Where music is inspiration
Poems are supposed to be expression
Where music is for the people
Poems are for the self.
Poems are lyrics too
And poems are much more personal.
However, there's a difference between writing the two
-while writing a poem, we are only aware of ourselves and the poem.
-but when we write lyrics, we often think to ourselves in our minds that we are creating a social product here. And this keeps us constantly aware of this thing, as to whether we're writing it 'correct' or not.
This is what makes the difference come out clearer.
You may write a poem and not show it to anyone.
But you always write lyrics so that you can sing them out.
In Order to Write Good Lyrics, the main factor to be kept in mind is that a song is firstly there to please yourself. You write a song, so that you can satisfy yourself. To create music.
So let it be for yourself and about what you feel best. And try not to force it to sound like anyone else.
Let a song be easy and laid back, rather than trying to make it folk, or bearing unnecessary mythological elements and things that you dont necessarily feel about.
I have always revered jimmy page's lyrics. They are always about strange things that mostly haven't happened in my life (except since i've been loving you) ,but I find them so cool. Yes you can find them cool too. But it doesn't mean that you have to write like that. Maybe they got famous because he felt those things in reality and they were not random. They probably felt that in the 70's more..what do we know. So
you dont have to write about the same things as your favorite musician writes about.
The best lyricists write about their personal feelings ,and they add their style to that, which is generally acquired by observing other good lyricists, and some parts are even inherited from them.
Like Kurt Cobain's lyrics always talked about something that has to do with disagreement with the behavior of people at that time, and about being low and helpless. Its because he actually felt these things very strongly in his life and these were in fact what drove his entire life and all his actions. He grew up being bullied and living in a place where no one really liked mainly art as he did. And then the divorce of his parents and living at relatives place or even on the street. We can clearly see the lyrics of
'sliver' coming from that right? And he actually had lived alone under a bridge once. And we have a song about that too.
'Something in the way'
So its Completely ok to let yourself flow in order to write rad lyrics.
If you're into hard rock. Your lyrics dont have to be about killing and 666 necessarily.
Even Ozzy Osbourne wrote about stuff that really carried him.
Like his song
My little man , was about what he felt for his son, Jack Osbourne who was 10 yrs old at that time. Now you wouldn't call that theme as hard rock, would you?
Think again. Cuz that song "Fucked shit up". The guitar solos in that song were so rad as fuck.
That that song truly became a heavy metal legend.
If you feel lonely, or hurt, or if you feel like using a lot of 'if's' ,do that
cuz the lyrics have to be what you feel.
If you feel sad, write it. If you feel cheated. Hey, write about it.
You're not alone. Kurt Cobain has been there.
If you feel you miss a girl. hey bro, write it as much as you want.
Placebo has been there.
Special Needs.
If you wanna write about love ,but are afraid that the song won't turn out metal enough cuz of the lyrics,
then write about love. Don't worry. Metallica has been there.
Nothing else matters, was about james' girlfriend.
There are no constraints to writing lyrics bro.
Just take a page and pour down all your feeling onto it.
And then refine it in your favorite style.
Fit a badass solo in it.
It will be a very rad song.
Write from your experience. and from the heart.
Catching your fav writer's style.
You can always like someones style and incorporate it in your own writing.
To do this, simply take a paper and write down your fav lyrics in your own handwriting.
Its important to write them in your handwriting. Your mind subconsciously begins to believe that you can write that way too. And you get to know about a lot about their technique of lyric too.
Good luck with writing some great lyrics . be yourself. Dont sell out.
There will be many people who will have felt the same way as you in your life. And your song will rock them.
(some of Kurt Cobain's handwritten lyrics)
Some links to articles about good lyric writing:
