Tips on Lyric writing...
 

i know this is a rather strange question but can anyone offer me advice on writing lyrics

I like to write fun ska lyrics , but some times ill pick up the old acoustic and have an attempt at something meaningful...but kinda 'in vain'

so had anyone got any advice , much appreciated

ta

uhh write about what you know, don't get caught up wit all the other wannabes who try and be something they aren't. There are not really rules you HAVE to comply to, just be creative. Try to build a big vocabulary. Read a lot.

Yeah those are pretty good tips from hype. Alot of people want to talk about pain that isn't there. It doesn't make you deep to lead a crap life. You aren't better for overcoming a ****ty life, I don't know how this became conventional wisdom but it did.

If your life is fine and you have nothing to write about, either write stories about characters that do, or sing with a socially concious eye.

cheers guys

its just i can never make a lyric rhyme well

i mean a guy from Streetlight manifesto can write such creative lyrics and stuff that amaze me, but i can never think of a way to make lyrics like him

Why do lyrics have to be about crap and pain? I love "happy" songs. Ive heard a entire song based on the fact that the vocalist found a penny. It was amazing what he came up with.

So anything can be a song, even finding change.

Why must people fight with me to fight with me. 90% of the time teenage writers try to focus on why life sucks. If you can write happy songs, in your younger years your already ahead of the game. It wasn't an all purpose dictation, it was a comment to the masses.

Well, when I write songs I focus on what I'm feelin. It could be whatever you know, some problems I'm having, bad experiences, memories and stuff. I don't think I've written a "happy" song wit your discription in a long time. Different genres demand different moods and stuff, and I mainly write rap lyrics. But that's just me. Now that you've mentioned it though, I might get back into my Fresh Prince collection and learn how to be "playful". hahaha

genres demand moods?

There are several lyricists who dont rely on ryhmes in their lyrics, especialy in progressive rock, the lyrics are usualy very obscure, they are meant to be more philosophical and idealistic than poetic and passionate, but they can still have a lot of depth and meaning.

Yeah Amen to boo boo comments. Not that I like him at all, but Read Walt Wittman, probably considered one of the more ideal American Poets. I hate him with a passion but read (crap its something like) As I kept a midnight Vigil) or somehting like that. I give you that one cause its not a 200-page epic. But try it.

And what I usualy do if I just need a rhyme is use Assonance that way it doesn't sound like complete crap yet keeps the lines somewhat tied.

cheers for the advice guys, im currently writing a pretty cool tune...


ta

Kinda getting into the game late, but here are my recommendations:

Try to be observent or the world around you, of the things that normal people pass by. When you see or experience something thats interesting, think of how that will fit into a story (because in most instances thats what songs are, in some form or another). If you feel like its something powerful or meaningful, you might be ready to take it into a song.

Generally, I write a song after I have music, that way everything flows good and your lyrics doesn't sound awakward with the music. So if you are doing something on an acoustic, try to get alot of the song roughed out (verse and chorus chord progressions, maybe a bridge if you decide to have one).

Once you have a good idea how it will sound, try to start writting your lyrics along to your music. Reguardless of genre, try to make the message of the lyrics fit the mood of the song. Don't have some peppy lyrics with a sad sounding song and vice versa (unless that is the effect your are going for).

As far as the rhyming bit goes, I think thats a technique you learn with time. It also helps to have a rhyming dictionary (or just to run through words in your head). Whenever you get to a spot that you want the word to rhyme, just take a minute to find the word that is what you are looking for. Use a thesaurus to find new words that have the meaning you want and also try to find ones that rhyme (assuming its a spot you want to rhyme in).

Over time your songs will get better. Most likely, your beginning songs will be crap and you will probably be ashamed of them in a year or so! Just keep trying because its like everything else in life, you get better with experience. Hope I've helped some and that you enjoy writing music!

once i wrote a song about a tap dripping

EDIT: the point of which is that you can write a song about anything...

my advice, dont try to hard, let it flow... i often just get an idea when im bored in class and then construct something round it...

Hi, I''m new to this site but thought I'd give some input in addition to what's already been said on this post.

As well as being true/meaningful/insightful etc. with your lyrics, it can really help to throw in a few unique phrases to grab people's attention and keep them thinking. For example, saying "I love you" to somebody may be a very meaningful experience in everyday life but used within a song its generally going to be an unimaginative cliche. So you have to find another way to express these ideas, a new way which ideally uses words in a way which is rarely heard and which the listener or reader might appreciate you having brought to them.

Sorry I was just about to give examples, but I'm deing dragged off to lunch...

Later

It often helps me to think how another band would do a song. Not because you want to channel them exactly, but difrent bands would write from diffrent perspectives. Rage against the machine doesn't tackle a topic the same way radiohead does. If you get stuck its good to sometimes say something like "what would maynard do."