4/6 – Jim Bruno's Songwriting Class

Let’s listen to the Beatles singing their song “I’m a Loser” by clicking HERE.

Listen to the song in its entirety. Ask yourself, “Which of the song components listed above are included in the song?” Can you identify them?

Here are the lyrics to the song:

I’m a Loser

(Lennon and McCartney)

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

Of all the love I have won or have lost

There is one love I should never have crossed

She was a girl in a million, my friend

I should have known she would win in the end

I’m a loser

And I lost someone who’s near to me

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

Although I laugh and I act like a clown

Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown

My tears are falling like rain from the sky

Is it for her or myself that I cry

I’m a loser

And I lost someone who’s near to me

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

What have I done to deserve such a fate

I realize I have left it too late

And so it’s true, pride comes before a fall

I’m telling you so that you won’t lose all

I’m a loser

And I lost someone who’s near to me

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

After working through the above exercise check the breakdown of the components to see if you were correct.

Here’s a the intro:

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

Here’s the 1st verse:

Of all the love I have won or have lost

There is one love I should never have crossed

She was a girl in a million, my friend

I should have known she would win in the end

And here’s the chorus:

I’m a loser

And I lost someone who’s near to me

I’m a loser

And I’m not what I appear to be

Did you notice that the melody was the same for each verse and each chorus?

Did you notice that the intro was loosely based on the end of the chorus?

Did you notice the rhyming scheme remained consistent?

Were you surprised there was no bridge in the song?

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