![]() A good melody has, as Aaron Copland once famously wrote, an “inevitability.” This logical shape is what makes it beautiful and, therefore, desirable. A tuneful melody is going to have a shape, a waxing and waning, a rise and fall of the pitches, a focal point or two, and a long-term forward motion from note to note to note to its logical conclusion. Even though there may be recordings of such a song by professional singers with very elaborate instrumental accompaniments, this is not the only way that it can be performed. Indeed, such a melody is generally something that the non-professional can sing unaccompanied. Such a melody is one that is so appealing that people want to “carry it with them,” sing, hum, even whistle it while they are driving to work, doing the dishes, folding laundry, etc. I am speaking about the sort of melody that has a winsomeness to it, even a portability. In fact, this used to be the hallmark of the popular song. Perhaps I should clarify that when I say “melody,” I mean a tuneful melody-the kind that popular songs used to have in abundance. One thing struck me continually and almost without exception I felt like the old lady in the 1980s hamburger commercial who would exclaim, “Where’s the beef?”Įxcept that I would exclaim, “Where’s the melody?” Over and over. I did this over a period of several years. At one point I decided that I would sit down and do some careful listening to current top-forty songs and write brief critiques of them. Lyrics aside, I like to think that I can speak with some authority on the music itself, having a masters and doctorate in music composition. As a college music professor, I am asked from time to time by students what I think of this or that popular song or songwriter.
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