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Anatomy of a Hit

Anatomy of a Hit
Hit song analysis
View all Anatomy of a Hit Articles

Coming Soon:
Beyonce—Irreplaceable
Corrine Bailey Rae—Put Your Records On
KT Tunstall—Suddenly I See

Nelly Furtado–Promiscuous
Ne-Yo—So Sick
James Blunt—You're Beautiful
Rascal Flatts–What Hurts The Most
Eminem—Lose Yourself

Norah Jones —Don't Know Why
Avril Lavigne —Complicated
Alan Jackson—Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?

Pink—Get the Party Started
Craig David—Fill Me In
Alicia Keys—Fallin'
Train—Drops of Jupiter
Janet Jackson—All For You
Dido—Thank You
Sisqo—Incomplete
Macy Grey—I Try
Faith Hill—Breathe
Destiny's Child—Say My Name
Santana/Rob Thomas—Smooth
Ricky Martin—La Vida Loca

More Anatomy of a Hit Articles...

Classic Songcraft Articles
Reprints from Cat's columns in The Music Connection and LASS/NAS Musepaper

Outside vs. Inside Songwriting
Cat describes the change of opportunities in today's songwriting scene from Outside Songwriting for established artists to Inside Songwriting for original acts.

Grabbers and Shakers
Cat lists many of hue characteristics that make a pop song a hit song including what grabs a listener's attention and what keeps an audience involved all the way through to the end.

A Songwriter's New Year's Resolutions
Cat lists some goals and resolves we as songwriters can make to improve our writing and our careers for the coming year.

Other Classic Articles

The Hispanic Invasion
Today's pop scene has much in common with that of the mid-'60s. American pop music is being invaded by foreigners. Only this time the British aren't coming, it's the Hispanics.

1999: A Year of Retro and Recycling
Cat looks at the year 1999 in pop music and saw a return to recordings with older more melodic writing and more romantic dance styles including latin dance styles. Hot and sexy began to replace alienation and rebellion as the millennium turned.

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Articles and Writing Issues from other Songwriters and Instructors
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You're Beautiful
Title
James Blunt
  Artist
Album Back to Bedlam

Buy This Album

Back to Bedlam
 
James Blunt
  Songwriters
 
Kat Armour-Brown, Linda Perry
  Producers
Play Song Excerpt Help with Real Audio
Concept
A sudden glance romance that got away.
Lyric
A chance encounter on a subway train haunts the singer who would have fallen in love if he could have. Not the world's greatest lyric, but the concept is fresh and the words capture the singer's unrequited feelings.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in
a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you..
Groove
A 8th note feel with a 16th note overlay gives this song a gentle push which mirrors the gentle if unrealized romantic feelings of the singer.
Melody
A memorable melody if there ever was one. Great shape in the line with a few leaps that are easy to repeat. The chorus is an octave higher in register than the verse.
Harmony
Simple major diatonic triads mostly I IV and V with just enough of the emotional vi chord to give the song the pathos it needs. No surprises, but its simplicity delivers the message effectively. The chords move twice as fast in the chorus as in the verse.
Structure
Only 2 song sections. Signature Intro AB Signature AB-solo-B form. Verse-Chorus Verse-Chorus-Break-Chorus-Tag. Easy but not too easy to follow.
Signature
Lyrical guitar in the intro sets up the romance that follows.
Production
Simple production, the guitar line and strings in the background flank the vulnerable ache in the vocals. The song is so simple it doesn't need much production and what is there augments rather than distracts.
Predicted Longevity
With such a strong melody, unique vocal performance, fresh concept and subtle presentation, it has all the elements to be around for a while. Also, this is the kind of song that can be covered by many others, another trait for longevity. A Grammy candidate for sure.

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