The lyrics of a song are its words and can often make or break your song. Bad lyrics will irritate your audience, while good lyrics will keep them very engrossed in your song.
The purpose of your lyrics can be to tell a story or convey a certain message or belief. Whatever it is, you need to stay focused on one main point and make sure your lyrics make sense.
If you’re having trouble with your lyrics, why not try these five basic steps?
How to write song lyrics.
1. Knowing your audience is the first step in writing song lyrics. If you plan to write songs for children, you will be using different material than you would for adults. Therefore, the lyrics of a song vary depending on your audience, and your main goal will be to connect emotionally with your target listeners and engage them.
2. The second step is to decide on the title and theme of the song. Your title will tell your audience what the song is about. Keep your title fairly short, somewhat catchy, and easy to remember. Your song can be about any topic. It can be related to love, death, birth, etc. But knowing the message you want to convey is very important before you start writing the lyrics of the song. It also helps to write about something you know and have experienced.
3. Start writing the actual lyrics by composing words for the chorus of your song. It is best to make the chorus quite repetitive, something that the audience will remember. Your chorus will act as a bridge, connecting your verses. It should be exciting, and to this end it helps if you raise the melody a bit and slightly increase the tempo of the song. Ideally, you also want to include the title of the song in the chorus.
4. Next, start with your first verse. Your verses will tell the story or message of the song. Remember that your lyrics should be short, simple, and catchy, since you only have three to four minutes to get your story across. Your first verse has to be strong and carefully drawn. Your first line could be a question or an instruction, or you could use the song title in the first line. Subsequent verses should stay focused, continuing the opening verse and telling its story. Your final verse will contain the climax of your story, or the message of your song. Try to leave a good impression on your audience, so they want to listen to your songs again.
5. Decide on your rhyme scheme, remembering that generally speaking, the simpler the better. Not all songs need to rhyme, but keep in mind that most hit songs do rhyme. Rhyming phrases are easier to remember than non-rhyming phrases, helping your audience remember your song. Rhyming phrases will also affect your listeners more emotionally, something you should always strive for. The most popular rhymes today tend to follow the ABAB or ABCB patterns.
Now that you know the basic steps of writing lyrics, you’ll need some great ideas for your song. Relax and open your mind by taking solitary walks, immerse yourself in art and music, or perhaps the headline in a newspaper or magazine will elicit a reaction from the subject of your new song.
And remember to keep a notebook with you at all times, so you can jot down those great ideas!