Songwriter Tips

Whilst many phrases and expressions are regularly used by  songwriters , it is refreshing to see a different and unique way of writing. Just as a quick example:

I love you so much, you mean the world to me

We will always be together, it’s our destiny

Well these lines are all very well, but I think Roy Orbison put it better when he wrote this for his song I Drove All Night:

Could taste your sweet kisses your arms open wide

This fever for you was just burning me up inside

Wording it in this way seems to give so much more intensity to the lyrics even though the message is still very similar. Admittedly, the Roy Orbison lyrics could possibly be referring to lust rather than love, but you get the idea. Sometimes we feel restricted by the need to have rhyming lyrics, and it’s always a good idea to have a couple of lines in the verse and chorus that do rhyme.

This seems to make the song generally flow better, but more importantly, it makes the song more catchy and therefore it can help the listener to remember the song. Just try not to use rhyming words that are too cheesy, try and think of something a little different. Take some time to listen to various songs that you enjoy, and make notes of how many rhyming lines they use throughout the song, and also how original their rhyming word choices are. This should help you get some idea of how your own writing style matches up, and how you could improve.

Now if you are sick of love songs and the like, get a load of this! Billy Joel, It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me, how about My Life? Diversity and originality rule, and what about the superb Supertramp, Breakfast In America, and, of course, the ultimate lyrics – Logical Song. One of my favorite  songwriters  is Gary Barlow from Take That, the songs Patience and Rule The World are so awesome.