How to Compose a Lyric

Most popular songs are written about people who want to be in love, who are currently in love or who used to be in love. "God Bless America" is one of the exceptions, though it could be said that this song is about love of country. But, by and large, the love topic is most frequently selected - probably because it gives you a reason to sing.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Guitars
• Pianos
• Dictionaries
• Sheet Music
• Thesauri
• Erasers
• Paper And Pencils

1. Select a topic - love or a humorous or novelty theme like "Never Hit Your Grandma With a Shovel" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," which are other exceptions.

2. Select your approach - compose your lyric and melody simultaneously; write the lyric, then find a melody to fit; or fit your lyric to a melody previously written.

3. Write both the lyric and the melody yourself if you possess the musical skills. This may be the most advantageous route. Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim and Irving Berlin, for example, worked more productively alone.

4. Collaborate with a partner if you work best this way. Gilbert and Sullivan, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe are collaborations made in heaven. Choose wisely - the two key requirements are creativity and personal drive.

5. Select a form. A working knowledge of form and structure is an absolute necessity for composers, arrangers, orchestrators and lyricists. (See "How to Study a Lyric's Form," under Related eHows.)

6. Work out your rhyme scheme. The most common practice is to rhyme the last word of each section, but the better lyricist will display his or her skill with a generous helping of interior rhymes as well.

7. Write. If you wait around for divine inspiration to drop the completed product in your lap, it's doubtful you'll ever write a note. Put something on paper. Word by word, note by note, change by change, your ideas will gradually take shape.

8. Be disciplined in your work habits. In the musical comedy "No Strings," Broadway composer Richard Rodgers penned this phrase: "The sweetest sounds I've ever heard are still inside my head." Without a solid, sustained effort to get it on the page, your "sweetest sounds" cannot become a reality. Best wishes and welcome to the club!

Tips & Warnings

• Rhyming can be a pain, especially when rhythms demand a rhyme with a specific number of syllables. Buy a rhyming dictionary and a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms to assist in finding the right word when your overworked, creative mind runs into a brick wall.

• You may not aspire to create sophisticated and grammatical lyrics, but a great deal can be learned from analyzing the work of lyricists who have made a significant contribution to the art. You may choose to express yourself in an entirely different manner, and that's the way it's supposed to be.

• Avoid song sharks - don't fall for advertisers "looking for lyrics." To be sure, they'll write a tune to fit your lyric and even send you a tape or CD of a workmanlike performance. It's a lucrative business that preys on lyric writers and remains just barely within the law by providing an actual product. A better bet is to try to locate a composer through local high school and college music teachers.