well written lyrics - what does it mean?

[mayaclars]

What does "well-written lyrics" mean to you? What are the indicators of good lyrics?

If it's hard to answer, maybe just answer these questions:
1. Is it about complexity of words?
2. Is it about relatability of lyrics?

Waiting for your answers!

https://mayaclars.com/

[MrsMoe]

To me, good lyrics can be anything, as long as there was clearly thought put into them or they leave some sort of creative effect on the listener. Well-written lyrics can be relatable, rhythmic, or clever (and even be all three of those things at once), but what evident intent is what makes them intelligent. For example, anyone could simply write "man, I'm so depressed" into a song. It's arguably relatable, but it isn't clever. Mad World by Tears for Fears (just as a random example idk) is clever about how it describe depression, with "I find it kinda funny/I find it kinda sad/the dreams in which are dying are the best I've ever had". It's catchy and has a memorable rhythm, but what makes it genius is that it's putting a specific feeling depression brings to words. It doing more than just saying "I'm sad", it's tactfully expressing finding the world so unbelievably tragic that it's hilarious in a few short lines.

Obviously not all songs have to be catchy or brief to get their meaning across, but preciseness in terms of mood or feeling is exactly what makes something well-written to me.

[inert_a]

What does "well-written lyrics" mean to you? What are the indicators of good lyrics?

If it's hard to answer, maybe just answer these questions:
1. Is it about complexity of words?
2. Is it about relatability of lyrics?

Waiting for your answers!

https://mayaclars.com/

A combination of
The words fit together well aesthetically (maybe rhyme or the hard consonants all land on the snare or there's some other interesting rhythmic interplay)
and
The content makes me imagine a lot compared to the volume of the words.

I think probably there isn't any much difference to poetry writ large, just that music gives more options because there is an existing beat or melody to reference.

[fablefound]

i have to agree, there are a range of ways for lyrics to be "good." i personally don't find complexity OR relatability to be top of my list--though they can definitely be impressive when correctly executed.

my two big criteria are quite similar to what @inert_a said; i believe everything can fit into two big factors of MUSICALITY and ILLUSTRATION. or maybe there're better names? i dunno.

musicality is how the words themselves flow together, so that would totally be stuff like rhyme, but also assonance, consonance, alliteration, anything that lends itself to euphony.

illustration is what the words are saying, i guess? so that could be figurative language, or story, or, sure, really well-executed relability. if a songwriter can verbalize something i experience and have always struggled to name, that is deeply impressive. i also appreciate a good extended metaphor, or the integration of other fun literary devices; imo, lyricism is a type of poetry more often than not, so why not use all of those fun tools and approaches?

[Kolo]

This is something I ramble about a lot to my partner and music nerd friend. To me, the poetry of a lyric is its most important trait. The exact emotion it is expressing is secondary to the imagery it is presenting it with and the artistry of presentation.

Think about trying to describe a river. You can describe it very simply - a bright blue river, maybe its width, maybe the sound of the water. This is a basic expression of the idea - it conveys that there is a river, and provides some detail, but overall the impression is passing. There is nothing notable about this river in the sea of many, many rivers in existence.

An artist (of any profession, including lyricists) can convey the sensation and presence of a river in a more complex, evocative, and beautiful way. The details they select to expand on are laced with extra meaning and deliberation, because they understand what about the river they are trying to say. An environmentalist piece can wax on about the animals and plants that depend on the river. They may set the scene by describing a pack of deer drinking at its edge, stuffed with mysticism and reverence for the natural world. They may describe the fish dancing under the surface of the water, their colors and behaviors, the way the light catches their scales. This river is placed in time, space, meaning.

Song lyrics are the same to me. I want to be transported into the artist's unique perspective and visions of things. I want to understand how they feel, not what they mean. I connect to esoteric lyrics the strongest, because in the gap between the difficulty of interpreting those lyrics and the singer's intent, I can bridge in spaces with my own feelings. The connection becomes personal, because I can put myself into the song, and nod to the singer, and say, I do know this emotion.

Being spoonfed an idea with explicit statements makes me cringe. I don't think those songs are necessarily bad, and I think sometimes a feeling just needs to be conveyed in a blunt, simple manner, but like... I'll just never be able to connect to them the same way. They aren't beautiful. They don't show me a new perspective, a new angle. They aren't asking for my empathy. I'm being lectured at. It doesn't feel like a conversation. Does every song need to be a conversation? No, but then they aren't for me.

But, like, that's just my opinion, yo.

Here's a particularly beautiful set of lyrics that sticks in my head often:
What's with all the changes since the time I was aware?
It's like the apple eating people that we once we aren't there
Did they empty out their pockets and debase their younger faces?
And you must make sure you're happy when you leave your summer places

Pretty little femur sitting in my cherry dream boat
I'd be sad to be rejected from my hip bone to my knee
If I sailed away from continents and touched my lover's hair there
Then you'd be very happy if I touched her there
- Grass by Animal Collective

Here's another one from a different band, that's a little easier to interpret:
An unseen ruler defines with geometry
An unrulable expanse of geography

An aerial photographer over-exposed
To the cartologist's 2D images knows
The areas where the water flowed
So petrified, the landscape grows

Straining eyes try to understand
The works, incessantly in hand
The carving and the paring of the land
The quarter square, the graph divides
Beneath the rule, a country hides
- Map Ref. 41°N 93°W by Wire

Don't these paint beautiful pictures in your mind? The second one is more straightforwards - it tells you exactly it's "about" an aerial photographer - but the idea is layered, has great depth, and is trying to do more than just tell you about what it was like to be this photographer. Inspect the deliberate repetitions used to draw comparisons (an un/seen ruler vs an un/rule/able). The beauty of putting "photographer" and "over-exposed" next to each other! Think about the way it is conveying the idea of the division between the natural land and the human imposition on top. Look at the pun with "rule"! That's so clever it makes me a little giddy. What do you imagine when he says "the carving and the paring of the land"?

Do you see how he draws so many connections, packs so much meaning into these lines, all while painting a picture in your mind?

[mayaclars]

To me, good lyrics can be anything, as long as there was clearly thought put into them or they leave some sort of creative effect on the listener. Well-written lyrics can be relatable, rhythmic, or clever (and even be all three of those things at once), but what evident intent is what makes them intelligent. For example, anyone could simply write "man, I'm so depressed" into a song. It's arguably relatable, but it isn't clever. Mad World by Tears for Fears (just as a random example idk) is clever about how it describe depression, with "I find it kinda funny/I find it kinda sad/the dreams in which are dying are the best I've ever had". It's catchy and has a memorable rhythm, but what makes it genius is that it's putting a specific feeling depression brings to words. It doing more than just saying "I'm sad", it's tactfully expressing finding the world so unbelievably tragic that it's hilarious in a few short lines.

Obviously not all songs have to be catchy or brief to get their meaning across, but preciseness in terms of mood or feeling is exactly what makes something well-written to me.

Your message is really well put, I agree with you a lot. I really love when lyrics have double meaning, with each listening you can find another thought that is hidden in the lyrics. Blunt lines can be fun, but it's way more interesting when it's creatively written, you don't catch it at first, but the more you listen to the song, the more you get it.

[mayaclars]

A combination of
The words fit together well aesthetically (maybe rhyme or the hard consonants all land on the snare or there's some other interesting rhythmic interplay)
and
The content makes me imagine a lot compared to the volume of the words.

I think probably there isn't any much difference to poetry writ large, just that music gives more options because there is an existing beat or melody to reference.

I love it as well when the lyrics make me imagine a scene. Writing lyrics is a very interesting form of art that has so much freedom at the same time

[mayaclars]

i have to agree, there are a range of ways for lyrics to be "good." i personally don't find complexity OR relatability to be top of my list--though they can definitely be impressive when correctly executed.

my two big criteria are quite similar to what @inert_a said; i believe everything can fit into two big factors of MUSICALITY and ILLUSTRATION. or maybe there're better names? i dunno.

musicality is how the words themselves flow together, so that would totally be stuff like rhyme, but also assonance, consonance, alliteration, anything that lends itself to euphony.

illustration is what the words are saying, i guess? so that could be figurative language, or story, or, sure, really well-executed relability. if a songwriter can verbalize something i experience and have always struggled to name, that is deeply impressive. i also appreciate a good extended metaphor, or the integration of other fun literary devices; imo, lyricism is a type of poetry more often than not, so why not use all of those fun tools and approaches?

Yes!! Period! Why not to use all of the fun tools and approaches! Musicality is also very important to me, I love when words flow perfectly with the melodies, it just gives satisfaction. Great words you wrote, thank you for your message. like like   

[mayaclars]

This is something I ramble about a lot to my partner and music nerd friend. To me, the poetry of a lyric is its most important trait. The exact emotion it is expressing is secondary to the imagery it is presenting it with and the artistry of presentation.

Think about trying to describe a river. You can describe it very simply - a bright blue river, maybe its width, maybe the sound of the water. This is a basic expression of the idea - it conveys that there is a river, and provides some detail, but overall the impression is passing. There is nothing notable about this river in the sea of many, many rivers in existence.

An artist (of any profession, including lyricists) can convey the sensation and presence of a river in a more complex, evocative, and beautiful way. The details they select to expand on are laced with extra meaning and deliberation, because they understand what about the river they are trying to say. An environmentalist piece can wax on about the animals and plants that depend on the river. They may set the scene by describing a pack of deer drinking at its edge, stuffed with mysticism and reverence for the natural world. They may describe the fish dancing under the surface of the water, their colors and behaviors, the way the light catches their scales. This river is placed in time, space, meaning.

Song lyrics are the same to me. I want to be transported into the artist's unique perspective and visions of things. I want to understand how they feel, not what they mean. I connect to esoteric lyrics the strongest, because in the gap between the difficulty of interpreting those lyrics and the singer's intent, I can bridge in spaces with my own feelings. The connection becomes personal, because I can put myself into the song, and nod to the singer, and say, I do know this emotion.

Being spoonfed an idea with explicit statements makes me cringe. I don't think those songs are necessarily bad, and I think sometimes a feeling just needs to be conveyed in a blunt, simple manner, but like... I'll just never be able to connect to them the same way. They aren't beautiful. They don't show me a new perspective, a new angle. They aren't asking for my empathy. I'm being lectured at. It doesn't feel like a conversation. Does every song need to be a conversation? No, but then they aren't for me.

But, like, that's just my opinion, yo.

Here's a particularly beautiful set of lyrics that sticks in my head often:
What's with all the changes since the time I was aware?
It's like the apple eating people that we once we aren't there
Did they empty out their pockets and debase their younger faces?
And you must make sure you're happy when you leave your summer places

Pretty little femur sitting in my cherry dream boat
I'd be sad to be rejected from my hip bone to my knee
If I sailed away from continents and touched my lover's hair there
Then you'd be very happy if I touched her there
- Grass by Animal Collective

Here's another one from a different band, that's a little easier to interpret:
An unseen ruler defines with geometry
An unrulable expanse of geography

An aerial photographer over-exposed
To the cartologist's 2D images knows
The areas where the water flowed
So petrified, the landscape grows

Straining eyes try to understand
The works, incessantly in hand
The carving and the paring of the land
The quarter square, the graph divides
Beneath the rule, a country hides
- Map Ref. 41°N 93°W by Wire

Don't these paint beautiful pictures in your mind? The second one is more straightforwards - it tells you exactly it's "about" an aerial photographer - but the idea is layered, has great depth, and is trying to do more than just tell you about what it was like to be this photographer. Inspect the deliberate repetitions used to draw comparisons (an un/seen ruler vs an un/rule/able). The beauty of putting "photographer" and "over-exposed" next to each other! Think about the way it is conveying the idea of the division between the natural land and the human imposition on top. Look at the pun with "rule"! That's so clever it makes me a little giddy. What do you imagine when he says "the carving and the paring of the land"?

Do you see how he draws so many connections, packs so much meaning into these lines, all while painting a picture in your mind?

AAAA cant' explain how much I love your comment, it is so good!!! A great essay explaining the topic of well-written lyrics. And also thank you for giving your example of good lyrics. "I want to be transported into the artist's unique perspective and visions of things. I want to understand how they feel, not what they mean." - I really really like this one, it's so true. Everyone has such a different perspective on things, and it's so much more interesting to almost be inside their brain when you listen to the song and hear the lyrics! It's so important to be yourself and put your mind into the lyrics. Ah, your comment made me smile, sending love