i hope you dance | Matthew Dicks

“Third verse same as the first” is stupid and annoying

By Matthew Dicks | June 17, 2016 |

I’m fond of Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance.” That is, I’m fond of about two-thirds of the song. Then Womack repeats the first verse as the third verse, and my fondness is gone. This annoys the hell out of me, and though it’s not done all that often, it’s still done too much. As…

Unnecessary repetition. Wasted opportunity.

By Matthew Dicks | September 3, 2012 |

I will never understand why songwriters repeat the first verse of a song as their third verse. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it can completely ruin a song. Lee Ann Womack’s chart topping song I Hope You Dance is a perfect example of this. It’s a beautiful song and ideal for…