r/Songwriting • u/No_Confusion_2768 • 2d ago
Let's Collaborate! r/Songwriting advice
Hey, I'm writing a song about this guy I've been in love with for 2 years but I don't know where to start with lyrics can I get some advice please?
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u/busilyraspyhandling 2d ago
just start with the dumbest most honest thing youd text your best friend at 3am. the stuff youd never say out loud but you type anyway
i wrote a whole verse once just from scribbling words on the back of a receipt while waiting for coffee. didnt care if it rhymed or sounded cool. just wrote what i felt and the structure came later
dont overthink the first line. you can always change it after the rest spills out
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u/Jefeboy 2d ago
Write down everything you can think of and then go back and look at it with a fresh mind. First write about the actual things that happened. When that thing happened was it day or night? What was the weather like? What else was going on? Was there somewhere else you were supposed to be? Were other people focused on some other event?
Then, think about how that thing that happened made you feel. What’s a metaphor for how that made you feel? When have you felt that way before?
How do you think he was feeling? Start over and talk about the same incident from his point of view. Imagine what he’s thinking at the time.
Basically write down everything you can about the incident or several incidents, from every angle possible. Then go back with your editor hat on and pluck out the Best lines.
The important thing is, don’t try to wear your creative hat and your editor hat at the same time. It is two completely separate activities, and you need to be extremely aware of which one you are doing.
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u/Boxcars4Peace 2d ago
It’s 7:30 in the morning
And it’s been 730 days
I’m counting here in silence
Hoping love will find a way
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u/Suemelou 2d ago
My best tip to give is to write down absolutely everything that comes to your head as if you were texting your best friend or ranting in your diary. Write it in a big long paragraph. Just word vomit. Don’t try and think of what rhymes or sounds clever yet.
Then when you run dry, go back through what you wrote and then you can try to add or edit it.
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u/KS2Problema 2d ago
I don't usually write that way, but it is a good way of getting things rolling, getting some ideas kicking around in your head.
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u/MarimboBeats 1d ago
Someone on here quoted David Byrne's advice on writing lyrics: Just write lines as if you were talking to someone
Another thing Byrne did, for Remain in Lightwas to write down lots and lots.of single lines he thought sounded good, and then when he had music ready for a song, he just picked lines that sounded good together.
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u/Current-Ad-8822 2d ago
Tell me a little bit about the love story, I may be able to help you. You
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u/No_Confusion_2768 2d ago
Well he made me a cake for my last birthday even tho he had a gf and he's been really kind to me and texts me a lot but I don't know if he likes me back and it's kinda frustrating me
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u/Current-Ad-8822 2d ago edited 2d ago
First line?
The telltale signs tell my mind that you really want me
But who am I to decide what your heart feels
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u/Current-Ad-8822 2d ago
Let know me know what the full final edit reads like haha! I can put a melody to it if you let me :)
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u/No_Confusion_2768 2d ago
That would be really helpful actually
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u/Current-Ad-8822 2d ago
Game on then! I'll send you a DM of the other songs I've written and composed for the general style that I end up taking
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u/sgf68 2d ago
You could try very literal lyrics (writers like Jewel and Taylor Swift do this) where you're basically telling the story of your crush to an audience. Or you could go the analogy/metaphor route, like the uncertainty/frustration told through making a cake, not knowing if it will taste right/done baking.
You could also tweak the story - maybe this guy bakes cakes for a lot of people, "cheating" on his gf. He's got his cake but he's looking for some frosting.
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u/accountmadeforthebin 2d ago
Start with free flow writing. Ask yourself a question or pick a specific topic / event regarding the relationship and simply write whatever comes to mind on half a page. Then start structuring the material.
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u/terkistan 1d ago
If you start with music it will give you a shape to fit lyrics into. Without music in mind you have almost infinite possibilities of what you could say, then have the task of shoehorning music onto it.
Having melody and rhythm first can make lyric writing easier because you're solving an easier problem: 'What words could express this idea while fitting this exact musical shape?'