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Songwriting Guides > Writing a song > Lyrics Songwriting Guides
Writing a song Lyrics

A song's lyric are the words that the singer sings. Although often added on as an afterthought by newcomers to songwriting, your lyric can be the most important aspect of your song. Weak words can irritate even the most casual of listener. Strong lyrical ideas engage the listener's imagination and can be as exciting as watching a movie, for example:
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
Fairytale of New York (The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl)

Your song should make one major point.
Steve Hillier

It is often a good idea to write your lyric as you progress through the song. If you usually hum or 'la la la' along to a strummed guitar, you will find that improvising words or even just vowel sounds can be very helpful in starting your lyric off. It will give you a sense of the vowel and consonant sounds that could fit with your melody, and give you a head start for writing your actual lyric.

Justin Hayward Justin Hayward
'Nights In White Satin' for The Moody Blues was inspired by a girlfriend's romantic gift of white satin sheets.
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Richard Hawley Richard Hawley
For performer and producer Richard Hawley, songwriting is about telling the truth: "I tend to write stuff that's dying to get out."
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Hal David Hal David
"When I hear music I hear words, just as I assume the composer hears music when he listens to lyrics."
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Audio help Here are some more ideas to get you started:

• Often, less is more. Pop lyrics are usually very simple and involve a lot of repetition. You can afford to repeat the central point of your song several times eg, 'Satisfaction' by the Rolling Stones.
• Try to ensure your lyrics make sense. Stick to one tense ie, set the song in the past or the present day, not both at once unless you really know what you're doing!
• Avoid cliché. Nothing will bore your audience more than if they're able to guess what you're going to sing next!
• Your song should make one major point eg, 'You Don't Have to Say You Love Me', 'Everybody Hurts'. Complicating your song with multiple meanings will lessen its impact.
• If you constantly struggle writing lyrics, you could always write with someone who specialises in lyric writing. Elton John never writes his own words; Bernie Taupin writes them. They have had a successful writing relationship for decades.

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