How to Create Song Lyrics

You can create song lyrics by letting the music's atmosphere tell you what the song will be about.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A recording of the song
• A private place to listen to it
• Pen and paper

1. Get the music to your song recorded and burned to a cd.

2. When night falls, take the cd and pop it in your car stereo and take a drive on a road that has little traffic.

3. Punch play and as soon as the music begins to play ask yourself what place does the music take you to?
   Say, for instance, because the rhythm is lively and gallant in mood and the atmosphere gives you a picture of a horse galloping over a moonlit meadow, then move in and elaborate on this inner view.

4. Now since you have no desire to write about a horse, still you have a driving force in the song - a need to express something very strong and moving... like a horse that gallops.

5. As you listen begin to sing the melody you have in mind, even if it's only a small piece or a chorus.
   Instead of humming, try to form words or syllables to give the melody some body.
   When one of those syllables hits a vowel sound that seems to fit the texture of the song, for instance a long "i", you will have the first clue to the direction your lyrics should follow.
   As an example, you sing "da du la tay that say you are mine". You like how the end of this nonsense sounded with the music because of how the long "i" seemed to flow well with the texture.
   Now you know, whatever word you choose for the word at that point of the song must be a word with a long "i".

6. Now run through the choices of words that could fit there in sound type as well as fit the picture you gained from the feeling of the song.
   mine - time - sign - find etcetera.

7. Let's say you pick the word "time". Lots of ways to be poetic with that word and lots of different directions you can go from there.
   But the one thing you know is that the lyrical phrase that will follow somewhere in the verse must rhyme with "time".
   This is your second clue and prompt to create the song's story.

8. Replay the song as many times as it takes and keep repeating the phrase that ends with the word "time".
   It may be the only word you have for a while. Just continue singing nonsensical syllables and wait for more substance to come.

9. Ask yourself what do you want the song to be about, or who do you want it to be about?
   Should it be political and allow you a little soapboxing?
   Does it inspire a feeling you want to express to God?
   What have you wanted to say for a while but it was too unorthodox for casual conversation?
   Keep these questions in mind as you listen to the music play.
   Just let the music carry you and allow the words to flow from those feelings.

10. Now say you discovered a good phrase for the word "time", like, "In the endless longing for a life with more time", you sing this line over and over until you place each syllable in its respective place.
    You will have a direction with this one line, but it is still open for many different themes.

11. It is now a matter of rhyming and fulfilling the theme, or story of the song.
    You know the next phrase must end with a word that rhymes with the word "time".
    Stop the music and repeat the one phrase you have.
    Think. What do you wish to express?
    "In the endless longing for a life with more time,"
    Before you know it, you have your second line..."Wasting years and years upon a love that will never be mine."

12. Although this is very weak poetry, you can get an idea of how it works.
    When you have created just one lyrical phrase to your song, the rest of the lyrics will follow close behind.
    Simply let the atmosphere of the music guide your feelings and allow the lyrics to be formed in your mouth...syllable by syllable.

Tips & Warnings

• Pick a night with a full moon to ride around in
• If the lyrics don't take shape, wait a week and then take another drive and try again
• Don't feel pressure to create, just let it flow

[trisha22]

on 11/22/2007 Hi fave -- I'm glad you found it helpful. This is the method I've used for years, but I must admit, it was harder to describe than I thought it would be. So I'm very thankful you liked it. It's always difficult to detail the ethereal.

[favefive]

on 11/20/2007 Wonderful article. Great tips! I will have my daughter read this. She would like to compose a song one of these days.

[favefive]

on 11/20/2007 Wonderful article. Great tips! I will have my daughter read this. She would like to compose a song one of these days.