CONVERSATIONAL LYRICS

[DannyCam]

title is probably obvious - talking about this contemporary idea of making sure our lyrics sound conversational?
Write lyrics that sound the way you'd say it...

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

[hummingbird]

I do think it important that lyrics not twist the language in order to make things rhyme... lyrical requirements may be different depending on genre and target market as well.

[ClumsyFingers]

I agree that you don't want to invert your sentences to force a rhyme (with the occasional exception for a humorous song), and you don't want to use outdated\old English. A song should sound natural, not contrived. "Conversational" is a very popular and effective writing style, and one of the safest ways to sound natural, but certainly not the only style to consider. I have included links to a couple other options I have used. The first (Thorns) uses poetic imagery to capture the pain and the rewards of a long term relationship (or the dis-appointments and rewards of striving for a lofty goal). The second (Destination Still Unknown) relies on metaphor. Neither of these first two songs are conversational, but I generally get a very favorable response when I perform them. The last (A Prayer's a Prayer) uses, conversational verses, but the chorus uses the invented term of "folded paper promises" in place of "money" or "net worth" (which would be conversational in a financial discussion, but not a song). My intent in using this term is to point out that currency is only as valuable as the government's promise to stand behind it, and likewise the idea that money makes you a better person or can somehow isolate you from heartache is just an illusion.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUhXOhf ... k1Kxl&t=0s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXNeCNm ... l&index=14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3PoRL8 ... xl&index=8