This has evolved into an arrangement discussion, but in reading the OP's orignal post, it started as a discussion of song length.

I highly recommend Pat Pattison's free Berklee songwriting course offered through Coursera.org.

It's mostly a lyric writing class, with Pat expounding on various topics, some of which are very pertinent to Guitarhacker's questions.

Pat has this one idea he calls 'the boxes', wherein he describes songs with lyrics should have about 3 boxes, or elements of a story.

As you progress from the first verse through the last, each of the story elements should fit into the next one presented - that is the succeeding story element should use the previous element, with a new detail or twist added so that what is presented as an idea can 'contain' the previous idea. The final box should be a big enough idea to 'contain' the previous two boxes.

Anyways, you might still be able to sign up for the course - it begins October 14th. I am taking it again just to absorb more of the content.

-Scott

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