Chapter 6

Finding Your Voice in the Lyrics

In This Chapter

Taking ideas from concept to completion

Considering all aspects of the lyric

Bringing in the element of music to your song

Sorting out the use of poetic techniques

Allowing yourself the freedom of flight

Lyrics can make or break a great melody. But coming up with lyrics is often easier said than done. In this chapter, we fill you in on some tried-and-true techniques used by the pros when they’re setting out to write lyrics. We also take you step by step and show you how to fit your lyrics into the common formats of songs.

Writing a Great Lyric

You’ve just bought yourself a brand-new laptop (the kind that weighs a couple of ounces and is paper thin). You’ve purchased a silver pen with your initials on it. You’ve rented a villa in the Caribbean. You also have your trusty digital audio recorder by your side, set to capture the cosmic overlap of words and music. The scene is basically set for one of those Behind the Music episodes seen on VH1.

You’re ready to write a great lyric. But where do you start? Start at the heart. Find the subjects that matter to you most. Find the melodies that resonate in your soul. In this section, we show you some of the ways the pros get started on their journey to writing a great lyric. Take a look at using one of these suggestions as a starting point:

A title (from just about anywhere) that suggests a concept

An idea or concept that suggests a title

An experience you’ve had

A cause you believe in deeply

A storyline you’ve imagined (or lived)

A catchy phrase

A melody that suggests a lyric

Much of the process of lyric writing is experimentation and trial and error. Many writers prefer to start a song with a co-writer and finish it up separately (often getting back together one more time to compare notes and finalize the song). Like viewing a painting, it’s good to take a step back to see the whole picture clearly. There’s no need to force a lyric. You’ll find that if you just give it a little time (but not too much), the lyric will naturally come. It’s great to come back after a break and get each other’s fresh point of view.

Starting with a title

When you feel you have an intriguing title, the next step is to examine the possibilities of those words. Find unique ways to look at common words (or common ways to look at unique words!). Following is a list of some famous song titles. As a quick exercise, pretend you’re seeing the title for the first time. Now imagine the storyline that the title may imply to you, as if you just stumbled across it in your own notebook. How would the concept of your song differ, and how would it be similar to the hit? How would you put your own life experience into the lyric?

“Heart of the Matter” (written by Don Henley, Mike Campbell, and JD Souther; sung by Don Henley)

“My Life Would Suck Without You” (written by Max Martin, Dr. Luke, and Claude Kelly; sung by Kelly Clarkson)

“If I Were A Boy” (written by B. C. Jean and Toby Gad; sung by Beyonce)

“Breakeven” (written by Stephen Kipner, Danny O’Donaghue, Mark Sheenan, and Andrew Frampton; performed by The Script)

Oftentimes, a good title is a stepping-off point for a lyric and song. At its best, a title can literally sum up what you’re going to say in the song itself. Jim is constantly jotting down potential titles from the words people say, things he sees in newspapers or magazines, and phrases that seem to come to him out of thin air. “The Search Is Over,” “Vehicle,” “High on You,” “Hold on Loosely” . . . in fact, most of the hits he’s written or co-written have started life as ink stains between the lines of a spiral notebook, as a title he jotted down or one that someone suggested to him.

Example step #1: Developing a title idea

There are many ways to achieve a goal, and although in this example we’re suggesting one particular method of writing lyrics from scratch, we encourage you to find a style you’re comfortable with and one that works best for you.

If you start with only the title in mind, you’ll want to develop that title into an idea. If you’re not sure what the song is going to be about, then sit down and create a list of different ideas that could be expanded and covered by your title. Just for an example, we’ll say you had a dream last night; the title “Deep in the Heart of the Night” jumped right out and you’re convinced that this title was sent to you from the ethers to use in your next song. Your mission now, should you accept it, is to go about discovering just what the song will be about in relation to your title.

As you think about your title, “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” make a list of all the things that you can imagine happening deep in the night. Your list may look something like this:

Falling in love deep in the heart of the night

Fantasizing that you’re falling in love deep in the heart of the night

Looking back at falling in love deep in the heart of the night

Thoughts and feelings that only come to you deep in the heart of the night

Waking up from a dream deep in the heart of the night

Getting a phone call deep in the heart of the night

Driving your car or truck deep in the heart of the night

You get the point. Now, after thinking over those ideas, you decide to use “Driving your car or truck deep in the heart of the night.” Maybe this is because you just bought some new wheels or you’re craving an escape to somewhere — anywhere. It’s most likely that what you choose from your list will be one with which you feel the strongest connection. That affinity for your subject will become the fuel for your brain that will help you maintain your creative flow.

A title doesn’t have to be clever or even unique to be effective. Sometimes a generic title can be infused with new life by using a different camera angle or shedding a new light on an old subject. Notice how one of the most common titles of all time, “I Love You,” is presented in a fresh light in the context of the song performed by Martina McBride (written by Tammy Hyler, Adrienne Follese, and Keith Follese) of the same name. By using edgy, similar sounding words to set up the title hook like “electrically,” “kinetically,” “erratically,” “fanatically,” and “magically” the songwriters are adding contrast to the simple closing line of the chorus, “sure as the sky is blue, I love you.”

Finding a place for the title within the song

After you hit on a good title, experiment by placing it in different spots within your tune to see where it works the best. Many successful songs place the title in one of the song’s power spots to help hook the listener. Take a look at the following examples in Table 6-1.

Table 6-1 Power Spots for Titles
At the end of each verse	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“Bridge Over Troubled Waters”	Paul Simon	Simon & Garfunkel
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain”	Fred Rose	Willie Nelson
“The Times They are A-Changin’”	Bob Dylan	Bob Dylan
At the beginning of the chorus	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“By the Way”	Tyler Connolly/music by Theory of a Deadman	Theory of a Deadman
“Valentino”	Diane Birch	Diane Birch
“Lucky”	Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Timothy Fagan	Jason Mraz
At the end of the chorus	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“Second Chance”	Dave Richard Bassett, Brent Smith	Shinedown
“Love the One You’re With”	Stephen Stills	Stephen Stills
“Something in Your Mouth”	Mutt Lange, Chad Kroeger	Nickelback
In both the first and last lines of the chorus	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“Human”	Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr.	The Killers
“Apologize”	Ryan Tedder	Timbaland featuring OneRepublic
“Half of My Heart”	John Mayer, Taylor Swift	John Mayer (with Taylor Swift)
In various sections of the verse	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“Never Say Never”	Joseph King and Isaac Slade	The Fray
“Breakeven”	Stephen Kipner, Danny O’Donaghue, Mark Sheenan, and Andrew Frampton	The Script
“Different Name for the Same Thing”	Benjamin Gibbard	Death Cab for Cutie
“Superstition”	Stevie Wonder	Stevie Wonder
“Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart”	Jeff Bhasker, Alicia Keys, Patrick “Plan Pat” Reynolds	Alicia Keys
In both the chorus and the verse	Songwriter(s)	Singer/Performer
“If You Only Knew”	Dave Richard Bassett, Brent Smith	Shinedown

So where should you put your song title? In as many places as you can without going overboard. Some songs take the concept of the title as a hook to the extreme and really hammer it home in this way. In the song “Let It Be” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; performed by The Beatles), the title appears 42 times!

Don’t force a title into numerous places within your song because you feel you have to — unless it really makes sense to do so. A good title has a way of sticking in your head even if it’s only used a few times. There are also instances where the title does not appear anywhere at all in the song, such as in “For What It’s Worth” by Stephen Stills, “A Dustland Fairytale” by The Killers, “Superstar” (written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell), which is best known for The Carpenters’ version of the song (but was also covered by many others including Ruben Studdard and Luther Vandross), and “Chasing Cars” (lyrics by Gary Lightbody; music by Snow Patrol) — okay, so the title was mentioned just once in the last verse in “Chasing Cars” — but you’ve got the picture now.

There is no need to panic if you find out that someone else has already beat you to the punch and used that amazingly creative and catchy title you just slaved over for nearly two weeks — because titles cannot be copyrighted, you are free to “move about the cabin” and allow your title to take flight by embarking upon a totally new and different direction the second (or third) time around.

Starting with an idea or concept

Whenever the process of songwriting seems to become more of a craft and less of an art — more of a puzzle and less of a passion — it’s good to throw the tricks away (at least temporarily) and go back to the theme and concept. Some of the greatest lyrics are remembered more for their idea or story rather than for their clever rhyme schemes, hooks, twists on the title, plays on words, or expanded clichés. A theme that matters to you can draw out some amazing emotions in, and often as, a sidelight. As a bonus, it helps you come up with some incredible titles, rhymes, and hooks.

Harnessing a concept

Just as I have reams of pages of hooks, phrases, and titles, I have nearly as many pages of potential concepts for songs. Many times in a co-writing session with another person (or co-writing with myself on an old idea), the idea of the song actually suggests the title of the song, the tone of the lyric (angry, sad, happy, nostalgic, and so forth), and an appropriate musical hook. In a songwriting world often driven by title and hook, it’s refreshing to go back to concept and work the rest from there. Some writers say they write great songs when they’re in the depths of depression, but it sure doesn’t work for me. Even a great idea holds little appeal for me when I’m in the dumps. However, when I finally pull out of the trenches, I draw from the experience of having been there. You can learn to create from your sorrow, but for most songwriters, only after they’ve experienced it. Similarly, some writers insist on getting high before attempting to write a song. All I can say is that from what I’ve learned through the years it’s extremely easy to be fooled into thinking you have a brilliant idea or song only to say, “What was I thinking?” once you get sober.

—Jim Peterik, performer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist for both Ides of March and Survivor, plus writer of hits for .38 Special, Sammy Hagar, and others

Example step #2: Expanding the concept

After you have a concept — what the song is going to be about — you’ll want to elaborate on that concept and develop it into a story. Let your imagination run free. Going back to our fictitious example of “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” try to picture yourself being deep in the night, and take note of all the emotions you might be feeling in the seat of your vehicle as you drive the night away. Make note of all that your imagination dictates to you — the stars, the clouds, the terrain, the glow of your dashboard dials. These are the images that will illuminate your lyric.

For “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” you may decide that the song is going to be about driving to Tulsa late at night. Perhaps you chose Tulsa because you liked the way the word sounded. Maybe it was the wide-open plains of Oklahoma that held the attraction for you. Perhaps there is someone waiting for you in Tulsa. Maybe Tulsa somehow represents a fresh start for your life. Or it could be that Tulsa is just a random point on the map, and you’re thinking “anywhere’s better than where I am right now.” When you’re expanding on the idea of driving deep in the heart of the night to Tulsa, ask yourself questions such as the following:

What is the motivation for driving?

Why is the destination Tulsa, Oklahoma?

Am I writing from a personal perspective, or am I telling a story about someone else or from another person’s point of view?

Am I writing about the trip in the present tense, looking back at a past trip, or dreaming of one in the future?

What is going through my mind as I’m driving?

What emotions am I feeling as I drive along?

Who or what is waiting for me when I finally reach my destination?

Asking these questions and making these decisions will influence the tone your lyric will take — angry, tender, excited, full of longing, full of remorse, and so forth. These decisions will also influence the style of language you use from formal to hip or slang.

There are plenty of things to think about when developing your concept. When writing a screenplay for a movie, one of the tips in training is to decide how the story will end up before you even begin. And so it goes with developing the story for your song — think your concept through to the end of that drive to Tulsa — deep in the heart of the night.

Telling a story

Much like starting with a concept, putting a story into lyrical form has been the basis for many memorable songs. Story songs (see Chapter 5 for a definition of story songs) can be very involving for the listener because, for one reason, the listener is waiting to the end to hear the story’s outcome. The effectiveness of songs as divergent as “Stan” (written by Eminem, Paul Herman, and Dido; sung by Eminem), which is the story of an obsessed fan of the artist himself, and “24 Hours From Tulsa” (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; sung by Gene Pitney), which is the tale of a man who was unfaithful to his wife just 24 hours before he was to come home to her, depends on how interested the audience is in the story the songs are telling. In the case of these two smashes, the answer is clear.

Find a story that interests you from current events, fictional accounts, or history books. Now try to put the story into verse form using your own style.

Using a melody that suggests a lyric

Sometimes as a songwriter you get very lucky and hear a melody in your head. Other times, you noodle around on your keyboard, guitar, mandolin, or trombone and stumble upon a series of notes that sound good together. Then there are times when you’re even more blessed and your vocal chords produce some primitive utterances that actually resemble words. In this way, a melody can literally inspire a lyric — as opposed to the other way around.

On occasion, when Jim hits upon an interesting melody, he’ll sing it out with what he calls creative gibberish — in other words, nonsense syllables that sound remarkably like words. (Another widely accepted term for such gibberish is vocable.) He once sang a new but unfinished song for a friend with nothing but gibberish for words. Afterward, the friend told him it was one of his best lyrics. When Jim told him it was nothing but nonsense, he still insisted it was one of his most meaningful lyrics! (When Paul McCartney played the yet unfinished “Hey Jude” for John Lennon, he told John that the lyric “The movement you need is on your shoulder” was just a nonsense lyric to indicate the sound of the words and to fill the musical bars until something permanent was created. John insisted the lyric stay and stated that it was one of the best lines of the song!) The amazing part is that often, when you listen to tapes of these artificial lyrics, you hear sounds that you can actually develop into real words. And if you become adept at the art of gibberish, it can be a tool to your lyric writing. The trick is that when you’re unencumbered by the English language (or whatever tongue you speak), you are freer to concentrate on the naturalness of the sound and the rhythm of the words without being hung up on their meaning.

When starting a song, try to put yourself in the most receptive mood possible. Many a song never got past the first verse because the writer was convinced it wasn’t any good. Try to be as patient and caring with yourself as you would be to a friend in whom you’re trying to bring out the best. Let yourself go and let the words flow — without judging whether or not they are any good.

Finding the Format for Your Lyrics

Different sections of a song serve different purposes. Sometimes it takes a great deal of experimentation to find the best format for your song (see Chapter 3 for more on song forms). In the following sections, we cover ways that you can use lyrics to help differentiate the sections, as well as the lyrical techniques you can use to build and shape your song.

Jim Morrison of The Doors used to love to write poetry. He would sit in with a young local band that he liked and recite his poetry during their sets. He loved to use the rhythm of the music to move his words. (By the way, this band later changed its name to Kansas and went on to have a multiplatinum career of its own.)

Verse lyrics

Songwriters generally use the verse to set up the idea or premise of the song. The verse lyric conveys the meat of the meaning of the song. First it draws the listener in with a catchy opening statement or question, and then it sets up the song’s premise or idea as it leads to the chorus. Each subsequent verse adds new information to the story — often looking at the premise from a different perspective. One popular technique is to start with a general or nonspecific idea in the first verse and get more situation-specific in subsequent verses as the song develops. You may also want to set up your scene geographically (“In the town where I was born . . .”) as to where the action takes place, or set the time perspective as to when the situation occurs (“Many, many years from now . . .”). The verses serve to set up the chorus of the song. In story songs, the verses are all-important, drawing the listener in as the tale unfolds. Tell it as simply and interestingly as you can, embellishing it with poetic devices such as rhyme, word rhythm, alliteration, imagery, personification, simile, metaphor, assonance, and anaphora (a-NA-phor-a). (See the section “Using Poetic Devices in Lyrics” later in this chapter for more information.) You might also draw the listener in by posing a question in verse one, making him an interactive member of the song — as in “Is there anybody going to listen to my story?” which is the first line of “Girl,” or “Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour” from “Magical Mystery Tour” (both of these songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and performed by The Beatles).

Example step #3: Developing the verse lyric

On the fictitious song we are collaborating on, “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” we’ve chosen one of most common forms in popular songwriting, the one that uses verse, pre-chorus, chorus, verse, pre-chorus, chorus, bridge, repeat chorus (for other options of song forms, refer to Chapter 3). Note: We can always change it later as the song develops.

Now that we’ve decided on the basic concept or premise for the song, it’s time to start brainstorming some verse lyrics. Because this is a chapter about words, we’ll start with the lyrics, as opposed to the melody or chords (not that a melody or chord progression can’t pop into your head as you’re working on the lyrics). We’ll suggest the opening two lines and you can take it from there. These lines can of course be substituted for others as you develop the song but it’ll at least give you someplace to start:

“Do you wonder why I’m sittin’ here behind this wheel?”

“‘Nowhere’ circled on the map, 300 horses at my heel?”

These lines can serve as the setup to 100 different expandable scenarios. Whatever concept you’ve chosen to illuminate the title “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” make sure every line sticks to that concept and moves the action of the plot along. Try to use some descriptive words and intriguing visual images if possible (maybe “moonlight” in Line 3?). You may only want to work on the first verse for now and wait to write your second verse until after you’ve written your chorus (often the chorus will suggest where to take the second verse). You can also decide at that point if you need a third verse or a bridge.

Letting the verse express the concept

The opening line of your song is all-important. Try to capture the listeners’ imagination and curiosity as to where your song is heading.

By looking at John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s song “Eleanor Rigby,” we see an excellent example of verse progression. The song consists of three verses and a chorus and uses the verse-chorus form. The concept of the song (loneliness and the basic futility of life) is shown through the interwoven lives of an elderly spinster named Eleanor Rigby and the town preacher, Father McKenzie.

The concept unfolds over the course of three verses. The first verse presents Eleanor Rigby picking up the rice at the church after a wedding. We immediately get a feel for the careful, prayerful type of person she is. In the second verse we’re introduced to Father McKenzie, who writes the “words to a sermon that no one will hear” and clandestinely darns his socks late at night as if it were somehow a sin. These two lonely people are joined in the final verse when Eleanor Rigby dies (“nobody came” to her funeral) and Father McKenzie buries her “Wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.” The good father accomplishes nothing in his life (“no one was saved”). The writers did a great job in telling a sad story and developing two memorable characters in a few short minutes of the song.

The verse is really where you first set up your concept and then expand upon it as the verses progress.

After you have your first and second verses written, try flipping them around. It’s amazing how often the second verse sounds better as a first verse and vice versa.

Pre-chorus lyrics

If you feel your song needs a pre-chorus (see Chapter 3 for more details on pre-chorus), make sure it’s doing its job lyrically. A pre-chorus can give the song some fresh chords to differentiate the verse and chorus. Lyrically, the pre-chorus (or B section or channel) is a place to further set up the action in the chorus. If the verse is very specific — mentioning names, dates, and locations — you may want to make your channel more conceptual for contrast as you set up the hook. If your verse is general in nature (talking about love as a concept as opposed to jumping in bed with someone), your pre-chorus can get down to specifics before hitting the chorus.

Example step #4: Developing the pre-chorus lyric

In our fictitious song “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” we have our title, have considered many concepts and chosen one, picked a potential song form, and started a verse. Because the form we’ve chosen includes a pre-chorus, it’s now time to look at that element of our song. The specifics of where you’ve taken the verse will influence where you go on the pre-chorus. If your verse talks in very specific terms about the trip you are taking (the lyric, “Tulsa circled on the map,” indicates a certain goal), then perhaps your pre-chorus could be very conceptual (perhaps something about your innermost thoughts as you are driving). If your verse is in the present tense, another approach might be for your pre-chorus to shift to a retrospective outlook, thinking about the events that led up to your decision to drive. For instance:

“Wish that I could change your mind”

“And claim the love we left behind”

This two-line channel could be expanded to four if you have more to say, but generally four-measure pre-choruses are an appropriate length (refer to Chapter 8 for an explanation of measures). A good example of the two-line, four-bar pre-chorus would be “You’re trying hard not to show it (baby), but baby, baby you know it” (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” written by Barry Mann, Phil Spector, and Cynthia Weil; performed by the Righteous Brothers).

Putting the pre-chorus to work

It’s often the lyrical contrast between sections that keeps a song moving. Feel free to change your perspective from general to specific and past to present in a given tune. It’s also okay to change the location of the action — and move the listener around from place to place.

Sometimes you may be laboring for hours on a second verse or bridge, and when done, realize that it just doesn’t flow with the rest of the song. Be sure to keep referring to your lyrical premise. Don’t be afraid to go back to the top and read the lyric again and again to make sure all your lyrics belong in the same song.

Chorus lyrics

The chorus lyric is really the money lyric (the one that people remember first and that motivates them to buy the record — that in turn makes the songwriter money!). When you’ve done a great job in your verse (and pre-chorus, if necessary), you want to sum it all up as simply and infectiously as possible in the chorus. This is generally where the hook of the title is placed. The chorus is sometimes just one or two words chanted over and over as in “Mony, Mony” (written by Tommy James, Bo Gentry, Ritchie Cordell, and Bobby Bloom; sung by Tommy James), or it can really expand and crystallize all that was said in the verse as in “Because You Loved Me” (written by Diane Warren; sung by Celine Dion). Whether the listener is hit over the head with the lyrics of the chorus or seduced by it, it must be something they want to hear again (and hopefully, again and again).

There is no law that says the lyrics in a chorus have to be exactly the same each time the chorus comes around. Sometimes when writing a chorus, you have a few variations that are hard to choose between. If you can’t decide on the one best option (at the risk of confounding a sing-a-long), use them all in unfolding choruses. Just make sure the title doesn’t change too radically.

Example step #5: Developing the chorus lyric

In our future hit, “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” our next step is to work on the all-important chorus of the song. We should consider keeping the chorus extremely simple, emphasizing the (quite lengthy) title, “Deep in the Heart of the Night.” This is the area of the song where we emphasize the premise of the song in its most basic terms. Depending on the concept you’ve chosen, the chorus could be as simple as, “Deep in the heart of the night, I see you, deep in the heart of the night, I touch you.” This section needs to be the part that people are compelled to sing along with.

Having the chorus make your point

Very often, the chorus is the first thing to be written because it can spring right out of the title and lyrically sum up the point of the whole song.

If you want to write a memorable song, one that people will fall in love with and sing forever — write a great chorus. The chorus presents the main point of the song, while the verses describe the details. This principle can be seen in many verse-chorus songs such as:

“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” (written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin; sung by Elton John)

“Amazed” (written by Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, and Aimee Mayo; performed by Lonestar)

“Live Like You Were Dying” (written by Tim Nichols and Craig Wiseman; sung by Tim McGraw)

“Circle of Life” (written by Elton John and Tim Rice; sung by Elton John)

“The Wind Beneath My Wings” (written by Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar; sung by Bette Midler)

“Un-break My Heart” (written by Diane Warren; sung by Toni Braxton)

“I’m in Love” (written and performed by Geoff Byrd)

The chorus can be similar in tone to the verses, blending in with them, or it can become a surprise or a climax, such as we find in “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (written by Robbie Robertson; performed by The Band).

Bridge lyrics

The bridge of your song can be an important element for a variety of reasons. It can serve to sum up, in broad terms, the main idea of the song. It can expand upon or amplify the lyric’s main theme, or it can simply be a respite or oasis from the intensity of the rest of your song. At the bridge of “What a Girl Wants” (written by Jenny Bicks and Elizabeth Chandler; sung by Christina Aguilera), the song’s feel shifts from its intense groove to a light, syncopated rhythm that adds contrast. It is the singer’s chance to give her loved one a heartfelt thanks for being there for her. The bridge is also your chance to reflect on what you’ve already said in the song and say it a bit differently — as in “Don’t let her slip away, sentimental fool, don’t let your heart get in the way,” in the song “Hold on Loosely” (written by Don Barnes, Jeff Carlisi, and Jim Peterik; performed by .38 Special).

In our opinion, The Beatles wrote the book on great bridges. Often, John Lennon and Paul McCartney would supply each other with bridges for their songs (they called it the middle eight, referring to the standard length of a typical bridge — eight musical measures long). The lyrical shift from one writer to the other was usually enough to make the bridge a welcome section of the song, both musically and lyrically. John added the “life is very short” bridge to the otherwise optimistic tone of their song “We Can Work It Out,” and in doing so added a much-appreciated contrast.

Example step #6: Developing the bridge lyric

In our imaginary song “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” it’s time to build a bridge to the end of our song. Having nailed down the concept in the verses, taken it to some contrasting ground in the pre-chorus, and laid out the title boldly in the chorus, now it’s time to change things up and shift the mood a bit. We need to give the ear something fresh to ponder and the emotions some new land to wander. If our verses and choruses are filled with a lot of words and fast syllables, it might be time to relax the pace of the words to supply contrast. If the verses and choruses unfold at a leisurely pace, it may be time to step up the frequency of the words. From a “meaning” point of view, it’s time to perhaps reflect on the scenario that’s been painted in the verse, pre-chorus, and chorus. You may also want to look ahead to what may be waiting down the road “deep in the heart of the night,” before heading into the third verse or the final chorus.

One of the best ways to learn about bridges, what they are and what they do, is to study them in a variety of different popular songs.

Using a short form bridge in your song

If you have inserted your bridge in its most common location — after the second chorus, the listener has already had to process a heck of a lot of information. Many current pop songs are using extremely short bridges (often two or three lines) to change the pace without extending the song too dramatically. Many writers are taking a cue from the “bridge masters,” Lennon and McCartney, and from their songs such as “I’ll Be Back” — “I love you so, I’m the one who wants you, yeah, I’m the one who wants you, oh, oh, oh, oh.” Writers such as Richie McDonald, Gary Baker, and Frank Meyers, who wrote the goose bump rendering 2001 release “I’m Already There” for Lonestar, make use of a simple, but triumphant, two-line bridge to sum up the message of the song: that even when the father and child are a thousand miles apart, the father is with him every minute and every mile in a thousand different ways. Similarly, the bridge in “This I Promise You” (written by Richard Marx; performed by ’N Sync) is short and sweet, adding a little new information and some fresh chord changes (starting on the 2 minor), and revealing that, “Over and over I fall, when I hear you call, without you in my life baby, it just wouldn’t be living at all.” And onward to the out chorus!

Moving Beyond Format to Sound

Building your lyrics around established song forms is a vital aspect of lyric writing. But making the words sound attractive and professional within that form is an art in and of itself. In this section, we give you some concrete tips for making sure your lyrics have the right sound for the song.

Paying attention to the rhythm of the words

Whatever section of your song you’re writing, you need to consider not only the meaning of your words but their rhythm as well. This often-overlooked element of the mechanics of lyric writing is the secret weapon of many successful songwriters. Frequently, the beat of the words is accelerated in a certain section of a song to add excitement. (Check out the chorus of the 2009 hit “Boom Boom Pow” written by William Adams, Stacy Ferguson, Jamie Gomez, and Allen Pineda; performed by Black Eyed Peas.) Other times, just a few words are stretched over vast expanses of measures for a romantic or passionate effect, such as in “You Are So Beautiful” (written by Bruce Fisher and Billy Preston; sung by Joe Cocker) and “Without You” (written by Peter Evans and Tom Ham of Badfinger; most notable covers by Harry Nilsson as well as Mariah Carey).

A couple more songs to check out where the syllables are spread over a vast landscape are “Pride in the Name of Love” (written by Bono; performed by U2) and “Doesn’t Mean Anything” (written by Alicia Keys and Kerry Brothers, Jr.; sung by Alicia Keys).

The rhythm of the words in a song can be as important as the rhyme scheme and the meaning. This is a large part of the feel and appeal of rap music. In the smash rap-meets-melody “Empire State of Mind” sung by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys (written by Alicia Keys, Al Shuckburgh, Sean Carter, Jane’t “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic, Angela Hunte, Bert Keyes, and Sylvia Robinson), the entire song depends on the rhythm of the words for its engine. The success or failure of any rap song depends not only on the cleverness of its rhymes and the lyrical content, but to an even larger extent on the “danceability” and catchiness of the rhythm of its words.

The original opening line for the song “Vehicle” (a #1 hit for The Ides of March back in 1970) was “I got a set of wheels, pretty baby, won’t you hop inside my car.” It wasn’t until it was changed to “I’m the friendly stranger in the black sedan, won’t you hop inside my car” (a line inspired by one of those well-intentioned, but corny, government-issued anti-drug pamphlets) that the tune really started to move. Not only was the new version a much more visual line, but it also had a rhythm all its own that cut across the backbeat and the choppy rhythm guitar figure.

I had no idea what was so special about that line at the time — so much of what we do when we’re just starting off is purely instinctual. It took me years to know what I was doing right on the songs that became hits. I realized much later that the first line of “Vehicle,” when spoken, is similar to the rap rhythms that came into vogue some years later.

—Jim Peterik, writer of 18 Billboard Top 10 hits

Even if you’re not a great singer, try to sing the song you’re in the process of writing to see whether the words flow rhythmically. Certain lyrics read well but sing lousy. If your tongue trips over a word or phrase time after time, you may want to consider modifying that portion. Is there too much room for certain words, and not enough for others? Is there enough contrast between sections in the rhythm of the words? Reading a lyric over is a good first step, but road-testing it with a singer can really reveal a lyric’s true strengths and weaknesses.

Paying attention to the sounds of words within a lyric

Another often-overlooked element of lyric writing is the actual sound of the words themselves. Certain words and phrases roll off the tongue, and others just don’t. The most popular songs are ones that people love to sing. If the words sound odd and awkward, it doesn’t matter how deep the meaning of your lyric is, the message won’t be delivered effectively. Sometimes a great writer will throw in an unusual word or an unconventional pronunciation as a special effect — listen how Elton John delivers the word discarded in his power ballad, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (co-written with Bernie Taupin).

Example step #7: Making the words sound right

In our fictitious song, “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” we’ve chosen our title, expanded on our concept, chosen our song form, and developed our verse, pre-chorus, chorus, and bridge lyrics. Now it’s time to make sure our words sound right. Notice that, going back to our starter opening lines, “Do you wonder why I’m sittin’ here behind this wheel; ‘Nowhere’ circled on the map, 300 horses at my heel,” we have already made some poetic and sound choices that make them sound professional. Notice the repeated “w” sound in the words “wonder” and “why” (this is alliteration, which is explained later in this chapter), the exact rhyme of the words “wheel” and “heel,” and the rhythm of the syllables as they roll along (much like the rhythm of the wheels of the car).

Making the words flow

As you develop your lyric, try to include lyrical and poetic devices like these (and the many others we explore in this chapter) in your lyric. As these lyrics start finding a melody, be sure to try out your lyrics to see how comfortable they feel being sung.

One way to help ensure that the sound of your words will be an asset to your song is to write as you would talk. If a lyric is conversational and informal, it’s more likely to be easy to sing and sound natural.

Baby is a word you’ll find a lot in songs, yet few people still use it in conversation. Some popular writers would sooner die than use this word. Yet, others have made a career out of using the word baby.

Noticing a lyric’s point of view

Another important element of a lyric is the point of view from which the lyric is sung. Hit songs have been written from every imaginable perspective. “A Day in the Life of a Tree” (written by Brian Wilson and John Rieley; performed by The Beach Boys) is sung from the point of view of an endangered species of tree. In “I Am the Walrus” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; performed by The Beatles), John Lennon takes on different personas as the song develops.

First person

The first person perspective is perhaps the most popular of all the forms. This is where the story is told from the singer’s point of view — it’s also the most personal of all the points of view. Take a look at this list of songs that illustrate the first person point of view:

“Every Little Kiss” (written and sung by Bruce Hornsby)

“Pretty Wings” (written by Hod Davis and Maxwell; sung by Maxwell)

“Superman (It’s Not Easy)” (written by John Ondrasik; performed by Five for Fighting)

The first person approach to a lyric is many writers’ favorite point of view. Maybe that’s because so many of us use songwriting as a way of expressing what’s in our hearts — getting things off our chests. The singer/songwriter era in the ’70s spawned many songs from this perspective when the buying audience seemed fascinated by the innermost feelings of the introspective artists of that time — such as Dan Hill, Cat Stevens, and Jim Croce.

Even if you write a lyric from a personal perspective, before you finalize it, try changing the perspective to third person (see the next section) to see how you like it. Changing the perspective can sometimes add needed depth to a lyric.

Third person

The third person point of view is a powerful vantage point because the songwriter becomes the reporter, if you will, of the events taking place in the song. He’s the storyteller, and the whole world wants to hear his tale. Though not as personal as first person, third person is an extremely effective point of view because, as a semidetached observer, the singer is able to express feelings, comment, praise, and criticize without having to take complete responsibility. In “Well-Respected Man” (written by Ray Davies; performed by The Kinks), the singer documents the hypocrisy of England’s class system — while staying out of the line of fire, because he’s just reporting the issues. The Rolling Stones like to mix their first-person songs (“I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards) with third-person songs (“She bitches ’bout things that she’s never seen, look at that stupid girl”). Songs like “Dirty Laundry” (written by Don Henley and Daniel Kortchmar; sung by Don Henley) draw their power from the writer’s ability to satirize and criticize the world of sensationalized journalism from a vantage point just left of center stage.

Example step #8: Setting the point of view, tone, and perspective

In the fictitious song, “Deep in the Heart of the Night,” it’s time to make sure we keep our perspective in mind and consider issues such as point of view and the tone of the lyric. In our dummy lyric, so far we have the beginnings of a verse, “Do you wonder why I’m sitting here behind this wheel, ‘Nowhere’ circled on the map, 300 horses at my heel.” This is a story being told from the first person point of view; in other words, the story is unfolding in the life of the person who is singing. The lines that follow this can either stay in that point of view or change to the third person point of view. We might want to shift to the feelings of the woman who perhaps broke his heart and made him take to the highway. In the pre-chorus, we switch to a looking-back perspective with “Wish that I could change your mind, and claim the love we left behind.” In the chorus, we go back to the present tense, “Deep in the heart of the night, I see you, deep in the heart of the night, I touch you.” Also, whether you use these lyrics or not, when you’re practicing writing this song, make sure the overall tone of the lyric is consistent throughout. An overly hostile lyric, for instance, would be at odds with the wistful tone that we’ve set up so far in this song.

Experimenting with point of view

Sometimes a lyricist can change the point of view within a single song. In “Hold on Loosely,” by .38 Special, the pre-chorus starts in first person — “my mind goes back to the girl I met some years ago who told me.” But when it hits the chorus, “Hold on loosely, but don’t let go,” the message now comes from the woman’s point of view. When the words hit, “who told me,” it’s now the advice of the woman we’re hearing — even though the singer is delivering her message. Until Jim, who was a co-writer on that song, stumbled upon this technique, the chorus was sounding “preachy,” as if the singer was expounding this piece of wisdom. In any “advice songs” or songs where you’d like to be a step away from the action, consider placing the words in someone else’s mouth (or quoting the words as if from a billboard or a magazine).

Experiment with changing the point of view of your lyric after you feel you’ve completed it. “She Loves You” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; performed by The Beatles) wouldn’t have been nearly as involved lyrically if John and Paul had chosen to call it “I Love You.” By making the point of view third person, you allow the listener to be an observer of the situation alongside the singer — and most everybody loves being an insider.

Getting some perspective

The perspective of a lyric refers to whom a song is directed and who will deliver it. It also refers to the song’s timeframe. As a songwriter, you may have someone specific in mind to perform the song you’re writing. As you’re creating, you’re putting yourself in the mindscape of that artist and, depending on whether your target is male or female, rough or gentle, political or apolitical, religious or agnostic, or sarcastic or sincere, you are tailoring the perspective of the lyric to fit.

Find out all you can about an artist before you begin writing a song with him or her in mind. Try to write a lyric that stays within the boundaries of that artist’s persona. Discover the marital status, hobbies, passions, and philosophical leanings of this person by reading interviews and listening to other songs he’s written or chosen to perform.

When you’re writing a lyric, also be aware of the time perspective or tense in which you’re writing. The present tense is very prevalent in popular songs because it’s here and now and immediate. There’s no time like now to get an urgent message across — a good example is “Survivor,” written by Anthony Dent, Beyonce Knowles, and Mathew Knowles; performed by Destiny’s Child. The past tense in a lyric looks back on a time or situation. The reflective nature of past tense encourages songs about what could have been and what should have been, but it can also celebrate the good times of the past. Bob Seger is an artist who found a future in the past with powerful songs like “Night Moves,” his bittersweet ode to coming of age in the heartland of America, and “Against the Wind” (both written and sung by Bob Seger). Future tense is also popular in lyrics. People love to fantasize and futurize. “We’ll Be Together” (written and sung by Sting) is a good example of future tense.

Jim sometimes likes to combine past and present tenses in the same song. In “High on You,” (written by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan; performed by Survivor), the lyricists describe a scenario from the night before — “There you stood, that’ll teach ya, to look so good and feel so right.” In the pre-chorus, they then move to the present tense — “Now I’m higher than a kite, I know I’m getting hooked on your love.” The combination of tenses adds movement to the action of a song. You can even add what Jim calls a someday section to bring the story into the future. Songs that come around full circle get me every time.

Tuning in to the lyric’s tone and style

Many factors weigh into the overall tone of a song. Musical factors are perhaps the biggest influence on the mood of a song. The lyric, however, has to match whatever emotional tone the music sets (or vice versa). The images you choose for a sad, tragic, or moody song are going to be very different from the images you use for a joyful, giddy, or humorous one. Images of light and color seem to infuse positive songs, while images of darkness and shadow permeate the more negative songs. However, it is sometimes appropriate to mix the hues of emotional color and create a new shade.

If you choose informal language in a particular song (complete with slang, intentionally bad grammar, and colloquialisms), make sure you don’t suddenly become a Rhodes Scholar at the third verse and blow your cover! If your tone is formal and intelligent (listen to Don Henley’s song “Heart of the Matter,” written by Don Henley, Mike Campbell, and JD Souther; sung by Don Henley, for a good example of this), try not to slip into a John Mellencamp kind of style, which is far more “down home” than “downtown.”

Most of the songs I write tend to be on the positive side. I’ve always been more of a “half-full” guy than a “half-empty” guy, and my lyrics reflect that. Even when I write a sad song, there’s usually a light at the end of the tunnel (and it’s not the lights of an oncoming train!). You’ll probably have more luck writing lyrics that reflect your personality rather than attempting to write “against type.”

—Jim Peterik, writer of 18 Billboard Top 10 hits

The musical marketplace you’re targeting with a particular song does, to some extent, determine the style of your lyric. Certain words, expressions, and phrases are appropriate for a rock song, but they just won’t work for a country song. Many lyrics are genre-specific. For instance, the country market by and large doesn’t tolerate any word that resembles a swear word or a coarse or crude reference (better to change your damn to dang and your lust to love). There’s no such ban, however, on words like this in hard rock (good examples are Limp Bizkit, Korn, and Slip Knot). Certain phrases in country, Christian, and easy listening are not going to sound appropriate against a balls-to-the-wall Linkin Park track or the latest by My Chemical Romance.

Using Poetic Devices in Lyrics

Many times people ask what the difference is between poetry and lyrics, and they often get one of a number of stock answers. People may tell you that poems are usually read and not heard, yet if that were always the case, we wouldn’t have poetry readings. In reality, poetry is a kind of music on its own. If you look up the word lyrics in Webster’s dictionary, you’ll find that it means “words expressing a writer’s strong and spontaneous feelings in a poem or a song.” The truth is that the principles of poetry apply to lyrics as well.

Through the centuries, poems have been set to music by composers. Some poems can be set to music virtually unaltered, while others must be tailored to fit the form of a popular song. Factors such as song form, rhyme, rhythm, song length, and singability all come into play.

Some songwriters are as much poets as they are songwriters. When you read the lyrics of songwriters such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Jewel, it’s obvious that these lyrics have considerable power even without musical accompaniment. This is the hallmark of the poet who also happens to be a songwriter as well.

Bob Dylan changed his last name to Dylan as a tribute to the poet Dylan Thomas. (Bob Dylan’s given name was Robert Zimmerman.)

There is much to be learned by the songwriter from reading and analyzing great poetry. We’ll now take a closer look at some of the poetic devices that’ll serve to enhance the sound of your lyric and song.

Using repetition

Repetition is an important component in both poetry and songwriting. A kind of poetic music can be created using the repetition of sounds. The repetition of words, phrases (such as a title), verses, and choruses can help get the point of your songs across to your listeners.

Applying word and phrase repetition

In our discussion of repetition, we’ll start with the repetition of words and phrases, the most obvious example being the title.

Titles can be repeated frequently in a song. An example is “Hey Jude” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney; performed by The Beatles). The title in this song is repeated at the beginning of each verse and over and over again in the song’s lengthy outro (outro is the opposite of intro). The repetition of the “na na na na” phrase in that same outro forms a hypnotic backdrop to the instrumental chaos that is mounting.

Certain words can be repeated for emphasis or to adapt to a melody. Sometimes this occurs in the title, as in “Say, Say, Say” (written and performed by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson) and “Hi, Hi, Hi” (written and sung by Paul and Linda McCartney/Wings). Sometimes parts of a song are built using a single word (often its title) such as in the song “Hero” from the hit movie Spider-Man (written by Chad Kroeger; sung by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and Josey Scott of Saliva).

Utilizing verse repetition

Repetition can also be used effectively with entire sections of a song. Verse repetition is fairly common. This usually occurs when the first verse is repeated at the end of the song. An example is “California Dreamin’” (written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips; performed by The Mamas and the Papas). Sometimes the songwriter does this because he just cannot come up with another verse. Other times it’s because the verse is really worth repeating, or perhaps the songwriter wants to emphasize something that was said earlier in the song.

Utilizing chorus repetition

The verse-chorus form lends itself to chorus repetition just by its very nature. A strong chorus can benefit from multiple repetitions in the song, or by being repeated over and over at the end of the song.

Examining poetic devices

Using poetic devices in your lyrics is kind of like seasoning your food. The right spices in the perfect amounts can add flavor, excitement, and romance to a dish, but using too much can mask the flavor and make the food inedible.

Viewing different poetic devices

Look at some of the following spices that gourmet songwriters use to enhance their lyrics, either suggesting alternate meanings in words or evoking an emotional or sensual response:

Rhyme: A regular recurrence of corresponding sounds, especially at the end of lines. Rhyme is one of the most basic spices that can bring out the flavor in any dish (or song). (Rhyme is covered in Chapter 7.)

Alliteration: The repetition of the same sound, usually of the consonant (everything except A, E, I, O, and U) at the beginning or within two or more words immediately succeeding each other. “I turned stranger into starman in the Sunday New York Times . . . like Anne Sexton and her star rats working backward till it rhymes . . .”(“Stranger into Starman” by Aimee Mann). The following are songs that use strong alliteration, sometimes even in the title:

• “Umbrella” (written by The-Dream, Tricky Steward, Kuk Harrell, and Jay-Z; sung by Rihanna and featuring Jay-Z)

• “Silent Lucidity” (written by Chris DeGarmo; performed by Queensryche)

• “She Sells Sanctuary” (written by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy; performed by The Cult)

Imagery: Those magic words and phrases in a lyric that impress images into your mind, the descriptive words that help drive home lasting impressions, mental pictures created with words. Who can ever forget the “tangerine trees” and “marshmallow skies” of “Strawberry Fields Forever” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney? Imagery is the indelible stamp of a truly great phrase. For a wonderful example of the use of imagery (and many other poetic devices such as simile — “like Sinatra in a younger day”), call up the lyrics to “A Dustland Fairytale” (written by Brandon Flowers, Dave Keuning, Mark Stoermer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr.; performed by The Killers) — “saw Cinderella in a party dress . . . I saw the Devil wrapping up his hands. . . .”

Personification: When a poet or lyricist refers to a thing, quality, or idea as if it were a person and ascribes human characteristics to inanimate objects. Good examples of this poetic device would be “They Call the Wind Mariah” (written by Alan Lerner and Frederick Loewe; sung by Sam Cooke) and the great line from “Mrs. Robinson” (written by Paul Simon; performed by Simon and Garfunkel), “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, the nation turns it’s lonely eyes to you.” Nations don’t really have eyes except in wonderfully creative songs like these.

Simile: Comparing one thing to a dissimilar thing by the use of like or as. “I’m in Love” (written and performed by Geoff Byrd) is a good example, as are “you love me like a dollar bill” in “Phoenix” (written and performed by Aimee Mann) and “Like a Virgin” (written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg; sung by Madonna).

Metaphor: This is a figure of speech where one thing is compared to another thing, as if it were that other thing (without using like or as). A perfect example of this is in the song “Save Me From Myself” (written by Matt Scannell; performed by Christine Aguilera), which is filled to the brim with metaphoric references. Check out “I Am The Walrus” and “Happiness Is A Warm Gun” (written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon; performed by The Beatles) for some more tasty morsels.

A good example of a lyric that skillfully combines metaphor, simile, and imagery is the song in John Mayer’s debut release Room For Squares — “Your Body is a Wonderland,” written and sung by John Mayer. The title of the song is the metaphor, “Your skin like porcelain” is a simile, and “Swim in a deep sea of blankets” is where imagery comes to play.

Assonance: A partial rhyme within phrases or sentences where the stressed vowel sounds are alike, but the consonant sounds are not alike, as in late and make. In the Simon and Garfunkel classic “America” (written by Paul Simon), the long o sound is used three times in the wonderfully descriptive line, “The moon rose over an open field.” The use of assonance basically makes your lyric easier to sing.

Always go for a perfect rhyme when you can find one, but never eliminate a great line simply because it doesn’t rhyme exactly. Assonance in two words is a perfectly acceptable substitute for rhyme in most situations.

Consonance: According to Webster’s, “a pleasing combination of sounds simultaneously produced.” This word covers a lot of ground in lyric writing and harkens back to what we said on the subject of words sounding good and flowing well together.

Example step #9: Using poetic devices

We’re at the final fine-tuning stage of our lyric for “Deep in the Heart of the Night.” It’s time to make sure we use enough poetic devices to invigorate the imagination. Again put yourself into the driver’s seat of that car and take inventory of every emotion you might be feeling. Look around and observe the landscape as it goes rushing past. Look up in the stars that light the plains and feel the pull of the moon on your heart. Now take these feelings and observations and see how you can apply the various poetic techniques to your lyric writing. It’ll help to make your song linger in people’s memories long after the sun has risen on Tulsa and our solitary driver has found some peace of mind.

Practice Makes Perfect

At this stage in the game, you’ve probably got the itch to get going with writing some great lyrics, so start now by writing down the theme or concept that’s buzzing around in your head at this very moment. Go ahead and have some fun putting phrases together.

As a starting point, you might want to take a stab at writing a lyric by going back to the song form you came up with from Chapter 3, as well as the hook you created in Chapter 4, and combining them with your lyric work in this chapter. Try not to get bogged down or frozen. Very often, songwriters are afraid of writing something that sounds pretty stupid, so they hold back from the freedom of just writing whatever comes to mind.

The more you free yourself to just let go with the words, the more of an opportunity you’ve provided yourself to lay down something that works great in your songs. Always remember that the more times you allow yourself to practice writing down phrases and thoughts that fit a burning concept inside of you, the more opportunities you give yourself to “hit the mark” and write some great lyrics.