"Savage" - Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé, 2020

 I am hoping this entry will unlock some of the mysteries that have me perplexed regarding how a song becomes no.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  "Savage" is first released by Megan Thee Stallion in March, 2020.  The song becomes popular, largely spurred by a Tik Tok dance and accompanying video by Stallion herself, but doesn't chart very high on the hot 100.  

Somewhere along the lines, Beyoncé hears the track and decides to do a remix.  She takes the base track and gives the tune a major overhaul, essentially turning out a completely different song.  The end result is a record setting no.1 hit for both ladies. [1] 

Herein lies the mystery.  In my opinion, "Savage" is the epitome of bad pop music, banking on a simple backing track, limited melodies and cringe-worthy lyrics that play exclusively to pop culture's lack of sophistication and dignity.  It is, however, damn catchy.  Even after hearing the original Megan Thee Stallion version, and being very unimpressed, I came away with the hook stuck in my head.....a hook that is devoid of melody.  What is going on in this song then?  Why is it so popular?  Hopefully this analysis can shed some light on that mystery.

May 30th, 2020: "Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion, featuring Beyoncé, hits no.1 for one week!

After analyzing several songs from 2020, a clear trend in simple forms is seen.  This one goes verse-chorus, verse-chorus, bridge, verse-chorus.  There is a nice wrinkle in Beyoncé's verses, 12 measures versus Megan Thee Stallion's 8 measures.  

The 4.5 measure intro looks strange, but the .5 accounts for a 2 beat pickup that leads to Beyoncé's opening lines.  

The bridge feels like a verse, featuring vocalizations from both singers that are similar to their previous contributions.  The structure sets it apart.  It begins with 4 measure of MTS rapping, which leads into melodic singing from Beyoncé.  After 4 measures, MTS takes the reigns again before we get a final verse from Queen B.  

There is a natural evolution embedded in the form.  MTS primarily handles the first verse and chorus.  Beyoncé takes verse two and contributes a little more on the second chorus.  The bridge is double booked and Bey gets the third verse.  The final chorus is also a double feature.  This form is a good example of evolution of a song, or hearing the same thing without hearing the same thing.

Chord Progressions

The entire song is based on two alternating chords:

Base Chord Progression

These two chord are played on a keyboard sounding synth in very close voicing.  The ninth on top with the minor 7th in the mix makes them very dense.  Because of this, they key, and even tonal center, is hard to pin down with certainty.  

Sometimes, the song feels like it's in the key of Ebmin, in which case this progression is: i bii

From a melodic standpoint, it aligns closer with Bb minor, moving the progression to: iv bv

The relative major of Eb minor is Gb major, moving the progression to: vi bvii

The relative major of Bb minor is Db major, moving this progression to: ii biii

No matter how you slice it, it's two alternating chords.  We never get any more harmonic clues to cement us firmly in any camp.  I am reminded of Drake's "In My Feelings" (2018) where there were two alternating half steps, but the melody was clearly rooted in a key.  As we will see, the melody of "Savage" strongly indicates Db major and Bb minor triads, with pentatonic lines, hence the key choice of Bb minor.  

Melody

"Savage's" melodic content ranges from spoken rap segments to full on singing and several moments somewhere in between.  Beyoncé's opening 4 measures foreshadows elements we will here for the remainder of the tune:

She begins with a melodic motif that moves between F and Eb, sitting very low in her range, almost spoken, but undeniably on a pitch.  F against Ebmin9 serves as the 9th and the Eb against the Emin9 is a major 7th, which further adds to the dense dissonance of that chord.  She introduces the bulk of the rhythmic content in the song, strings of 16th note syncopation.   We also get a preview of the background/production elements.  There are some high harmonies appearing intermittently as well as the echoing "okay" and "yeah."  The 4th harmonies here will also carry through most of the tune.

Megan Thee Stallion follows up Bey's intro with the rap laden first verse:

Verse 1 - MTS

Megan's verse contains elements foreshadowed in the intro.  We see many 16th note combinations.  Throughout the verse we get vocal responses reminiscent of the into, as well as some harmonic enhancements to words in the rap.  

The chorus is certainly the focal point of the song and home to the catchy hook "I'm a savage...."  Each time the chorus happens, it is presented differently.  The first time features MTS following up on her rapped verse.  The second and third times feature additional background vocals/noises and responses from Beyoncé.  The third time even features a very low vocal mixed over the spoken rap, reinforcing the natural high/low flow of the spoken part.  The following is a representation of most of the combined elements across the three statements of the chorus:

Chorus - combined elements

 The chorus has much more melodic space than the verses.  The harmonic elements generally occur on "I'm a savage," strengthening the title hook.  We also see the vocal responses grow in frequency and complexity as the chorus moves along.  Noteworthy too, is the overall structure, a repeated 4 bar segment based off a repeated 2 bar phrase.  The chorus is very repetitive and predictable, possibly accounting for mass appeal.  

*Check out the third chorus, which features a building "ooh" from Beyoncé.  She builds a chord with Eb, F and Ab, creating this Ebmin11 (or Fmin / Ebmin) sound that is very compelling.  

After the first chorus, Beyoncé gets the 2nd verse and truly begins to transform the song.  All of the elements foreshadowed in the intro, first verse and chorus are enhanced even further with this 12 measure verse.

Verse 2 - Beyoncé - meas.1-4

The first 4 measures are spoken and develop 16th note rhythmic themes with varying entrances (beat 2 and beat (1)+), eventually getting faster with 32nd note syncopation.  We continue to see harmonized and response background vocals, usually incorporating the parallel 4th sound.  The vocalizations in the opening bars outline a Bb minor/Db major arpeggio.   

The next four measures expand the rhythmic adventure, throwing in 16th/32nd note syncopation.  We also see a return to a theme from the intro, the repeated F and Eb pitches.  In the 4 measures below, the bottom staff represents a new synth element that toggles between Eb and Bb.  There is also a rhythmic vocal in this line, occurring on all the upbeats, that reminds me of something out of the "Lion King" or "Moana."  

Verse 2 - Beyoncé - meas.5-8

The final 4 measures return to mostly straight 16th notes and give a clear key indication in the last two measures.  There, we see a Bb minor pentatonic line, complete with parallel 4th harmonies.  

Verse 2 - Beyoncé - meas. 9-12

Beyoncé's 3rd verse is along the same lines as this verse and uses many of the same conventions: 16th note rhythmic passages with harmonized words and sang responses.  

The bridge, which is an honorary verse, begins and ends with Megan Thee Stallion.  She comes in rapping hard about her impending credibility, courtesy of Bey.  She also ends the bridge by rapping 4 measures that were included in the original version of "Savage."  Aside from the chorus, this is the only part from the original that makes it into the remix, for better or worse.

In between MTS's bridge work, Beyonce interjects what may be the most interesting part of the song.  It is different enough to warrant calling this section a bridge, and is even labeled as such in the YouTube Video lyric description. 

Bridge - Beyoncé - meas.5-8

Notably, the entire section is sung on a pitch, separating it from the rapped verses.  The opening melismas are centered around Bb minor pentatonic, getting us closer to a tonal center.  We also hear plenty of harmonized 4ths throughout this short section, so though different, it ties in close to previous material.  

Musical Sticking Points

The musical element that sticks out to me most is the evolution of the track from beginning to end.  It starts sparse with just the piano.  The drums trickle in and eventually add the bass tones.  This eventually falls apart, giving way to another synth or vocal element before returning later on.  The textural landscape of the song is ever changing, despite the static harmonic elements.  

There is some nice complimentary syncopation happening between the primary piano line and the drums and bass.  

developed drums/ base harmonic progression

The drum programming is very deep and there are even claves hiding in there.  At various times, accents stick out in the drum programming, mostly revolving in the higher frequencies and cymbals.  The above accents can be heard in the first chorus on the high hat.  Perhaps it's these slight nuances that keep your attention throughout the song, though I would imagine this is subconscious.  

The melodic content in the song is, generally speaking, not very strong.  Rhythmically, it is very complex, but melodically is touch and go.  I am reminded of "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem and Rihanna (2010).  In that tune, the choruses had a strong melody while the verses housed the rhythmic rapping.  There was a little something for everyone.  This tune has that, but it's mixed in a little here and there. 

 Consider this analogy: If music was like a Thanksgiving dinner, Rihanna provides the melodic meat and potatoes while Eminem throws in all the favorite side dishes, on a separate plate.  Beyoncé is the meat and potatoes, but they are mixed up with some of the side dishes, and then Megan Thee Stallion throws her side dish right onto the same plate, then they start to mix it all together.  Obviously this is a tasty concoction, but sometimes I just want to enjoy the elements individually, or at least with less confusion.

  

Lyrics

Here's where I really lose it with this song.  I generally get turned off from songs that are braggadocious for the sake of being braggadocious.  The remix lyrics, while offensive in many respects, are actually a step up from the original, which is not intended to be a compliment.  Both versions feature lyrics that hype up the singers to the nth degree of hype.  

When reading these lyrics, I had many questions....what does bougie mean?  What does ratchet mean?  Why is she so proud to be a savage?  Here's what I found

Bougie: Aspiring to be a higher class than one is. Derived from bourgeois

Ratchet: a slang term in hip hop that, in its original sense, referred to an uncouth woman, and may be a Louisianan regiolect version of the word "wretched" or a variation of the word "ratshit."

I think the consensus is that while she is classy and aspires to reach beyond her current means, she is, at the core, streetwise.  This article sheds a little light on the situation. [2]  Megan actually says it best in her verse:

Hood, but I'm classy, rich, but I'm ratchet 

Beyoncé's verse are laced with advertisements.  She references Tik Tok, "demon time" and "Fans Only" in her verse, as well as her own clothing line, Ivy Park.  she also references her famous hips and gives a shout out to her mother, Tina Knowles (sadly not Tina Turner, who I assume is admired by current pop singers for her contributions?)[3]

While I am not a fan of the lyrical content, they are crafted very well.  Internal rhymes are all over the place and perhaps best seen in the chorus:

I'm a savage, classy, bougie, ratchet

Sassy, moody, nasty 

 Common Threads

This round "on the 0's" has more data points than any round to date!  I have analyzed one song from 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000; two songs from 2010 and this marks the third song from 2020.  For each of these 10 analyses, I have kept a list of common elements present.  Here is how "Savage" fits into this puzzle.  

• Repeated melodic motifs 
• Strong harmonic motion from V to I  -This song could be the least harmonically sensible song analyzed in this project....
• Background singers contribute to melodic/harmonic texture - the background vocals set the remix far apart from the original.  They are integral to the texture of the song.  
• Modulation -  
• New material presented at the end 
• Hook that uses the title of the song   
• Contains a lyrical refrain  - "I'm a savage" could be considered a lyrical refrain as it appears in the hook, at the very end of the song and gets callbacks in the verses. 
• Evolution of musical elements -  This common thread has been eluding this list and has been an important element present in multiple songs.  

5/8 elements is a good showing for this song, in a musical sense.  In the wrap up (potentially the next entry), these elements will be analyzed and flushed out a little further, trying to uncover musical elements present in no.1 hit songs, regardless of the decade.

Final Takeaways     

This is a tough one.  Part of me really likes this song.  It has attitude, which earns it a point when scoring with my anti-authority side.  The rhythmic hook is easy to reproduce, especially considering you can speak the words and not be bound to any sense of pitch.  The background vocals and harmonies are cool and the 4th sound is very appealing to me, especially against the minor half stepping progression.  

Another part of me can't stand that this song is so popular.  The lyrics are not good and generally offensive, at least when it comes to playing it for my kids.  The music, while appealing to me, is kind of boring after a while.  I generally gravitate towards good changes and this one just doesn't deliver.  

Then there's Tik Tok.  I do not use Tik Tok but have a general knowledge of how it works.  In viewing YouTube videos, I get instantly hot when I see comments that say "only like if you didn't come from Tik Tok."  First off, who cares?  It's music.  Tik Tok is only 15 seconds long, which is not remotely enough time to really make a true assessment of any song.  Secondly, why does it matter if you are familiar from Tik Tok or not?  I don't like to stand on a soapbox about frivolous social fads, but this one leaves me scratching my head.   

What do you think of "Savage?"  Is it possible to like the song for the song, or do you need to do the dance?  How does the original compare to the remix?  Leave me a comment!

Up next time:  If "Rockstar" remains at no.1 for the week of August 8th, 2020, I will compile the data into a round 3 wrap up.  If there is a new song at no.1, I will analyze that and then complete the round 3 wrap up.  Whew, what a round!

   

[1]https://www.wmagazine.com/story/beyonce-megan-thee-stallion-savage-number-one/

[2]https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/savage-by-megan-thee-stallion/

Song Writing Experiment #1

I am a composer.  I write music in many genres and styles from progressive jazz fusion to children's songs.  I love the act of creating music and exploring ideas.  I have been writing since I picked up the bass guitar at the age of 14, probably even before that.  In my initial overview of this project, I stated my hopes to gain insight into my own songwriting:  

What else?

I write a lot of music in many different genres.  Through my song analysis, I hope to get some insights into my own song writing and push myself past my normal writing limits, conventions and tastes.

 Writing "pop songs" is not always in my bag, but given all of these analyses, I am eager to infuse my own voice into the genre.  So, I sat down at a keyboard and attempted to come up with something interesting.  I will now analyze my own song and attempt to find out if I used elements of no.1 hit songs, consciously or not!

"Devil's Luck" by Steve Johnson Jr.

 The form is straight forward, cycling through verse, prechorus and chorus twice.  In lieu of a bridge, the drum groove, from the intro, sets up the outro.  There is a slight wrinkle in verse two, cut to four measures, from eight.  In the middle, there's an extra measure crammed in to create a psychedelic effect and paint the words "life in the bubble moving on the slow."

I used an old version of Garage Band and found the electric piano sound to set up the groove.  I performed the programmed drums, using the "Tight Studio Kit."  I also performed the guitar and bass parts. I included a few synth elements to get those swells and string pads as well.

Chord Progressions 

The verse and chorus are driven by a 4 measure progression, set up by the keyboard:

Verse/Chorus Progression

The key to the song is up for debate.  Having been enamored by songs like "Close To You," "Incomplete," "Magic" and others, I decided to have the key sound like one thing, but technically be something else.  To me, the tonal center sits in G minor:

i  iv / bvii iv  

The Fmin7 doesn't quite fit into that equation (usually major).  C minor may be more applicable and results in this:

v i / iv i

This is a little closer to "correct," but the minor v chord isn't quite "right" now (usually major).  In truth, I tapped into Eb major to draw out these chords, the true home for the Gmin7, Fmin7 and Cmin7:

iii  vi / ii vi  

The prechorus offers a little more insight with this progression:

Prechorus Progression

In the key of Eb, this part plays out to:

V  / I / V /IV / V / bIII / V / IV

in C minor, it works out to be:

bVII / III / bVII / bVI / bVII / bV / bVII / bVI

Calling it Cminor has a strong appeal:  Gb, the bV chord, or the "tritone," AKA "The Devil's Interval."  (Yes, I am reaching)

The outro contains a slight variation on the primary progression:

Outro Progression

v  III / III i in C minor - iii I / I vi  in Eb

So even though  I wrote it, I'm not technically sure how to label it.  G minor is certainly the tonal center, but the chords come from Eb major, the relative major of C minor.  

Melody

The chorus kicks things off, establishing melodic themes that will carry through in the verse and outro.

Chorus

The melody primarily uses G, F and Bb, occasionally making it up to C and D.  Most passages outline Gmin7, leaving out the 5th.  The syncopation on "devil's luck" and ""wind it up" will occur in various sections, as will the 16th note figures introduced here.

The verse occupies the same melodic space as the chorus, leaning a bit heavier on the Bb, as opposed to the G.

Verse 1

After analyzing Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, I may have written this part differently.  The verse and chorus are too close in their melodic choices.  Rhythmically, the verse has less space and introduces some new 16th note syncopation.  I purposely included the "devil's play" line to be a callback to the chorus.  Retrospectively though, it seems too much of the same.  

The prechorus breaks away from the sameness with only major chords, juxtaposing the minor chords in the verse and chorus:

Prechorus

  

Starting on F, the melody descends to C, utilizing syncopation from previous sections, with more space.  The Gb6, the only non-diatonic chord, is highlighted with a slight shift to the Gb in the melody.  In the repeat of the prechorus, the entire melody includes lower harmony. 

The final section in the song is a big jam, repeating this line:

Outro

  

Again, call backs to previous melodies dominate the section, with a few new additions every 8 bars.  This entire part is accompanied by a noodling guitar solo and synth elements.  

Lyrics

I wrote the lyrics in response to the general state of the world - the pandemic, social unrest and the biblical nature of present day society as it may or may not relate to the end of days.  

Generally, my lyrics saunter to the impenetrable side and I tend to write with very vague and obscure hints as to what I really mean to say.  Partly, I like the possibility of multiple interpretations, even ones I did not necessarily intend....who likes being told what to think?  I prefer lyrics that let you interpret them based on your own perceptions. 

My lyrical spark was the phrase "luck of the Devil," which seemed appropriate when looking at our general situation.  After some consideration and tweaking, here's what I came up with:

"yo yo yo, dropping in from below, this piece is about to get lit up!"

Chorus:

Devil's luck, 

We be burning down an evil pablum

A bigger problem

Wind it up

A wall of wins and words, it won't stop em

No, won't stop em

Verse 1:

Sit back reach for the sky,

High is where the good ones always lie

Dig in deep with no regrets

Such a long time coming outta hedge the bets

It's all your call, so push away

A center stage seat at the end of the day

For the devil's play, no escape

It's bound to come soon, keep your mind awake

PreChorus 1:

Love, in a time and place

Goes to the empty space just below you

Love in yourself displaced

Long for a sweet embrace to take control

Chorus

Verse 2:

1,2; 9 months to go

Living in a bubble moving on the slow

All messed up, don't relate

The speed of life just pumped the brakes on

Prechorus 2:

Love, in a time and place

Goes to the empty space just below you

Love in yourself displaced

Long for the normal pace to take control

Chorus

Outro:

If we're gonna make it, we're gonna need the Devil's luck

There is a little variation from chorus to chorus, but those are the basic lyrics.  There are a few hidden Easter eggs I will crack open:

The opening spoken line, contributed by Lucifer himself, contains a very random reference...."light this piece up"...with "piece" referencing a wig....which would equate to a "flaming toupee," or perhaps more appropriately, "hell toupee"???

There are a few moments where you could interpret the lyrics to be a call to action or a call to be not sober...

"1,2; 9 months to go," - 1,2 starting a count and "9 month to go" referring to potentially how much more time we can expect in social distance society, is my birthday!  1-29. 

Themes and Lessons Learned

As mentioned, the chord progression is intentionally misleading.  I set out to string together chords that make you think and feel one thing that are technically something different.  I would say I accomplished that, for the most part, even if I'm not completely sure about it.  I did try to work in a more deliberate tritone sequence, but they all sounded too forced.  I'm glad the one I didn't force (Gb6) theoretically lines up!

A common thread of many songs analyzed was repeated melodic motifs.  As noted, I used small chunks from the chorus in just about every section.  I may have overdone this one.....  As a note to self, I did not write out this melody before I performed it.  In the future, I will probably write it out first and perform after.  I am adept at recognizing patterns visually.  When dealing with my own music, it's easier to see it instead of only hearing it.  My ears have a bias to my own creations...

A few easy elements I aimed for included having new material present at the end of the song, a hook that uses the song's title and the element of background singers.  I can check the box on all three of those!  Keeping step with common threads, the entire outro could be considered a lyrical refrain, as "devil's luck" happens quite frequently throughout the song.

In the future, I think I will compose when an actual idea inspires me.  I sat down to write this one with NOTHING, expect for a few compositional bullet points.  Because I have the luxury of no deadlines or quotas, waiting for a genuine idea, instead of forcing one out, would make the song feel more natural.  When I hear this song, it sounds forced.  I know I am trying to write music in a way I don't naturally migrate to.  

I did have some fun incorporating synth elements.  There are a few keyboard parts and drum patterns I added after the song was "finished."  I certainly have lots to learn and analyzing songs that rely so heavily on production is a great way to get there.  

I am, primarily, a performing musician that excels in a space where improvisation is encouraged and necessary.  If I ever perform this song live, I would be curious to see where it goes with other musicians playing.  The ending section is perfect for extended improvisation and I think the right group could have some fun with this one.  

I fully intend to go through this exercise again, firmly believing that at the very least, it's a great songwriting exercise.  If you feel inclined to leave me a comment, please do, I would love to hear from you.   Thanks for listening!