “artsy” vocal acrobatics going on within the song. As a

41 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com result, it’s easy to connect with the melody, follow and remember (and even sing).

Repetition Various methods of repetition were utilized within the vocal melody throughout the song including:

In-Stanza Repetition (i.e. lines within a stanza repeat in the exact same manner)

Cross-Stanza Repetition (i.e. lines within one stanza repeat in the exact same fashion as another)

Sectional repetition (i.e. full stanzas repeat in virtually the same manner)

Cross-sectional repetition (i.e. full sections repeat in the same, or close to the same manner (e.g. Chorus-1 and Chorus-2. Verse-1 and Verse-3)

Rhythm Considering that there’s a lot of monotone styled delivery going on within the song, it’s the rhythm of the vocals that comes to the rescue in helping to make each section so infectious, engaging and memorable.

Diversifiers & Color Adders Specific phrases, lyrics or even syllables that worked to increase the infectious nature of a section as well as break up the monotony of the repetition.

GRAPHICAL KEY

Blue Line: Lead Vocal Melody Red Diamond: Rest Black Diamond: Half & Dotted Half Blue Diamond: Quarter & Dotted Quarter Green Diamond: Eighth & Dotted Eighth Yellow Diamond: Sixteenth Note

Flats: B-flat

VERSE

Verse-1

Key (Specific for Verse-1)

Red Font: Eighth Note Black Font: Sixteenth Note

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When you hear this in the club You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up You’re gonna turn this shit up

When we up in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

See the boys in the club They watchin’ us They watchin’ us They watchin’ us

Everybody in the club All eyes on us All eyes on us All eyes on us

*Note that verses 1 and 3 essentially possess the same characteristics from a vocal melody standpoint, so we’re going to use only verse-1 for purposes of the analysis.

Vocal Style As you’ve by now noticed, the vocal melody that defines the first verse does not appear in graphical form. Why? Because it’s almost completely monotone in nature. That doesn’t mean that it’s not effective, however. On the contrary, it works perfectly.

Vibe Britney’s primarily monotone vocals coupled with her cocky, seductive, semi-British (in a Madonna fashion) natured delivery perfectly jibes with the lyrics and nature of the backing music (specifically synth pattern-2) in establishing a dark, hypnotic, sexy vibe, although it does lose some potency once Will.i.am makes his appearance during the fourth stanza. His processed vocal specifically where he drops down to a G on “us” provides more of a futuristic electro vibe in contrast to Britney’s seductive, cocky nature.

Rhythm Considering the monotone nature of the vocals, it comes down to the rhythm to heighten the infectious nature of the section and make it memorable:

First Stanza The entire stanza is sung with a sixteenth-note delivery EXCEPT on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines where the last two lyrics (“shit up“) are eighth-notes. Each line ends with a dotted-quarter rest.

Note this:

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Considering that all of the lyrics are sixteenth-notes except for “shit up,” notice how their subtly prolonged nature provides them with increased emphasis on each line.

Second & Third Stanzas The first line of both of these stanzas consists of sixteenth-notes EXCEPT on the third lyric in (“up” and “boys“). Lines 2, 3 and 4 in both stanzas are completely sung with an eighth-note delivery, and each line ends with a dotted-quarter rest.

Note this:

Notice how the rhythm on the first line is changed up just a bit (via the eighth-note “up” and “boys“), differentiating it in a subtle manner from the first line of the first stanza which were all sixteenth-notes (this subtle variety is what keeps the section from becoming overly monotonous – it’s close enough as it is). Additionally, as with “shit up,” the prolonged nature also provides those lyrics with increased emphasis.

As opposed to the first stanza where lines 2, 3 and 4 were all sixteenth-notes except for the last two lyrics on each line, here we have lines 2, 3 and 4 completely consisting of eighth-note timing. Again, this provides diversity and contrast in relation to the first stanza.

Speaking of contrast, notice how the eighth-note delivery of lines 2, 3 and 4 contrasts against the mostly sixteenth-note delivery of line 1 in both stanzas. Essentially, line 1 is serving to set-up lines 2, 3 and 4.

Lastly, notice how the eighth-note delivery on lines 2, 3 and 4 perfectly jibes with and accentuates Britney’s icy, seductive, cocky vocals. It almost provides for a robotic feel, in a hypnotizing manner due to the repetition.

Forth Stanza The fourth stanza combines the characteristics of the three stanzas detailed above. The first line is solely sung with a sixteenth-note delivery (as was the case in the first stanza), while lines 2, 3 and 4 are completely sung with an eighth-note delivery (same as stanzas 2 and 3). All lines end with a dotted-quarter rest.

Line Segmenting/Short Phrases Another aspect of the vocal melody that helps to make it exceptionally engaging and memorable is that each line is quite short in nature and segmented in an effective manner.

Lines 2, 3 and 4 in the second, third and fourth stanzas consist of just 4 syllables.

Even though line 1 in each stanza is a bit longer, (as is the case with lines 2, 3 and 4 in the first stanza as well), they’re still fairly short in nature.

Each line is “segmented” by a dotted-quarter rest. What this does is give the listener just enough time to process so that it sinks in.

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Repetition And now for the ultimate memorability enhancer - repetition. As I’m sure you’ve by now noticed, the first verse of the song is EXCEPTIONALLY repetitive. Not only are all 4 stanzas similar to one another, but there’s also a plethora of repetition WITHIN each individual stanza as well.

In-Stanza Repetition

Lines 2, 3 and 4 in each stanza repeat in the exact same manner both lyrically and melodically (except on line 4 where Will.i.am drops down to a G on “us” as previously mentioned).

Cross-Stanza Repetition

Each stanza starts off with a lead line that’s different from the others (as mentioned earlier), followed by 3 lines that repeat in the exact same manner (also note once again that those lines in stanzas 2, 3 and 4 each contain 4 syllables with eighth-note timing).

Stanzas 2 and 3 are virtually identical from a rhythmic standpoint.

So, is all this repetition a little much? Yes and no, as it really comes down to the environment in which you’re listening to the song. If you’re dancing in a club, it works great. If you’re at home just listening, it can start to become a bit overbearing at times. Regardless, I GUARANTEE that the lyrics, and especially the melody get completely engrained in your head. Remember – repetition fosters memorability, and there’s a LOT of it!

Verse 2

Here in the second verse we have a complete change-up in the vocal melody from that which was defining the first verse of the song. Also remember that this is Will.i.am’s section, as opposed to the first verse which was primarily Britney.

Note that the second verse is broken into 2 halves, each half consisting of 2 stanzas.

First-Half Of The Section

1st Stanza

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Second Stanza

Line Reference:

1st Stanza

Line 1: Rock and roll Line 2: Everybody let’s lose control Line 3: On the bottom we let it go Line 4: Going fast, we ain’t going slow, no, no

2nd Stanza

Line 5: Hey yo Line 6: Hear the beat, now let’s hit the floor Line 7: Drink it up, and then drink some more Line 8: Light it up, and let’s let it blow, blow, blow

Vocal Range: High: G Low: G (Down an octave)

Progression (Simplicity) As was the case with the first verse, the first half of the second verse (stanzas 1 and 2) are

46 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com primarily sung with a monotone natured delivery. The key difference is that at the end of each line Will.i.am is dropping down an octave from G to G, which along with the associated timing (more on that below) effectively brings each line to a conclusion. This is similar in nature to what he was doing during the fourth stanza of the first verse on the lyric “us.”

Vibe Considering the processed, monotone nature of Will.i.am’s vocals, there isn’t a whole lot of emotion being exuded, though it does possess a “cool,” “slick” vibe which jibes well with the nature of the backing music. Overall his vocals act more in the way of an additional rhythmic instrument, with the vocal processing further accentuating the Electro Pop nature of the song.

Rhythm & Segmenting For the most part, each phrase is mostly conveyed with an eighth-note delivery with the following exceptions:

Line Endings/Segmentation

Each of the first 3 phrases in each stanza is separated (segmented) by an eighth-rest (represented by the red diamonds in the graph above).

Lines 2, 3, 4 and 6, 7, 8

Notice that these lines utilize the same rhythm in both stanzas of the section, with the first half of each line possessing one particular rhythm and the second possessing another:

First half of each line: Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth- Sixteenth

Line-2: Ev-ry-bod-y

Line-3: On the bot-tom

Line-4: Go-ing fast we

Line-6: Hear the beat now

Line-7: Drink it up and

Line-8: Light it up and

Second half of each line: Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth

Line-2: let’s lose con-trol

Line-3: we let it go

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Line-4: ain’t go-ing slow

Line-6: let’s hit the floor

Line-7: then drink some more

Line-8: let’s let it blow

Combined, they make for an infectious, engaging rhythm that easily gets stuck in the listener’s head, and coupled with the drop down in octave plus eighth-rest at the end of each line as previously mentioned ensures that it sticks.

Stanza Beginnings Notice that the rhythm of the first line at the beginning of each stanza is different than the rest:

First Stanza: “Rock & Roll.” Consists of three syllables with eighth-note timing followed by an eighth-rest to conclude.

Second Stanza: “Hey yo.” Consists of two syllables, each with eighth-note timing and followed by an eighth-rest.

Their short nature provides a good quick lead in to each stanza as opposed to if they were more of a mouthful as with lines 2, 3 and 4 in both stanzas, which all consist of eight syllables.

Stanza Endings Now, notice the manner in which each stanza ends. In both stanzas Will.i.am once again drops down an octave from G to G, but to conclude he does the following:

1st Stanza: “Slow, no, no” (eighth-note / eighth-rest repeated 3 times).

2nd Stanza: “Blow, blow, blow” (eighth-note / eighth-rest repeated 3 times).

These change-ups do a great job of segmenting the first stanza from the second as well as the second stanza from the second-half of the entire section due to their different nature in relation to all of the other lines within the section (specifically timing, repetition and the drop down in octave).

Repetition As with the first verse, here we once again have a vast amount of repetition going on that enables the section to get completely engrained within the listener’s head.

In-Stanza Repetition

Lines 2, 3 and 4 possess the exact same rhythm and progression.

Cross-Stanza Repetition

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Lines 2, 3 and 4 in each stanza repeat in the exact same manner (rhythm and progression).

Both stanzas end in the exact same manner from a rhythm and note standpoint (“slow, no, no” and “blow, blow, blow“).

Diversifiers Considering the vast amount of repetition, there are some subtle differences that provide just enough diversity to keep the section from becoming overly (or completely) monotonous:

In-Stanza Diversifiers

The manner in which each stanza starts and ends provides diversity from the carbon- copy second, third and fourth lines as mentioned above.

Cross-Stanza Diversifiers

Both stanzas begin in a different manner from one another (“Rock and Roll” vs. “Hey yo“).

Second-Half Of The Section

First Stanza

Second Stanza

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Line Reference:

1st Stanza

Line 1: Hey yo Line 2: Rock it out, rockin’ out Line 3: If you know what we talking ’bout Line 4: Turn it up, and burn down the house, ho-house

2nd Stanza

Line 5: Hey yo Line 6: Turn it up, and don’t turn it down Line 7: Here we go, we gon’ shake the ground Line 8: ‘Cause everywhere that we go we…(transition-A “bring the action”)

Vocal Range High: A Low: G (octave down)

Progression In contrast to the first half of the section (and the first-verse as well), the first-stanza of the second half is not sung in a monotone manner. However, there’s not a great vocal range being employed either. Besides the initial “hey yo” that drops an octave from G to G, the balance of the stanza ranges just from F to A.

The second stanza then reverts back to a primarily monotone natured delivery with some brief, mostly subtle variations (except for one instance – more on that soon).

First Stanza:

Line-1: Hey yo (Octave dive from G to G)

Line-2: Rock it out, rock-in out (G – F – G – G – A – G)

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Line-3: If you know what we talk-ing ’bout (G – F – G – F – G – G – A – G)

Line-4: Turn it up and burn down the house (G – F – G – F – G – G – A – G)

Stanza Ending: h-house (G – G)

As you can see, the progression that defines lines 3 and 4 are identical, and it’s almost the case with line-2 as well (aside from the first two lyrics on lines 3 and 4, the balance of those lines follow the same G – F – G – G – A – G progression as line-2).

As was the case with the first stanza of the section, notice that it’s the beginning and end of the second stanza that provides diversity from the repetitive middle (“Hey yo” and “h-house“).

Second Stanza:

Line-1: Hey yo (Octave dive from G to G)

Line-2: Turn it up and don’t turn it down (G – G – G – G – G – G – G – Dive)

Line-3: Here we go we gon’ shake the ground (G – F – G – F – G – G – G – G)

Line-4: ‘Cause ev-ry-where that we go we (G – G – F – G – G – G – G – A)

From a progression standpoint, notice that the second stanza combines characteristics from both the first stanza as well as from the first half of the second verse as well:

First-Half of the section characteristics: The monotone G delivery across much of the section.

Second-Half, first stanza characteristics: The G – F – G – F progression on “Here we go we...”

Additionally, as mentioned earlier in the report, notice the one prominent “anomaly” in the progression that catches you off-guard – the effect “dive” on the lyric “down.” Not only does it add color and engagement value, but it also does a great job of breaking up the repetitive nature of the stanza.

Vibe Even though there’s a bit more in the way of vocal range during the second half as opposed to the first, Will.i.am’s vocal possesses virtually the same characteristics as the first half as previously mentioned.

Rhythm & Segmenting As with the other sections of the song, here we once again have relatively short lines (though some are a bit longer than other sections) that are segmented from one another by rests (primarily eighth-rests). The result – it makes for a more engaging section and takes the

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First Stanza

Line-1: Hey yo (Eighth – Eighth)

Line-2: Rock it out, rock-in out (Eighth – Sixteenth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Line-3: If you know what we talk-ing ’bout (Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Line-4: Turn it up and burn down the house (Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Stanza End: h-house (Eighth – Eighth)

Second Stanza

Line-1: Hey yo (Eighth – Eighth)

Line-2: Turn it up and don’t turn it down (Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Line-3: Here we go we gon’ shake the ground (Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Line-4: ‘Cause ev-re-where that we go we (Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth)

Phrase Endings/Segmentation Each line is separated (segmented) by an eighth-rest (represented by the red diamonds in the graph above) EXCEPT:

A quarter-rest follows “Rock it out” in the first stanza.

There is no rest at the end of the fourth phrase in the second stanza. Instead it goes directly into the transition “bring the action.”

Stanza Beginnings Both stanzas during the second half start out in the same exact manner as the first half, via “Hey yo,” both of which are eighth-notes followed by eighth-rests.

Stanza Endings The first stanza ends in practically the same manner as both stanzas in the first half of the section. In this case, we have “house , h-house” which are eighth-notes followed by eighth-

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Section Ending In contrast to how all of the stanzas ended, the second verse comes to a conclusion utilizing a “false ending” – meaning that it’s abrupt and that you’re expecting resolution but you don’t get it. The last lyric “we” is an eighth-note, followed directly by the transition section “bring the action.”

Repetition / Similarity Recap Once again we have a good amount of repetition going on:

In-Stanza Repetition

Lines 3 and 4 in the first stanza are identical to each other from a progression and rhythmic standpoint. It’s almost the case with the second phrase as well in regard to progression.

Each line in both stanzas is segmented from one another via an eighth-rest.

The rhythm of lines 2 and 3 in the second stanza are identical.

Cross-Stanza Repetition

Both stanzas start off with “Hey yo,” utilizing the same exact progression and timing.

Lines 3 and 4 in the first stanza possess the same rhythm as lines 2 and 3 in the second stanza.

Line 3 in the second stanza essentially follows the same progression as lines 3 and 4 in the first stanza with one minor difference (G vs. an A on the second to last lyric).

Diversifier Recap The following breaks up the repetition within each stanza.

First stanza:

How the section begins: “Hey yo”

“Rock it out, rockin’ out” (there’s a quarter-rest that follows rock it out which further breaks the line up in relation to the other lines in the stanza).

How the section ends: “house, h-house“

Second Stanza

How the section begins: “Hey yo“

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The effect dive on the lyric “down“

The G – F – G – F fluctuation at the beginning of the third line in comparison to the monotone G delivery that defines the preceding line-2.

How the section ends: False ending as mentioned earlier.

Full Section Commonalities Despite their differences, there are commonalities that tie both halves together, with the repetition once again doing a great job of fostering memorability.

Both stanzas in the first half end in a similar manner to the first stanza in the second half:

Slow, no, no

Blow, blow, blow

House, h-house

The following lines in both sections utilize the same exact rhythm (Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Sixteenth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth):

Lines 2, 3 and 4 in both stanzas of the first half of the section.

Lines 3 and 4 in the first stanza of the second half of the section.

Lines 2 and 3 in the second stanza of the second half of the section

All lines are segmented from one another by an eighth-rest.

“Hey yo“ kicks off the second stanza in the first half and both stanzas in the second half in the exact same manner.

For the most part all lines are quite short in nature, making them easy to remember.

Only eighth and sixteenth notes are utilized during both halves.

Will.i.am’s vocal style remains virtually the same in both halves of the section, despite the progression changes throughout.

CHORUS

First Stanza – First Time Around (Lines 1 & 2)

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Second Stanza – First Time Around (Lines 3 & 4)

First Stanza – Second Time Around (Lines 5 & 6)

Second Stanza – Second Time Around (Line 7)

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Line Reference

First Occurrence

Line 1: I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out Line 2: And scream and shout, and let it out Line 3: We sayin’ oh wee oh wee oh wee oh Line 4: We sayin’ oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

Second Occurrence

Line 5: I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out Line 6: And scream and shout, and let it out Line 7: We sayin’ oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

Vocal Range

Lead (Will.i.am) High: C Low: D

Harmony (Britney) High: A Low: C

Chorus Structure The full chorus consists of two stanzas that are repeated twice within the full section:

First stanza: I wanna scream, and shout, and let it all out. And scream, and shout, and let it out.

Second stanza: We sayin’ oh wee oh wee oh wee oh. We sayin’ oh wee oh wee oh wee oh.

Progression & Rhythm

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First Stanza – Line 1 The first thing that you’ll notice about the chorus is that there’s a lot more variety to the vocal melody compared to the primarily monotone nature of the first and third verses as well as much of the second verse. Let’s now look at the first stanza by breaking it up into individual segments:

Segment 1: I wan-na scream

Here the chorus is starting out with a montone natured delivery from Will.i.am, with each syllable as a C.

Each of the syllables possesses eighth-note timing.

The segment ends with a quarter rest.

Segment 2: And shout

Directly following the montone C delivery, the vocal progression then descends via B- flat and A.

As was the case with the preceding segment, both lyrics possess eighth-note timing.

This segment also ends with a quarter-rest.

Segment 3: And let it all out

Following the preceding descent to A, the progression jumps right back up to C on the lyrics “and let,” which is then followed by a dive down to G on “it,” followed by an ascent up to A on the lyrics “all out.”

In regard to rhythm, the first three lyrics possess eighth-note timing (“and let it“), which is then followed by 2 quarter-notes on the lyrics “all out.”

The segment (and line for that matter considering that it is the last segment) ends with an eighth-rest.

What makes this line as a whole so effective is the following:

The manner in which it’s segmented. Think of it like a telephone number technique, which comes up in many of the deconstructions that we do. By breaking the line into 3 short segments (i.e. phrases), it’s easier for the listener to digest, and as a result easier to remember.

The rhythm flows exceptionally well (you should listen to it again at this point, it will be much easier to follow by hearing it than just by writing about it). Essentially what we have is a longer phrase which is conveyed via eighth notes (“I wanna scream“), which

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is followed by a very short segment consisting of 2 eighth-notes (“and shout“), flowed by another longer flurry via eighth-notes (“and let it”), and then concluding with 2 quarter-notes on “all out.” Couple that with the rests as mentioned earlier and you wind up with an exceptionally infectious and memorable rhythm.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the progression itself. It’s simplistic in nature which makes it easy to sing along to and remember.

Combined, the manner in which these elements all work together makes for an exceptionally infectious, engaging, and memorable first line of the chorus.

First Stanza – Line 2 The second line is very similar to the first line with some key similarities and differences:

The longer 4 syllable start to line 1 is done away (“I wan-na scream“), and instead we have a 2 syllable start (which are also C-notes) on the lyrics “And scream.” As was the case with the first segment on line 1, this segment on line 2 also ends with a quarter- rest.

Segment 2 (“and shout“) functions in the exact same manner on the second line as it did on the first.

In regard to the third segment, there a few similarities and differences from lines 1 to 2:

Line 1 ended with “and let it all out.” Line 2 ends with an abbreviated “and let it out.“

“And let” on the first line were both C notes. On the second line, “and” drops down to F (the lowest register in the stanza) which is then followed by a jump up to A on the lyric that follows, “let.” The timing (rhythm) remains the same, though.

“It all out” on the first line ascended via G – A – A. Conversely, on the second line “let it out” descends via A – G – G, utilizing all eighth-notes as opposed to the quarter- notes on line 1. So when you think about it, it makes sense because the ascent at the end of the first line helps to set up the second line, and the descent at the end of the second line brings the stanza to a conclusion (it wouldn’t have seemed “concluded” if it ascended instead of descended).

As a whole, lines 1 and 2 work exceptionally well together. They’re similar enough where the repetition is still in effect, yet different enough where the stanza as a whole isn’t completely monotonous.

Vibe Again, as with the other sections that featured Will.i.am, there isn’t a whole lot of emotion going on here. His vocal characteristics remain essentially the same.

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SECOND STANZA Here in the second stanza we have a complete change-up from what was defining the first stanza. Not only are the progressions and timing different, but we also have a vocal harmony in effect that is paramount to the tension and emotion elicited within the section.

Progression & Rhythm The first thing that you’ll notice is that compared to the first stanza which had the vocal melody ascending and descending throughout, here in the second stanza the melody is consistently descending, except on one particular note (more on that soon). Let’s now look at the second stanza in segments as we did with the first:

Segment 1: We say-in’

This segment is essentially the lead-in to the stanza. It’s a rapid-fire eighth-note delivery via a B – A – A progression. Notice also that this is the one phrase that doesn’t feature Britney’s harmony.

Segment 2: Oh wee oh wee oh wee oh

This segment is the “meat” of the stanza. Will.i.am initially follows a downward “platform” progression (look at the graph and you’ll see the “platforms”) via A – G – G – F – F on the lyrics “oh wee oh wee oh,” and then ascends up to G on “wee” before dropping back down to conclude on D. Notice how that brief ascent to G, as subtle as it is, does a great job of providing the line with additional color and variation, as opposed to if the progression just continued going downward.

Britney’s harmony essentially follows the same progression except for the fact that it’s an octave above Will.i.am’s and she remains in G on the lyric “oh” compared to Will.i.am dropping down to D.

Both Will.i.am and Britney follow the same rhythm: Dotted-quarter / Eighth / Dotted- quarter / eighth / eighth / eighth / quarter / eighth-rest. Notice how the dotted- quarter / eighth progression actually works to segment the line in a subtle manner, making it more infectious and memorable. Additionally, notice how the second to last “oh” doesn’t possess dotted-quarter timing and as a result provides the line with differentiation (i.e. slow – fast – slow – fast – fast – fast).

*Notice that the second line is a carbon copy of the first on all levels.

The Second Time Around As you’ve by now noticed, the first and second stanzas repeat a second time around, with two key differences compared to the first time:

We now have Britney’s vocal harmony on the entire first stanza (it wasn’t there the first time around).

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The “we sayin’ “oh wee oh” line only occurs once instead of how it repeated twice the first time around.

Progression and Rhythm First, notice that Willi.am’s progression and rhythm remained exactly the same as they were the first time around.

Now let’s take a look at what’s going on with Britney’s harmony in the first stanza:

Throughout the entire section she utilizes the same timing (rhythm) as Will.i.am.

The first 3 lyrics (4 syllables) “I wan-na scream” are sung with C notes by both Will.i.am and Britney.

Britney then starts to go up in register on the lyrics “and shout and let it all out” via a D – F – G – G – A – A – A progression.

She then drops back down to C along with Will.i.am on the lyrics “And scream.” Notice that this is the onset of the second line of the stanza.

Britney then ascends back up via D – F – G on the lyrics “and shout and” which was the same as the preceding line. She then continues to go up to A on “let” (she remained in G on the lyric on the preceding line), and then drops down to G on the lyrics “it out” to conclude the line (she continued with A on “all out” to conclude the previous line). As mentioned earlier, by descending it brings the stanza to a conclusion, setting up the stanza that follows.

Here’s the end result of Britney’s harmony:

It heightens the emotion, tension and intensity of the section via its upward climb in relation to Will.i.am’s progression.

It adds additional color and diversity to the section as a whole. If the second stanza didn’t contain Britney’s harmony and instead repeated in the same exact manner as the first, it wouldn’t have had nearly as much impact.

BRIDGE

Line 1

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Line 2

Line 3

Line 4

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Line Reference

1st Occurrence

Line 1: It goes on and on and on and on, when me and you party together Line 2: I wish this night would last forever, ’cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

2nd Occurrence

Line 3: And baby it goes on and on and on and on, when me and you party together Line 4: I wish this night would last forever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever

Vocal Range High: A Low: F

As was the case with the backing music, here in the bridge we also have a complete departure in the vocal melody style from the rest of the song (which is what an effective bridge should do in the first place). As you’ll see, it basically repeats twice with just a couple of differences the second time around.

Bridge Structure The full bridge section consists of 2 full lines that are each broken into 2 segments (phrases), and separated by a rest. The lyrics highlighted by the red font in the second occurrence below show the new additions to the section compared to the first time around.

First Occurrence

Line 1, first segment: It goes on and on and on and on

Line 1, second segment: when me and you party together

Line 2, first segment: I wish this night would last forever

Line 2, second segment: ’cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

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Second Occurrence

Line 1, first segment: And baby it goes on and on and on and on

Line 1, second segment: when me and you party together

Line 2, first segment: I wish this night would last forever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever

Progression & Rhythm

Segment 1: It goes on and on and on and on

Here we have a very simple, repetitive (and as a result, memorable) progression that fluctuates between C and A. Notice that each “and on” is sung with a monotone delivery, and is changed up with each successive occurrence:

It goes on: C – C – C

and on: A – A

and on: C – C

and on: A – A

Now, in regard to rhythm, first notice that the vocal melody present within the bridge is slower and more “drawn out” than what was defining the preceding sections of the song. This is primarily due to the fact that there are more quarter-notes being utilized in contrast to the other sections which primarily utilized eighth and sixteenth-notes.

It goes on: Eighth – Quarter – Dotted-Quarter

and on: Eighth – Dotted-Quarter

and on: Eighth – Eighth

and on: Eighth – Quarter – Quarter Rest (to conclude the segment)

Now, to even further accentuate the memorability factor, notice how the quarter-notes are actually working to segment the already short segment:

Sub-segment 1: It goes on

Sub-segment 2: and on

Sub-segment 3: and on and on

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Segment 2: when me and you party together

Here we have a change-up from the progression and rhythm that was defining the preceding segment. Notice, however, that most of the melody is still residing in C and A.

As with the preceding phrase, here we also have two sub-segments which are divided by quarter-notes:

Sub-segment 1: When me and you

It’s completely sung with a monotone C delivery.

The first and last lyrics (“when” and “you“) are quarter notes, and the two middle lyrics are eighth-notes.

Sub-segment 2: party together

Following the preceding monotone C delivery, we initially have a drop down to A on the lyric “par-ty,” which is then followed by an F – A – G progression on the lyric “to-geth-er” to conclude the line.

All of the notes possess eighth-note timing EXCEPT on the syllable “er” in “together,” which is slightly drawn out via a quarter-note to conclude the line.

The line ends with an eighth-rest.

Segment 3: I wish this night would last forever

The first thing to take note of is that this segment is NOT split into any sub-segments. It’s one continuous line. It does consist of 3 primary progressions, however, with the first two descending in nature and the third progressing via an “up – down” progression to change things up.

Progression 1: I wish this night (A – A – A – A)

Progression 2: would last (G – G)

Progression 3: for-ev-er (F – A – G)

So, as you can see the first two progressions are monotone in nature, while the third changes things up by reverting back to the same manner in which the first line ended (“to-geth-er“).

Additionally, notice that segment 3 also starts out with a monotone A delivery, as opposed to the first 2 segments which started out in C.

Now, in regard to the rhythm, notice that the first 2 progressions (except for the first lyric, “I,”

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The third progression deviates from the other two via an Eighth – Eighth – Quarter-note delivery.

Segment 4: ’cause I was feeling down, now I’m feeling better

Essentially, the forth segment follows the same exact progression as the third segment with the following differences considering that it’s more “wordy” in nature:

Progression 1: ‘Cause I was feeling down

It’s sung with a monotone A delivery as was the case with the preceding segment, but due to its wordy nature the rhythm needed to be changed up (i.e. sped up). All of the lyrics except for the last one on the line (“down“) possess eighth-note timing. “Down” is a quarter-note.

Progression 2: now I’m feel-

Again, we have a monotone G delivery as was the case with the preceding “would last” lyrics in segment 2, with the difference being the timing. Here we have 2 eighth-notes followed by ab compared to the 2 quarter-notes in the preceding segment-2.

Progression 3: ing bet-ter

This is exactly the same as the preceding “to-geth-er” and “for-ev-er” progressions that concluded the second and third segments. Notice however that the progression starts on the second syllable of “feel-ing” and does not encompass a full lyric as the preceding occurrences.

Second Time Around

The 2 lines above then repeat a second time around with the following differences:

The first segment starts off with a couple of extra lyrics before continuing on in the same manner as the first time around (“And baby...”). As a result the timing needed to be changed up (i.e. sped up):

First time around: It goes on: Eighth – Quarter – Dotted-Quarter

Second time around: And baby it goes on: Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Eighth – Dotted-Quarter.

Now, the next difference compared to the first time around is the fact that the entire second

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Vibe Along with the change-up in the backing music, the nature of Will.i.am’s vocal delivery works in concert to change-up the entire vibe of the song in the bridge. Up until now, everything has been quite upbeat (albeit in a semi-dark manner). Here in the bridge, however, Will.i.am is starting to get sentimental about the night (as discussed in the Lyric/Story section of the report) and his vocal style coupled with the progressions and slower timing as described above accentuate the sentimental nature of the section.

Memorability and Engagement Here’s a recap of the core characteristics that made the section engaging and memorable

First, notice that segments 2, 3 and 4 end in the exact same manner, following an F – A – G progression with Eighth – Eighth – Quarter – Eighth-Rest timing. This does a great job of furthering both the engagement and infectious nature of the section plus taking the memorability factor to the next level.

Segment 1: To-geth-er

Segment 2: For-ev-er

Segment 3: ing-bet-ter (note that the “ing” was from the preceding “feel-ing” lyric).

Next, with the exception of the beginning and end as mentioned earlier, the bridge repeats in the same exact manner the second time around.

And of course we can’t forget about segmenting. For the most part we have very short phrases, and in some cases the phrases (segments) were divided into sub-segments via their associated timing. The result – it’s easier to absorb and remember.

Top 10 Assessment Back to Top

Benchmark Analysis Compares Scream & Shout to the 21 songs that landed in the Billboard Pop Songs top 10 during Q4-2012.

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All of the compositional characteristics and attributes present Scream & Shout are in-line or close to to being in-line with Q4-2012 top 10 Pop hits EXCEPT:

Scream & Shout’s structure (form) differs from the structure found in the majority of top 10 Pop hits (A-B-IB/VB-A-A-B-IB/VB-C-B vs. A-B-A-B-C-B).

The song is 1:04 longer than the average.

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Scream & Shout contains an outro where the majority of top 10 hits don’t (most end on the chorus).

Its tempo is 15 BPM’s faster than the average (though it’s pretty much right in line with Dance natured songs, which average 128 BPM).

Scream & Shout is exclusively synth driven, where the majority of top 10 hit feature a combination of instrumentation in the mix (usually synth + guitar). That being said, it is pretty much in line with Electro Pop/Dance natured songs.

The song is a duet where the majority of top 10 hits are sung exclusively with a male lead vocal.

Scream & Shout does not contain a pre-chorus where the majority of top 10 hits do. Scream & Shout possesses a primarily partying/clubbing lyrical theme with a love/relationship addition during the bridge. The majority of top 10 hits possess a love/relationship lyrical theme.

So – what are the most important areas where Scream & Shout stands out in relation to the rest of the current mainstream Pop pack (in addition to melody, nature of the backing music, etc…), providing the song with a differential advantage in relation to everyone else? It would be its form (specifically the additional third verse), the fact that it is purely synth driven (most songs utilize a combination of primary instrumentation in the mix), it’s sung as a duet, and it possesses primarily partying/clubbing themed lyrics (most songs are about love and relationships).

A&R Hit Factor Assessment Back to Top

Artist Career Factor Does the song have what it takes maintain or grow the artist’s clout in the Pop mainstream?

Considering that Scream & Shout is a Will.i.am solo effort without the promotional popularity assistance from the Peas as a group, there were 2 core factors that enabled him to really make a mark on the Pop mainstream and solidify his stance as a solo artist without the Peas:

First, he made a solid choice of choosing Britney Spears as a collaborator. Not only was she a great asset to the song itself, but her fame was able to provide the song (and Will.i.am, for that matter), with a level visibility and promotional value that would have been impossible to attain without. And speaking of Britney, don’t forget that she’s also getting massive exposure from the song as well, and will give her a boost in the current Pop mainstream considering that her last album was released back in March of 2011.

Second, it’s the fact that it’s a very strong Electro Pop/club song that possesses a unique nature that is 100% identifiable as a Will.i.am composition (i.e. effective “branding”). The result, it enables him to stand out as a unique artist amidst all others in the mainstream Pop pack.

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All in all, Scream & Shout will both maintain Will.i.am’s stance in the Pop mainstream as well as aid in elevating it. It also proves that he can attain massive success independent of the Peas.

Originality Factor Does the song push genre boundaries and possess a unique nature or have you heard it all before? Does it stand out in the Pop mainstream?

When it comes down to it, Scream & Shout possesses both a unique, original nature as well as falling into the “been there, done that” category.

Unique Elements (Enabling it to stand out in the current mainstream Pop pack)

The nature of Will.i.am’s vocals.

The nature of the duet with Britney Spears (i.e. how they’re both utilized within different sections of the song)

The nature of Britney’s vocals in verses 1 and 3 (i.e. the repetition in each stanza coupled with the nature of her delivery)

The song’s structure (form) in relation to the majority of other mainstream Pop songs (i.e. 3 verse sections as opposed to 2)

The spoken “transition” segments (i.e. “Bring the action” and “You are now, now..“) which are completely identifiable as Will.i.am (listen to the Black Eyed Peas and you’ll hear them there as well).

The unique nature of the synth used in Synth pattern-2 (also identifiable with Will.i.am and the Peas).

The “Britney bitch” sample (even though its obviously been used before in Britney’s Gimme More, the manner in which it’s used in Scream & Shout is unique).

It’s purely synth driven (the majority of mainstream Pop songs today utilize a combination of primary instrumentation in the mix, so this enables it to stick out).

It contains a “breakdown” outro that utilizes synth elements from the bridge. Most mainstream Pop songs do not utilize an outro, and do not revisit the bridge if they do).

Been There, Done That (Elements that are just like everybody else)

The majority of the lyrics (they’re exceptionally generic and cliché)

The fact that it’s a straight-up Electro Pop/Dance song.

It’s purely synth driven (even though this factor enables it to stand out as detailed

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earlier, it’s also nothing new in the genre).

The fact that it pretty much sounds just like the Black Eyed Peas.

So as you can see, there are quite a few unique aspects to the song, but there are also a number of key characteristics that make it one of the bunch (and also the fact that you’ve heard a lot of these characteristics before in many Black Eyed Peas songs thanks to Will.i.am’s influence).

All in all, it does stand out amongst many others in the Pop mainstream, but by no means is it innovative or push genre boundaries like some of the other more “fusion” natured current Pop songs do.

Social & Controversy Factors Were there any external social aspects surrounding the release of the song that could help increase its visibility, reach and success potential?

There were a few key factors that definitely aided in maximizing the success potential of Scream & Shout (in addition to other promotion and marketing initiatives):

Artist tweets that furthered the hype and curiosity factor (i.e. Britney tweeting “OMG…your lookin fit & hot…can’t wait to shoot the video to our song…your fans are ganna love it…”

The hype of Britney collaborating with Will.i.am

The leak of the song prior to its official release

The unique, engaging nature of the video that wound up attracting 140,000,000 + views

The preview of the video on The X Factor enabled the song to be exposed to a wide, targeted audience.

The exposure gained via its use on the Beats by Dr. Dre commercial.

The Demographic Reach / Fan Factor Is this a song that’s pigeonholed in one specific gender/age/genre bracket or does it have mass reach? How will it affect the artist’s original fan base, and will it attract new fans?

New Fan Acquisition By Will.i.am collaborating with Britney Spears, Scream & Shout (and Will.i.am for that matter) were exposed to her massive fan base, accentuating the song’s overall reach factor and as a result hooking in new fans that he wouldn’t have attained without the collaboration.

Original Fan Maintenance Considering that the nature of Scream & Shout is right in line with what Will.i.am is known for,

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Reach Reduction As mentioned earlier, some of the lyrical content (specifically “shit” and the references to drinking and smoking) will hamper the song from being able to reach a younger audience (tween and younger, who keep in mind are not the core target audience), specifically due to parent intervention. How many parents will actually care is another story all together…

Gender & Age Scream & Shout is obviously geared toward a younger audience who can easily identify with its partying/clubbing theme (coupled with the fact that it’s actually in a club where the song will be most effective). That’s not to say that it can’t resonate with an older audience as well. Of course it can – due to its exceptionally infectious, fun nature. But older is certainly not the core target audience. Once you start getting into the 30?s+, the share will most definitely go down in relation to teen and early twenties.

Genre Crossover Unlike other recent Pop Fusion songs like Locked Out Of Heaven (Pop/Rock, Electro, New Wave, Funk) and One More Night (Straight-Up Pop fused with Reggae) that were able to acquire new fans outside the artist’s “typical” fan base due to their more diverse nature, Scream & Shout is pretty much relegated solely to Electro Pop/Dance fans, even despite the more Rock oriented nature of the final chorus of the song.

The “Holly Sh*t – You Gotta Hear This NOW” Factor Is this a song where someone would instantly call up their friend and say “drop what you’re doing – you gotta listen to this – NOW!!!”

Maybe, but not due to strength of the song itself. Don’t get me wrong, it is a very strong song, but there’s absolutely nothing overtly special about it or groundbreaking where someone would drop what they’re doing to immediately take a listen.

That being said, the hype and curiosity surrounding the song (specifically the fact that it’s a duet with Britney) may indeed cause someone to drop what they’re doing to immediately satiate their curiosity.

The “Multiple Listen” Factor Is this song engaging enough to warrant repeat listens?

Initially yes, but eventually the law of diminishing returns is going to set in, and the song’s repetitive nature will no doubt start to wear on the listener (especially if they’re listening in a non- club environment). On the flip side, play Scream & Shout in a club night after night, and it’s definitely going to have a longer shelf life (the song is built to succeed in that kind of scene as mentioned throughout the report).

The “Human Emotion” Factor

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Does this song exude a vibe that enables the listener to connect on a deep, emotional, HUMAN level?

We need to look at this from 3 standpoints – the nature of the backing music, vocal delivery and lyrics:

Backing Music Even though the nature of the backing music (specifically the sound of the synths and their associated patterns) is slick and quantized to the micron, it does a great job of eliciting the proper emotion to jibe with the nature of the lyrics and accentuate the vocals. In this case the emotions were “cool cockiness” (present in the majority of the verse sections and instrumental/vocal breaks) and “exultation” (via the build in the chorus).

Vocal Delivery First let’s take Will.i.am. I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting any real emotion from his delivery at all. This is mostly due to the over-processed nature of his vocals coupled with his robotic delivery. On the other hand, we have Britney. Yes, her vocals are processed as well, and even robotic in nature, but she does a fantastic job of eliciting a “cocky,” “seductive,” “dark” vibe during verses 1 and 3 that perfectly jibes with the nature of the lyrics. Additionally, her vocal harmony during the chorus does a great job of accentuating the “exultation” vibe that was established via the backing music, and denoted in the lyrics as well.

Lyrics Again, with the exception of Will.i.am’s “club detail” second verse (which for the most part doesn’t elicit any emotion), verses 1 and 3 are all about “cockiness” (i.e. “all eyes on us“). Additionally, the lyrics in the chorus (“I wanna scream, and shout, and let it all out“) jibes with the nature of both the backing music as well as Britney’s harmony as previously mentioned in establishing the “exultation” vibe.

So – as to the initial question asked, “Does this song exude a vibe that enables the listener to connect on a deep, emotional, HUMAN level?” The answer is both yes and no. Yes, because there is emotion present in the three factors above that enables the listener to emotionally connect with the song. On the other hand, it’s by no means on a “deep” level. This isn’t a song that’s as deep and heart wrenching as some of Adele’s material, but remember, it’s not supposed to be! The emotion elicited here is exactly what the song warranted. Nothing more nothing less. And for those who compare it to Adele or the like – it’s like comparing apples and oranges.

Memorability Factor How easy is it to remember the song’s lyrics & melody? Is each section of the song equally as memorable?

Scream & Shout is an exceptionally memorable song due to two key factors as explored throughout the report:

It’s ultra-repetitive (backing music, lyrics, and vocal melody).

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It’s exceptionally simplistic on all fronts. There aren’t any “hard” to remember lyrics, and the nature of the progressions used in the vocal melody and lead synth patters were also exceptionally simplistic as well.

As a whole, it’s very easy for the listener to connect with the song right off the bat, and with the combination of the two factors mentioned above it doesn’t take long for the song to get completely engrained within the listener’s head, and it’s hard to shake once it’s in there.

Longevity Factor – Artist Will this song become a staple of the artist’s repertoire and catalog?

For Will.i.am, Scream & Shout is most definitely a highlight of his solo career to-date. There’s no doubt that it will remain a staple of his live shows for a long time to come, and will also be a featured asset in his overall body of work.

Longevity Factor – Pop Genre Does this song have what it takes to stand the test of time and rank amongst the all-time greats?

On the other hand, there is nothing overtly special about Scream & Shout that will warrant its longevity in the Pop genre as a whole. It’s more of a “hit and run” single than anything else. That being said, it will most likely (and should) have sustained longevity in a club environment even once it drops off the charts and the airwaves. No one is going to complain when the song comes on, and it will most certainly get things moving!

Conclusion Back to Top

Now that we have thoroughly explored Scream & Shout, let’s review some of the core strengths and weaknesses of the song:

Strengths

Will.i.am “branding.” Certain characteristics of the song (such as the spoken “transition” sections, the nature of his vocals and the sound of the lead synth pattern, for example) are indicative of his unique style, enabling him and the song to stand out amongst all others in the mainstream Pop pack.

There were also a lot of similarities between Scream & Shout and other mainstream hits and styles that provided the song with a strong “familiarity factor,” enabling it to easily to connect with its audience.

The vast amounts of repetition utilized throughout the song enable it to get completely engrained within the listener’s head, while just enough differentiation was present to keep the song from becoming overly monotonous.

The effective nature of how the duet was utilized in conjunction with the song’s

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structure.

The fact that every section of the song is equally infectious and memorable.

The universal nature of the lyrics (minus the Will.i.am and Britney plugs) enabled the song to connect on a broad level.

The nature of the lyrics (specifically in verses 1 and 3 – “all eyes on us” and also the in the chorus) are perfectly suited for a club atmosphere and will no doubt engage people to sing along.

There was great use of segmentation in the vocal melody, creating short phrases that easily enabled the melody to get engrained within the listener’s head.

The choice of Britney Spears as a collaborator (both in regard to what she brought to the song itself as well as the increased exposure due to her fame).

Effective use of MTI level shifts that provided the song with dynamic variation.

Its simplistic nature (in a good way) made the song instantly engaging, easy to follow and sing along to.

The type and manner in which emotion was elicited perfectly suited the nature of the song. The “Britney Bitch” sample took the impact and engagement factor of the song to the next level.

The manner in which all the primary elements worked in perfect unison to create a perfectly packaged, effective song (i.e. the nature of the backing music, lyrics and vocals all jibed perfectly with one another). Free “in-song marketing” for the artists during the transition-B sections (i.e “you are now, now rockin’ with Will.i.am and Britney bitch“). A musical and lyrical tension laden payoff in the chorus with tension relief occurring during the instrumental/vocal break section that follows.

Weaknesses

The lyrics for the most part are WAY too generic in nature. Not that the song warranted much more, but if they were a bit more clever instead of using worn-out lines that have been used a million times before (i.e. “hit the floor“) it would have taken the song to the next level.

Even though it’s a very solid song, there’s nothing overtly special about it that will really enable it to stand the test of time. It’s more of a “hit and run” single (though that’s what it’s really all about today).

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The use of lyrics like “shit” and references to drinking and smoking will hamper the song’s reach with a younger demographic (though that’s not really the intended audience. The song is more for late teens and up).

A line like “burn down the house” can instantly pull the plug on the song’s promotion due to external circumstances beyond its control (i.e. the tragic recent club fire in Brazil). Remember, this was also the case with Ke$ha’s Die Young as well.

Outside of a club or party atmosphere (where it really shines), it’s repetitive nature can start to wear on the listener quite fast (i.e. the law of diminishing returns).

Bottom Line

Really effective Electro Pop/Dance music is supposed to be simplistic, engaging, and most of all FUN, and Scream & Shout is all of these at the highest level. For those who say that a song like this is all that’s wrong with the mainstream Pop scene, they’re not taking into account the true purpose of the song, which is ENTERTAINMENT. People aren’t expecting to sit down to listen to a Will.i.am/Britney Spears collaboration to get insight on how to solve the world’s problems. They’re listening because it makes them feel good, nothing more, nothing less. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

And if you want proof of how much people want to feel good, look no further than it’s charting. To-date, Scream & Shout has hit #1 in 21 countries on 23 charts, and landed in the top 5 on 36 charts throughout the world.

Songwriter/Producer Take Aways From Scream & Shout Back to Top

Blending Originality & Familiarity It’s a fine line, but to really prime your song for success you need to find the perfect balance between the two. Your song needs to be unique and original enough so that you stand out in relation to everyone else, but it also needs to be in-line with what’s going on within a scene you’re trying to break into coupled with proven craft fundamentals. It’s the familiarity that will make it easy for the listener to connect with your song the first time they hear it, and it’s the originality that will hook them in as fans and keep them coming back for more. Scream & Shout found the perfect blend between the two.

Vibe In order for your song to really connect with the listener and succeed, it needs to have a strong vibe that is uniform between the nature of the lyrics, the backing music and the vocals. They need to work hand in hand in helping turn your song into the “full package.” If one of those elements is off, your song isn’t going to resonate as much as it could have. This was an exceptionally strong attribute of Scream & Shout.

Avoid Generic, Washed Up Lyrics (Unless you’re already a superstar…and even then!) I can’t emphasize this enough. Whether you’re a songwriter who’s just starting out or a seasoned pro, take the time to write effective, engaging, clever lyrics. Will.i.am can get away

75 / 77 Hit Songs Deconstructed Deconstructing Today's Hits for Songwriting Success http://reports.hitsongsdeconstructed.com with using lines that have been used a million times like “hit the floor,” but that doesn’t mean that it’s a good practice. Remember, you want to do everything that you can possibly do to standout from everyone else and make your song as strong as possible on all fronts so you have a better chance of landing that deal.

Avoid “Problem Potential” Lyrics Even though it’s unintended and totally out of the artist’s control, when tragedy strikes, a certain lyric, title or phrase within a song can take on a new association, and as a result have a detrimental effect on the song’s success potential. This was the case with Ke$ha’s “Die Young” after the horrific Sandy Hook tragedy, and Scream & Shout, although it hasn’t been called out on it, contains the phrase “burn down the house” in the second verse. After the equally horrific club fire in Brazil, this is not a phrase that’s going to resonate well in a club song, even though it was written prior to the event happening. You can never plan for these tragedies (and hopefully they never occur), but you should take care in writing your lyrics and minimize any potential “problematic lyrics” as much as possible. That’s not to say that you should water down your lyrics in any way, but you should just think things through so that there are no unintended potential associations and consequences.

Duets Not every song warrants being a duet, but when it makes sense it can work wonders not just for the song itself, but in broadening its exposure as well. In Scream & Shout, Britney was perfectly utilized in verses 1 and 3, her vocal harmony in the chorus, and most of all via the “Britney bitch” sample which took it all to the next level. Additionally, Will.i.am and the song most definitely benefited from her fame and vast fan base in broadening the potential reach of the song as well. Just remember this – if you’re going to write as a duet, make sure that the song is structured in a manner to maximize it’s effectiveness.

Make EVERY Section Count! I say this in just about every Deconstructed report, and I’ll say it again here. Every section of your song needs to be equally infectious, engaging and memorable. No filler allowed. This is especially important today where technology has reduced people to having the attention span of fruit flies. If you lose them, even for one brief moment within your song, they’re going to move onto something else – guaranteed. This was another strong-point of Scream & Shout. Make EVERY section count!

Targeted Compositions The more you know WHO you’re writing for (be it Electro Pop fans, Garage Rock fans, or even a fusion of styles that will combine more than one group of fans) and WHAT the intended purpose of the song will be (i.e. meant for dancing in a club, background music for a commercial, deep listening at home, etc…), the better your chances are going to be for success. If you’re a little bit here and a little bit there while you write with no solid direction, you’re going to dilute your song’s potency. So – know what you’re writing, why you’re writing it and stay on point to maximize its effectiveness! Scream & Shout is a perfect example of staying on point.

Interesting Transitions One area where Scream & Shout really excelled was the manner in which it transitioned

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between sections within the song. Not only did “Bring the action” and “You are now, now rocking with Will.i.am and Britney bitch” function as transitions, but their nature provided the song with a unique quality in relation to everyone else in the mainstream Pop pack. As with anything else, the more unique, clever and effective you are, the greater your chances for success.

Surprises As subtle and brief as they may be, catching the listener off guard with a quick “surprise” will take the engagement factor of your song to the next level. In the case of Scream & Shout, it was nature of Will.i.am’s vocal doing that processed drop on the lyric “down” in the second verse that did the trick.

In-Song Artist Plugs Think of it as free marketing. By including your name as well as the names of other artists who are on your song within the song itself, you hammer home your visibility every time someone takes a listen. There is a drawback, however. By including specific names, your song’s universal appeal is going to diminish. Pitbull is a master at this, and it was also a highlight in Scream & Shout as well due to the clever manner in which it was executed (“You are now, now rocking with Will.i.am and Britney bitch“).

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