Song of the Moment: Betterman

[mikejasond]

Like in the Creed song, the second verse and the first verse were obviously very distinct. But after that less so, and then it repeated things at the end.

[mikejasond]

I cant help feeling like you guys listen to music VERY mechanically. If you can't see that betterman is a constant build.

[bodysnatcher]

jesus christ i just caught up on the last 4 pages of this thread.

kill me. now.

[PHATJ]

I cant help feeling like you guys listen to music VERY mechanically. If you can't see that betterman is a constant build.

LITERALLY EVERYONE CAN SEE THAT

[mikejasond]

You are literally people that cannot understand what Betterman is doing outside of its chords. Its no surprise what songs you guys like now because some elements of music are just being completely lost to you.

[mikejasond]

I cant help feeling like you guys listen to music VERY mechanically. If you can't see that betterman is a constant build.

LITERALLY EVERYONE CAN SEE THAT

Then why are they continuing to complain that Betterman repeats itself? Which sections are they talking about?

[E.H. Ruddock]

no one is "complaining" that it does that. We are just pointing out that it isn't some ahead of it's time song like you say it is.

[ledvedderman]

HECK even just the choruses. I cant think of another song off the top of my head (NOT SAYING THEY DONT EXIST SINCE IM SURE THEY DO) where the first chorus is sung softly/sweetly/delicately, and the second chorus loudly/rocking out. Can you name some? Im sure they must exist but every song coming to mind the choruses are sung identically.

Hanging By A Moment by Lifehouse was the biggest song of 2001 and it has the first chorus song low and soft. It’s not used a ton, but it’s not reinventing the wheel or anything.
I can’t tell if you think the song is a 3 chord masterpiece or a prog rock song ahead of the curve of everyone else.

[E.H. Ruddock]

Its no surprise what songs you guys like now because some elements of music are just being completely lost to you.

lol yep. Elements of this community have been around for 20 years. Trading music, talking about it, many are musicians themselves. But yeah, elements of Betterman are just lost on us.

[mikejasond]

Its a 3-chord masterpiece. And Im saying it has unique elements besides just the CHORDS. Who care that it uses 3 chords? It does OTHER interesting things instead. What are the two parts that you guys think sound the same? What part repeats itself?

[mikejasond]

Its hard for me to ask for other pop rock songs that repeat themselves as little as Betterman does when you guys think Betterman repeats itself....when it never does

[mikejasond]

Like hanging by a moment. It was good. But it does go back to the beginning on the last verse/chorus.

betterman never does. Which I find very interesting because I cant think of any songs that are like it that aren't very long

[ledvedderman]

You are saying “who cares that it uses 3 chords” AND saying that there’s nothing (NOTHING) repetitive about the song. I don’t care about the chords. I care that you clearly are missing the point and don’t know what you’re talking about. You cannot make the two comments at the beginning of this post. You just can’t.

[mikejasond]

....using the same 3 chords does not mean its repetitive? Because there are other aspects of music besides just the chords

[mikejasond]

Youre looking at tiny pieces. Youre examining pixels and not the whole picture.

[mikejasond]

And in fact, making such a non-repetitive song out of the same 3 chords is even more impressive. Because yes I can point to bohemian rhapsody (though even that one has repetitive verses in the first section) and say it has 3 different sections. It obviously does. For Pearl Jam to create such a non-repetitive song without even changing the chords is pretty impressive.

[ledvedderman]

....using the same 3 chords does not mean its repetitive? Because there are other aspects of music besides just the chords

Of course it means it’s repetirive! The things happening outside of those 3 chords are nothing special on their own. Mike plays a pretty standard solo. Stone plays different variations of the chords Ed is playing on the acoustic. This is Rock Band Song Writing 101. It just works though on this song. The stars aligned for it.

[bodysnatcher]

making such a non-repetitive song out of the same 3 chords is even more impressive.

Green Day did it for 10 albums. HOW IMPRESSIVE IS THAT???

[E.H. Ruddock]

dude, the first few lines of the second verse before the band kicks in is exactly the same as the first. So how is that not repetitive? And because EV sings the chorus louder, is that why you think it isn't "repetitive"? Because singing it louder doesn't change the fact that he still says "betterman"

[ledvedderman]

What about Not For You? Sure it starts with drums from the start, but it builds and is 3 chords (not counting the bridge). How does that register?