Lyric advice

[Kevin]

I wanted to share this song and ask for advice from any songwriters here about how to write lyrics that hit this hard emotionally.

Lyrics below:

Everybody wants it their way
Hear the sirens on the highway
City burning on the replay, I don't know
Where we go

Sick of everything I can't say
Tired of losing on a good day
Felt like nothing's coming my way
For so long, but you know I'm still hanging on

Don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
Don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on

Couldn't tell you what the truth is
Doesn't matter what your proof is
If everybody's being ruthless, I don't know
Where we go

Some will say it's what we needed
Give me something to believe in
'Cause I've been feeling so dеfeated
For so long, but you know I'm still hanging on

Don't get mе wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
Don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm still hanging on
(Ooh, don't get me wrong) don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
(Ooh, don't get me wrong) don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on

All that I know is gonna change
So will I fall or find my wings?
Oh, take me back to when I'm
Tired of simple days
I'm sick of feeling so afraid
But when it hurts don't turn away

And don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm still hanging on
Ooh, don't get me wrong
Ooh, don't get me wrong

don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
(Ooh, don't get me wrong) don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
(Ooh, don't get me wrong) don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm just hanging on
(Ooh, don't get me wrong) don't get me wrong
Oh-oh, oh, I'm still hanging on

oh-oh, oh
(Ooh, don't get me wrong)

 

 

“Like when he says will I fall or find my wings”.

I felt that.

[Mandy]

Your appreciation of it, the recognition of the desire is enough. It is done, it's yours. It will hit you when the time is right. Next time you're feeling, just write. ❤️

[Kevin]

2 hours ago, Mandy said:

Your appreciation of it, the recognition of the desire is enough. It is done, it's yours. It will hit you when the time is right. Next time you're feeling, just write. ❤️

True yeah I guess it’ll just come to me

[Phil]

16 hours ago, Kevin said:

how to write lyrics that hit this hard emotionally

The more you say what you really wanna say the way you really wanna say it with lyrics the more emotionally charged it tends to be, and the more impactful it is or the more it resonates when someone listens and has an experience of essentially the lyrics saying what they’re also feeling & also want to say. When the frequency of the music / chord arrangement & the inflection, tone, etc of the singing matches the emotional expression / frequency, the push & pull of emotion in relationships, life, and endeavors is emphasized and basically magic happens.  

 

If you haven’t, try writing lyrics with the emotional scale in front of you. Which emotions am I feeling, and when that emotion is felt what thoughts come to mind to express that, to tell someone how I really, actually, truly, unabashedly feel… about Self, myself, you, them, us, the state of the world, the plights, the victories, the truth of reality, the hopelessness and hopefulness of it all, etc. Anything you wanna say about anything really, you’re the artist / creator. 

 

Paul Cezanne comes to mind. He really seemed to nail how the conceptual tends to fall flat while emotion breathes life & aliveness into art…

 

“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art”. 

 

“Genius is the ability to renew one’s emotions in daily experience”. (Song writing / playing is a powerful way to do so). 

 

“Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones”. 

 

“Painting from nature is not coming the object; it is realizing one’s sensations”. 

 

“It is impossible for emotion not to come on us in thinking of that time now flowed away”. 

 

“The truth is in nature - and I shall prove it”. 

 

“Tell me, do you think I’m going mad? I sometimes wonder, you know.” 

[Kevin]

3 hours ago, Phil said:

The more you say what you really wanna say the way you really wanna say it with lyrics the more emotionally charged it tends to be, and the more impactful it is or the more it resonates when someone listens and has an experience of essentially the lyrics saying what they’re also feeling & also want to say. When the frequency of the music / chord arrangement & the inflection, tone, etc of the singing matches the emotional expression / frequency, the push & pull of emotion in relationships, life, and endeavors is emphasized and basically magic happens.  

 

If you haven’t, try writing lyrics with the emotional scale in front of you. Which emotions am I feeling, and when that emotion is felt what thoughts come to mind to express that, to tell someone how I really, actually, truly, unabashedly feel… about Self, myself, you, them, us, the state of the world, the plights, the victories, the truth of reality, the hopelessness and hopefulness of it all, etc. Anything you wanna say about anything really, you’re the artist / creator. 

 

Paul Cezanne comes to mind. He really seemed to nail how the conceptual tends to fall flat while emotion breathes life & aliveness into art…

 

“A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art”. 

 

“Genius is the ability to renew one’s emotions in daily experience”. (Song writing / playing is a powerful way to do so). 

 

“Shadow is a colour as light is, but less brilliant; light and shadow are only the relation of two tones”. 

 

“Painting from nature is not coming the object; it is realizing one’s sensations”. 

 

“It is impossible for emotion not to come on us in thinking of that time now flowed away”. 

 

“The truth is in nature - and I shall prove it”. 

 

“Tell me, do you think I’m going mad? I sometimes wonder, you know.” 

This is really inspiring. Makes me want to write. I gotta get. Better at writing chord progressions. I understand music theory well enough but I need to practice more.