Song Structure

[JGAdmin]

Have you started writing your own songs?

View the full lesson at Song Structure | JustinGuitar

[PSnewton17]

Best money I’ve ever spent in the last twenty years on learning music theory!! Ive got stacks of books but this course is what has finally put all the pieces together for me. You are helping so many people to affordably learn music theory. You are a born teacher. Thank you so much!

[Fncanuk]

I got lucky and found Justin after only a few months of learning guitar. Definitely seems like Justin gave us a very efficient path to understanding music theory and learning guitar!

[Fncanuk]

Do you have any examples of songs that change lyrics in their choruses? Let me know in the comments!

I was trying to learn “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz a couple months ago, and that actually taught me quite a bit about song structure that you’ve described in the lesson.

He makes little changes in the chorus. Chorus 2 stands more on it’s own, and chorus 1 is sort of combined with verse 2, and chorus 3 is combined with the first part of verse 2 (Outro), but he changes the rhymes used.

[Chorus]
But I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I’m yours

[Verse 2]
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you’re free
Look into your heart and you’ll find
Love, love, love, love

[Chorus]
So I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I’m sure
There’s no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I’m yours

[Chorus]
But I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait – I’m yours

[Outro]
Well open up your mind and see like me (I won’t hesitate)
Open up your plans and damn you’re free (No more, no more)
Look into your heart and you’ll find (It cannot wait)
The sky is yours (I’m sure)
So please don’t, please don’t, please don’t (No need to complicate)
There’s no need to complicate (Our time is short)
'Cause our time is short (This is)
This oh, this oh, this is our fate (our fate)
I’m yours

Glad to see you have a song tutorial for this already! I haven’t really used any from the site yet because I’ve been depending on Rocksmith too much for practicing and learning songs. I know I should do it without a screen feeding me notes to play so that I can play things just as well with without the game in front of me. Going to start on that real soon.

Below are the lyrics in their entirety for anyone curious about the break down. I think it’s a really fun song to learn. Someday I want to be able to play and sing it with an acoustic

I’m Yours Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Well you done done me in; you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
Now I’m trying to get back

Before the cool done run out
I’ll be giving it my bestest
Nothing’s going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it’s again my turn to win some or learn some

[Chorus]
But I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I’m yours

[Verse 2]
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you’re free
Look into your heart and you’ll find
Love, love, love, love

Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing
We’re just one big family
And it’s our God-forsaken right to be
Loved, love, love, love, loved

[Chorus]
So I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I’m sure
There’s no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I’m yours

[Bridge]
Do you want to come on scootch on over closer, dear
And I will nibble your ear

[Verse 3]
I’ve been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and I laughed

I guess what I be saying is there ain’t no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
It’s what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue

[Chorus]
But I won’t hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait – I’m yours

[Outro]
Well open up your mind and see like me (I won’t hesitate)
Open up your plans and damn you’re free (No more, no more)
Look into your heart and you’ll find (It cannot wait)
The sky is yours (I’m sure)
So please don’t, please don’t, please don’t (No need to complicate)
There’s no need to complicate (Our time is short)
'Cause our time is short (This is)
This oh, this oh, this is our fate (our fate)
I’m yours

[jfrossi]

Justin, ‘End Of The Line’ by The Traveling Wilburys. 4 choruses and all different. BTW, you are awesome! What a guitar instructor you are.

[rklein]

As part of my song structure education (thank you Justin for this and all of your theory lessons!), I listened to Justin’s “Feelings are the New Facts.” I love the hook which distinguishes the chorus. Although it was somewhat difficult to define due to the fact that the song is instrumental, I believe the song structure is as follows:

1. Introduction
2. Verse 1
3. Chorus
4. Verse 2
5. Chorus
6. Pre-Chorus
7. Chorus
8. Bridge
9. Chorus

[Eddie_09]

I love this lesson and between this and Justin’s Theory course it gave me the tools I needed to bash out a couple of original songs. With the feedback received from the forum I have since tweaked them a little, as well as writing a couple more which I plan to unleash in the near future. Thanks to all the team and to Justin for opening so many doors on this amazing journey!