Prosody in poetry has to do with the metrical structure of the speech, including rhythm, speed, and pitch, and how they contribute to meaning.
In songwriting we can use the concept more broadly.
Listen to Pat Pattison's lecture on prosody, or unity, where all the different aspects of a song fits together. He suggests that you are aware of whether a line is stable or unstable.
Another way to look at prosody is the tradition in classical music of word painting, a technique in which the characteristics of the music reflect the meaning of the lryics. For example, lyrics about death are often set with slow, dark music. "Dido's Lament" is a good example of wordpainting about death and darkness, with its slow melody with lots of chromaticism, sung over a descending figure repeated 11 times in the bass. Dido has been betrayed by Aeneas, and sings her heartbreaking lament before stabbing herself as he sails on. Listen and write down as many details that you can notice in the music that complement each other and create prosody or unity.
Now, listen to Pharrell's "Happy". Make three lists of characteristics that contribute to the happy feeling—one of the construction of the melody and chord progression, the second of the groove and arrangement, and the third the images in the video. Watch it again and sing,clap, and dance along. Enjoy music's ability to make the world a better place!
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