LYRIC CHEAT SHEET (LCS)
Lesson 15: The Heart of the Song
Action Points:
The beating heart of every song is its core message and emotion. You need to decide what these are about as soon as possible! But when we fail to do that, everything will lack the power to affect our audience.
You need to force yourself to set limitations on what your song is about. Only then you will have the freedom to complete them. Here is a framework to find it every time:
1. Take your song idea (these can be a riff, chord progression or even some lyrics) and think about how it makes you feel.
2. Set a timer for 5 minutes and write about everything that comes to mind.
3. Summarize your writing with one sentence. Make sure it's about a specific moment in time. This will be your core message.
4. Set a timer for 10 minutes, read your core message and write down everything that comes to mind.
This will be your fuel to create lyrics from. If you don't have enough material to start, take another 10 minutes and brainstorm some more. But as long as you keep your core message in mind, your song will always tell a coherent story.
Songs That Use This Concept:
A-Team by Ed Sheeran
[Verse 1]
White lips, pale face
Breathin' in the snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste
Light's gone, days end
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
Explanation
Ed Sheeran only talks about what he can pick up with his senses. His Observations paint the scene, and we get to image the girl he sings about.
Lose Your self by Eminem
[Verse 1]
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface, he looks calm and ready
To drop bombs, but he keeps on forgetting
What he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud…
Explanation
Eminem transports us into the world’s song. With his scene description, we can feel what the character is feeling.
Guess by Charli XCX
[Verse 1]
You wanna guess the colour of my underwear
You wanna know what I got going on down there
Is it pretty in pink or all see-through?
Is it showing off my brand-new lower-back tattoo?
Explanation
Charli XCX uses sensory information to catch us. Her sexual message grab our attention
Neon by John Mayer
[Verse 1]
When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise
Explanation
With only 4 lines, he paints the picture of the city’s skyline at night.
Short expression and small detail create the scene in our heads.
Often it’s enough to zoom in on one thing.
Cardigan by Taylor Swift
[Verse 1]
Vintage tee, brand new phone
High heels on cobblestones
When you are young, they assume you know nothing
Sequin smile, black lipstick
….
Explanation
Taylor Swift puts scene building first. Her use of sensory information transports us into her world.
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