What Is a Song?

A song is a musical composition with lyrics and melody, usually performed at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies). It may be created by human beings who are called songwriters, or by nonhumans who are called singers. Songs can be used for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, social interaction, and religious worship. They can be simple or complex, sung with words or without them, and played for one person or many people. They can be serious or lighthearted, and they can be humorous, such as in parodies by “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Some songs are created by songwriters and composed for particular occasions or groups of people. These are called folk songs, and they are sung as a tradition in some cultures. Other songs are created by professional musicians and arranged into particular genres of music, such as pop, classical, rock or soul. These are called art songs, and they often have more complicated melodies than folk or popular songs.

A song can be written to tell a story, or it can express emotions or describe a place or event. It can be about love, death, war, religion, politics, or social change. It can also be a parody or satire of a well-known song, or it can be an epic poem. Regardless of the purpose, a song is usually made up of different sections such as the verse, chorus and bridge. Each section has a particular function and carries specific lyrical meaning.