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Articles -> Three Simple Steps for Writing Song Parodies

Introduction: S.T.G. is one of the first parody authors of amiright. He also has had several songs in the top voting results over the past two years as well. Here are some simple guidelines he uses in writing his song parodies.

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Article by: S.T.G.

INTRODUCTION

There are so many topics people can make parodies about, but most people don't even know how a parody is done. Well, I follow 3 simple rules, and if you follow them you can probably come out with a number one song. Most people know me as S.T.G. or that guy with all those song parodies. I believe there are rules to parody writing, and if you follow them properly you could be the next "Napster Pie", "Bong Song", or for the worse "Bloated Wife".

Rule Number 1: Topic

Every song parody is like an original it deals with one topic. I don't make a parody and spread it out into different topics. I, myself, use three topics the most: AmIRight, myself, or food. It isn't a crime to write about yourself, but sometimes you do have to suprise the audience. William Tong has even come out with non-Bush related parodies. What you should try to do first is pick a topic that you hate, adore, or have heard in the papers.

Rule Number 2: Song

A vital part of the song parody is the song to parody. When you pick your subject, maybe you have a song in your mind, but if not try and find a pretty semi-popular song. If you like a song, or hat the song and you have got a line already parodied, stick with that song. It'll all come to your mind if you think harder. Ex. Songs: American Pie, Thong Song, All the Small Things, and Hero.

Rule Number 3: Pacing

To get your pacing correct is vital to the voting polls. That is part of the polls. So what happens if you don't have that specific song you want to parody. Here is my answer- DOWNLOAD. I go to KaZaA

Just download, get lyrics, and try to go exact with the syllables and rhymes.

Even if you don't want to rhyme with the original rhyme just try it for beginners. If you don't want your computer to eat up memory, what I do is, download-parody-erase from computer.

Extra Advice:

Keep either a notepad handy for ideas, or as I do, a tape recorder and I sing out my ideas.

Outro:

Well, now you know S.T.G.'s secret on making a parody I suggest you get off you butts, and make fun of a song.

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The next article is: "Talking 'bout My Generation "

The last article was: "What's Wrong with Music? The Sam And Dave Tour"

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User Comments Follow...

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lebeiw15 - November 19, 2002 - Report this comment

Great article! I like your parody writing tips! Seeya around. -leb.

leo falkenstein - January 16, 2004 - Report this comment

parodys are the gayest thing i have ever experienced

Jason Miller - May 02, 2005 - Report this comment

Parodys are kind of like fat kids. They eat the world and are stupid. Fat kids have no friends so parodys dont have friends either. My colleague leo falkenstein is correct. Parodys are gay and fat at the same time. Good Bye

michael falkenstein - May 10, 2005 - Report this comment

leo Falkenstein is my brother i think he wrote a great article michael falkenstein

Michael Falkenstein - May 16, 2005 - Report this comment

moo

Jamie Haber - June 03, 2005 - Report this comment

It's true.

eric james corwin I - November 25, 2005 - Report this comment

i farted

Jack Meoff - March 27, 2007 - Report this comment

this land is your land, this land is my land, from california to the new york islands. from the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters. this land was made for you and me

Ben Dover - March 28, 2007 - Report this comment

Please ignore the above comment, it doesn't give feedback on the article.

shawn - May 23, 2007 - Report this comment

i crapped my pants

cynthia - September 13, 2007 - Report this comment

Okay, I'm having a debate with a friend - do you have to get the syllables exact or not? I personally think good parody lyrics can trump syllable use, especially when you are skilled. He says no, the syllables are the most important. What do you say?

Below Average Dave - September 13, 2007 - Report this comment

Both Cynthia. . .as someone who records parodies, I can tell you awful syllable matching can make for an awful parody, so syllables are important but they aren't necessarily all that matters. I personal recommend trying to sing a parody to the original to check it's pacing. . .sometimes syllables are tricky, they don't alway have to match in order to work out. This can be best shown by listening to a number of recorded parodies, then check out their written versions, many DO take pacing liberties, so the answer is. . .depends. I can't remember where, but on the messageboard there was an in depth conversation about this very topic. Stu McArthur, ding ding, where are you, you describe this best. . .syllables as far as pacing. . .

Red Ant - September 13, 2007 - Report this comment

Ah, revisiting an old topic of debate! Cynthia, I broadly agree with your opinion that skilled writing can trump syllable matching. It depends a lot on the song though. Syllable matching is never the most important thing though - personally, I think syllable emphasis is at least 10x more important that matching total number of syllables. Rhyming and humor are also more important than a syllable correct line.

Below Average Dave - September 13, 2007 - Report this comment

10x? Red Ant, you are exaggerating a bit don't you think;) Rhyming is important, but if a song doesn't even closely resemble the structure of the original, we can't perform it--you know that:) . . .oh and Humor also---not all parodies are comedy, so that depends on the goal of the parody. . .I mean, I regularly have trouble recording for other people because of excessive pacing liberties in order to fit in extra humor that simply doesn't work, I don't think syllables are the most important thing when writing a parody, but I do think that completely ignoring them makes for an unstructured result, and one that could never be recorded or translated to radio form.

stuart mcarthur - September 13, 2007 - Report this comment

ah, thanks for the "ding ding" Dave

Hi Cynthia. Red Ant, Kristof, Dave, Agri, Phil and many others have been eloquent on this topic over on the MB, but here's my two cents...

http://www.inthe00s.com/index.php?topic=24472.msg1159851#msg1159851

cynthia - September 18, 2007 - Report this comment

thanks! glad to see that our debate is a common one. and thanks for such well thought out answers.

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