Top 10 records every wedding DJ needs: No. 2
Why is Van Morrison's Brown Eyed girl such a successful record?
People "hear" music before they "hear" words. But what do they actually remember? Neither, I think.
It's confusing for a songwriter to hear that, but I think it's true. So what do listeners specifically remember about a song?
In the vein of “Summer of 69†, “Brown Eyed Girl†is an enduring classic record. Who can avoid its charms at a wedding disco? It’s a simple song about the reclamation of
youth, about love, simplicity, passion. And it has the added market appeal that
it references about 25% of the world’s population in the title. Van was not writing this for
a niche market.
I was playing pool in the student union when this record came on in the
jukebox. I could probably give you a good guess as to what I was
wearing, eating, who I was with, what I was thinking about, how much I was losing by…
Brown Eyed Girl is a soundtrack for happy times. Evocative. Music is a catalyst for emotion, but it's the emotion that people remember first, and the music second. Songwriters hoping for that enduring classic should think in terms of creating moments: enhancing experiences rather than creating notes and melodies.
Songs help human beings to feel alive. Once your song is indelibly associated with a certain emotional experience, listeners will return to the song to reclaim and re-examine that experience. The more firmly the song is rooted in a clear emotional experience, the more enduring the song will be.
I know a couple who admitted that Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it On" was their favourite all-time record. Need I say more?
Songwriters…musicians…people who enjoy good music… What are your thoughts? Do you agree, or am I way off the mark? Post a reply below.
