In the class survey, one of the queries presented to me from the 80 students in this online course was they wanted songwriting tricks. I didn’t expect that. I love songwriting tricks but in previous classes, I have not found common ground walking people through tricks I like. They never seem to share any aha moments, like describing to the scene in a movie that blows you away, and the listener doesn’t give a shit. Just because you are blown away doesn’t mean the person you are telling it to also is. There is a trick in how to explain a trick. But anyway, I decided to make a playlist and ask them if they can recognize the songwriting trick it contains.

Gigantic by The Pixies,
Your Cheatin’ Heart by Hank Williams,
Moonshadow by Cat Stevens,
You Are my Sunshine Johnny Cash version,
Reckless by Madison Beer,
Dancin’ in the Dark Bruce Springsteen,
Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones,
Raspberry Beret by Prince,
Rebel Rebel by David Bowie,
Life During Wartime by Talking Heads,
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles,
My Cherie Armour by Stevie Wonder,
Faint by Lincoln Park,
What The World Needs now Jackie DeShannon version,
Crazy by Patsy Cline,
Training Session by Dua Lipa,
Blue by Billie Eilish,
Leave Before you Love Me by the Jonas Brothers,
Blinding Lights by the Weeknd,
One Love by Bob Marley