Writing great song lyrics is an art that takes time to master.
Many songwriters make the same song writing mistakes over and over again.
So, let’s dive into 5 tips for writing great song lyrics.
If you missed it, I previously wrote an article about How to Write Song Lyrics.
Today, I’m going to simplify it and give you some tips to make your songs great.
The bottom line is you can do a few things that will take your songs from good to great, lyrically speaking.
Song lyrics are the connection between you and the listener.
If the listener can’t understand what you’re trying to say then you’re going to lose them.
Granted, there are songs that the lyrics are weak but the music is just so spectacular, or the beat is so addictive that the lyrics don’t really matter that much.
But for the most part, lyrics are what the listener will relate with.
So, let’s dive into how to write great song lyrics.
5 Tips For Writing Great Song Lyrics
- Be Specific -Give as much detail as possible without overwhelming the listener. For example, in John Mayer’s My Stupid Mouth song, he says,
We bit our lips. She looked out the window. Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper. I played a quick game of chess with the salt and pepper shaker.
- Don’t Use “Big” Words -While it may be cool to throw a word in that most people never use in normal conversation, your lyrics would be much better if people could understand them from the start. Keep it simple but clear.
- Keep it Consistent -Remember what your song lyric theme is about. Too often people confuse the listener by veering off of the main subject of the song. Keep your song lyrics consistent so that there is never a guess what you’re trying to say.
- Don’t Be Too Abstract -Be sure you are “showing” rather than “telling” your story. In other words, use precise words to paint the picture. It will add depth to your story and make the song more interesting. Some of the best songs are songs that describe in detail the subject of the song. Great song lyrics like that keep you interested in the song longer.
- Write EVERY Day -This is a must. If you want to get good at the craft of songwriting then you need to write songs everyday. Keep a tablet with you or use your phone but write, write and write some more. To be an expert you need at least 10,000 hours at it. That’s a lot of writing and rewriting. Imagine what your songs would sound like after that much experience.
These are just 5 tips for writing great song lyrics.
What do you do to focus on writing great song lyrics? Let me know in the comments below.
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