I’ve identified something of a trend in my recent music ‘likings’ – many of them bend or break the traditional rules of rhyme and rhythm. For instance Juliet Turner lyric:
I will not be leaving you
cos that is not the way I do things
Can’t get worse, might get better
Has always been my way of thinking
…
or perhaps
I’m standing next to lady liberty
She brings a sentimental tear
A little water in the eye
Always good to have a cry
Take some time to wonder why
Then business as usual, business as usual.
Of course KT Tunstall is another
My heart knows me better than I know myself
So I’m going to let it do all the talking
I came across a place in the middle of nowhere
with a big black horse and a cherry tree.
Ok in this verse she does go on to rhyme “talking” “walking” and “tree” with “me”, but this pattern doesn’t hold in the second verse; “two” and “tree”. Writing the lyrics down only half captures this tho, and they play fast and loose with the rhythm too, particularly Juliet Turner (count the syllables in the Lady Liberty lines!)
Not that this is a new phenomenon – songs like Park Life, Cool for Cats do the same kinda thing.
I was trying to decide if Hayley Hutchinson fits this pattern… The best I could manage was her bridge:
Sing to me some sweet meleody
I don’t think it’ll help me sleep
I’m tired but I’m so guilty
I cut you down with my honesty
I would probably also edge the Kasier Chiefs into this category – although they do rhyme, there’s something a little odd about their structure and timing.