Songwriting Analysis: Jars of Clay “Flood”

Jars of Clay

Jars of Clay sure knows how to place notes and spaces, and their break-out hit “Flood” is a great example.  Each section of the song feature motifs that contain like two notes — yet they heighten the impactfulness of the song by:

  • placing the verse melody low and spare to create a sense of intimacy.
  • the chorus A relies heavily on syncopated rhythm to build momentum and urgency.
  • the chorus B employs the tried-and-true call-and-response structure to drive the central theme of the song.

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