What’s most important is starting with a good idea and knowing what you want to say, which is where your creativity kicks in to get you started the right way.
A technique I use to come up with songs is to think about how I might comment on my experiences, the experiences others have shared with me, or what I have read or heard about the latest news. Then, I write down my thoughts or use visualization to see how these ideas might be turned into a song.
One way to think about turning these ideas into songs is to write your reactions as if you are writing in a daily journal. In this way, you can put down your thoughts quickly, as you think of them, perhaps writing them as bullet points. Then, as you look at these ideas, you can consider what might be the most central unifying idea and make that the chorus. Next, think of how the other supporting ideas or examples of the theme might be turned into verses. Finally, think of the bridge as a final comment linking the supporting ideas or examples to the chorus.
Another way to think about turning these ideas into songs is to first visualize how you feel about what happened to you or someone else or the daily news. When you visualize, get very relaxed and see the experience or news play out on your mental screen. Then, see yourself reacting to what you see on the screen, as if you are participating in a play and you are the lead character.
Finally, once you have these ideas, you can turn them into a song by applying the basic ideas of songcraft. The lines in the verse, chorus, or bridge should have one or two rhymes. It’s easiest with one rhyme, if you use 4 lines, with the rhymes at the end of line 2 and 4. Alternatively, you can use two rhymes, if you have a rhyme for lines 1 and 2 and another rhyme for lines 3 and 4.
There are other songwriting and rhyming conventions, but this is a good way to start. Should you have trouble rhyming, try changing the wording for the first line in the rhyme, so you come up with another rhyme with that.
Another consideration in creating your song is to keep the length of the line based on the number of beats (the hard end to two or three syllables) in each line to 4 to 6 beats and match the length of the line from verse to verse, since the same music will be used for each verse, though it should differ for the bridge and chorus. Again, there are variations based on how a singer/composer will create the music. But this is a good way to start creating the lyrics.
What’s most important is starting with a good idea and knowing what you want to say, which is where your creativity kicks in to get you started the right way.
To illustrate, here’s a song I came up with in thinking about the Covid-19 virus and what to do about it, which got short-listed for a film. While I wrote this song about a year ago, it is still very timely. It’s called Covid-19 Blues.
VERSE
These days of isolation
Make me feel so alone.
I wish that I could go out,
I want to leave my home.
VERSE
But I’m supposed to stay put,
Can’t see family or friends,
And they can’t visit me.
Lord, will it ever end?
CHORUS
I’ve got the COVID-19 blues.
Lord, it’s gone on for so long.
Are we being punished?
What have we done wrong?
VERSE
Is it because we’ve chosen
To ignore the climate change?
Is it ’cause so many folks
Are full of anger and hate?
VERSE
Is it a wake-up call from God
Because of all our sins?
How can we make amends?
Turn our losses into wins?
CHORUS
I’ve got the COVID-19 blues, Lord,
It’s gone on for so long.
Are we being punished?
What have we done wrong?
VERSE
Lord, what can we do
To help the planet heal?
How can we bring the boat of life
Back to an even keel?
BRIDGE
Perhaps we should see the virus,
As a call to fix our ways,
So we can make big changes,
To start a brand new day.
CHORUS
So then no more COVID-19 blues,
Lord, it’s gone on for too long.
We need a new beginning.
A way to right what’s wrong.
You can hear the Covid-19 Blues on changemakersmusic.com
https://youtu.be/y_SITAZrlek
You can also find other songs on either YouTube channel which can lead you think of other questions for discussion or support. There are songs about love, everyday life, society today, and inspirational feel-good songs.
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Gini Graham Scott is an internationally published author and film producer, who has published over 200 books, 50 for traditional publishers and 150 for her own company, Changemakers Publishing, specializing in books on self-help, popular business, and social issues.
She writes frequently about personal growth, success, social trends, and everyday life. Besides What Type of Dog Are You?, her recent books include: The New American Middle Ages and Turning Your Books or Scripts into Films.
She has written and executive produced 18 feature films and documentaries, featured on the changemakersproductionsfilms.com website.
She also writes books and scripts for clients. Her website for writing is at changemakerspublishingandwriting.com.
