what makes a good song?

i'd never really listened to quiet riot's 'metal health' before... (unofficially also titled 'bang your head').

i think it's a pretty blatant rip off of def leppard's high and dry. go listen.

the intro guitars are different, but once the verses come on, the build up and melody is _very_ similar. fyi, def leppard was first.

then i wondered - why do i like the def leppard version so much more? they communicate much the same idea. some thoughts:

. def leppard's is faster
. the build up is more gradual, and has is more techincally impressive.
. the def leppard song has more parts (eventually)
. the drumming on the def leppard song is more involved/energetic.

sometimes, i think if you took two nearly identical songs, where one was somehow 'better' than the other, you could learn a lot about what makes a good song.