Elements of Songwriting - Take your time

Some songs hit hard, hit fast and get it over with. But sometimes a song needs to meander through, giving itself time to build, to change, to "find itself". This next song is a great example of this. The band, Death Cab for Cutie, was actually kind of finding their own way through the song as they recorded it.  Stick with it - the vocals don't even start until about 4 1/2 minutes into the song.  And listen closely.  One note on the guitar can change the whole feel.  Listen to the echoes.

"I Will Possess Your Heart" - Death Cab For Cutie

I love the way the drummer fades down to nearly nothing during the first verse.  And the bass just stops for about a minute.  Often in song-craft silence is the most powerful thing one can play. 

Click here to watch an interview by the band on the recording of this song.

 

Here's another song that I like for taking it's time.  The band Boston was born in the seventies, and "progressive rock" or "art-rock" at that time did not trim the length of songs down to fit radio.  What do you think this song would be like (it's actually two songs - they are always played back to back)  if it had been cut to 4 minutes?  (Listen to this one with your finger on the volume knob.)

"Foreplay/Longtime" - Boston (audio only)

I dig that quiet organ right before the transition into "Longtime".  Also, all of those spacey sound effects are made with a guitar - NO SYNTHESIZERS.  I'll blog more about Boston in the future.

Which of these long songs do you like best?  Why?

Comments

[Kari]

You don't seriously expect me to choose between these two songs do you? A favorite from my recent-recent present and a classic favorite from my youth...yeah, no, I ain't choosin' nothin'--

I absolutely LOVE the way DCFC builds that song so subtly, the emotion is building, building, building and you don't realize it until the drums & bass drop out, vocals start and you realize you've just hit the climax. Great story telling through instrumentation.

Boston, on the other hand, takes you there again and again. Builds right off the start, takes you back and builds up again. I have a fondness in my heart for Boston. ;)

[daralee]

EXACTLY what ^she said!!!

[RevJeff]

I think "possess" mostly because the BOSTON song is just full of too many flashbacks for me. I like it fresh.

:)

I'd never heard that DCFC song before...(do they get much air time on Christian radio?) It reminds me of an all time best jam session... that suddenly becomes a "simple" but powerful performance...

[Ed]

I like "Longtime" the best. I have always been a Boston fan.