How To Write Better Lyrics - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Syren · 07-19-2006, 02:50 PM

lol

My advice, figure out the hook first... that's the bit that grabs the audience and sticks with them... every great song has one.

Then write a couple lines as to what the theme of the song covers... example:

The hook:
"Many days, many ways, of filling up this room"
"Keep the treble to a whisper, let the bass set the boom"

The lines:

"A heavy drum, electric chords that light up every face... sumthin sumthin... rock this whole damn place!"

lol

So, after that much, I refine the 'Lines' bit to make verses, pen a couple of chorus lines, and insert the hook where appropriate. You might even just create a chorus from the hook, sometimes it flows better that way.

Now, as to 'real' lyrics... I think anything set to music is lyrics, so long as it's being sung. I hate when they 'talk' during a song, that crap rankles me to no end. The most important thing to writing lyrics is knowing the voice that is going to sing them. Once you have that, you'll know how much room you have with the lyrics and the scoring... that is to say, can you get away with loose rhymes? Do you need to rhyme? Are you better off making short simple lines? Is there a need for filler words, like 'Yeahhhhhhh... uh huh...' lol... all that.

So, know the voice. Counting Crows has massive amounts of room with their lyrics, whereas Metallica needs to have a steady rhythm.

And I still have my 76 strat, triple pick ups, glazed in glitter red, with my sex pistols sticker on it... lol. That's american, any way you cut it.

Good luck with the writing, cheers,

//Sy

mammamaia · 07-19-2006, 06:45 PM

excellent advice, sy!... you're a sterling example of what i'd call a 'real' lyricist... hugs, m

suzakugaiden · 07-19-2006, 07:48 PM

"What likely happens is that the producer determines that the album needs another song or three, but the budget won't allow for the purchasing of rights, so the singer is told "go home and write some songs this weekend".
"

Interesting. Never heard of this process myself.

Anyway, can't say I listen to lyrics that much, unless I find them particularly... I dunno, outstandingly good or bad.

bryce · 07-19-2006, 08:42 PM

...the tips of the fingers on my left hand are STILL flat at the ends. And I haven't picked up my strat in years. Acoustic...now that's a different matter. Damned good music leaves its mark on the outside, as well as the inside.

Bryce

Syren · 07-19-2006, 08:50 PM

Hehe, thanks mama

And I hear ya bryce... lol... I saw a guy with claws on his right hand, asked if he played and he clicked his fingernails on the countertop with a smile.

Since I hold a pict the same way as Kirk, my hand is stuck in a perma-bird.

Music definately leaves its mark on the outside...

*points to scalp-line scar* Moshing at a Gwar concert.... lol!

Mike C · 07-20-2006, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syren

with my sex pistols sticker on it... lol. That's american,

Uh... you do know where the sex pistols came from, don't you?

They're British, any way you look at it...

Good advice, btw. I was always a crap lyricist - now I know why.

Anarkos · 07-20-2006, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syren

*points to scalp-line scar* Moshing at a Gwar concert.... lol!

Bah, nothing. I've cracked ribs, broken teeth, wrists and thumbs, swallowed sections of my own lip...good memories.

Read some Pitboss 2000 lyrics for inspiration.

Back when I was in a shitty band, mostly I'd just have a bunch of pre-existing song concepts floating around my head, then just match ideas to riffs with the help of a hammer and repeated use of the word fuck.

Mike C · 07-20-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anarkos

I'd just have a bunch of pre-existing song concepts floating around my head, then just match ideas to riffs with the help of a hammer and repeated use of the word fuck.

Which is why, presumably, we'vee never heard of you or your shitty band.

Syren · 07-20-2006, 03:12 PM

c'mon mike, your kidding right? Sex pistols are from Ohio.

lol

I was attempting to be ironical.

Amour · 07-20-2006, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syren

*points to scalp-line scar* Moshing at a Gwar concert.... lol!

Hahahah, oh Sy...GWAR....That's funny on so many levels.

Off Topic:

I feel your pain, though . Look what I did at a show last night:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ghost/gash.jpg

One of the girls I was with had it worse, though.
A girl she has a "feud" with punched her to the ground, kicked her in the face, and took off. Nice girl, let me tell you.

Syren · 07-21-2006, 12:04 AM

Cripes bro - that sucka looks mean!
Send that hellion around my way, I'll teach her some manners. *gigglin*

anyways... moshin aint as much fun anymore, most people dive out of the way when they see me moving towards a mosh pit... I heard one fella say 'christ, someone's gonna die in here' while he nodded at me.

generally, I stay outta the way though... I'm a lover, not a mosher.

(But yeah.. lol.. it was Gwar, had to do it

)

//Sy

Amour · 07-21-2006, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syren

Cripes bro - that sucka looks mean!
Send that hellion around my way, I'll teach her some manners. *gigglin*

anyways... moshin aint as much fun anymore, most people dive out of the way when they see me moving towards a mosh pit... I heard one fella say 'christ, someone's gonna die in here' while he nodded at me.

generally, I stay outta the way though... I'm a lover, not a mosher.

(But yeah.. lol.. it was Gwar, had to do it

)

//Sy

thanks man.

Moshing isn't what it used to be, that's for sure. I haven't participated lately.
However it was great last night, and I could hardly be expected to resist. Pretty rough..But loads of fun. Haha, I actually made a few friends in the mosh. I cleaned house on this kid, and felt bad so I helped him up and shook his hand. We played hard for the rest of the night, until this big guy double my size got me with his spike/elbow. Oh well. I won.

He went down, and all I got was a gash. Poser. Hahaha. I didn't even really notice that it was so bad, I was headed back in when two guys grabbed me and said "Uhhh...You're kinda bleeding man...Everywhere."
I guess I was supposed to get stitches, but I just got mended up at that girl's house. Same results, and I saved 500$ + a few hours of my life.

I'm a lover, too.
Syren, a man after my own heart : P.

//Ty

Mike C · 07-21-2006, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syren

I was attempting to be ironical.

Ah, Americans and irony... never a good mix.

Syren · 07-21-2006, 01:13 PM

haha mike... like brits and humor eh?

Moshing used to be about cutting loose and going with the music, sure you got roughed up a bit, but there were always a dozen hands to help you up. Nowadays it seems like a place for cheapshots and mean buggers. I usually stand on the edge and float out people that need a break, or break up fights once the turds start swirlin.

But yeah, I know what ya mean. I do miss it, I'm just not as unbreakable as I once was... I wake up in the mornings now feelin' every bump and bruise and cussing myself for it. Sucks getting old, I tell ya what... lol.

Best pit ever?

Mine was at a Rage concert, back in 96-97... awesome, and I sooo hooked up with these two girls that were there... lol.

Talk about hijacking a thread.

Did the OP go to the camp already?

Amour · 07-21-2006, 01:37 PM

Aye, I know what you mean.
The big guy I was talking about was one of the assholes who took cheap shots. He started a fight the first 5 minutes of the show because somebody accidentally bumped his heel. There is always a few...:-\

Maybe I will skip getting old. It sounds rough.

I'm not sure what my best pit ever would be... Sounds like a good time, back in '96-'97, though, hahah.

Anyway, sorry for hijacking the thread

.
Forgive us?

//Ty