Lyrics

      Ahhh, lyrics. There are a million and one ways to tell a story or not tell a story. Some lyrics are abstract and paint a picture that requires the listener to interpret and formulate their own opinion as to the statement the artist is trying to make. There are other songs that are more about story telling and try hard to paint a very specific picture in the listeners head to evoke an emotion. Both types of songs can be highly impactful and there are common disciplines and unique techniques to achieve a great product.

Let's deal with the story telling type song. I have a lot of experience in this area and have been mentored by some incredibly talented writers! Here are a few tips off the top of my head that help me accomplish a better quality lyric over the years.

Tip#1. Keep your cell phone, pen and pad, etc by your bed and next to the shower when your having one. Same is true for anything else you do that is meditational, like gardening, etc..  I find in those rare quiet moments in life lyrics and melodies tend to float from the subconscious to your conscious. Allow yourself to let different emotions and memories dance around in your head. Pulling emotional energy from past life experience or even from something you saw on the news can really put you in an emotional state. Use that energy to come up with fresh ideas and write them down or sing them into your phone, if the idea also has a melody, RIGHT AWAY. Otherwise, you may forget them! 

Tip#2 Everyone will think your crazy, but try talking the idea/concept out loud. Sometimes verbalizing an idea will bring clarity to it or reveal weaknesses in the concept. Try the same thing when you have completed a big chunk of the lyrics like a verse and a hook. Talk it out and make sure the lyric makes sense and supports the main idea/plot of the song. If it feels convoluted or like there might be flaws.. Don't be LAZY! Doing rewrites is critical. I have written with some pretty successful lyricists and pretty much ALL of them do lyric re-writes before the song gets cut.