Writing original lyrics for a song can be challenging because you need to create a song with a personal and specific touch. Good song lyrics can captivate listeners and grab their attention. To write unique lyrics, you have to identify the clichés that need to be avoided first, then work on building your own style. After that, find a topic and start writing. Make sure you edit and retouch the lyrics afterwards to make them sound unique and comfortable for listeners.
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Part 1 of 4: Avoiding Cliches
Step 1. Avoid overused phrases
There are various phrases that are often used in song lyrics. Using phrases like this isn't really a problem, but some phrases are overused, making your song lyrics "nutty" or meaningless. To keep the lyrics "fresh" and original, read every line you write and think about whether you've heard or read the phrase. If you're not sure, search the internet for the phrase to see if it's used frequently in song lyrics. Some phrases that commonly appear in song lyrics are:
- “I love you more than…”
- "I want you…"
- "I can't live without you…"
Step 2. Don't pair rhymes that are clearly the same
When writing lyrics, don't rhyme right away from the first or second word that you feel rhymes with. Simple and easy rhymes often appear in songs so if you want to create truly unique lyrics, look for a few different options and choose the most original rhyme. Try not to rhyme with the following word pairs:
- "Wounds" and "grief"
- “Love”, “story” and “suffering”
- "Dark" and "night"
- “Story” and “beautiful”
- “Sad” and “sad”
Step 3. “Step aside” from a simple rhyme scheme
You may have an instinctive urge to come up with an AABB or ABAB rhyme scheme that rhymes perfectly, but a pattern like this will only make your song too familiar or even a little boring. Get creative with different rhyming patterns. Insert similar rhymes into the lyrics occasionally, follow a more complex rhyme scheme such as ABCB, or combine two different rhyming schemes/patterns to build an original touch to your song.
- Similar rhymes are formed when two words with slightly different sounds are combined. For example, Sapadi Djoko Damono uses a similar rhyme when rhyming the words "complain" and "fall" in a poem entitled Sajak Putih: "Thousands of moments in memory/Receding slowly/We listen to the earth accept without complaining/Every second falls."
- Tulus's song " Teman Hidup " has unique lyrics because it uses inconsistent rhyme patterns and combines internal rhymes, namely rhymes that are in the same line. For example, "He's beautiful in breaking down worries/He's the one I've been waiting for/Brings a cool feeling of pampering/He's always there for me/Nearby I'm calmer/With him the path is brighter."
Step 4. Avoid using pronouns
Maybe you don't mind using the word “he” to refer to a lover or other person (eg father) in the lyrics. To give a song a unique touch, include a real name, nickname, or descriptive phrase to represent someone's identity.
- Banda Neira uses the name in their song entitled "Tini and Yanti". A few lines of the lyrics read like this, “Tini and Yanti/My departure/Make presence in tomorrow/The glorious one.”
- In the song “Parting in St. Carolus”, a descriptive phrase used in place of a pronoun to refer to someone: “The white veiled girl adores.”
Part 2 of 4: Building an Original Style
Step 1. Listen to genres you don't normally listen to
If you only listen to country pop songs, the songs you compose will sound like songs from that genre because that's the style you feel most familiar with. If you want to create your own unique style and arrangement, listen to a few different genres of music, including ones you don't really like. Think about the similarities in songs from one genre and how they differ from songs from other genres.
Step 2. Listen to a song with unique lyrics
As you start exploring different genres, choose and listen to songs that have catchy lyrics. Look for examples of songs that have unique imagery, poetic language, and memorable choruses. You can try listening to the following songs:
- “Just the Two of them” (Umbrella Shade)
- “Party” (Isyana Sarasvati)
- “Worried” (Melly Goeslaw)
- “Shoes” (Sincerely)
- “The Story of South Jakarta” (White Shoes & The Couples Company)
- “Rainbow” (HIVI!)
- “Forgot to Bring Guts” (The Finest Tree)
Step 3. Combine some influences from different genres
Identify the aspects you like (and don't like) about some songs. If you're having trouble with the lyric writing process, think about what you like about several genres of music, then try to incorporate those aspects into the lyrics. This way, you can develop your own musical style, instead of copying one that already exists.
For example, you may like the storytelling aspect of country music and the fast-paced rap music. Try combining the two as you write the lyrics
Step 4. Experiment with different song structures
Most of the music you hear on the radio has a “verse/chorus” form or structure. However, there are many unique songs with different structures. If you like the lyrics that have already been written, but feel that the arrangement or music is less original, try rearranging them into a trophic (AAA) or ballad (AABA) form.
- Strophic structured songs have the same melody for each stanza, while ballads have two identical stanzas, a unique/different third stanza, and a final stanza that sounds like the first two.
- "Amazing Grace" is an example of a song written in a trophic form or structure.
- Ebiet G Ade's “Elegi Esok Pagi” is an example of a ballad structured song.
- Mocca's “Secret Admirer” is an example of a song with a “stanza/chorus” structure.
Part 3 of 4: Finding Ideas and Writing Lyrics
Step 1. Find a cohesive and authentic story
Before you start writing, decide what you want to write. You can choose any topic and build solid lyrics as long as it's something you love (or care about) and think about. To ensure the authenticity of the written lyrics, reflect on a real thing or event, instead of forcing yourself to write something, event, or phenomenon that is already common (eg love tempest).
Are you upset about what your best friend did yesterday? Do the falling leaves make you appreciate the nature around you more? Do you feel bored with writing deadlocks that often bother you? Use the real emotions of the event or situation to write the lyrics
Step 2. Take a different approach to a familiar theme
Most of the songs deal with fairly common themes, such as love, loss, family, and heartbreak. Use the theme, but add something different. Think about how to present the theme to make it look different or relate specifically to you (as a lyricist).
For example, if you're inspired by a recent relationship ending, think about what's unique about your previous relationship and the end of the relationship, then focus on writing lyrics that specifically reflect that detail or uniqueness
Step 3. Write a surprising first line
The first line of the song should contain a hook that will grab the listener's attention and keep them listening to your song. Write the first lines that take the listener by surprise and capture their attention. Instead of starting the song with something familiar, look for statements or descriptions that listeners might find a bit odd or unclear.
For example, Iwan Fals' song "Bento" begins with the following lines: "My name is Bento, I have a lot of real estate / I have lots of cars, lots of wealth." These opening lines sparked curiosity in listeners because they didn't clearly tell the story or indicate the theme of the song
Step 4. Use metaphors and similes
Metaphor is a comparison of one thing to another. Meanwhile, simile is a comparison of two things through certain words (eg "like" or "like"). These two figures of speech are suitable for adding specific details to the lyrics. Use both to describe your feelings and emotions in a unique way.
For example, in the song “Like the Sky” by Portrait, the first stanza uses similes and the object “sky” to describe the feeling of “hopeful anxiety” that the narrator feels in the story: “Like the sky in the evening/Blue, as blue as my heart/ Waiting for the news I've been waiting for / Hug and kiss him warmly for me."
Step 5. Draw something using imagery
If your lyrics contain a specific image or scene, your song will sound more prominent and engaging to listeners (and easier to remember). Lines that show what's going on in a vague way (e.g. “We spend time alone/and getting to know each other”) may sound boring to listeners. Instead, convey or narrate certain events or situations to listeners in more detail and creatively.
For example, the image of “birthday party” in Tulus' song “Monochrome” is created through the following lyrics: “Black and white photo sheet/I'm trying to remember the smell of home that afternoon/Chocolate cake with colorful balloons/My birthday party.”
Step 6. Use the stream of consciousness to write the lyrics
To add an element of spontaneity to your lyrics, try singing whatever comes to your mind at this moment. Make a melody and sing your thoughts along the melody. Select and write the words that match the melody.
- For example, you might end up writing a song about life on Mars because you let your imagination run wild and immediately wrote lyrics based on that imagination.
- You can read them back later and decide which lyrics or passages to keep.
Step 7. Set limits on lyrics
Maybe you challenged yourself to write a song using only certain words or phrases. You may also want to write different moments in your relationship with your ex in different stanzas. Take that concept and apply it to a song so you can write within certain limits or rules. These boundaries or rules can inspire you to think more creatively.
For example, you might challenge yourself to write a song about your loss, but don't use generic words like "cry," "sad," or "goodbye."
Step 8. Use a new perspective that is different from your point of view
Think about your ex's current view of you and write lyrics based on his perspective. You can also write lyrics from the point of view of someone with opposing political or social views. By choosing another perspective, you can challenge yourself to think outside your comfort zone.
You can also visit and sit in a public place and think about the lyrics of the song from the perspective of a stranger who is around. You can also try writing the lyrics from the perspective of a parent, coworker, or friend
Step 9. Try the cut-up technique
This lyric writing technique is quite popular and has been used by musicians such as David Bowie and David Byrne. Make copies of pages in a diary or journal, and cut out various words or phrases. After that, arrange the words or phrases to form catchy lyrics.
You can also cut out words or phrases from magazines or newspapers to form lyrics
Step 10. Write with someone
You may be able to write lyrics more easily if you collaborate with friends, family members, or coworkers. Maybe everyone can write a stanza with the same theme, but from their own perspective.
You can also write a duet with someone. Everyone can choose a verse to sing alone, then sing along on the chorus
Part 4 of 4: Polishing the Lyrics
Step 1. Sing the written lyrics out loud
Listen to the lyrics as they are spoken or sung. See if the lyrics are unique enough and fit your perspective (or someone else's point of view). Make sure you use metaphors, similes, and imagery to make the song come alive to listeners. Also, make changes to lines that sound weird or are too long (or conversely, too short). Thus, the flow of the song will become smoother.
You also need to make sure there are no spelling, grammatical, or punctuation errors in the lyrics when the song is sung. If you're writing lyrics from the perspective of someone who has poor grammar or spelling (because it's part of the character), it's okay if the lyrics contain those mistakes
Step 2. Show the lyrics already written to others
Ask for feedback or suggestions from friends, family, and colleagues. Ask if the song sounds unique or different from other songs. Ask them to suggest improvements you can make to the song.
Be open to accepting constructive criticism because it can ultimately make you (and the song you write) stronger and better
Step 3. Insert the lyrics into the music
Play guitar or piano to pre-made lyrics, or use digital recordings of existing songs. This way, the final component can be added to the lyrics so that the music sounds complete.
- If you can't play an instrument, ask a musician friend to mix your lyrics with the music.
- If you're very familiar with a particular musical instrument, it may be easier to first compose the instrumental, determine the vocal melody, and then write the lyrics.
