Lyric writing tips

B-Bassic · #1 09-30-2010, 05:53 AM

I've been dabbling in lyric writing recently in order to try and be a bit more useful to the band. I help with songwriting/structure etc. but I've also got things to say and feelings to express.

Trouble is most of my lyrics come across as akin to awful teenage poetry and I'm always falling into the trap of trying to make every other line rhyme. Obviously this leaves me with dull, cliched, predictable lyrics.

The only one I've finished to the end is this one, which I'm quite happy with:

http://soundcloud.com/for-i-am-king/i-was-a-giant

You'll have to excuse the quality of the recording.

Does anybody have any useful tips when it comes to avoiding the common pitfalls of lyric writing?

Gearhead17 · #2 09-30-2010, 06:15 AM

Try writing lyrics to the beat of the song and not writing the song for the lyrics. Along with that, might want to bust out the thesaurus. You can find words that are not overused and still fall within the realm of "normal speak".

Your file was not able to be played, so I am shooting in the dark here.

Another great way to write lyrics is to start with existing lyrics/songs and twist them your way. Or at least analyze what you like/dislike about them then write something your own way.

Just some ideas. Hang in there!

crusie · #3 09-30-2010, 06:23 AM

I have blocks of paper all around the house - so if I get to think of any catchy phrases or sayings or wrongly understood statements I write em down.

every once in a while I gather it all - and use that as a form of idea bank. seeing if anything fits together - or makes sense in a whole other way when put together.

most important thing imo - is to make sure what you want to write about. tell a story - and make it worth listening to.
also make sure you use words or wordplays that describes emotion/state of mind rather than action.

look at this from rage against the machine (sleep now in the fire)

The world is my expense
The cost of my desire
Jesus blessed me with its future
And I protect it with fire
So raise your fists and march around
Dont dare take what you need
I'll jail and bury those committed
And smother the rest in greed
Crawl with me into tomorrow
Or i'll drag you to your grave
I'm deep inside your children
They'll betray you in my name

then there's the don'ts like this one with madonna:

"I don't like cities
But I like New York
Other places
Make me feel like a dork"
--Madonna's 'I Love New York'

or lame analogies....

"Time is like a clock in my heart"

--Culture Club's 'Time (Clock of the Heart)'

well duh! :P

David1234 · #4 09-30-2010, 06:39 AM

The most common pitfall of writing is not writing! Not writing because it seems like it's been done before, not writing because the rhymes sound cheesy, not writing because you're uninspired. If you want to get better, keep a book (or a file on PC, or audio files on your phone's recording software) and review it every month or three. The song I made a very basic clip of (see sig) came about from 3 separate 'inspirations' recorded separately - one on paper and 2 on on my phone. If I hadn't recorded and reviewed them then the song - which I still really like - would never have gotten finished.

Another thing is try and have a melody in mind when you have a lyric, since they need to tie together. Writing one for the other is possible, but the strongest 'hooky' lines are usually the simple melodies that you imagine at the same moment that you imagine the lyric.

crusie · #5 09-30-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David1234

The most common pitfall of writing is not writing! Not writing because it seems like it's been done before, not writing because the rhymes sound cheesy, not writing because you're uninspired. If you want to get better, keep a book (or a file on PC, or audio files on your phone's recording software) and review it every month or three. The song I made a very basic clip of (see sig) came about from 3 separate 'inspirations' recorded separately - one on paper and 2 on on my phone. If I hadn't recorded and reviewed them then the song - which I still really like - would never have gotten finished.

Another thing is try and have a melody in mind when you have a lyric, since they need to tie together. Writing one for the other is possible, but the strongest 'hooky' lines are usually the simple melodies that you imagine at the same moment that you imagine the lyric.

pushing it a bit off topic - but holy crap you have some nice chops on pushing back the scenes - yeah I took the holy in vein and sweared at the same time - it's just that good - really like your bass playing

David1234 · #6 09-30-2010, 10:42 PM

(big grin) Thanks, Crusie!

Deluge Of Sound · #7 09-30-2010, 11:14 PM

Most importantly, lyrics don't have to be "good" in the literary sense, they have to work with the music.

Come on baby, light my fire
Come on baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire.

That's not going to win any awards on paper, but the song's awesome regardless.

taphappy · #8 10-01-2010, 12:31 AM

There's a lot to this, a lot of tricks and options, depending on which direction you want to go in. But, it sounds like you're trying to find your own voice. As far as that goes, find a way to be inspired. This comes from either life experience, or changing your surroundings. If you don't have something to write about, you'll fall flat. And, just like playing, the more you do, the better you'll get at it.

Find somewhere that you like to write, and write. Be it a coffee shop watching people putter around, or sitting at the airport, in a park, by the water, feed some ducks. Somewhere that you normally aren't. Where you sit and practice is not the best place for this. Take yourself out of your own element, where you can attack from a different creative vantage.

If you come up with a phrase you like, and your first instinct is to rhyme, you'll generally force the issue, causing the meter to pantomime, and the words between the rhymes to be useless:

I live down the block
From a guy named Doc
He wears a big smock
But he knows how to ROCK.

The fact that it rhymes should be an afterthought, if not even noticed. Rhyme is a tool in your arsenal, not a prerequisite to ensure lyrical continuity. A good lyricist is like a good bassist. If you only wrote bass lines that made sense every fourth beat, well. You'd pretty much suck. There's a balance to be found. Yes, you can get away with it, because people generally stick their fingers in their ears and go LA LA LA tra la DE DA, only caring about the melody. Which, personally, is a shame. Still, no reason to be obtuse.

For proof of this, listen to Hook by Blues Traveler. Bounce along to it, then read the lyrics. Then marvel at the brilliance that it was their biggest hit song.

And, a golden rule that you'll most likely have to learn the hard way: Keep the book on you at all times, and near your bed at night. This way, you can grab it and a pen easily. In that dozing off period right before you pass out, the best ideas will hit you.

For melodies, in a pinch, I record an audio message to myself on my cell phone. But I do suggest a book.

Also, do some research on the lyricists that grab you. Figure out why you like 'em. Research some poets. Analyze. Do they speak to you? Put an image in your mind? Carry you off? Guide you? Restore your faith in the Demon Gods of Metal? What? And, how?

Need sleep, hopefully I'm not too daft and ranty :)

Stumbo · #9 10-01-2010, 01:02 AM

Take notes on your life.

People you meet. Things that happen(to you or anyone else). Things they say. Etc.

Make up your own topics and practice writing to a topic.

Write, write, write and then write some more.

Keep everything you write, forever.

Check out a couple of books on creating lyrics.

p.s. click on David1234's link, IMO, you'll be happy you did. http://www.myspace.com/scenicproject

A couple of books to check out(which I'm reading now):
http://www.amazon.com/Songwriting-Du.../dp/0764554042
http://www.amazon.com/Shortcuts-Hit-.../ref=pd_cp_b_3
(Xlnt section on writing lyrics)