The first thing I spot in a song that needs editing is clunky lyrics. As much as lyric writing is an art form, too much awkwardness breaks up the flow and makes the song hard to understand or emotionally relate to.
The opposite is also true. When lyrics imitate natural conversation, they more quickly draw the listener into the story.
When your lyrics flow like human speech, you keep the listener engaged in the story.
It turns out good songwriting isn’t just about what you say. How you say it matters, too.
That makes all the difference in the world.
When Bonnie Raitt sings “I can’t make you love me if you don’t,” she doesn’t make it complicated, overworked, or eloquent, but the meaning is all there and the melody can follow the movement.
Beginning songwriters often feel the pressure to push boundaries and reinvent the wheel. They forget that the simple conversations and stories in their songs are what make them special.
Look over your songs with a magnifying glass for things you probably wouldn’t hear in real life, and bring them back to something that feels natural and real.
Then use that foundation to say something unexpected, surprising, or unconventional when it matters most.