Explore the intricacies of life and the beauty found in the minutiae with 'Details' by Imogen Heap. This song invites listeners to delve into the subtleties of everyday moments, capturing feelings and observations without the constraints of rhyme. Immerse yourself in a melody that reflects the theme of paying attention to the finer points, celebrating the unique aspects of existence.
The light filters through the curtains softly,
illuminating the dust dancing in the air.
A clock ticks in the corner,
marking the moments I often overlook.
The taste of morning coffee lingers,
grounding my senses in warmth.
Outside, the leaves whisper stories,
rustling in a wind that knows no agenda.
I capture fleeting thoughts,
scribbled on notepads,
fragmented memories,
snapshots of laughter and silence.
The way your smile changes with the angle of sunlight,
a prism reflecting unspoken words.
In the street, a child pauses,
pondering a ladybug climbing a green stem,
the world suspended in that moment.
There are details, little pockets of existence,
that hold vast importance only I can see.
The rhythm of footsteps echoes,
each beat a reminder of the journey,
every pause providing space to breathe.
I notice the patterns in the wallpaper,
how they tell of lives lived before,
creating a tapestry of uncharted territory.
I listen to the raindrops hitting the window,
a soft percussion, a lullaby of the city.
These fragments, these glances, hold meaning,
in the absence of spectacular views,
I find solace in the details.
Let's linger a little longer,
tracing our fingers along the edges of ordinary,
learning to celebrate the invisible,
where life quietly unfolds and becomes something profound.
Chords not available
Beat not available
DETAILS
For this assignment, please write a complete song with no rhymes.
None.
No end rhymes, no internal rhymes.
Clearly, rhyme is a big part of popular music.
It creates a satisfying relationship between stanzas.
But expectation of rhyme, especially end rhymes (rhymes of last the words of selected stanzas) is really all about cadence and symmetry.
Similar line length, similar melody shape, and similar melody rhythm all participate in the expectation of rhyme.
So, in order to get out from under the expectation of rhyme, you will need to pursue asymmetry by varying those elements: line length, melody shape, and melody rhythm.
EXAMPLE:
Today in class we listened to "Moolight In Vermont," and "America."
Paul Simon's "America" is prime example of success in this pursuit.
Let us be lovers, we’ll marry our fortunes together
I’ve got some real estate here in my bag
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner’s pies
And walked off to look for America
“Kathy,” I said, as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
“Michigan seems like a dream to me now
It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw
I’ve come to look for America”
Laughing on the bus
Playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said, “Be careful, his bow tie is really a camera”
“Toss me a cigarette, I think there’s one in my raincoat”
“We smoked the last one an hour ago”
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field
“Kathy, I’m lost,” I said, thought I knew she was sleeping.
“I’m empty and aching and I don’t know why”
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They’ve all come to look for America
All come to look for America
All come to look for America
Words and Music by Paul Simon
No rhymes.
When there is expectation of rhyme created by cadence, line length similarity, and cadence, the absece of rhyme can be jarring.
But, because of the cleverly crafted melody in this song, we never expect it to rhyme, so it never bothers us that it doesn't.
This approach is on my list of personal songwriting challenges, and I have already been working on such a song.
I think this is a tremendously important road to travel.
There is great freedom in the absence of the need to rhyme.
The Beatles, Arctic Monkeys, Clairo, Imogen Heap