Rhythm: Similarities and Differences

Both Bob Marley and the Wailers and Train rely on syncopation to give their respective songs energy and make them interesting. In "Three Little Birds," syncopation is applied in the piece as a whole to take away the strength of the first beat. This unique technique, called One Drop, makes syncopation the norm. The audience comes to expect the unexpected nature of syncopation.

One Drop d-emphasizes the strong, first beat throughout the song

As a result of this, "Three Little Birds" feels drastically different than typical Western songs. In contrast, syncopation in "Drops of Jupiter," while still prevalent throughout, is used much more sparingly.

Syncopation in "Drops of Jupiter" is found primarily in the melody

 The syncopation, rather than being an inherent part of each musical part, is present mainly in the vocals and the piano. Instead of being a characteristic feature of the piece like in "Three Little Birds," syncopation in "Drops of Jupiter" is an embellishment. Without syncopation in "Three Little Birds," the song would be nearly unrecognizable. In "Drops of Jupiter," however, removing the syncopation would leave the song more or less the same, albeit not nearly as pleasing to the ear. Both songs depend on syncopation and energetic rhythms to build up momentum and energy for the audience.