Songwriting · Lesson 2
Lyrics You Can See
Pros write pictures, not slogans. Put a noun in the line a stranger could film.
18 min · Watch → Read → Apply → Prove
Step 1 · Watch
Watch & reflect
Working writers on memorable lyrics — uniqueness, honesty, and a line you can hold.
Step 2 · Read
Abstract feeling, concrete object
Heartbreak is a category. A bus transfer on the floor is a song.
“I am sad” is a diary. “I left your coffee mug in the sink for a week” is a lyric. The object carries the feeling so the singer does not have to name it every bar.
- Prefer nouns you can photograph.
- If the chorus must say the feeling, let the verses earn it with stuff and places.
- One strong picture repeated (with a twist) beats seven synonyms for lonely.
Step 3 · Apply
Put it into practice
A short exercise to turn what you learned into skill.
Write at least four lyric lines. Name the concrete picture (a noun) and make sure it appears in the lyric.
The image field should be a word or short phrase that is actually in the lines.
Step 4 · Prove
Lesson test
Pass with 70% or higher to complete this lesson.