The first time you heard “I Got a Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, didn't you feel like you already knew it? Ah, simplicity and repetition – making a brand new song feel familiar.
Though repetition is probably the meatiest device the Black Eyed Peas bring to this song, the hook I want to talk about is the breakdown and buildup.
I've mentioned the breakdown hook before (and I keep meaning to do a full post about Neil Diamond's use of the breakdown): basically, after a song has a good bit of momentum, you bring it almost to a halt somehow. Usually, you drop out most instruments except the drums and bass, and then you build the musical elements back until you've regained your momentum, and then some. This is a great hook, and is really suited to anthemic songs. The interesting thing about the breakdown hook in “I Got a Feeling” is that the whole song is basically a breakdown, in a constant state of building, building, building. Listen to this:
Hear the hook: I Got a Feeling MP3, Black Eyed Peas -- break it down right at the start Copyright info
This is the very first time the vocals appear, and the song is already dropping right into breakdown mode. There's only two percussive synth lines playing, plus the vocals. (Please don't get me started on the vocoder/autotuner.) A full 30 seconds of this before we start layering other instruments. And then for the next couple of minutes, with each pass through the progression, the song builds, builds, builds... That's how you build a feel-good song. And apparently in the worst recession in generations, that's what it takes for a record-breaking #1 song.
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