The art of writing lyrics is an understated skill. The ebb and flow of finding the perfect words to express a feeling and then shaping these words with melody over musical accompaniment… well, the alchemy is both challenging and liberating.
In this month’s Session Notes blog, Project 7 Songwriting Retreats creative director, and songwriter Lisa Fitz discusses the dark art of writing lyrics, offering some top tips for capturing these precious little words and feelings as they flow.
Are you a lyrics-first kind of songwriter? Or do you prefer to find a chord progression and a melody before you commit to the words and intention of a song? Perhaps you dabble on both sides of the songwriting train tracks, experiencing the mysteriously complex and effortlessly abundant dualities of this part of the songwriting process.
Over the past 30 years I’ve experienced, and survived, many of these lyrical fact-finding adventures. From solo songwriting to collaborative writing teams, from finding that rare jewel of a song fully formed, to the long struggle to finish an idea that doesn’t quite fit yet. It’s a puzzle that continues to inspire, excite and torment me in equal parts.
Here are some top tips to help you along your lyric writing journey:
Pen to paper: I know this sounds obvious, but I keep a small notebook and pen with me at all times. Old habits die hard, and for me, the writing of lyrics, pen to paper, has a certain flow and feel that I can’t capture on my note’s app or laptop. It also means that I’m not constantly looking at my phone. I do use digital and voice notes as well, but I think as lyricists we should be farming in all fields, and pen to paper is my favoured method.
Voice notes: Are the quickest way to remember words, especially when you wake up with an idea at 3am.
Listen in: Eavesdropping on the conversations of strangers is THE best way to gain insights into other people’s worlds. So many lyric ideas come to me from travelling on public transport and overheard conversations in bars and restaurants.
Collect poetry books: My studio bookshelf is full of poetry books found in charity shops and second-hand book shops. When I am stuck for a word or perspective, I randomly open a page and pick a line to read from. This often unlocks a flow and pushes my lyrics into new directions. When I’m writing collaboratively, I always bring 4 or 5 of these books along to sit in the room for all to use. Try it.
Dialogue from films or TV: I’ve got pages and pages of lyrical idea’s from watching films and tv. It’s a great way to kick-start song ideas from a 3rd person perspective.
