Weekend Wariner
Journalists work daily with words and I’ve always suspected that makes most of my fellow writers more interested in lyrics than the actual musical elements, particularly melodies. Oddly enough, you can be trained to do a better job of writing words but it’s close to impossible to teach somebody to create good melodies. It’s a gift and it ought to be celebrated rather than treated as a secondary part of a song.
That thought is spurred by two events: One happened last week when a fellow journalist told me that he is attracted first to the lyrics of a song. That’s particularly amusing to me because there are songs I’ve loved for decades that I’m only now beginning to understand, mostly because I paid no attention to the words. The other event is the simple recognition of a 20th anniversary. On July 25, 1987, Steve Wariner went to No. 1 with “The Weekend.” It remains one of my favorite country songs because it’s the perfect blend of words and melody.
If you haven’t heard it, you should find it. Beckie Foster and Bill LaBounty wrote it about a little escapist romance. Steve delivers it with the fragility of someone who unintentionally fell in love -- perhaps with the woman he spent time with, perhaps with the idea of what she represented -- and is unable to shake the memory. It’s a touching song that inevitably reminds me about a similar, blip-on-the-screen relationship that created a wave of magic for about a week, then a wave of sadness that lasted for months.
At any rate, the beauty of “The Weekend” is that it so easily illustrates the importance of melody. Sure, the words pinpoint the details but the haunting sonic progression and Steve’s ability to capture its subtle pain make the song work. It’s that emotional stirring created by a certain pattern of notes that, I think, makes for the best music. If the words mean something too, that’s all the better. But I’m much more interested in songs that get sung in the shower than songs that get studied in English classes.
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storme says:
I agree….to a point.
Melody is that ear-catching hook that grabs you. As a listener - and like a fish caught on on enticing lure - I can only hope that what I’m ingesting will satiate my hunger for a fulfilling experience. Too often , and like the fish, I’m left with the helpless feeling that I’ve been duped into a trap.
The perfect balance between melody and lyric is the Holy Grail in music.
I will admit, I am a lyric person. I can often overlook a less than perfect melody if the message in the song sucks me in.
I also enjoy a great melody if the lyric leaves something to be desired.
The difference is that a good lyric makes me feel full. A catchy melody without the meat is pretty much like eating rice cakes - nice to munch on, but I’m hungry 3 minutes later.
I can survive on meat. I cannot live on rice cakes.
As long as a fruitless catchy melody tosses me back into the river and allows me the opportunity to seek a full-bodied meal, I’m OK.
It’s when the river is filled with hooks and nothing else that I begin to become nervous.
Sheila says:
I agree with you 100%! Steve Wariner is the absolute greatest! Fantastic songs, melodies, and lyrics - and what a musician and songwriter! I was hooked on Steve’s music from the get-go, and “Weekend” is my favorite song of all time!