How to write lyrics is one of those ephemeral subjects. Some teachers utilize poetry forms but really, the two - poems and songs - are not the same thing. That's not to say that lyrics and poems can never be swapped, or used first one way and then the other. In fact, when my children were small, if I came across an anonymous poem which they really enjoyed, I often set it to music. Some poems are like ballads, and some ballads are also poems. There can be much switching, swapping and sharing. Another aspect of How to Write Lyrics being a difficult subject to teach to others is whether or not the student reads, writes or plays music, and also what type of instrument they play. It is one thing to write lyrics to music played on the piano or guitar for example, and quite something else if you play flute or trumpet.
In my previous article How Do You Write Lyrics? I suggested one way for the absolute novice to get a feel for how to fit words to a tune, is to take a well-known song and change the lyrics. Traditional tunes are often best for this technique but not necessarily the only ones. Any tune you know very well, like and is similar to what you want to write will do. Here are a couple of examples:
Lyrics
Original Lyrics: Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle went to town
Riding on a pony
Put a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni
New Lyrics:
The rain fell heavy from the sky
As heavy as my hea-rt
The sun went down when she left town
And left me on my o-wn
This tune is basic, well known and has simple lyrics, which I've replaced with simple lyrics. I've also made a couple of other changes to show you how to do it. The original song is bouncy, happy (regardless of its original political connotations); but the new song is sad and heavy despite the tune. Also, in the original song the lyrics all have one beat, but in my new song, the second and fourth lines finish on a single word with two beats.
Here's another example:
Original Lyrics: A Hard Day's Night (Beatles)
It's been a hard day's night
And I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night
I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you
I find the things that you do
Will make me feel all right
New Lyrics:
I saw him standing alone
Old and coughing in the frost
His coat ragged and torn
Skin worn hollow by the cold
With no home or family
The streets are all he has
Does anybody care?
You'll notice in the new lyrics, the rhythm is not identical. This is usually something which happens naturally and will lead you on to writing originals of your own, whether you are a musician or not; or even if you sing or not. The last line - Does anybody care? - could make the start of a chorus or refrain. That too often happens naturally.
Once you have a basic idea for a song, think of a tune or similar song and see how it affects the mood, aids the telling of the story, paces the rhythm and then apply that to your own writing. Again, you can start with a suitable tune and start adjusting it as your lyrics and song develop.
Whether you want to rise to the top of the charts, compete with Andrew Lloyd Webber or just have fun, writing lyrics is not as hard as it seems. It takes practice, trial and error and like all writing, determination.
Don't just throw something together though and decide that is good enough. Occasionally, number one hits have been quickly put together, but that's rare. Work on your lyrics. Change the words around, move the verse order, experiment with your rhythms and melody, change the key, and keep fine tuning until you have more than you thought you could have.
Most of all have fun. And maybe get the family involved. It's more fun than watching TV and is a change to board games. So come on, give it a go. It's time to write your lyrics!
Write Lyrics? Simple - The How to Write Lyrics Beginners Guide Lyrics
0 comments:
Post a Comment