Songwriting For Dummies

Chapter 5

Making an Impact with Lyrics

In This Chapter

Looking at the lyrical styles of different song types

Practicing the art of focusing in on your message

Think back to the very first song you can remember hearing as a child. What part of that song really made a connection in the developing synapses of your brain? It could have been the beat, the sounds, or a silly melody. But most likely, these parts wouldn’t have had much impact on you if they hadn’t been attached to words that somehow made an impression on you. The words you noticed were probably very simple at first, perhaps a part of a game (“ring-around-the rosie”) and so on. As you grew up, you started gravitating toward songs that seemed to reflect the experiences of your expanding awareness. If you could turn to your friend and say, “Hey, that’s me they’re talking about,” or “I’ve been wanting to say that myself,” or “That’s exactly what I’m going through, right now,” chances are, you’d buy that song and play it till you wore it out. As a songwriter, it’s the connection you make with a song’s lyric and how closely you can relate to the feelings of your audience that put you in touch with them. Writing about what matters to you most is a great place to start.

In this chapter, we look at the various ways you as a songwriter can make an impact through lyrics. We break it down and discuss the various forms in which your ideas can be expressed, explaining the different devices the pros use to add impact and professionalism ...