Case Study: Structural Analysis of Songs

Alternative Song Structures

Of course, there are no rules aside from the ones you make up regarding how a song should be structured. Some songwriters have totally strayed from conventional models and created some of the finest musical masterpieces to date. While convention does have its value, be sure to use it as a tool to enhance your creativity rather than limit it.

Below are two songs in particular that have unconventional song structures: Aimee Mann's "That's Just What You Are" and Guns n' Roses nine minute anthem "Estranged."

Please be patient while allowing the songs to load:

Estranged:



That's Just What You Are:



Mann puts a unique spin on the A-B-C song structure, so that the song ends up being as follows:

A-B-C-A-B-C-D-E-B-C-A/C

An analysis of the song structure would be as follows:

• A is the verse.
• B is a pre-chorus; it paves the way for Part C.
• C is the chorus that centers on repetitive lyrics that capture the meaning of the song (and include the song's title as well).
• D could be called a bridge, as it is a piece that stands out more than the other parts of the song. It is a great example of a piece being inserted to prevent the song from becoming overly repetitive and monotonous.
• E is an instrumental section; it works in conjunction with part D to insert variety into the song.
• A/C is the outro of the song that layers the lyrical familiarity and melodic hook of the chorus with the verse that was established in the beginning of the song.

Try playing the song and identifying each of its parts.

Mann is a master of uniquely subtle songwriting, and many listeners may not immediately spot the structural richness of the song as it is well-defined and seamless, and runs about 4 and a half minutes long. An example of a more bold departure from conventional song structure is the brilliant Guns n' Roses song "Estranged."

The most obvious element of "Estranged" that signifies its bold departure from the conventions of songwriting is its length: coming in at 9:23, the song was deemed too long for radio, and received limited airplay on television as well. By virtue of its length alone, the song needed to employ a unique song structure if it were to avoid being overly repetitive.

Perhaps the most crucial element the song employs to avoid the spectre of boring repetition is a series of unique guitar solos. The transition between various elements of the song is often marked by guitar solos reflecting Slash's trademark sound. A switch from piano-driven pieces to guitar-fueled pieces also enables the song to smoothly grow and develop -- thus allowing it to be a highly expressive piece of music that does not become monotonous in spite of its extreme length.

While lengthy songs are somewhat characteristic of Guns n' Roses -- songs such as "Coma," "Paradise City," "Civil War," "Sweet Child o' Mine," and many others drifted well beyond the 5 minute barrier, a mark that radio stations often use to denote what they will give frequent rotation -- it is not the easiest of tasks. If you've got an idea for a long song that you think would work, have some patience, as these songs can be the most daunting to create.

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