The Two Types Of Rhyme That Will Make Your Songs Soar

Ask anyone to list some characteristics of songs, and they’ll say “Songs rhyme.” Although this isn’t always true, rhyming is a major reason why people love to sing. Rhymes are fun, and they help us remember lyrics.

Today we’ll look at the major types of rhyme – perfect rhyme and imperfect rhyme.

First, here are three things to keep in mind throughout post:

• The meaning of your song is more important than the rhymes. Don’t force a line to rhyme at the expense of the song’s message.

• Your last line is the “punch line” – it’s important to end this line with a strong word rather than a weak one, even if the weak one would give you a perfect rhyme.

• On a related note, try to rhyme your most important words. This means you’ll have to be willing to write imperfect rhymes, which we’ll define below. For example, “God” is an important word but there aren’t many perfect rhymes for it – especially if you want to avoid the words that have been too well trod as a rhyme for God.

Types Of Rhyme: Perfect and Imperfect

Perfect Rhyme: When most people think of “rhyme,” they think of pairs of words like “true/blue” or “cat/hat.” This kind of “perfect” rhyme occurs when the sounds of the final accented vowel and final consonant (if the word ends on a consonant) are identical. Here are examples of perfect rhymes that often populate worship songs:

• Save/grave
• Shame/blame
• King/bring
• Go/below
• Pray/way

In past centuries, many writers considered perfect rhyme to be ideal. Today, most songs contain a mix of perfect and imperfect rhymes.

Imperfect Rhyme: Otherwise known as “near rhyme” or “half rhyme.” If two words almost sound alike, then those two words form an “imperfect rhyme.”

Because of the connotation of the word “imperfect,” you may think that it is better to write perfect rhymes. But it is better to use an imperfect rhyme than to sacrifice the idea or tone of your song in order to use a perfect rhyme. Also, sometimes if your song contains too many perfect rhymes, it will sound childish, or too much like a greeting card.

Finally, perfect rhymes are more likely to be clichéd because writers have used them so often in past and present times. If you tell me that the first rhyming pair in your new song is “love/run,” I’ll feel better about it than if you tell me it’s “love/dove.” Christian hymnody probably has enough doves of love from above.

Jennie Lee Riddle uses imperfect rhyme in “Revelation Song”:

“Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lightning, rolls of thunder”

Do you see that “color/thunder” is the imperfect rhyme? The words nearly rhyme because the sound of the “o” in color and “u” in thunder is similar, and also because of an element of imperfect rhyme called consonance (the repetition of the same consonant two or more times in close succession). “Color/thunder” each end with the “r” sound.

Consonance doesn’t have to be present in imperfect rhyme. You can also use assonance, the agreement of vowel sounds within words. “Bright/mine” is assonant because of the long “I” sound. See how Jon Egan uses both assonance and consonance in the first four lines of “I Am Free”:

“Through You the blind will see
Through You the mute will sing
Through You the dead will rise
Through You all hearts will praise”

The words at the end of the first two lines (see/sing) are an example of assonance (the long “E” sound). The words at the end of the next two lines (rise/praise) are an example of consonance (the “s” sound). So, assonance and consonance are each elements of imperfect rhyme.

Photo above by Ben Salter, used via Creative Commons license.

Win “Come Back Soon,” The New Worship Album By Tara Leigh Cobble

Last year I interviewed Tara-Leigh Cobble, an author, speaker and singer-songwriter. Tara-Leigh and Kristen have been good friends since their days in New York City. Now of course Kristen and I are a part of Sojourn in Louisville, while Tara-Leigh is a part of Greenville, SC’s NewSpring Church.

Last year, Tara-Leigh took part in NewSpring’s worship album No Other Name. Tomorrow, May 21 2013, Tara-Leigh releases her first solo record of worship songs, Come Back Soon. You can get Come Back Soon from her website and from iTunes. And you can register to win one — details on that in just a minute.

Come Back Soon was birthed out of Tara-Leigh’s desire to write an album of songs for congregational worship, following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that left her longing for Christ’s return. Of that trip, she wrote:

“I miss Him more now. I long for Him with a deeper intensity. But it has granted my heart something that almost feels giddy, anticipating that day when we will dine and share stories of our great love as we sit at the banquet table.”

Besides the title track “Come Back Soon,” other standouts include “You Are Greater” (based on Colossians 1:19) and “Abide With Me/I Am Nothing,” adapted from the classic Henry Lyte hymn “Abide With Me.” But my favorite is “Tether My Soul,” a catchy, mid-tempo praise song that asks Christ to keep us close to him:

I’m only free
When I’m bound to You
So tether my soul
Tether my soul

Now, about that giveaway — just send a Tweet with this copy by the end of today, May 20, PST:

I’m tweeting to win a copy of #ComeBackSoon, the new worship album by @taraleighcobble

We’ll draw winners using the Random Number Generator at random.org.

Songwriting Toolkit: The Verse-Verse-Verse Hymn Structure

After an article defining the common song elements  (verse, pre-chorus, chorus, refrain, bridge), we’ve looked at the Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus (V-C-V-C) songwriting structure and the V-C-V-C-B-C structure (where “B” stands for “bridge”).

Today we examine Verse-Verse-Verse (V-V-V). This last major structure isn’t used as often today but is still the most-repeated structure in the history of Christian song, because it is the structure used in nearly all hymns until the 19^th century, when refrains (and later, choruses) began to grow in popularity.

V-V-V is often called the “storytelling” or “balladeer” structure because the form allows for more room to tell a story than other forms. Let’s say you have a three-verse hymn, with eight lines per verse. That’s 24 lines in which to tell your story. Compare that to a V-C-V-C-B-C song in which the verses each contain four lines, the chorus contains four more and the bridge adds two. That’s a total of fourteen lines – ten less than the hymn.

Of course the verses of some hymns contain just four lines, like “Amazing Grace,” while others contain six, like “Rock of Ages.” And many hymns have more than three verses (the most common is four verses, so that’s V-V-V-V). The more verses a hymn has, however, the more likely that churches will omit one or more of the verses.

Since V-V-V has no chorus, the title often comes from the first line of the song. Consider “When I Survey The Wond’rous Cross,” “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed,” “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “In Christ Alone.”

“For me, (and I’m borrowing from the great hymn writer James Montgomery here), a good hymn text has a striking first line.  It needs to be immediately accessible the first time you sing it, not too poetically obtuse and opaque.  But it needs to bring new insights when you sing it over and over again.  This is a very tricky balance to achieve by the way.  It’s very rare for a great poet to be a great hymn writer.”

— Kevin Twit, founder of Indelible Grace, in an interview with me here at My Song In The Night

The hook may also be the last line of each verse. Brooks Ritter and I did this on the contemporary hymn “Lead Us Back,” ending each verse with “Lead us back to life in You.”

Since few current songwriting blogs and books mention this form, and since even fewer dive into the depths of hymn-text writing, we discuss it quite a bit here. You can get started by visiting our Modern Hymns page.

Mother’s Day Tribute For A Sojourning Mom

We try not to write articles that are too self-promotional here at My Song In The Night. But at the risk of sounding, well, not quote self-promotional but spouse-promotional, this Mother’s Day blog post is all about Kristen Gilles, my beautiful wife.

You’ve celebrated with us, journeyed with us, and wept with us over the past year as Kristen and I conceived a son, Parker, and as she carried him through pregnancy, gave birth to him, and buried him that same week. Our son is now with the Lord, but here are some things I’d like the world to know about his mom, Kristen:

Kristen mothered Parker exceptionally well during that pregnancy. She prayed for him. Constantly. She prepared herself, the house and our family for him. She talked to mothers and read about motherhood. She exercised daily, ate well and did everything else that modern science tells pregnant moms to do. She labored hard for him, through tears and prayers. And when she awoke from her emergency C-section, she immediately thanked and praised God for allowing her to carry Parker for 42 weeks.

Here are a couple things some of you may not know about Kristen:

• She is an excellent stepmother to my three sons Garrett, Logan and Connor.
• Most every Sunday that she isn’t leading worship at Sojourn Church, she is taking care of babies in the church nursery.

I don’t know what the future holds for us but Kristen has been and will always be a wonderful mother. Today will be a hard day but Kristen still believes it is the day the Lord has made. And like on many Sundays, she is joining her voice with the band that is leading our people in worship. Kristen nurtures and comforts our entire community. They love her, I love her, God loves her. I believe that Parker knows and loves his mother too.

Songwriting Toolkit: The Verse-Chorus-Bridge Structure

Last week we looked at the Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus (V-C-V-C) songwriting structure. This followed on the heels of an article defining the common song elements  (verse, pre-chorus, chorus, refrain, bridge). This week, we add bridges to the mix, as we look at the V-C-V-C-B-C structure.

This might be the most popular structure in 21^st century worship songwriting. Follow the V-C-V-C guidelines, then insert your bridge (usually two to four lines) following the second chorus.

We’ve noted that the second verse should not simply repeat the information of the first verse, but should advance the story or help us understand the message of the chorus in a new way. This is true of a bridge, too. But while you “cover new ground” with your second verse and bridge, remember that we are talking about the development of a theme, not the presence of another theme. Vicky Beeching says, 

“Most songs cover way too many ideas or themes, and the lyrics lack the punch of one focused idea. When you’ve written a verse and a chorus, the temptation is to move on to a different theme for verse two, and maybe a different theme again for the bridge! Stay true to your initial focus/idea and go deeper into it during verse two and the bridge. Resist the urge to pack ten themes into one song – aim for one theme!”

Allie LaPointe stresses the need to say something new in each part of the song, while sticking to one theme: When I interviewed Allie here at My Song In The Night, she said,

“I challenge myself to make sure every line points to the thesis, and that every word counts.  Verse two must say something new, and must progress from verse one.  But everything points back to the title.”

Contemporary worship songs that follow the V-C-V-C-B-C pattern include “Here I Am To Worship” by Tim Hughes, “Mighty To Save” by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, “Christ Has Risen” by Matt Maher, “Forever Reign” by Reuben Morgan and Jason Ingram, “Happy Day” by Tim Hughes and Ben Cantelon, and “Beneath The Waters (I Will Rise)” by Brooke Fraser and Scott Ligertwood. Daniel Bashta’s “Like A Lion” plays with the structure by ending the song on the bridge, leaving us without a resolution – perhaps to indicate an ongoing “sound of revival” in our hearts.

Alternate Route – Some of the best loved worship songs dispense with the chorus altogether, so the formula is V-V-B-V. Since there is no chorus, the hook line comes at the beginning or end of the verses. The bridge, unlike a chorus, usually doesn’t state the main idea but it brings in fresh material to support it. Songs that fit this pattern include “Give Thanks” by Henry Smith, “Come, Now Is The Time To Worship” by Brian Doerksen, “As The Deer” by Martin Nystrom, and “Majesty” by Jack Hayford.

 London Bridge photo by Sojourn deacon Chuck Heeke

Don’t Worship The Worship: Looking At What Leads Us To The Throne

The Psalmist David realized that God’s unfailing love for him was the key that unlocks the door for sinners to enter and worship in God’s house.  Psalm 5:7 doesn’t say, “Because of the intercession of the priests” or “Because of the blood of bulls and goats” or “Because of my good works and how much I love You, God, I can enter Your house.” It says:

Because of Your unfailing love I can enter Your house;
I will worship at Your temple with deepest awe.

Although David worshiped the Lord under the rules of the old covenant, he understood that God’s unfailing love for sinners was the means by which he was able to come and worship the Lord.  “Because of Your unfailing love I can enter Your house.”

The same is true for us. Our worship is not what leads us “into the throne room.” Worship is our grateful response for having been led to the throne room by God’s unfailing love in giving His Son to die for our sins. It’s true for worship leaders, it’s true for pastors, it’s true for everyone in the assembly.

And what was David’s response to God’s love? Worship.  Deepest Awe.  He was floored by the unfailing love of God and compelled to worship God with deepest awe.  He wasn’t awed by the work of the priests or the blood of the animal sacrifices or by his own good works and love for God.  David was awestruck by his merciful, loving God who had made a way for him, a sinful man, to come and worship in God’s house. Why wouldn’t he be? And why would we feel this way, even more so today? STOP. Clear your mind. Now, consider these short passages, as if reading them for the first time:

“Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure.”  (Eph. 1:4-5)

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” (Eph. 2:4-5)

“God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (I John 4:9-10)

Mind blowing.

But many times the posture of my heart is something other than reverence and awe when I come to worship God.  It’s easy for all of us to forget the reasons why (and the means by which) we worship the Lord.  We still bring offerings of our own merit to atone for our sins. We promote the good deeds we’ve done, or we condemn ourselves for the wrongs we’ve done and the good deeds we’ve left undone.  We discount the unconditional, unfailing and liberating love of God, forgetting the perfect sacrifice of Jesus in our place.

Consider again what worship was like under the old covenant (before Jesus died and rose again):

“Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.” (Heb. 10:11)

Now consider and marvel again at what Jesus has accomplished for us:

“But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There He waits until His enemies are humbled and made a footstool under His feet. For by that one offering He forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:12-14)

Oh the great love of God who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins that we might have access to Him and be made perfect and holy as He is!

Our response to God’s unfailing love should be nothing less than David’s: we should go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts, fully trusting Him and His finished work (not fiddling around with offerings of our own merit); and there we should worship with deepest awe the Savior who cleansed our guilty consciences and bodies with His innocent blood.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.  By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a Great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him.  For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.” (Heb. 10:19-23)

“So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins.  He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” (Eph. 1:6-8)

• Photo above by Chelsey Scott

Join Us In Texas This Fall For Austin Stone Worship Conference

October 22-24, the Austin Stone Community Church is hosting a worship conference. I’m honored to have been asked by Austin Stone Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey to join a speaker list that includes worship leaders, songwriters, church creatives and pastors like Matt Carter, Jesse Reeves, Charlie Hall, Emily Ward, Donna Stuart, Robbie Seay, Jourdain Johnson and Todd Agnew. My own Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper will be speaking as well. You can learn all about this worship conference from AustinStoneWorship.com. An excerpt:

“Austin Stone Worship Conference is not just a gathering for worship leaders and artists, but it is an experience for lead pastors, worship leaders, students, entrepreneurs, artists, urban innovators, songwriters, storytellers, church planters and everyday leaders – anyone pursuing the worship of God, in community, whatever the context, for the sake of the Gospel.

… we believe that art is an excellent tool for displaying the attributes and character of God, and want to equip fellow artists to proclaim the gospel with their unique talents and abilities in their specific communities.”

Kristen and I will both be in Austin all week long. We’d love to visit with you, if you can attend.

Besides the speakers listed above, here are a few speakers that I’ve interviewed in the past here at My Song In The Night. I’m looking forward to catching up with each of them. You’d enjoy their insights, too:

• Aaron Ivey
• Matt Papa
• Matt Boswell
• Stephen Miller
• Michael Bleecker

If you register by July 1 it’s just $99. Join us!