Lyric writing

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Gwbarlow

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I need help guys on some lyrics I've done they need to be seen and reviewed for opinions
 
You can also try web forums that are specifically for songwriting, like at musesmuse.com
 
I've never understood people wanting feedback on lyrics... own your creativity.
 
You ask for feedback on mixes - do you think your lyric/songwriting is so perfect that it needs no tweaking?
It's like doing your own proofreading - yes you can do it, but will you catch all the mistakes? (no)

Then again, if you don't care that your songs can be better - if no one else will ever hear them, you don't put them out for public consumption, I guess it doesn't matter.
 
Lyrics are a more personal thing though with regards to what you mean and others might read into them. What people hear/read isn't always what you intend with your lyrics. I would never change my lyrics on advice from others, nor would I ask for it. I guess it's more about having confidence in what you write.

Feedback for mixes is different as you're basically asking for validation that it sounds good on different systems. Yes, you may take advice with regards to levels, frequency tweaks, etc, and in some cases arrangement ideas but for the majority, that is a very rare occasion. I've never changed an arrangement on someones opinion.

That's how I see it anyway. :thumbs up:
 
For the most part, I only run my lyrics by a small group I trust. My brother, a friend that's a poet (who writes some of my lyrics), and my pastor. Past that, they're gold.
 
Lyrics are a more personal thing though with regards to what you mean and others might read into them. What people hear/read isn't always what you intend with your lyrics.

Exactly, so why wouldn't you WANT people to understand what you intended?
 
I rarely change lyrics or ask for comments. Over at HC they tear apart every syllable so I've stopped even going there. It's not a Master's Thesis it's a song. And the critics there suck at writing and recording so their opinions mean nothing to me anyway. I don't try to emulate anyone or be Bob Dylan I just write how I feel at the moment. I own my lyrics and if anyone thinks they suck it doesn't bother me.
 
I think it comes down to how the song was conceived. If.....for instance......you wrote your lyrics first and wanted to put music to them to shine a light on the lyrics......then you might ask if the music works to convey the message. So you're asking about the mix....etc....because you already like the lyrics. On the other hand.......if your song was conceived more as a musical idea and the lyrics were used to help the music work........then you might be concerned whether the lyrics you wrote do the job........because you already like the music. What we perceive as the reason the song exists..........is likely what we won't ask for much input on. Think about it. You can see it happen here on this forum. Most people are not asking about both the lyrics and the music................usually just one.

Ok.......I'll stop now. Starting to sound like a 1960's John Lennon interview. Read all of the above with a Liverpudlian accent and you'll see what I mean.
 
Exactly, so why wouldn't you WANT people to understand what you intended?

Because it doesn't matter whether or not people get the original meaning. What matters is that people get their own feelings/emotions/thoughts from the song/music/lyrics. Isn't that the beauty of music?

I don't give a damn if people don't get what I originally intend from my lyrics. They're mine and mean that thing to me. Making from them what they will and making them personal to themsleves and mean something to their lives is the goal.

Or am I missing something? Do you want to spell out every little intricate meaning of what you say in your lyrics so everyone can understand every little nuance and detail of what you're singing about?
 
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I don't think John was specific enough when he sang: I Want To Hold Your Hand" I mean, which hand, are you wearing gloves, does hand mean something secret, is it a metaphor, just not enough information. Let's all talk about dead Beatles now.
 
Lyrics are a more personal thing though with regards to what you mean and others might read into them. What people hear/read isn't always what you intend with your lyrics.

Exactly, so why wouldn't you WANT people to understand what you intended?
You reach a wider audience if the lyrics can be interpreted in different ways. Lyrics that are too literal and specific, while OK, don't invite the listeners participation as much.

If you say " I went out today" the listener can tailor that to their own experience. If you say "I went to the store today", there is no blank to fill.
 
You have no control over how a listener interprets your lyrics. You can be ambiguous, or you can be explicit . . . but there will still be variations in interpretation.

To that extent it doesn't matter what you write or how you write it.

Having said that, when I listen to music, I don't care what the lyrics are so long as they sound right for the music. But what really turns me off a song is lazy song-writing, where the lyrics are bursting with cliches, stock phrases and contrived rhymes. Those things are signs that the writer doesn't care. And if the writer can't be bothered, then I can't be bothered listening.
 
An example of where some more thought (or input from others) could only help the lyrics:
"Population keeps on breeding
Nation bleeding, still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny
Bees make honey, who needs money..."

Song feedback can also include things like format and sound - 'might be better to put the lead guitar part before verse 3' or 'the melody in the chorus sounds just like the bridge' or 'the tuba in the chorus doesn't work at all', etc. I get it that some people see their songs as 'their baby', but asking others for critiques/suggestions is no really no different than asking others about your mix - one person is going to say 'I like the snare sound', another says 'the snare has no pop' - its all opinions. As the writer/player/mixer you have the choice to do what you want or to take advice if you think it's good.
Some people think the lyrics are important in a song, others feel they're just there to support the music - that's why there are so many different kinds of songs out there. If you can make your song appeal to more groups of people, how can this be wrong?
 
But what really turns me off a song is lazy song-writing, where the lyrics are bursting with cliches, stock phrases and contrived rhymes. Those things are signs that the writer doesn't care. And if the writer can't be bothered, then I can't be bothered listening.

Bingo !!! +100 ^^^
 
To me, lyrics don't have to be "understood" by the listener. They just have to sound good, or more to the point, not stand out as sounding bad.

Is "Lucy in the Sky...." about LSD?

Is "Horse With No Name" really about someone going through a heroine trip?

Is "Hotel California" about someone going through an overdose?

The answer to all these question is yes....and no.....and....it's whatever the listener wants it to mean.

The best lyrics are lyrics that the listener can interpret however they want.

Same reason I've always hated videos. I don't want to be told what your song "LOOKS" like. I want to make my own images in my head.
 
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