what makes a good song lyric
As songwriters, we’re the only ones who know the whole story that we’re trying to tell. Essentially, one important quality of a good song is to have meaningful lyrics. Genius Nickname Email Password. Those songs vary in quality, but their essences are separate and definable. The keys to great verse writing are being interesting and impactful. First and foremost your words should “do no harm.” What I mean by this is that if a lyric doesn’t sound good - and natural - being sung, it doesn’t matter what you’re saying, things won’t go well. Many songs will only give the listener a half chorus or a single chorus for the first one. Cliff Goldmacher is a songwriter, producer, session musician, engineer, author and owner of recording studios in Nashville, TN and Sonoma, CA. Is your chorus lyric the main message of your song and is it memorable? The trouble is that a good song can be good in-spite of the lyrics, melody, or any of the fundamentals. However, songs themselves are not mysterious. "What Makes a Good Man?" By clicking “Create Account”, you are indicating that you have read and agree to the Terms of Service. 5. Make sure your lyric would be clear to any listener who is hearing your song for the first time. Remember that your chorus lyric is the single best opportunity you’ve got to make your song both catchy and memorable. Do your words sound good sung? It certainly helps if the lyrics are clever, the rhymes are tight, and the song has meaning, but lots of hit songs don’t fit that description. What a great feeling! P.S. Instead of saying “a woman gives a man at the bar a cold look,” you could say “his beer was warmer than the look in her eye.”. Answering that question is harder than you might think. Given the truly limited amount of time you’ve got to make your point in a lyric, it pays to make sure each line serves the message of your hook so that the song’s point is developed and driven home at every opportunity. I want my lyrics to stick in my head and stick in the heads of my listeners. Your first chorus is also part of the rising action – it’s probably not the climax yet! Making sure your chorus speaks to your overall point and does it in a simple, punchy and interesting way will work wonders when it comes to having a compelling - and commercially viable - song. To me, the ideal person is someone who knows a lot about music and perhaps makes music themselves, someone whose taste and opinion I respect, and someone who will be completely honest with me. Have you ever listened to a brand-new release from your favorite band and been totally surprised at every twist and turn? It might not represent how you feel or how you are right now but it is a piece of who you were, and it might be worth releasing. Don’t listen to it for a few days, or better yet, a week. Then, and only then, will you have an opportunity to tell your story and have people listen. Do my “ands” and “buts” make sense? (Standard folk structure), Verse, hook, verse, hook, verse, hook. This could be a mentor or it could be a peer. Rhymes stick in people’s heads and keep them coming back for more. Great songs often surprise the listener with clever lyrical twists, surprising melodies, or an unexpected change in the chords (harmony). A secondary tip is to keep in mind that the last line of your chorus is a very powerful spot. Start by writing a memorable chorus, which is usually 4 lines long and sums up the theme of your song. Believe it or not, learning how to use structure properly and understanding what makes a good song structure can actually help your song have the emotional impact you are looking for. weighted down with Twinkies. There are many different song structures available to you, and most of them you’ll already know. If they’re used improperly they can be distracting to the listener.