WHAT IS HOW SONGS WORK?

How Songs Work is a co-curricular course on the subject of the American popular song. 

Topics include:

1) History and Forms

    History and Evolution of the American Popular Song

        (1850 - 1927)

    The Great American Songbook and 32-bar Form

    Influence of the Songbook on Early Rock n Roll

    Adaptation of Blues Form to Early Rock n Roll

    Evolution (Not Revival) of Modern Verse-Chorus

        Form in the 1960s

    Thru-Composed Form

    Epic Form

2) Contemporary Song Parts

    Criteria for Successful Introductions

    Functions of the Verse

    Simple, Contrasting and Changing Choruses

    Five Kinds of Bridges

    Function of the Prechorus

    Existence of the Postchorus

    Functions of Instrumental Breaks

        incl. Narrative Functions

    Kinds of Outros

3) Listening

    Lyric Narratology

    Access Songs and Mirror Songs

    Dynamics between Notes and Lyrics

    Questions of Performance and Song Stretch