Compositors

How to Write a Hit
If you love music and you’re determined to succeed as a songwriter, you have the poten-
tial to do it, even if you have no musical training. The first and most important step
is to learn everything you can about songwriting and what makes a song a hit. Part 1
begins with ways to go about getting this education by finding work that can finance
some musical training while also increasing your knowledge of the music business.
Understanding how historical events and social attitudes influenced which songs became
hits during the twentieth century sets the stage for exploring what hits are made of.
Yip (E. Y.) Harburg, who wrote the lyrics for The Wizard of Oz, once said, “It doesn’t
matter what else you have if you don’t have the idea.” You’ll discover how to find and
tap into all the great ideas around you. You’ll learn about the many ways that words and
music can come together and find out how to meet the right partner, establish a success-
ful working routine, and keep the partnership going no matter what pressures arise.
Most of the major songwriters feel that their work is half done if they come up with
an exciting title. Why do some titles instantly grab the public’s imagination? I ana-
lyze hit titles, past and present, and determine which ones have built-in hit potential.

I remember my mother standing over me, urging me to practice the Beethoven piece
my teacher had assigned me for that week. I was bored and rebellious, and finally I
shouted, “I want to be a songwriter. How can studying Beethoven help?” She shrugged
her shoulders and said, “How can it hurt?”
Years later, I’m grateful for my mother’s advice. Admittedly, formal knowledge of
music isn’t necessary to become a hit songwriter. Songwriting, as multimillion-selling
composer Barry Mann has said, is an inborn ability. You may hit Billboard’s top spot
without a single lesson of any kind. But a musical background can make songwriting
success easier.
Looking at the Hit-Makers
Songwriters can be trained by teachers or be entirely self-taught. The question is: If
you want to make a career of songwriting, how much training do you need? Let’s look
at some chart-topping writers for an overview.
These songwriters studied music from the time they were young:
➤ Sheryl Crow received a degree in classical music from the University of Missouri
and taught music at a St. Louis elementary school.