Great Songs vs. Good Songs: What's the Secret Ingredient?

Great Songs vs. Good Songs: What's the Secret Ingredient? March 26, 2012

I am a fiercely attentive student of great songs and great music. I spend many hours just absorbing the work of skilled lyricists and musicians, trying to understand the rhyme and the rhythm. As a wannabe musician and songwriter, I am acutely aware of my own limitations in these areas, yet I seem to have a knack for recognizing greatness when I see it.

Still, I realize that my definitions of “greatness” may differ from others’. So I would like to ask you, my readers, what do you think is the ingredient that separates a GREAT song from a simply GOOD song? Some time ago a similar question was going around about great music in general, but I want to tighten the focus to songs specifically.
Let me hear your thoughts. Any genre is game, though if your ideas vary from genre to genre, I will find that very interesting. Feel free to expand on the role of Christianity and Christian themes in song as well. Do you think non-Christian writers can still put truth in their work to make something great?


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