Any Good Lyric Writing Books?

[sjaguar13]

I was at a bookstore and seen some books on writing lyrics. I went to Amazon to see if there was any more and I found a few I'm thinking about getting. Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison, Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb, Melody in Songwriting: Tools and Techniques for Writing Hit Songs (Berklee Guide) by Jack Perricone, and 88 Songwriting Wrongs & How to Right Them: Concrete Ways to Improve Your Songwriting and Make Your Songs More Marketable by Pat Luboff and Pete Luboff (Contributor) are some that looked good. They all got at least 4 out of 5 stars based on reviews. Anyone ever read any of these, or read any other one that helped them write lyrics?

[badgas]

I have a few, SJaguar.

The Fine Craft of Songwriting.

The Songwriters Idea Book.

The Craft and Business of Songwriting.

I also have a few upstairs.
The best thing I can tell you is to just get one, after looking it over of course, and reading, then reread it. Your songwriting library just seems to grow on it's own.

All the books I have, six or seven, are all good, but I've never heard of any of these people. Some have written songs I've heard, but all give different points of view on how to do things.
Not one of my books suites me totally. But when I take some of this from one book and some of that from another, and try using them in my own songs, I usually find the person who wrote it knows something I didn't. There are so many things to think of when writing and editing. These books help put it in prespcective.

A few books will never hurt.

[Gidge]

if you wanna learn to write commercially,

http://www.jasonblume.com/products2917.html

[sjaguar13]

I seen that book, too. Did you read it and did it help?

[Gidge]

yes,yes...

[sjaguar13]

One review at Amazon.com, the worst review, said it only helps if you plan on writing light rock music. Did you find it to be the same way, or was it good for any kind of music?

[Gidge]

like my previous post, "if you wanna learn to write commercially"....that would be learning to write in proven formats (verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/chorus etc)....learning to keep the length short (~3minutes).....learning how to rhyme....what to write about.....

now that could go for many formats (rock,country,pop,etc)......

[milesmaxwell]

Finally there is a post where I can really feel like an expert!

I've been reading on songwriting for about seven years and, for strictly lyric work, I would suggest "The Craft of Lyric Writing" by Sheila Davis.

She sticks to the topic at hand and veers towards writing mostly literary (read:intelligent) lyrics. Some of the great examples she uses that struck a chord with me were; Dan Fogelberg - Same Old Lang Syne, a rupert holmes song that currently escapes me and, by my favorite songwriter, Harry Chapin's Sniper. She gives a lot of do's and don'ts that you might not have considered hard and fast rules but make sense when she discusses them. (example; how to evoke an empathetic protagonist)

This book was especially helpful for me because it dealt mostly with the music I want to do (ie, story songs).

I've also read Jimmy Webb's "Tunesmith" if you're considering that. It's got some helpful hints for lyrics but his music talk gets awfully technical. The best advice, and more or less universal among songwriting books, is the first songwriting tool you buy is a rhyming dictionary. I use an online one when writing at my computer but have a hard copy that I find invaluable.

And, on an end note, I would suggest "And then I wrote" as a good bathroom book for songwriters. Little tidbits on the craft while you take care of other things...keeps you focused even during your breaks.

I've also read dozen others but those are the three I would recommend starting out. They're the one's that have helped me the most in my writing.

Good luck sjag,

miles maxwell

[jjtcorsair]

I agree with Miles, a good rhyming dictionary is invaluable. I liked Jimmy Webbs "Tunesmith" too.

All in all though, just listening to good songs is the best and
ultimately you have to find your own voice even if it takes awhile.

Jon

[Beltrom]

I've read "How to write a hit song" by Leikin. Can't say it did me much good. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't what i needed.

As a rhyming dictionary. In swedish I got a hardcopy (but I guess not many here need one?) but for english lyrics i use analogx. Helped me out alot...

http://www.analogx.com/

[beaverbiscuit]

Right on with the Sheila Davis reference, miles. *Craft* is an excellent book, as is her *Songwriter's Idea Book*. Don't have *Successful Lyric Writing*, but then again it's more of a workshop sort of thing.

Just did a quick peek at amazon.com and saw that there is a *Songwriting for Dummies* to be published this month. One of the authors is Jim Peterik, the guy behind the band Survivor and writer of "Hold on Loosely" and "Caught Up in You" by 38 Special. Might be worth reading.

*6 Steps to Songwriting Success: Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs* by Jason Blume isn't too bad, though not quite the same value IMO as the Davis books. Not specifically about lyric writing, either.

[badgas]

Beltrom,
I use AnalogX also. It's pretty good, except it has a 999 word limit.
A lot of times those common words, like 'And' or 'I' or other word with many many rhyming words cut off after 999, sometimes around the letter 'E' or 'L'.
So when that happens I go here,

http://www.rhymer.com/

They don't have that limit.
But the AnalogX rhymer is my favorite, I guess cuz it's on my disk and easier to get to.

[Beltrom]

Didn't know about that limitation. But I had noticed the beaviour. It hasn't been a big problem so far though. But I still hope he removes it, can't see the reason of having it.

Thanks for the link, it's in my bookmarks now.
No rhymes for Badgas though, quite a severe limitation don't you think?

[badgas]

Yes, Beltrom.
Very limited.

[cjmusicman]

I've probably read 6 books on songwriting in the last year. Jimmy Webb's Tunesmith 2 & John Breheney (I'm misspelling it) were by far the best. The main themes of these books. Don't be afraid to rewrite then rewrite again. Oh yeh, rewrite again.

Hope this helps.

cj
'

[Beltrom]

Rewriting is something a lot of them focus on, so I guess that's important. Two other main points that seem to be popping up often are:
1) Write all the time, even if it's bad. You need quantity to get quality.
2) Kill your babies. Even if you're heavily emotionally involved in part of the lyrics you got to throw it away and start over if it doesn't work. If it stinks it stinks

I think these points actually are valid for most things you want to get better at.

[crawdad]

'The Craft Of Lyric Writing" would be my vote also. The best source of songwriting info I have ever read.

Yes, I've killed a lot of my "babies" lately. Seems like of the gestation period is too long, theres always a problem. I love those 15 minute births!

[cool_E]

I read Pat Pattison's "Writing Better Lyrics"

I found the book insightful and easy to read and
I got a lot out of doing the exercises. I would
recommend it.

Dave
http://refugeesmusic.com