Making the Grade- Lyric Evaluation
A question every writer has at some point (some more often than others) asks– “is this good enough”?
Some writers never take the chance to show someone their work. There seems to be many reasons why, but in my years of writing and working with writers, there is one huge underlying reason. They don’t think it’s good enough and that people won’t like it. It’s very personal to show someone your thoughts all the while thinking “I may get a critique I’m not looking for”. I get it. I do it too. Every writer does it. Critiquing art and getting critiqued on your art is a tough thing. But I look at is as an opportunity for growth… a way to get better. To this day, I still have others review and critique my work after years and years of writing and playing music.
Or, you may be a great writer and you know you are a great writer… but haven’t taken it to the next level for whatever reason. Maybe the reason is you have never tried to turn your writings in to lyrics is you don’t think you can do it. Maybe you are not a poet, or you are, but don’t consider yourself one. Or maybe it’s just something you never thought of doing. Whichever the case, having your lyrics evaluated by an executive producer in the music industry will give you the confidence to know you can do it. Anyone can do it! But, like anything new to yourself, you need to know what you’re doing correctly and what may need work.
Lyric evaluations should let you know what you are doing right (or wrong) and offer suggestions to get better. Evaluations will let you know where you stand on the scale of writing lyrics. There are many ways a pro can critique your lyrics – too many as a matter of fact. But there are some very valid suggestions and critiques that will offer insight as to how to get better if you are not a proficient lyric writer - or have never dove into the world of writing lyrics.
It’s amazing to write lyrics because you can literally be anything you want to be. You can write about whatever you want to write about. The only limit is your imagination – literally. But they need to flow to a meter (beat) if they are going to be in a song. I don’t fully subscribe to there being protocols to follow because it’s art, but there is a way of writing that makes a certain style of song sound the way it does.
Below are some questions that the professional should answer about your lyrics when they are critiqued:
Do the words paint a picture or tell a story?
Are they creative? Is there a specific subject matter that can be picked out? If not it’s ok, some of the greatest songs ever do not make any sense.
Do the words rhyme and do they make sense? A lot of song lyrics rhyme, but all lyrics do not have to rhyme (I personally like lyrics that rhyme as opposed to not rhyming). So if you are rhyming are they good rhymes? Or are they rhymes that are sort of thrown in there?
Are you putting them in song format with verses, choruses, and a bridge?
Is it too long, or too short?
Is it emotional or do your lyrics evoke emotion? Because that’s really the case with any art. If they evoke an emotion… whatever emotion that may be, then you have done your job.