SongwritingHooks

Zombie, by the Cranberries: Gritty, hook-y and wonderfully Irish

Editor’s note: Tami Hoban is our guest blogger today. Please check out her links, at the end of the post.
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One of the most significant bands I cut my musical teeth on in the '90s was The Cranberries. Delores O’Riordan and I hit it off big in my college days, she just never knew it. One Cranberries song in particular that everybody loves is "Zombie." When "Zombie" came out, everyone wanted to sing it. And it remains one of their best-loved songs.

So what made "Zombie" such a hit? Answer: Hook upon hook upon hook. I’ll name the most significant ones, in my mind, and number them for ease of reference, 'kay?

1. First of all, there was the novelty for us Yanks of trying to sing with that gorgeous, raw-dirty Irish accent. Not a hook, you say? Try singing it like an American. Not as easy as it sounds.

2. The next thing I’d point out is the grinding opening chords that kick in after the first four measures. This chord progression, carried on the electrics, is so tricked out with overdrive it inevitably causes you to scrunch your brow, set your mouth in a Billy Idol snarl and pound it out on air guitar. Try it now, just for fun.

Hear the hook: Zombie MP3, crunchy guitar             Copyright info

3. At the end of that opening, leading right into the first verse, is a very simple, very memorable solo, performed by Delores herself in concert. It's repeated later in the song, too. Easy to play, easy to whistle.

Hear the hook: Zombie MP3, solo

4. The pre-chorus and chorus are extremely repetitious in their melody patterns and in a great range for humming along (or humming without the music). “But you see, it’s not me, it’s not my family…”

Hear the hook: Zombie MP3, Delores O'Riordan gets going now

5. And, of course, the most significant hook is Delores’s signature yodel on the chorus. She actually does this throughout the song, but it’s most notable (and most copied) on the word “zombie” itself, and the echo-y vocalizing she does just after. “zombie-a-eh-a-eh-a-eh-a-eh, oh-o…”

Hear the hook: Zombie MP3, the bit that made Delores O'Riordan famous

…Nice.

About Tami Hoban:
Tami is a singer, songwriter and worship leader in the NW Chicago suburbs. Follow her at: tamihoban.wordpress.com
mylifeasadream.wordpress.com
twitter.com/tamipants

Back in Black, by AC/DC: The Guitar Riff

Ahh, simple yet satisfying. The guitar riff may be the greatest innovation in 20th century pop music. No doubt, an entire encyclopedia could be devoted to the subtleties of the rock riff, but let's let AC/DC do some of the talking first.

Hear the hook: Back in Black MP3             Copyright info

The Rock Guitar Riff: Catchy, Distinctive Branding

The rock guitar riff does a few things at once. It gets in your head, which is its main asset. But with a great hook, it's also a super clear identifier of the song you're listening to. Like a Nike swoosh or the golden arches, when you hear a great guitar riff you know immediately what song you're listening to. Unlike chord structure or even lyrics, you can't reuse someone else's riff without the world knowing that you did it. (In a world of sampling, that means artists are still going to rip off riffs -- they'll just do it overtly and in plain view. Perhaps the first mainstream example: Vanilla Ice, who would have had no career without the bass riff from Queen's "Under Pressure.")

The Best Rock Guitar Riffs: Anatomy of a Hook

A great riff doesn't have to be hard. "Smoke on the Water" is dead simple. But it doesn't have to be simple, either. "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "Sweet Home Alabama," though by no means killer shredding, aren't something that your average guitar hack can play at first listen.
Perhaps the only essential trait of a rock guitar riff is that it be repeated several times in a song. But even then there are exceptions. The intro riff from "Crazy Train" only happens at the beginning of the song, and can likely still qualify. Although, it raises a question: what's the difference between a riff and a solo? I'd argue that repetition is key, so maybe we need to take "Crazy Train" out of the mix.

Songwriters, it's your turn: Add links to online versions of your own songs, which feature a brilliant guitar riff. Or non-guitar riff!

And as always, please comment below with your suggestions for the best guitar riffs of all time.