Create a momentary time signature change by simply adding a beat (or bar), especially if you need extra space to fit more words into the vocal line. This is the opposite trick to the The Lennon Edit (Ticket 37) and is common in the same genres of music – solo blues, folk, TV themes and advertising jingles.
Back In The USSR - second chorus
Don't Let Me Down
Helter Skelter – at 0:30 the G chord is delayed while McCartney sings 'tell me” four times (compare 1:10 where he sings the line three times and the G is a bar earlier)
Revolution 1- at 3:24 (due to a mistake in tape editing)
also
Coney Island Baby – chorus (Tom Waits)
I'm Shakin' (Jack White)
Let Me Roll It (Paul McCartney) (again, due to a mistake in tape editing)
Soundcheck Song – 'keyboard' verse (Matt Blick)
The Key - 3rd verse (Sonny Boy Williamson)
See also
Ticket 2: Put Your Song On A Diet
Ticket 15: Change Time Signatures Between Sections
Ticket 29: Use Polyrhythms
Ticket 37: The Lennon Edit
Ticket 53: Write A 'Jazz-Style Intro' Verse
Ticket 57: Use Rhythmic Displacement
See the full list of songwriting tips here - Tickets To Write
Mole Town Prisoner - chorus 2 & 4 (the pillows)
ReplyDeleteFrank Black / The Pixies: all the time. I notice that a lot of his punchy songs are played in 6s. Usually it feels they are a little clipped, i.e. it's an 8 beat 2 bar line, but the lyrics stop on beat 6, so cut beats 7&8.
ReplyDeleteperfect examples of this are 'Dig For Fire' chorus (6+6+8)
also 'Big Red' from Teenager of the Year. But it's all over the Pixies and a major hidden reason why their songs are so taut. IMHO.
Yes the Pixies are a great example - maybe if they seem cut it's more like a 'Lennon edit'?
ReplyDelete