I Am An Aspiring Lyricist In Search Of Firsthand Advice.

[Czarina]

To start off, I am fourteen years old, therefore have no experience in music. I am heavily influenced by Matt Mehana's vocals and lyrics, and I admire his style. I want my lyrics/poems to be audacious, complete with metaphors, analogies, big words and rhymes. I want to live through other people's instances and recreate them into lyrics. Below are some examples of the style I am trying to achieve:

"Grab the Mag-Lite, get the grappling hook,

Lets find the bottom of this cave and close the book!"

"Expostulate about avoidable

Lessons being taught.

Murder the conductor,

In your train of thought.

Post your synaptic inhibitions

Of quite adorable yawns.

Myocardial infarctions,

Tranquil motor neurons"

"Next time you won't get out so easily.

Now that I know what I'm up against;

I came prepared.

Bat in hand behind the closet door I painfully stared.

Say "hello" to this bark, in-between your teeth.

Soon you will also be bleeding from underneath.

It took balls to do what you've done.

Having your manhood in your mouth is no fun.

And as for you darling, you're going no where,

It's kind of hard to move when you're tied to a chair.

See there's a twist to this lovely,

For you too see.

What's hiding in your wardrobe

Isn't a shopping spree."

All of those are excerpts from various lyrics written by Matt Mehana.

I currently suck ass at writing lyrics, I'm really starting to lose confidence in myself. I think I have some pretty decent words/phrases that rhyme, (I'm hesitant to post them here, I don't want anybody to take them...) I just don't know how to relate them together, you know?

Thank you in advance.

[gradual]

I think maybe what's blocking you is that you are trying to write lyrics like Matt Mehana. And that you are hard on yourself when they dont sound enough like something Matt Mehana would write. It's an easy trap to fall into when youre fourteen--wanting to be just like a certain artist you admire. But the problem with that is that you're striving to be a carbon copy, rather than finding your own unique voice.

So I guess my best advice is to just write. Finish something. Don't worry if it doesn't sound enough like your favorite songwriter…--I'll bet your lyrics aren't as bad as you think they are. The best way to get better at something is to just keep doing it.

One thing that might be helpful is to find out some information about Matt Mehana's influences…--what books he reads, what music he listens to--…if you know where he gets his ideas, you might be able to write lyrics of your own that share his sensibilities, without merely rehashing his ideas. Also read books you like, listen to different kinds of music…--other writers may have different approaches that open up new possibilities for you to incorporate into your own stuff.

Edited July 23, 2011 by gradual

[Dolce]

I think maybe what’'s blocking you is that you are trying to write lyrics like Matt Mehana. And that you are hard on yourself when they don’t sound enough like something Matt Mehana would write. It’'s an easy trap to fall into when you’re fourteen--wanting to be just like a certain artist you admire. But the problem with that is that you’'re striving to be a carbon copy, rather than finding your own unique voice.

So I guess my best advice is to just write. Finish something. Don'’t worry if it doesn'’t sound enough like your favorite songwriter…--I'’ll bet your lyrics aren'’t as bad as you think they are. The best way to get better at something is to just keep doing it.

One thing that might be helpful is to find out some information about Matt Mehana'’s influences…--what books he reads, what music he listens to--…if you know where he gets his ideas, you might be able to write lyrics of your own that share his sensibilities, without merely rehashing his ideas. Also read books you like, listen to different kinds of music…--other writers may have different approaches that open up new possibilities for you to incorporate into your own stuff.

I think that advice is spot on. Also never let anyone tell you that you don't have talent - if you can write like that at 14 - wow - just keep writing - check out the Pat Pattison videos on YouTube - if you haven't already.

[BoParker]

Want to be a lyricist? Write! Learn! Write! Learn! Write some more... and then when you're stuck and can't figure out what to write... Write and learn some more!

Being a lyricist is like any other job.. you have to go to work to get more comfortable at your position. You just keep writing man. Change up and write a blog, or a small play.. but keep writing. Grab your dictionary, your thesaraus, and your rhyming dictionary and go to work.

And post those lyrics that you fear will be critized here at SongStuff. Our purpose here is to build artists and songwriters. Take the advise you recieve and use them where you see fit. But until you get past that fear of being critized, you won't get to the point of becoming an artist willing to put your work on display.