Writing Lyrics (Things To Consider)

Name: Benjamin McElwee
UG Name: benjmc
[e-mail]

So you're convinced you want to write? Let's get to it then. But first, some definitions of words I'll use.

Metaphor - Stating one thing for another, (e. g., "The thunder of passion strikes us / In the dead of night / When the ship of grief comes to rest"?obviously 'thunder of passion', and 'ship of grief')

Simile - A comparison between two things using the words 'like' or 'as', (e. g., "His skull shattered / Like the glass far above", or, "He came to us / As a phantom in the night."

Now, let's just find out some things which are closely related with writing lyrics. What I am trying to do is give you basic guidelines to follow when writing. But the reason you get better at writing is mainly because you write on a regular basis. So please, consider what I have to say, and then practice writing (bearing in mind these 'tips').

Flow/Rhyme.
The lyrics you have written should flow, and an easy way to make them flow is to contain some sort of rhyme pattern and some internal rhymes. Of course, I think the rhyme patterns should be original and should deviate from the norm as much as possible. If you have the standard AABB, rhyming couplet style your very serious lyrics may come off sounding as if they were a nursery rhyme or something. So like I say, be original. Experiment with rhyme schemes.

Analogies.
Now, sometimes little or no editing to the initial draft may be needed, (which is often the case for advanced writers), but a lot of the time various changes are required, because - as you may see in the forum - people post lyrics, which mean a lot to them, but just don't touch the hearts of anybody reading them. I'm sure they poured gallons of emotion into them, but it isn't raw and it doesn't sound like it's from the soul; instead it feels like it's from the mind. When writing you could make this your mantra: "heart leads head". On occasion, you may write about something tragic that happened in your life, but none of the grief or devastation will connect with the reader/listener. This is probably due to the fact that you got too sentimental in your words, and forgot that others may not be able to feel the emotion, due to the simple fact that your words are words and nothing more. Remember, words are a vehicle designed to transport the reader/listener. To paint fully defined pictures, you need a lot of different colours. The same is true for a writer. He needs lots of different techniques at his disposal. For a writer to paint pictures with words he will need to make connections, and to do this he will need to use either similes or metaphors. The picture will then be interpreted differently by each reader/listener and most will find a different emotion in it. This is why metaphors and similes, when used correctly, can create truly wonderful lyrics.

Styles - Which One Is For You?
Let me make it clear that I'm not talking about genres, but merely categories that lyrics can fit into. There are thoughtful and emotional lyrics, in the same way that there are literal and metaphorical lyrics. Find a style for you. Obviously thoughtful lyrics tend to be provocative and their main aim is to make the reader/listener think. Then there are emotional lyrics, which try to make the listener feel. For further explanation on both of these types of lyrics go here. Then there are the two different styles of lyrics, which of course are literal and metaphorical. Perhaps, the term 'literal' doesn't do justice to the style of writing however as it implies they are simple or cliched. But if you want proof that this is not the case and that you can make brilliant but fairly literal lyrics, then go check out Agincourts article, which can be found here. As for metaphorical lyrics, well I think I covered most of that above when I discussed editing. Though there is one thing to be wary of: do not write lyrics that contain an abundance of metaphors, because in truth, they'll come out in an unintentionally confused manner, and most of the ideas will become redundant.

Length.
This shouldn't really affect too many people, but I might as well discuss it anyway. Try to keep your lyrics as to the point as possible, (I. e. try not to ramble or wander). If you plan on singing your lyrics as part of songs, then it is a good idea to keep the amount of words to a minimum so that you can sing them to the best of your ability without having to worry about fitting 350 words into a 5 minutes song, (believe me?I've tried it and it's not enjoyable). The shortness of your lyrics doesn't matter really. I mean, as long as you have a verse (minimum of roughly 4 lines) then you can make a song whereby you just repeat that 1 verse. Though I wouldn't recommend this, as it puts pressure on you to write 1 amazing verse. I'm trying to think of a rough length that would be - in my experience - good for you, but of course it depends on what type of music you plan on doing. Though I think maybe 150 words is a good guide. Don't be afraid to go over or under that though. I'm just saying, that if you want to allow yourself some freedom in how you sing the song, (what you repeat, the amount of held notes, the length of time between each line etc. ), then I think that 150-200 words is a good length for the lyrics to be. But don't hold me to that, because that's not taking into account the average amount of syllables per word. I guess I'm rambling now?and for that I apologise.

Shaping The Invisible.
Someone famous (can't quite remember who) said that is what song writing is. And the thought is entirely correct. You start with nothing but your mind and your heart, and maybe a pen and page, or a PC, and you end up with a fully formed set of lyrics. It's a strange, but wonderful feeling whenever you finish writing a set of lyrics. You just sit there and think, now I have something that I didn't have before. For some of us, that is our only drive anymore. But heck, it's an incredible drive. Who doesn't want to gain constantly? As Springsteen said, "Poor man wants to be rich / Rich man wants to be king / And the King ain't satisfied / Until he has everything". It's human nature. I beg you; conform. If you start writing, you'll reaprewards. You'll have lyrics to add to music, so that your band (or you individually) can create songs. And songs?well that's why you're at this website.

Still want to write? I mean it this time? let's get to it. Below are things to do, and some things to think about whenever you're in the process of writing your lyrics.

The Initial Draft.
Let yourself relax so that you're in a frame of mind where the words are flowing and coming out naturally. People can tell when you forced yourself to write, (in your early days of writing anyway). Also, don't think that rhyming is an absolute necessity. If you write something, which sounds okay to you, then don't ruin the lyrics by putting in unnecessary rhymes. Whilst writing the initial draft of the lyrics, try to let everything spill out onto the page. Don't get technical, don't worry about flow, and don't try to rhyme. You can do all these things when editing. The most important thing is that you express yourself, and hold nothing back. This is your time, imagine no one else can hear you, speak your mind, and be completely open.

Editing.
Maybe you've thought of a metaphor, which will communicate a certain emotion contained within the lyrics? Well, try and find a place for it in the lyrics, (but don't force it), where it will be most powerful. Maybe at the bridge, because sometimes this can be a good point in the lyrics where the writer reflects on how he feels as opposed to telling you. The editing process if possibly the most important part of lyric writing, because it is when you organise your emotions in the most striking way you can find. By that I mean that you try to craft your lyrics into something that a lot of other people will be able to understand. And it should touch them on a thoughtful, emotional or spiritual level.

Finished.
Now that you have finished writing this particular set of lyrics, I think you should get some comments on the. If you show your lyrics to people, or post them, and get lots of negative criticism, please understand that you will progress as a writer. Everyone can develop the skill of writing, but sometimes it takes longer than usual depending on the individual. If you want to speed up the development of your talent, then you can go onto the forum and critique some lyrics. You may think I'm just trying to get you onto the lyrics forum, and helping people but?well yes I am actually. But what I mean is, if you analyse other people's lyrics, you will find our how a good set of lyrics is created. That's the whole point of the articles that go up in the lyrics forum bi-weekly. People take the time out to analyse how a specific artist writes lyrics, and then gives their article gets posted so that everyone can benefit. But it will be the authors of the articles who benefit the most, because they are the ones who put in the effort.

Closing Comments.
I hope this article was helpful, and maybe it inspired you to start writing, or maybe it will help you improve your writing. But if you do take up this trade of the ages, pass it on to others. Pick up a pen; be creative and be original. Get writing? I wish you good luck with your lyrics. If you have any comments, complaints, queries, suggestions for lessons or even tips of your own, then just e-mail me or PM them to benjmc. Feedback is always encouraged and appreciated.

Comments

[awkggrocker]

cool tips man my bands gunna get a lyric bost

[andeh]

great article.

[benjmc]

...some of you people seem to have issues. Hope you liked the article, (even those of you with nothin' useful to say except how much you love your penis)...

[alkaline3nipple]

good forum

[bennybeast1]

not bad

[rage_725]

Very well done. Alot of very good ideas and helpful hints. In my early stages of writing, I made some of the mistakes u talk about. I was being to emotional, and ppl said my lyrics were good, but they didnt connect. Ill have to keep these pointers in mind. Thanx alot!

[biddle]

first of all i'd like to comment on the negative comments. obviosly you people are too cool to raelly care about music. music is something that does change moods and alter the way we think, weather it be Death metal or drum and bass. secondly thanx for taking the time to explain your theory of song writing. very few people can write real good lyrics but at the end of the day if a song reacts with you then that is all that matters. nirvana for instance. kurt cobain was shite at writing lyrics IN MY OPINION. other people he reallt connected with. so weather you thing you can write or not try it anyway because there is always someone out there that can connect and feel them
peace out V
Biddle

[Tenacious D]

the best way to write, is to get in the kind of mood for your song. ie/get pissed off to write a pissed off song.

[lovemyMartin]

First off, you guys need to appreciate this lesson, cuz there's a lot of truth to it. Secondly, those that can't appreciate it, then you can stick it in your ass. Finally, those faggots that like anal can take the same advice.

[americanpig11]

if you are a good writer you dont need people to teach you to do it. just sit down and write!

[Beavish]

i struggle to write songs so i hope this helps someone but i couldn't be bothered to read it, i don't have enough brain capacity

[GuitarAddict23]

Nice Job

[Squally]

Awesome article! It definitely helps to improve one's songwriting skills!

[red_isneyks12]

thanks man! i enjoyed reading this. . thanks again and ill follow youre advices
plss pm me if u have time thanks again!

[evaniscool314]

that was an awesome article, nice job. Im definately gunna use all that you said.

[scarz_uy]

thanks for the article! it definitely helps!

[muted_silence]

Great article, really helpful.

[_TheBassist01_]

5 stars. *claps* thanks man

[Villsen]

Nice lesson, it inspired me to write my first lyric, even though it was a really sucky one^^

[Rock 101]

Nice job.

[stm]

It was too long for me to read. It might have sucked.

[pleasentlyplump]

same here

[jarek_jade]

Well at least it's nice to see that not everyone on this post is hating. Not that it really matters, but it's nice to be able to come here and actually read what you want to and not have to sift through all tha shite... I say good job, man.

[Another_Idiot]

This guy says alot of helpful shit listen to him oh and if ur in a punk band Plzz i repeat plzz dont write songs only about break-ups or about how u love some bitch like over and over again, That is ruining punk thats y i hate EMO and lots of pop punk bands, they keep writing songs bout love and break-ups over and over to the point im gonna shoot myself, its ok to write a FEW songs about love and break-ups its not cool to write songs ONLY about break-up or love there are a LOT of cool shit to write about like anything fun(SEX DRUGS N ROCKNROLL!!!) it can be about a party about losing ur virginity the first time u got high about being drunk and havin a good old time about a fight about a roadtrip about bein a stoner about doin drugs doin a crime or just having a good time or about political stuff u know
OH and also FUCK U UG STRANGER hey dipshit u flooded the comments page with abunch of ***in dumbass stupid annoying comments butt***er. is Anybody here gay? i know this one fag called UG stranger and he likes cock

[Another_Idiot]

HEY dudes this is a good idea id use when writing a song so that u write a song ezily come up with a idea or memomory or experience and write it at the top of the of the paper and thats what ur song is gonna be about like say u write love then u start like writing ur lyrics about it if u wanna write about a kickass party write kickass party at the top then ur song is gonna be about how much it kicks ass and how it kicks ass and how much fun u and ur friends had if u wanna write how much ppl suck write PPL suck at the top and write urself a angry song if u wanna make a song about beaners then write beaners (or The Beaner Song) at the top and make up ur own catchy tune clap ur hands start singing it(make sure noone is within 50 ft of u when ur doing this process) and start pluckin at ur guitar until u make a cute annoying catchy tune.. ok whatever im gettting talking to much and am too lazy to erase all that *** it


-peace
Jon

[DeAdGiRlSbOyS]

Couldnt be bothered to read it all cos its too long but seemed ok. But surely if ur just writing a song, u should just sit down and just write away. Forget bout if it rhymes, or if it flows, or adding metaphors, or adding cool words or big words. Just sit down write the song, doesnt matter how many verses its got. and when ur writing it have the tune in ur head, obviously not every lead guitar solo, but the basic piano or guitar tune. play that in ur head and just write what u hear urself singing in ur head to the music. screw all the methods ppl say u should use. jsut write. its as easy as that.

[guitar_guru_28]

hey great article on lyrics

[JoeMacFadzen]

hey man great article. i come up with lyrics here and there and jot em down but i can never really come up with anything solid from them, but your article is really going to help, thanks man.

[JoeMacFadzen]

Hey, i was wondering if anybody had anything helpful to suggest about playing guitar and singing at the same time, because that seems to be the one thing i have the most trouble with. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

[GuitaristSimon]

Oh my gosh UG Stranger u like have a split personality or are there more than 1 person usin that account. Nice article keep up the good work!

[pkhorana]

this is great stuff
you even make me feel bad about my songs

[pyrofreak]

awsum article man i am like totally inspired to go make sum songs now c ya

[realriffraff]

so how do you convert some kick ass abstract poetry shit into a dope song? (if you say spoken word, so help me...)

[cazzamia]

good article but i couldnt get to the end ... zzz..

spam deleted

[popwar_69]

this article sucks

[blink rock hard]

hey good article

[realriot]

this article is pretty good, i just think that its more of just a gift that some songwriters have, not something you can learn, but at least with this article theres hope for the rest of us....

[iam2phat]

this articles pretty good. coming from the heart n shyt good job

[trivial]

it's good and informational. but if you're going to write lyrics it comes from within.

[musicmartyr]

great article. this is going onto my favorites.

I suck at writing lyrics. Well, not really, the content is pretty good but I get serious writer's block.

I know your article isn't really about writer's block but it helped.

thanks

[bass_4_life]

That was a pretty sweet article.It helped lots.

[Joey201]

Writing a song.... yea.. its can be quite easy but trying to put good music to it thats hard.... just think of something that u like or hate, or maybe something happened to you... i.e a death in d family, a brake up, some one that said something 2 you that u didn't like etc..... i could go on... but i find it easy to go on things like that.... or just use everyday things..... have fun..

[averyon]

Very Nice. Extraordinarily thoughtful. Well done.

[OjodeVida]

What a great article. I haven't written a song yet but this gives me some insight on how to do it.

[shredder_01]

yeah awesome stuff ^^ i was sitting trying to get a song going and i got stuck but reminding me about metaphors and stuff has helped, cheers dude!! im will dedicate this song to you! xD

[iggy pop]

Just write down some thin and just write down whatever comes to your mind about that subject, thing etc

[rock_god1023]

nice article!

[~*Evanescence*~]

heyya nice article, very interesting. I am makking a song now and i seem to have all the words worked out (thanks to you) but I can't seem to get a good tune...
Rock on man!

[patmann3]

nice lesson.:d

[patmann3]

Nice lesson not:d

[patmann3]

soz

[shmunkmantra]

a lot of these articles really sound like my english teacher. lol.

[thehelott13]

excellent work. might i add that the quote "songwriting is like shaping the invisible" is a DaVinci quote

[KnightValor]

Okay, nice, but I can't stress enough how easily "metaphorical" can become cheezy. If I wrote a song

And when the bomb went off
The angel's heart burned
from his tears and sweat
worked into the nearby soil
and the gorilla wept
for the beauty

I mean, that is actually better than alot of bands do... Anyway, I generally find that numbers, shapes, anything mathematical give better metaphors simply because its much harder for them to be cheesy.

46 & 2 and Lateralus are my two of my favorite songs lyrics wise, one of which is all about a damn spiral and the other is all about two numbers which mean something personal to maynard. It leaves people curious, and if you do it right they'll look it up and go "AWESOME!" The spiral remains a mystery, but 46 & 2 is about evolution - humans have 44 & 2 chromosones, the next step would be 46 & 2 - thus "46 & 2 ahead of me"

Whoah I really just unloaded there!

[fretmaster01]

cool... less rambling.. Lolz.. good article.

[fretmaster01]

DeAdGiRlSbOyS wrote:

Couldnt be bothered to read it all cos its too long but seemed ok. But surely if ur just writing a song, u should just sit down and just write away. Forget bout if it rhymes, or if it flows, or adding metaphors, or adding cool words or big words. Just sit down write the song, doesnt matter how many verses its got. and when ur writing it have the tune in ur head, obviously not every lead guitar solo, but the basic piano or guitar tune. play that in ur head and just write what u hear urself singing in ur head to the music. screw all the methods ppl say u should use. jsut write. its as easy as that.

yeah... this article, by the way as anyone would figure out, is for the ones who want some help and advices. Like Benj stated, find your own style... and that's an advice i believe you are following.. hehe.. peace...

[Fibi]

Good article, useful... But if u wan't to write something you shouldn't follow any rules, just express yourself...

[D3WB3RRY]

Great article I'd bote it a 20 but I cant.....=(

[lastroseonstage]

awesome article

thankyou so much

youve been a great help

[Jesse Nouveau]

I laugh at those who read this whole lesson, and decide they're going to give it a shot. Then find it's too complex for them and go back to writing the Greenday esque stuff. They then come back and reply to this saying "j00r artical suhked!!11l0l."

Heh.

[singer_johnny90]

ive been writing for about 4 years now, and i find that time makes a good song. give yourself a few days to think about the mood of the song and for good similes/metaphors. throw a few extra lines in there and if you write tabs for it, too, then definitely mess around with those. the more you work on a song, the better it gets.

great article!
keep it up!

[erlend95]

Hey! Nice man!! My band is going to be the best now

[[NitrateOxide]]

Is it just me that finds it hard to write rhythms to lyrics?

Anything I write sounds like a slighty-emo, early-blink 182 rip off...

[emt4life]

best lesson yet! i can't wait until you post another one, this was very helpful. and i would like to leave something for the smart asses out there. not everyone is as awesome as you.believe it or not you'll need help with something one day. remember that you didn't always know it all. i've been making music for most of my life and you never stop learning, if your not learning something new then i bet all of your songs sound the same. i wanna thank you benjamen for taking the time to share this. alot of people got from this.

[ThE cAnDyMaN]

thanks a lot buddy. this is a great help.

[LitanY]

How about writing lyrics about writing lyrics :P

"these right words won't come to mind
ever since that day
open up, let you emotions speak
i've been let astray"
lol
great article

[blind_melon1995]

heres some fresh lyrics

"i have sex/ i have sex with my ex/ my ex is not named rex/ so FUCK the cops/ FUCK with mops/ grow some cash crops/ and live freeeee"

[RiseAgainstMan]

dude not bad but here is some adivice
find a cliff somewhere and leap off
hehehe no just playin the article was really helpfull good job keep it up

[Gwynnell]

And when the bomb went off
The angel's heart burned
from his tears and sweat
worked into the nearby soil
and the gorilla wept
for the beauty

Its really not better than most shit

[me504]

wow.....im so bored i read all these comments

[A.Jolz]

haha me too!

[michel19]

this really has opend my eyes
thanks man

[dianEX]

[derickson690]

thxlol thx a lot

[Con 91]

Yeah!

[Con 91]

Gwynnell wrote:


And when the bomb went off
The angel's heart burned
from his tears and sweat
worked into the nearby soil
and the gorilla wept
for the beauty

What?

[Homeslice91]

really helped me, cheers. lol at some peoples comments. i can see a few people are having a "time eh the month".

[JimmySHK]

Very useful, thnaks a lot! =D

[SmokinGoodfella]

too much SHlT, get to the point quicker next time but hole

[Sk8rGur7]

awesome. I can't write shit! this might help me tho. I think my brother should read this. hes a writer. honestly, I like his first song, his other stuff just doesn't sink in, ya know? seems like he thinks alot about it, then writes it without actually feeling it

[jamesdjharrod]

nice lesson, and to agree with AnotherIdiot, STOP WRITING SONGS ABOUT BREAK-UPS. And if you have to, at least write them in an entertaining way. Motley Crue for example rarely write about depressin stuff, and theyre awesome

[lorrythebassguy]

Im not a natural lyricist but i found that helped alot and i enjoyed reading it