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Writing song lyrics is an entirely different beast from writing melodies. In that respect, it shouldn’t surprise you to find that melodies might be easy to write, while lyrics might come across as clunky, random utterances. It can be one of the most popular reasons for songwriting partnerships: you can hand lyrical duties over to someone who does it well, leaving you free to write the notes and chords.
The feeling of randomness in the writing of lyrics is a common complaint for those who find it hard. They know what they want to write about, but focusing in on the topic, creating a compelling story, and then finding the right words to convey it all… it’s a creative challenge for many.
The source of the problem is the brevity that’s required of most song lyrics. You don’t get thousands of words to do your job, as you would if you’re writing a novel. You get only dozens, or perhaps a few more. So how do you choose those words?
Here are some tips and ideas that will cure your song lyrics of that annoying sense of randomness, and will help you create a finished product worth singing.
Word lists. Creating lyrics should usually start with creating words lists as a way of generating lots of words and phrases for you to choose from. I like the idea of creating two contrasting lists. For example, if your topic concerns the issue of leaving home for the first time, let’s say, you might create a list of positive thoughts and emotions, and a list of negative ones. Or you might choose to create a list of narrative-style “things”, and contrast it with a list of emotive-style observations. Whatever you do, word lists helps to ensure that you’re not going to keep falling back on clichés.- Create a structure. That random feeling in lyrics often happens because you’re writing verse 2, but you don’t really know what you’re supposed to be writing about. So create headings for each song section (Verse 1 – Chorus – Verse 2 – Chorus – Bridge… etc.). Under each heading, describe what you think you want to write about. Don’t worry about the number of words. If it takes a full page to describe the events, take it.
- Consider point of view. It’s not unusual for good song lyrics to tell a story by considering different points of view. Sometimes it’s done very clearly, as in Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” but can also be
more subtle. Anthem-style songs, for example, have a way of conveying lyrics with a strong sense of “we”, as opposed to “I”, and that pulls listeners in and helps them feel connected. Point of view can change, but there needs to be a sense consistency and purposeful design. - Start easy. Start with the section of the song that seems easiest to write the lyric for. That will help set the tone for the rest of the lyric. If you find the chorus easiest, find those 4 or 8 lines that say exactly what you want to say. Describe the emotions that verse 1 will naturally generate. Now you’ve got a model for your verses.
- The bridge. A bridge typically finishes your lyric, but finishing is not its only job. It needs to elaborate on or otherwise contribute to the story set up between verse and chorus. A bridge will often heighten the lyrical and musical emotion: the listener needs to feel a twinge, and strongly empathize with the story and storyteller.
Thinking of that last point, it places a special importance on the end of your lyric, more than on any other part. When you look at what you’ve written in its entirety, you need to be able to look at those last couple of lines and say, “Yeah, they needed to hear that.”
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Written by Gary Ewer. Follow on Twitter.
“The Essential Secrets of Songwriting” eBook Bundle looks at songwriting from every angle, and has been used by thousands of songwriters. How to use chords, write melodies, and craft winning lyrics. $95.70 $37.00 (and you’ll receive a FREE copy of “Creative Chord Progressions.“)