How to Write Country Songs: The Lyrics
Writing lyrics in the country music genre is not for everyone. Country music revolves around powerful, catchy hooks, a memorable chorus, and a good story with a meaning to it. Writing lyrics for a song is a craft that can take years of practice to master. Listening to successful country songs and dissecting the lyrics is a good way to learn what goes into a great lyric. The following steps will help you to start on the path to becoming a great country lyricist.
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Instructions
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Listen to popular country songs on the radio or through recordings. Find the lyrics online. Look at the structure, rhyming patterns and progression of the story through the song. Jot down the way the song is organized.
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Think of a hook. A hook is the catchy line that encompasses the whole message of the song in a few words. This is the part that will be repeated over and over in the choruses -- and hopefully one day on the radio. Finding a hook can be the birthplace of a hit song.
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Take your hook and write it at the top of a blank page. It may not necessarily be the title of the song, but keeping it front and center will remind you where your song is going.
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Decide how the song should start out. The most common method is a verse leading to a chorus, with the hook appearing at the chorus. A really powerful hook might lead a songwriter to put the chorus first to establish the vibe of the song from the first instant.
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Structure your verses to rhyme, but don't be too tight with it. It is not always critical that lines rhyme. Be more concerned with the overall flow of the verse and whether it has an impact on the message of the song.
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Craft a chorus that is catchy and memorable. Most people fall in love with a chorus before they fall in love with a song. Verses are certainly important, but in some ways, a country song's verse is just a vehicle to get to the chorus.
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Write another verse. The first verse should have set up the characters of the song and the conflict that faces them. The second verse should move that story along. Move the conflict to the forefront and leave the listener wondering how this will be resolved.
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Think about adding a bridge to your song. A bridge is the moment that the conflict in the song is resolved. A well-written bridge can steal the show for a good country song.
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Practice. Write as much as you can. Like any other skill, writing lyrics is something that must be learned by doing. Try different styles, rhyming schemes and musical selections. Experiment with phrasing. Always lend an ear to what is popular on the radio. Your goal is to get there, so it is wise to see what the world is listening to.
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Have a singer interpret your lyrics over the music. Each person has an individual take on things, and you may learn something from the way he phrases your lyrics over a tune. Getting another opinion can open new doors for creativity by making you see the same old line in a whole different light.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't give up. Writing lyrics for country music is not a get-rich scheme, but a way of life. A truly gifted lyricist will always want to use that gift.
Keep a notebook with your lyrics. Jot notes, clever phrases, scenes and conversations. Describe a scene or a conflict. Use your notebook for brainstorming future lyrics.
Writing lyrics can be a long process sometimes. Don't beat yourself up if you are having trouble with a verse or chorus. Sleep on it. Persevere for your art.
References
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