Chapter 14: Meter, 2 by 2

[cool_E]

Pat continues the discussion of meter by

introducing the "couplet." The couplet is

a 2 bar balanced, rhymed system. This is

slightly different from common meter in that

common meter is 4 then 3 stresses.

 

Here's an example of couplets:

 

Eenie meenie miney moe (4)

Catch a tiger by the toe (4)

If he hollers make him pay (4)

Fifty dollars every day (4)

 

Two sets of couplets.

 

Pat then goes on to describe how couplets

don't provide the same sense of expectation

as is created by the missing stress in

common meter. Pat does a very good analysis

of "End of the Innocence" by Don Henly &

Bruce Hornsby. Pat shows how mixing couplets

and common meter can create imbalance and

expectation that build toward a lyrical

payoff. In the case of "End of the Innocence"

the payoff happens on the last line of the

chorus.

 

Here are the lyrics to "End of the Innocence"

 

Remember when the days were long

And rolled beneath a deep blue sky

Didn't have a care in the world

With mommy and daddy standin' by

But "happily ever after" fails

And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales

The lawyers dwell on small details

Since daddy had to fly

 

But I know a place where we can go

That's still untouched by men

We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by

And the tall grass wave in the wind

You can lay your head back on the ground

And let your hair fall all around me

Offer up your best defense

But this is the end

This is the end of the innocence

 

O' beautiful, for spacious skies

But now those skies are threatening

They're beating plowshares into swords

For this tired old man that we elected king

Armchair warriors often fail

And we've been poisoned by these fairy tales

The lawyers clean up all details

Since daddy had to lie

 

But I know a place where we can go

And wash away this sin

We'll sit and watch the clouds roll by

And the tall grass wave in the wind

Just lay your head back on the ground

And let your hair spill all around me

Offer up your best defense

But this is the end

This is the end of the innocence

 

Who knows how long this will last

Now we've come so far, so fast

But, somewhere back there in the dust

That same small town in each of us

I need to remember this

So baby give me just one kiss

And let me take a long last look

Before we say goodbye

 

Just lay your head back on the ground

And let your hair fall all around me

Offer up your best defense

But this is the end

This is the end of the innocence

 

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Exercises:

 

Write small sections of lyrics with the following

meter & rhyme:

 

exercise number. stresses - rhyme scheme

1.

4 a

4 a

4 b

4 b

 

2.

4 a

4 a

4 a

4 a

 

3.

4 a

4 a

4 b

4 a

 

4.

4 a

4 b

4 c

4 b

 

5.

4 a

3 b

4 c

4 c

 

6.

4 a

3 b

4 a

4 a

 

7.

4 a

3 b

4 a

3 b

4 c

4 c

 

8.

4 a

4 a

4 a

3 b

4 c

4 c

4 c

3 b

 

9.

4 a

4 b

4 a

4 b

4 c

4 c

4 c

4 c

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Have fun!