Fleshing out an initial line or idea for a lyric can be a seriously taxing, tortured process.
Likewise, finding the right lyrics to fit a musical motif that you really like can also be a struggle.
While the skill comes very naturally to some, others have to work a lot harder to hone their craft.
Luckily, there are techniques and jumping off points that can be helpful when it comes to get lyrics down. The more you listen to and analyse the lyrics of the greats, the more of these tricks and techniques will become apparent.
In this article:
We’ll run through pointers showing how to analyse the lyrics of others and inform your own to help you improve.
And we’ve set some exercises so you can practice the techniques for yourself.
Perspective and voice
A common misconception people make with regards to analysing lyrical content is presuming that whoever wrote the words or is singing them must be delivering them in an autobiographical manner: that is to say, they are speaking as themselves. But many lyrical masters frequently adopt different characters in their songs, often without changing the delivery of their vocals.
Gangster rap came under particular fire for this in the 1990s, when its detractors assumed that any rapper telling stories about the streets and gang life must have be advocating for and glamourising that way of life. In truth, some of them were, but many of them were simply exposing the environment they were created in, the oppression of the system that shaped them and the difficulties people faced in escaping these dangers.
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Ben Gomori 28 February 2020Creators United
Bring your Song Writing Skills to the Next Level
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Fleshing out an initial line or idea for a lyric can be a seriously taxing, tortured process.
Likewise, finding the right lyrics to fit a musical motif that you really like can also be a struggle.
While the skill comes very naturally to some, others have to work a lot harder to hone their craft.
Luckily, there are techniques and jumping off points that can be helpful when it comes to get lyrics down. The more you listen to and analyse the lyrics of the greats, the more of these tricks and techniques will become apparent.
In this article:
We’ll run through pointers showing how to analyse the lyrics of others and inform your own to help you improve.
And we’ve set some exercises so you can practice the techniques for yourself.
Perspective and voice
A common misconception people make with regards to analysing lyrical content is presuming that whoever wrote the words or is singing them must be delivering them in an autobiographical manner: that is to say, they are speaking as themselves. But many lyrical masters frequently adopt different characters in their songs, often without changing the delivery of their vocals.
Gangster rap came under particular fire for this in the 1990s, when its detractors assumed that any rapper telling stories about the streets and gang life must have be advocating for and glamourising that way of life. In truth, some of them were, but many of them were simply exposing the environment they were created in, the oppression of the system that shaped them and the difficulties people faced in escaping these dangers.