We figured it was time to talk about rhyme; a cornerstone of songwriting. So we invited one of our favourite singer/songwriters – Blair Packham – to take a closer listen to songs with a plethora of rhymes and one with virtually none! We talked about:

* The songwriter’s personal approach to rhyme

* Does rhyme distract from the the emotion of the song?

* Kinds of rhymes – rhymezone.com

* Perfect rhymes for something certain (e.g. right/might)

* Assonance rhymes for uncertainty or negative feelings (e.g. around/down, blood/rush)

* Pat Pattison – how do rhymes serve the song?

* Rhyme schemes

* Neel’s notes on rhyming from Pat Pattison’s Songwriting course on Coursera

* The notion of the “illusion of authenticity” – stay tuned for a future theme show with Blair!

Listen to the show

https://s3.amazonaws.com/songtalk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Song-Talk-Radio-Episode-218-Rhyme-A-Rama.mp3

 

Download the lyrics

Simple Twist of Fate by Bob Dylan

Cry Me a River by Arthur Hamilton

You’re the Top by Cole Porter

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman