Writing a good song lyric is all about creating images in the most natural way possible.
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In practically any genre of popular music (pop, rock, country, folk, jazz, and all their related sub genres), you’ll notice that the lyrics tend toward common, everyday words that you might hear at the checkout of the local hardware store. So while you might hear “..you brought me down”, you’re not likely to hear “..it was was rather churlish to treat me in such fashion” in a successful song lyric.
Good song lyrics flow off the tongue in a conversational way. Cleverness with regard to lyric writing doesn’t come from your advanced vocabulary, but rather from applying poetic devices to common, simple words: metaphors, similes, alliteration, etc.
In that sense, complexity with lyrics is better when it leads to debates over possible double meanings, rather than leading to an audience simply not knowing what the heck you’re talking about. That’s not always true, of course, but in any case, lyrics should rarely require the audience to refer to a dictionary.
So with regard to simplicity and complexity in song lyrics, here are 7 important tips:
- Always (or practically always) use words that you might hear in any casual conversation.
- Opt for a conversational style when writing lyrics.
- Use poetic devices to create listener interest, but don’t force them.
- Avoid rhyming for the mere sake of rhyming. A rhyming lyric needs to sound natural and effortless. It’s all about the text and its meaning, not about the rhyme.
- Be consistent with metaphors and similes. For example, if in your lyric you’re comparing the growth of your social life to the growth of a plant, don’t switch mid-song and start comparing it to watching a house being built. It’s too confusing.
- Think of where to place a lyric’s climactic moment. Just as melodies have a moment where general excitement is at its peak, lyrics will also need a similar kind of treatment. Lyrics that are part of a chorus hook should be emotional and catchy.
- Imagery is everything. If your lyrics aren’t creating strong images in the mind of the listener, you’re missing the mark.
The best way to improve your ability to write song lyrics is to study the lyrics of songs you love, especially if you think your reason for loving the song is in the words. Ask yourself what it is about the words that makes them so successful. Is it the way they work with the melody and chords, or is it the image that the lyric creates in your mind?
If you’re the kind of songwriter for whom lyric-writing never feels easy or natural, it’s worth the time to try to practice the skill. Yes, it’s possible to partner with a lyricist, but there is nothing like being able to do it yourself – to create the images you want to create in the minds of your listeners.
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Good suggestions. Good song titles help too.