When a new songwriter first starts writing songs, it’s often for their own benefit. They want to get their story told. As a songwriter develops, the attention shifts to the emotional impact those stories will have on the listener. The melody goes a long way toward setting the mood, but it’s the lyrics that your audience will be singing in their heart.
One simple technique is using repetition to drive home the emotion. Dionne Warwick’s hit “I Say a Little Prayer” is a great example of this. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the song moves back and forth from the little moments of the singer’s day to drive home the idea that she’s always thinking of her love.
The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you
While combing my hair now
And wondering what dress to wear now
I say a little prayer for you
This straightforward, relatable song went to #4 on the Billboard Top 100 for Warwick in 1967. A year later, it was again on the charts. Recorded by Aretha Franklin in 1968, it went to #8. And a full thirty years later, Diana King recorded it for the My Best Friend’s Wedding soundtrack, taking it to #38 in 1997 and proving the timelessness of this simple love song.