How To Write Song Lyrics
Sometimes I think that the world would be a better place if everyone wrote songs. It's a great creative outlet and will help you take out your aggressions in a positive and cathartic way. Let's break it down into steps so that it becomes easier to write a song shall we? I think it's always a good idea to oversimplify things that I am good at. That way you think I am really talented when you can't produce a great song by following my instructions. Not to worry, you won't write an epic hit your first time out.
An overview
I am first going to show you how to have an original thought. Now I know that 1/2 of all new songs are remakes of old songs and most new music all sounds the same but what the hell! Let's be different! If you get any major label attention you can always substitute any word longer than 5 letters with the word "baby" or "ooooohh" or some other such moan oriented utterance.
Materials you'll need
Some paper, a pencil or pen, a tape recorder might be nice, a guitar or keyboard might come in handy as well. You'll also need a quiet room where you can be alone this will prevent your friends from laughing at you.
Step 1: Get Inspired
Watch a movie or read a book and jot down some interesting ideas or phrases. One of them will likely become the title. I know this doesn't seem original but wait. I have more to say and if you just shut up i'll get to it!
Step 2: Messing with the context
Take each phrase and re write it in a different context. See what I'm doing here? What you want to do is mix your contextes. So that at times the song is about the movie or book and sometimes it's about something entirely different. It doesn't matter if it rhymes or not but if you're trying to sell it to the masses you simply must take drooling idiots into account. Drooling idiots make up about 75% of the population. So if you're going for the big time go broad and make it rhyme.
Step 3: Find the Phrase the Pays
Okay now you are going to take your phrases and arrange them into three groups. One of them will repeat so make this one your best and most thought provoking. This will be what is known as the chorus. Then take the two next best ones, these will be the seeds of the 2 verses and then take one that seems like an incomplete thought, this will be the bridge. Now re-write them on a new page in the following order
Verse
chorus
Verse
Chorus
Bridge
Chorus
You have now written out your lyrics.
SO there you have it you've written your very own song lyrics. Wasn't even that hard. By the way if they don't make any sense don't worry! If you get to the point where you're setting them to music just sing them in a way that people can barely understand what you're saying. If you don't know what I mean go download any Radiohead music that was recorded after OK Computer. It's almost completely unintelligible and yet it still sells!
An overview
I am first going to show you how to have an original thought. Now I know that 1/2 of all new songs are remakes of old songs and most new music all sounds the same but what the hell! Let's be different! If you get any major label attention you can always substitute any word longer than 5 letters with the word "baby" or "ooooohh" or some other such moan oriented utterance.
Materials you'll need
Some paper, a pencil or pen, a tape recorder might be nice, a guitar or keyboard might come in handy as well. You'll also need a quiet room where you can be alone this will prevent your friends from laughing at you.
Step 1: Get Inspired
Watch a movie or read a book and jot down some interesting ideas or phrases. One of them will likely become the title. I know this doesn't seem original but wait. I have more to say and if you just shut up i'll get to it!
Step 2: Messing with the context
Take each phrase and re write it in a different context. See what I'm doing here? What you want to do is mix your contextes. So that at times the song is about the movie or book and sometimes it's about something entirely different. It doesn't matter if it rhymes or not but if you're trying to sell it to the masses you simply must take drooling idiots into account. Drooling idiots make up about 75% of the population. So if you're going for the big time go broad and make it rhyme.
Step 3: Find the Phrase the Pays
Okay now you are going to take your phrases and arrange them into three groups. One of them will repeat so make this one your best and most thought provoking. This will be what is known as the chorus. Then take the two next best ones, these will be the seeds of the 2 verses and then take one that seems like an incomplete thought, this will be the bridge. Now re-write them on a new page in the following order
Verse
chorus
Verse
Chorus
Bridge
Chorus
You have now written out your lyrics.
SO there you have it you've written your very own song lyrics. Wasn't even that hard. By the way if they don't make any sense don't worry! If you get to the point where you're setting them to music just sing them in a way that people can barely understand what you're saying. If you don't know what I mean go download any Radiohead music that was recorded after OK Computer. It's almost completely unintelligible and yet it still sells!
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