What's in a Song – Details, episodes & analysis

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In this episode, we break down Father Figure from Taylor Swift's record "The Life of a Showgirl".

In this episode we look at:

• The chord progression
• Melodic hooks
• Rhetorical devices
• Guitar voicings
• The stunning bridge and what the back ground harmonies are bringing to this section to make it so spectacular
• Phrasing
• Prosody
• Sign up for the Master class:

The songwriting secrets of Taylor Swift Nov 18th:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator

Support this podcast:

https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys

Join the “What’s in a Song” community: 

https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "What if it All Goes Right: Practicing Hope in the Hardest Times" featured on NPR and the Wall Street Journal:

https://www.amazon.com/What-All-Goes-Right-Practicing/dp/B0CTYVQ9Q8

Joe Bennett:

To learn more about forensic musicology and professor Joe Bennett: https://joebennett.net/

Mailing list:

https://www.scarletkeys.com/

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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Track32 on "The Life of a Showgirl" - Opalite

I'm back with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett

In this episode we look at:

• The chord progression
• Chord tensions
• Harmonic rhythm
• Borrowed chord
• Rhetorical device
• Production
• Direct modulation

To sign up with the virtual live master class "The Songwriting of Taylor Swift" with Scarlet Keys: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator

Joe Bennett:

To learn more about forensic musicology and professor Joe Bennett: https://joebennett.net/

Mailing list:

https://www.scarletkeys.com/

Instagram: @scarletkeysofficial

Become a member of the What's in a song songwriting community or become a supporter:

https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "What if it All Goes Right: Practicing Hope in the Hardest Times" featured on NPR and the Wall Street Journal:

https://www.amazon.com/What-All-Goes-Right-Practicing/dp/B0CTYVQ9Q8

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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To sign up for the November 23rd virtual LYRIC WRITING WORKSHOP: 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1070697919299?aff=oddtdtcreatorhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/1080037885389?aff=oddtdtcreator

My guest today is New England based singer/songwriter Jesse Terry.

Before I introduce him I wanted to let you know that on Saturday Nov. 16th I am offering a virtual 3 hour songwriting workshop.  There are a few spaces left and you can sign up through the show notes or on my website at scarletvkeys.com

This workshop will be very process oriented focused on lyric writing.

You will be doing a lot of small writing exercises to sharpen your lyric writing skills.  We will work on metaphor, avoiding cliche’s and literary devices used by some of the best writers.

Today we will talk about his writing process, crowd funding an album with your super fans and some of the reasons he writes such beautiful melodies.  He’s going to play a few song off of his new record Arcadia, released Oct. 4. And this might just be his best record yet.

It’s rooted in rhythmic rock & roll and sharp songwriting, Arcadia marks a turning point in Jesse Terry's career. It's the seventh original album from an award-winning musician who's spent much of the past decade on the move, playing 150 shows annually, bouncing between solo performances and full-band gigs. Arcadia captures both sides of that musical personality, finding room for amplified anthems one moment and intimate moments the next, showcasing just how wide Terry's reach can be.  Arcadia is layered with dueling electric guitars, stacked vocal harmonies, and heartland hooks, all supplied by instrumentalists like Ethan Ballinger (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack), Ross McReynolds (Katie Pruitt, Becca Mancari), Sam Howard (Molly Tuttle, Joy Williams), Juan Solorzano (Ruston Kelly, Parker Millsap), and Danny Mitchell (Rodney Crowell, Anderson East). It's a big, bold sound — the sort of record that begs to be played in the car, windows rolled down, driving down the fast lane toward some new horizon. At the center of that sound is the craft Terry has been sharpening since his years in Nashville, back when he composed songs for others as a staff writer on Music Row. A grand-prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Terry established himself as a top-shelf.

Jesse's new record: https://open.spotify.com/album/5lpXAMZDC4hqAU0t2AV29Z?si=SpFXPTHsSL-BidKeOtVbgg

https://www.jesseterrymusic.com/

Become a podcast member:
Join the "What's in a Song" membership community:
https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys



Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meani

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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In this episode, I talk with singer/songwriter Kylie Rothfield.

She shares what she learned about singing and stage fright from Alicia Keys.  We talk about what she learned from writing with some of the best writers in Nashville, song craft, process and so much more.  This was a good one!

Pre save Kylie's single coming out Sept. 27th here:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylierothfield/never-loved-somebody?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=Email+&utm_source=SendGrid


https://www.instagram.com/kylierothfield/


When one hears Kylie Rothfield‘s voice, there is no denying the timeless, raw sense of emotion in her delivery. Crafting songs that combine elements of soul, blues and pop, Kylie’s music is unique, honest, and expressive. Although her vocal ability is undeniable, she is also an accomplished self-taught guitarist, sponsored by Epiphone guitars and fully capable of supporting her captivating live show as a solo acoustic performer or with a full band. It’s no wonder she caught the ears of Alicia Keys, who described her as “a blossoming, powerful flower with so much heart, so much talent, so much emotion and vocal power”.

In July of 2015, Kylie signed a publishing deal with Terrorbird Media and Elephant Lady Records/Kyle Andrews. Together, they had 5 placements on national television in their first year together (NBC, E!, ABC, MTV).

In September of 2016, Kylie was selected to be on The Voice (NBC). She was chosen by Alicia Keys, who coached her throughout the season, and carried her through to the Top 20 Live Shows in November. Her performance of "Hound Dog" in the knockout rounds garnered attention by many media outlets and was called the "dark-horse breakout performance of the season". Guest advisor Faith Hill said “Kylie absolutely blew me away. She interprets songs like a true artist and she could sing ANYTHING”

She has over 1 million combined streams on Spotify & Apple Music from recent independent releases and was recently featured on NBC's Songland S2 (06/08/2020), working with Ester Dean, Ryan Tedder, and Shane McAnally to pitch a song she wrote to Tony and Grammy-winning artist Ben Platt. 

Most recently, in 2024 Kylie signed a management deal with Arianna Soto and a record deal with new label, DVG Records. She is currently in the process of recording a full-length album that is set to be released in spring 2025.

Become a podcast member:
Join the "What's in a Song" membership community:
https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys



Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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In this episode, singer/songwriter Michael McDermott talks about writing process, writing from your life and shares new songs off his two new albums dropping Sept 13th.

Join the "What's in a Song" membership community:
https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys


https://michael-mcdermott.com/home

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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Today I have Berklee Professor Ben Camp on the show discussing AI
We talk about where it is now and what it means for songwriters in the future.  We talk ethics, creativity, originality, works that are derivative and Ben takes a song we wrote together years ago and puts it through AI to demonstrate some of the current possibilities AI offers creatives.


Ben Camp has taught songwriting to over 2,000 students at Berklee College of Music, and is a gold record awarded writer and producer. Ben's songs have amassed over 100 million streams, appeared in film and TV on networks like MTV, CBS, NBC, and more. They have written singles for Brice Fox, Tiesto, Victoria Justice, Sam Feldt, and others. Ben has been following the developments in AI for over a decade, and you can find their interviews about AI + Music on NPR, Al Jazeera, and others. 

https://www.bencamp.com/

To support this podcast or to join our Membership: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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In this episode, Pat Pattison, author of "Writing Better Lyrics" walks us through step by step of how to find metaphors. This is the exercise I gave to writer Madi Diaz that she talked about in the previous episode.

Pat talks about the difference between simile and metaphor for songwriters, passing metaphors and central metaphors and takes us through a song by Eli and Fur and Gillian Welch.

https://www.patpattison.com/

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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My guest today is one of my former students singer/songwriter Madi Diaz

Madi grew up in Pennsylvania where she was homes schooled by her mother and took piano lessons from her father at the age of 5.

After high school, Madi was accepted to Berklee College of Music and met her first collaborator Kyle Ryan which led to her recording her first record skin and bones in Hawaii.

Later, Madi went on to tour with the civil ward and Landon Pig.  She was featured in Paste magazine as on of teh top ten buzziest acts at SXSW and had songs featrured in ABC family’s Pretty little liars, Drop dead Diva, Army Wives, had her song “The End of the Day” featured on the television series Nashville performed by Connie Britton and Charles Esten.

Since then she had gone on to record several albums, was a guest on Last Call with Carson Daly, and went on to tour with Harry Styles band playing guitar and singing back up vocals and supported Kacey Musgraves on the UK and European legs of her Deeper Well World Tour.

Madi has released 6 studio albums and 4 EP’s 

Today we will talk about so many things that are helpful for songwriters from the biz to inspiration to writing to a prompt for a film placement and listen to a few songs off of her most recent album “Weird Faith”. A case for co-writing and preparing to write.

https://madidiaz.com/

To support this podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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In this minisode, I talk about writing melody and thinking of melody as the song's tone of voice.

Auditioning melodies to make sure we pair the best notes with our most important words and the power of unstable notes in writing great melodies.

To join my summer songwriting class "Writing Better Melodies" click here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/melody-writing-intensive-tickets-943422099897

If you sign up before July 15th, you will receive a free copy of my book "The Craft of Songwriting: Music, Meaning and Emotion" or some  "What's in a Song"  swag.

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

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"Inspiration is for Amateurs"

"Don't be 'a writer' but instead be writing." - Faulkner

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

To join the "What's in a Song" community membership: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys


Link to song from band Corner Boy "Morning Morning": https://open.spotify.com/track/7wjyEuRd6pYN34BmVkOpa1?si=a25d393f73594a0b
https://www.cornerboymusic.com/

Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/

Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1