What is the difference between poetry and lyrics? One is taught in all basic curriculum, the other is not. Everyone, anyone can write a song. It’s harder to start when you are older, but only because of confidence issues. I have had many students over the years, and talent level varies, but all of them write notes and lyrics for me as part of their musical education.
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You were taught the basic elements of structure in poems. Here’s an entertaining crash course on lyrical structure…and Eminem is a genius at rhyming.
So what do you want to write about? And what about the music part? When I run songwriting workshops, I tell people to start by putting new words to pre-existing music. This way you get a feel for how words must squeeze into the rhythm of music. And it’s usually funny.
Assignment #1: Take “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and make a song about elves. These can be Tolkienesque or little creatures stealing your babies.
Mary had a fighter elf, fighter elf, fighter elf.
Mary had a fighter elf with a deadly bow.
And every foe that Mary met, Mary met, Mary met.
Every foe that Mary met, was shot with his arrow.
Why? Why spend you time writing songs about elves?
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