Hi floyd,

When I listen to an AABA song that's as robustly written and as exquisitely polished as this one, it makes me really appreciate just how strong this songwriting form is. It's a shame it's not used more these days.

You've done an amazing job putting this composition together. Your writing and presentation are 'standing ovation' material. They deserve nothing less. I don't think I've heard such an outstanding performance from you. (I'm going to have to go back and revisit all your posts just to see if my impression is correct! That should keep me off the streets for a couple of months.)

What stood out to me most prominently this time was how you've used lyric movement, and anticipation of lyric movement, to enhance the song's emotional punch. Opening with a standard rhyming couplet, you set the scene for it to be followed by the usual second rhyming couplet. It doesn't happen. Your disruption of what was anticipated (because so many songs use back-to-back rhyming couplets) kept me as the listener tuned, waiting for 'love' to find it's soul-mate rhyme. It never did. Leaving this dangling, unrhymed, unresolved third line so early in each A-section unbalances each of these sections very effectively and is an ideal backdrop for intensifying the lyrics' emotion. The phrases "no good believing in love" (A1), "don't believe that love can last" (A2) and "no good holding on to the hope" (A3) are magnificent phrases to leave dangling without rhyme. It's such attention to detail that makes you the master songwriter you are!

I was also incredibly impressed that you used the b-c-c-b rhyme scheme to close each A-section. I've only ever played around with this. It's a very unstable pattern and has been called the "In Memoriam quatrain" - taking its name from Tennyson's poem called "In Memoriam" (apologies if I've mentioned this in a previous post or two and I'm repeating myself). To my ears, those final four lines in each A-section pack a huge emotional wallop. [If anyone reading this is curious about the effect of this particular rhyme scheme, have a look at Tennyson's poem via the below link. Read it aloud and I think it will be easy to appreciate the power of the rhyme scheme and how it leaves a listener pondering, wondering and generally feeling wistful. It's a great illustration of the emotional power of rhyme.]

link to "In Memoriam"

... and the bridge in "No Good Again" ... wow! It soars. It really soars.

This truly is inspirational work.

Regards,
Noel

P.S. What you've very effectively shown us aspiring songwriters with "No good again" is that an [aaxbccb] rhyme scheme, when coupled with a [5,4,5,3,2,2,3] meter and presented in AABA form, has the potential to be an incredibly emotional musical journey. This is a powerful lyric template you've provided for anyone who is brave enough to try it smile

NOTE: The above interpretation of meter is open to other possibilities but that is how I heard it.

MY SONGS...
Audiophile BIAB 2024