Harnessing Your Musical Side – Writing Song Lyrics

Have you ever thought about writing a song? Do you love music? We all know that a song is much more than the musical background that you listen to at all times. No, the whole song comes along with the lyrics. The lyrics make the song make the music. Usually, the lyrics are written before the melody and music are added. The lyrics and the idea behind the lyrics set the stage for the music to come.

Think about your favorite songs. Why are they your favourites? For many people, the words within the song capture their attention. For me personally, my favorite songs are those that have meaning. Rather, it evokes a particular feeling within me or speaks to a specific time in my life. The lyrics tell a story. They can tell any story, rather about a love gone wrong, an eternal love, a person, a group of people or a moment in life. You are telling a story to listeners and hoping that they might relate to that story in some way.

get lyrical ideas

Most of the lyrics you hear in a song come from the everyday life of the lyricist. It’s a good idea, if you’re serious about writing song lyrics, to get a journal and carry it with you throughout the day, jotting down your ideas. You never know when a lyrical idea will come to you. Be attentive and aware of their interactions throughout the day. Some areas that can provide you with lettering ideas may include:

. General conversation – When talking to anyone throughout the day, such as friends, family, or colleagues, you may find that something they have to say gives you insight.

. Events in your environment: Your environment can also tell a story. While you’re in the taxi, while you’re walking down the street, on the subway, or wherever you are. Something could happen, even the smallest thing, that could drive a lyrical idea.

. Newspaper: current events, articles or even advertisements.

. Magazines: Stories from real life, fashion, and other events can spark insight.

It is important to note that your lyrics should have meaning to you. They must flow continuously. You see, as mentioned above, the letters tell a story. Therefore, treat your lyrics first as a story. Write your story down, then you can start breaking it down into rhyming lyrics in other important ways once you finish your story.

lyrical tools

Over the years, lyricists have mostly relied on the old, trusty pencil and paper to write lyrics. For many, they will use nothing more than pencil and paper to write their lyrics. However, in today’s computerized world, more and more lyricists are turning to the computer to write songs.

There are a variety of tools available to any composer on and off the computer. For example, rhyming dictionaries are great when you’re having trouble finding rhymes for specific words. On the computer, rhyming and replacing words is extremely easy and, in most cases, is done with a simple mouse click. Many programs like Microsoft Word and other specific songwriting software programs offer a built-in thesaurus that is perfect for finding alternative words and phrases to add to the impact of your lyrics.

However, the most important tools are your own thoughts and ideas. You can choose the paper and pencil method or the computerized method; however, your ideas are what make the letters to begin with.

Turning your ideas into song lyrics

You have your ideas; You’ve chosen your writing method, now what? Now is the time to start forming your letters. This is probably the hardest part of writing the song, much harder than coming up with ideas. Now you have to work verses and choruses to form your songs. The rhyme is finally important. This is where your rhyming dictionary comes into play.

Usually, the end of the second line rhymes with the end of the first. However, in some cases, the end of the third line will rhyme with the first.

For example:

As we get older,

The world grows cold

because love is gone

I thought we’d move on

And keep our love in a song.

Don’t forget your choir; this is what unites the song. You decide where your versus goes and where it comes in and the chorus is repeated. Writing lyrics to a song is a wonderful way to express yourself. It tells a story the way you see and feel it.