Background: In a previous blog about songs that use commands, we talked about the Snow Patrol’s “Shut Your Eyes,” and I mentioned that they have another song called “Open Your Eyes” and a third called “Hands Open” on the same record. I could have sworn we circled back to talk about more songs with body parts in them, but apparently we didn’t–so I’m rectifying that here!
“Hands All Over” by Maroon 5
Lyrically: Maroon 5 actually has multiple songs that fit this theme. This one, “Lips On You,” “Bet My Heart,” “My Heart is Open,” “Kid with Velvet Eyes” (as Kara’s Flowers), and “If I Never See Your Face Again,” the last of which I omitted because I have another face song I will talk about last. But the title track to their third album is a sarcastic “I told you so” anthem about a woman who has come back in the narrator’s life, insisting she could find someone better, after the narrator took her in while she was down on her luck in love. He first refers to her as a “pretty little thing”, before conceding in the last part of the first verse that “Her pretty little face has torn me up.” The chorus, following the structure of many Maroon 5 songs, insists that the other person will solve the narrator’s problems, even though the other person is also the reason for the narrator’s problems (sometimes the roles are reversed, but either way, it shows toxic codependency between the two–it’s oddly alluring!) The chorus states:
“Put your hands all over me
Please talk to me, talk to me
Tell me everything’s gonna be alright
Put your hands all over me
Gotta walk with me, walk with me now
Love is a game, you say
Play me and put me away”
The idea of love being a game is nothing new. The addition of the line “Play me and put me away” gives a cool visual of how fed up the narrator is. He wants her to stay for good, see this as permanently romantic, not just a place to stay, and the third verse starts off by him commanding her, “Come down off your cloud.” You can immediately picture the two people in this song, and that’s what makes the confident sarcasm so intoxicating to listen to.
Melodically: The intro (and post-chorus) contain the chant: “Put your hands all over, put your hands all over me,” which is sung a cappella in the intro, expanded upon in the chorus (with instruments), and also used with instruments in the post-chorus. The verses use Cm and Gm, played four times, before ending on Bb. With the song in C minor, this is a i, v, VIIb progression. The chorus Cm and Bb (the i and VIIb), played three times, before ending on G and Cm, the V and i chords. It’s interesting to note (no pun intended) that the verses use the minor v chord, while the chorus uses the major V chord. This is all done because the G major chord includes B natural instead of Bb, which serves as a “leading” chord back to the tonic of Cm, the chord in the post-chorus and the chord that starts off the verses. Since the Gm chord also includes Bb, it allows the song to sound similar, while making those subtle changes and therefore transitioning smoothly from part to part.
Instrumentally, the song uses guitar, drums, bass, and programming. Interestingly, the programming was handled in part by Noah “Mailbox” Passavoy and Sam Farrar. Passavoy would later work with Maroon 5 on their next album, Overexposed, while Farrar would officially join the band in 2017, his first album being Red Pill Blues, a record heavily focused on programming.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, chorus verse, chorus, solo, verse, chorus format. Maroon 5 is the band that got me to pay attention to song structure, and this song’s structure was very important to my development as a songwriter. It’s not the VCV structure, so much as it’s the narrative structure. Ending with the “Come down off your cloud” verse is crucial, because it establishes the narrator’s credibility. Taking this person in, presumably treating her right, only for her to get up and walk away, then beg to return once things in the real world didn’t work out–you need to know all of those things first, in order for the aforementioned line to carry all the weight it should. Then the final chorus drives it home.
You can listen to “Hands All Over” below.
Closing fun fact: As of press time, this is one of two title tracks Maroon 5 has, the other being 2025’s Love is Like.
2. “On Bended Knee” by Boyz II Men
Lyrically: “On Bended Knee” is sung from the perspective of a man who messed up and is about to lose his significant other, so he is asking what he can do to make things right, begging her, “on bended knee.” This is one of those fun songs where you look at the title and might think it’s about a marriage proposal, but then it becomes the opposite, about trying to repair a relationship. In a previous blog, we talked about The Script’s “Before the Worst,” and how the narrator wanted to “Take it back before it all went wrong.” Here, the narrator wants to do the exact same–bringing it back to when it was all good. I’m not entirely sure what one of the members of Boyz II Men would have to do to get me to not take them back, but they still sell the lyric incredibly well, and obviously being able to take on that character is a terrific skill!
Melodically/Structurally: The easiest way to describe the chords in this song is through the use of a I, V, IV pattern. However, the intro is written in Ab major, before shifting to Eb major for the rest of the song. The basic chords are Ab, Eb, Bb, Bbm, Gm, Dm, and Ebm. Instrumentally, the song uses piano, acoustic guitar, synthesizer, bass, and keyboards. The song uses a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus format. In a previous blog, we looked at Charlie Rich’s “The Most Beautiful Girl,” in which I pointed out, we never get to know what the narrator did to enrage his significant other. This song is a direct apology, in contrast to the Charlie Rich song, but the basic structure complements the fact that the only thing the narrator can think about is winning back the trust of the other person–even though he has no idea how to do that.
3. “Lips of An Angel” by Hinder
Lyrically: “Lips of An Angel” is a song about a person with an ex-girlfriend, who he still apparently talks to, and trying not to get caught in his own web of lies with his new girlfriend. The ex is the first person mentioned in the song, as the narrator says, “Honey, why ya calling me so late? It’s kinda hard to talk right now.” Though he’s with this new person, he admits in the pre-chorus that although “My girl’s in the next room, sometimes I wish she was you,” conceding, “I guess we never really moved on.” He later concedes that his ex “(Makes) it hard to be faithful with the lips of an angel.” The second verse chronicles their conversation, reassuring one another that neither will get caught (because she has a boyfriend as well). I don’t think I fully grasped what this song was about until years after I heard it, but it’s a very relatable feeling. There are certain people you just never get over, people that make you feel a certain way, even though it didn’t work out and you’ve kinda sorta moved on with your life and are with someone else.
Melodically: The song is written in D major, and uses A, Bm, G, and D in the verses, the first of which comes in right away, with no intro chords. This is V, vi, IV, I pattern, that gets played three times. The fourth time around, they play the same pattern, but end on the IV chord, rather than the I. The first three lines express concern for the other person, an indication that the relationship might continue, and therefore it makes sense to end those lines on the I chord, with some closure. However, the minute he says he can’t talk, the future of their relationship comes into question, and ending on the tension of the V chord makes a lot more sense. The pre-chorus uses D, A, Bm, G, a I, V, vi, IV pattern, with the tension of saying, “I guess we never really moved on” creates that tension of what will happen next (which is what a good pre-chorus should do). The chorus then resolves that tension, melodically, by starting on the I chord (D), before going to A, Cadd9, and G (so altogether, that’s a I, V, VII, IV pattern), before ending on Bm, A, Em, F#, and G, a vi, V, ii, III, IV pattern. The walkdown from the vi to the V, and then the move up from the ii to the IV provide a rollercoaster-type listening experience, that adds to the uneasiness of both parts ending on the IV chord. After the second chorus, there’s a solo that gets played four times, using F, C, and D, the III, VII, and I chords. The song ends with the first line of the first verse, using A, Bm, G, and D, resolving to the I. Instrumentally, the song uses electric guitar, bass, and drums, with the electric guitar offering that classic post-grunge distortion that’s perfect for the song.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, solo, chorus, ending format. I enjoy the contrast of the structure with this song. As I mentioned in the melody section, there’s obviously something between the narrator and his ex, even if it’s just straight up regret that will end the same. And yet, there’s this melodic tension. The last part of the song is him asking once again, “Honey why ya callin’ me so late?” and it resolves melodically, but does not resolve thematically. Yes, we know why she’s calling, but we don’t know what will happen, because that’s not where the song goes. So there’s thematic tension, even when there’s not melodic tension, and it makes the song so effective because we don’t know how it’s going to end.
You can listen to “Lips of An Angel” below.
4. “Spanish is the Loving Tongue” by Bob Dylan
Lyrically: Dylan has written about all kinds of things over his long career, but seems to have a fascination with hispanic settings, between “Boots of Spanish Leather” and “Isis” (which takes place in Mexico). “Spanish is the Loving Tongue” is more along the lines of the latter, but with less peligro (danger). It recounts the first time he interacted with “a girl living down Sonora way.” He says in the second verse that although they are no longer together, he can still hear her soft, sweet words, like “Mi amor” and “Corazon” (my love, my heart). He then goes on to talk about how they would go riding together, how she loved the sound of his spurs, and how even though they aren’t together (he’s wanted for gambling–I told you there was less violence, not lack of any potential violence!) he can still hear those words in his head, “Mi amor, mi corazon.” The last time through, he says he took her heart and broke his own, which I think is a great visual for his behavior, but if not for his gambling, they’d still be together.
Melodically: The song is written in Db major, and if you choose to play it on guitar, it is played with the capo on the first fret (Bob’s version, an outtake from the ever popular Self Portrait album, uses piano and nothing else). Relative to the capo, he uses a G, Em, F, F/G, C progression in the intro (played twice, but with the F/G taken out the second time around), and this gets repeated in the verses. This is a I, iii, IV, I progression, but the third time through in the verses, he uses a C/G instead of the straight C. In the chorus, he uses C, Em, F, C/G, and C/G, Em, F, G, a I, iii, IV, I progression, followed by a Ib, iii, IVb, Ib progression. The C, Em, F, C/G chords get repeated for the third line, before closing on the IV, I, V, IV, I, I pattern of F, C/G, G, F, C/G, and C. The instrumental interlude uses C, Em, F, F/G, and C. This is a I, iii, IV, I progression.
Structurally: Structurally, the song uses a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, verse, chorus format. This song dates back to 1925, and was based on a poem by Charles Badger Clark, and Billy Simon is to thank for the original arrangement. The chorus uses simplistic variations from the verses to distinguish and elevate it just enough, but it’s not a big, booming chorus like “For Whom the Bell Tolls” for instance, where you need a second to gather yourself after what was said. It thrives on the intimacy of being just the piano.
You can listen to “Spanish is the Loving Tongue” below.
5. “Eyes Without a Face” by Billy Idol
Lyrically: In the first song, I teased a song using “Face,” and this is it. This is what I like to call a 2-for-1, as it uses two body parts in the title. This song could have gone on our Long Distance Runaround blog/vlog kick, as it deals with a man estranged from his girlfriend for one reason or another, and as they’re talking on the phone, he can tell she’s not being entirely truthful to him. My interpretation of the titular phrase is that the narrator is the eyes, and he can’t see her face to know for sure that she’s lying, but he can tell based on the tone of her voice that something is up. Billy Idol has stated that he became fascinated by the French film Les Yeux sans visage, which means “eyes without a face” in French. He has stated in interviews that it might have been a bit of projection about his own infidelities while on the road, but ironically (without being faceronic), his girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister, sang the French phrase as background vocals.
Melodically: The song’s intro uses Emaj7, C#maj7, G#maj7, and B. With the song written in E major, this is a I7, VI7, III7, V pattern. The verses use the same pattern, while the chorus uses A, B, A, A, B, and F#m7, a IV, V, IV, V, ii7 pattern, followed by G#m7, Emaj7, C#maj7, G#maj7, and B, a iii7, ii7, VI7, III7 pattern. The middle 8 uses the power chords of E, E, D, E, A, E, E, A, E, and E, which is a I, I, VIIb, I, IV, I, IV, I, I pattern. Instrumentally, the song uses electric, acoustic, and bass guitar, synthesizers, and a drum machine.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, middle 8, verse, chorus format. The song takes somewhat of a minimalistic approach. There’s a strong message, but less is more, and a lot of the lyrics are simplistic, leaving room for the melody to shine, without being a flat-out soundscape-type song. It’s hauntingly gorgeous to listen to, as a result!
You can listen to “Eyes Without a Face” below.
6. “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri
Lyrically: I’ve mentioned this in previous blogs, but it takes a lot to get me to gush about a recent pop song, because there’s a lot of overly-manufactured stuff out there. “Jar of Hearts” does not fit that category, and not just because at press time, it’s coming up on its 17th anniversary of being released. It’s one of those raw as can be tunes that also just happened to be popular, but that’s exactly why it was. The narrator comes out firing immediately, with the line “No I can’t take one more step towards you ‘cause all that’s waiting is regret.” Later in the first verse, she mentions how she’s not the other person’s ghost anymore, and I find that to be an interesting complement to the pre-chorus line, “I learned to live half-alive.”
What I find fascinating about the chorus is that the title of the song comes three lines into the chorus, and doesn’t get repeated. Instead, she just mentions how he’s “collecting (his) jar of hearts and tearing love apart.” The repeated phrase throughout this part of the song is her asking “Who do you think you are?” with that line serving as bookends of the chorus–except the last time, when she just says, “Don’t come back for me, don’t come back at all.” However, the song ends with her repeating the phrase “Who do you think you are?” In between that, she tells the other person, “You’re gonna catch a cold from the ice inside your soul.” It’s just gut-wrenching, and makes a music lover go “ooh that’s good” no matter how many times they hear it.
Melodically: The song’s main instruments are piano and strings. If you want to play it on guitar, that’s fine too, and there’s no capo. The song uses C#m, D#, A#, and F#. This is a i, II, VI, IV pattern, which is followed by C#, D#, A#, G#, and A#/D, which is a I, II, VI, V progression. The pre-chorus uses F#m, G#, Cm, and A#, a iv, v, i, VI progression, played twice, but the second time around, there’s an A#sus4 played before the A#. The chorus uses D#, A#, Cm, and G#, followed by G#m, D#, A#, G#, and A#/D. This is a II, VI, i, V, v, II, VI, V, VI progression. The bridge uses Cm, G, Cm7/A#, and F/A, a i, V, i, IV progression, played 4 times, before ending on G# and G, variations of the V chord.
Structurally: The song uses a verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, chorus format. As we’ve discussed, throwing in a pre-chorus where a bridge would go is something people do in a lot of songs. But in this one, the reason the bridge works so well is that it contradicts the pre-chorus sentiments in some senses. In the pre-chorus, she says she’s learned to live with it, as I said, half alive. In the bridge, she says, “It took so long just to feel alright”, which presumably isn’t feeling half alive. It presents new information and gives one final blow saying she doesn’t need him and regrets what they did together.
You can listen to “Jar of Hearts” below.
