What Can A Lyricist Learn From Musicians?

I had a conversation today with a representative from a songwriting organization about a workshop I was proposing, and he asked an interesting question. He wanted to know how the workshop I offer might benefit someone that doesn't play an instrument, but is primarily a lyricist.

One thing I've observed in working with lyricists is that they have a flexible concept of meter, and it's often the role of the "composer" to find a way to make that meter fit the rhythm of a song. Lines that work as spoken word or poetry might not flow as easily when sung, at least if we're proceeding with the idea that sung lyrics are meant to be understood by the listener. (This is not always the case in rock music, "Louie Louie" being one of the first and most famous examples).

But a lyricist who can think musically can have much more influence over how his or her writing partner sets their words to music. A spoken meter can imply a rhythmic feel, and that rhythmic feel can become a groove. Words have an inherent rhythm....when I teach rhythm to kids I use spoken words to illustrate what the beat sounds like. (Say "watermelon" four times over and you'll feel sixteenth notes in four-quarter time....say "pineapple" and you'll feel triplets).

Many of my articles and blog posts have been about how to write from a groove, and how every song has a rhythmic essence or foundation that drives the feel. If you write lyrics that set up that rhythmic feel, the music follows very naturally. Here's a great example, from John Hiatt's "Tennessee Plates":

I woke up in a hotel, didn't know what to do
turned the TV on, wrote a letter to you
the news was talkin' 'bout a dragnet out on the interstate
seems they was lookin' for a Cadillac with Tennessee plates

Hiatt says when he wrote that song he wanted to imitate Chuck Berry's rapid-fire delivery and lyrical style, and when you recite those lyrics to yourself I bet you can easily feel the chug-a-chug-a rhythm that drives so many of those classic songs.

There are of course many other examples.....and when you start to listen in this way, the concept should be readily apparent. So the next time you work on a lyric, look for the implied meter and see what it implies to create the heartbeat of the song. A melody can be implied by the natural rise and fall of speech as well: it's really all about hearing implications and potential, which is what the best musicians learn to do in approaching their instrument. Give it a try and see where it leads you.