About this episode

Clay and Marty analyze five hit songs that defy traditional songwriting rules and discuss their success.

Clay and Marty break down five massive hits — "Lovely Day," "Lyin' Eyes," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "When Doves Cry," and "Before He Cheats" — that violate core songwriting rules they normally teach. Find out what they did wrong, and why these worked anyway!

People in this episode

Hosts: Clay Mills, Marty Dodson

Topics covered

• songwriting rules
• music analysis
• hit songs
• song breakdown
• music commentary

Keywords

• songwriting
• music hits
• analysis
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• Lyin' Eyes
• Lovely Day
• When Doves Cry
• Before He Cheats

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Lovely Day, Lyin' Eyes, Bohemian Rhapsody, When Doves Cry, Before He Cheats

More episodes of SongTown on Songwriting | Mastering the Art of Great Songs

• Clay and Marty’s Mount Rushmore of Songwriters · July 6, 2026 · 7 min
• 4 Signs Your Songwriting Is About To Click · June 29, 2026 · 7 min
• Your Song Is Already Copyrighted — Here’s What Most Songwriters Get Wrong · June 22, 2026 · 8 min
• 12 Song Pitching Mistakes That Peg You As An Amateur Songwriter (Don't Burn Bridges!) · June 15, 2026 · 15 min

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