Subject: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: deltablues2002 |
Forgive me if this "off-topic" but the question was asked in another thread here:
"What's a hook?"
I don't mean to be overly critical but if you are attempting to write lyrics and don't know what a hook is you better pull yourself away from your sound studio and get to the library and study a bit about your craft.
I recommend highly "The Craft of Lyric Writing" by Sheila Davis.
Probably the two most important elements of a song lyric are the hooks and the payoff. (Payoff assumes that the lyric tells at least some type of story.)
Hook: Quite simply a catchy phrase that gets one's attention. I wrote a song (a really stupid one) that became an internet cult classic to a degree. The title is a hook (but too long) "If Jesus Walked the Earth Today, Would He Join the NRA?" Yeah stupid but memorable. The song contains several lyrical hooks. Within the song, there were several hooks:
"Would he conceal a Glock underneath his robes.
Before he went out to pray?"
Obviously a little twist on the common phrase "Go out and play" Anyway, I think you get the idea.
I don't have as much trouble finding hooks, just listening to what people say and remembering it if you hear something ironic. Carrying a pen and notepad helps.
Payoffs are more difficult for me. The payoff is simply the ending of the story. For instance if you watched the Spanish Prisoner (the movie) there were several payoffs, the romantic interest turned out to be part of the plot to steal the "process," the Japanese tourists turned out to be Federal agents and saved the hero from a nearly certain death. Now I ask you, when you go to a movie or read a book and the ending just leaves you hanging, aren't you disappointed? Well, a song is the same way, there should be some kind of resolution. This isn't true of all genres. For instance, I've been doing blues which just calls for non-connected lyrics dealing with loss, women, the devil, etc. Robert Johnson had a great knack for puttiing together outstanding blues lyrics while still retaining the simplicity of the form. Arguably the greatest blues song of all, Love in Vain has the elements I talk about.
Anyway, back to hooks, you can find them from old song titles, novels, cliches, etc. Country songwriters often put a twist on a cliche which is very effective.
I don't consider myself a talented songwriter, I suffer from writer's block 99% of the time but just by honing the craft, I've become halfway decent, I just wish I had more time to devote to the lyric writing aspect of the process.
|
Subject: Re: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: Angus_Podgorny |
I don't mean to be overly critical here... But if you write lyrics like "If Jesus Walked the Earth Today, Would He Join the NRA?", and then post it on a messageboard, as an example of what to do...
You seriously need help.
And no. I don't think that Christ would join the NRA, and I'm confounded as to why anyone would compose a song about such a thing. |
Subject: Re: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: old_dan |
Quote:I don't mean to be overly critical here... But if you write lyrics like "If Jesus Walked the Earth Today, Would He Join the NRA?", and then post it on a messageboard, as an example of what to do...
You seriously need help.
And no. I don't think that Christ would join the NRA, and I'm confounded as to why anyone would compose a song about such a thing. |
Lighten up Angus :) If Jesus Walked the Earth Today, Would He Join the NRA? is satire. Of course Jesus wouldn't join the NRA, but if you listen to some of the right wing christians, being a gun toting patriotic American is the only way to get to heaven.
|
Subject: Re: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: old_dan |
Been thinking about hooks myself. I was listening to 'Fly like an Eagle' by Steve Miller on the way to work. I found myself singing along
I want to fly like an eagle
dee dee de dee
I want to fly like an eagle
do do do do do do do do
Now there's a hook, when that's all you can remember. :)
I also heard what may be the worst hook ever, ooh ooh that smell by Lynard Skynard. A very serious song but I can't hear that phrase without laughing. ;D |
Subject: Re: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: keyboardfreak |
hi guys i aint been on for a while. but the three catchiest hooks ever have to be
hanson - mmmbop
mmmbop du ba da da duuuu bop du ba duuu bop
mmmbop ba du ba du ba duuuu yeah yeah
kylie minogue - cant get you outta my head
nah nah nah, nah nah na nah nah, nah nah nah, nah nah na nah nah.
beatles - hey jude
na na na naaa na na na naaaa na (repeat for 4 minutes)
see, 3really popular hooks with no lyrical content. what does that tell ya bout the pop industry eh? |
Subject: Re: Lyric Writing: Hooks, Payoffs
Posted by: RobertK |
Well, He did say "Sell your cloak and buy a sword", so I imagine an updated "Sell your coat and buy a gun" wouldn't be out of line. 
As far as those empty lyrics saying something about pop music, I think it says more about the average human's inability or refusal to think too deeply about things, especially when rhythmic music is playing.
It would do a songwriter well to remember that.
Another thing to notice is that empty lyrics seem to go a lot further when it's the performer(s) who wrote them. Far fewer hurdles to clear, songwriting-wise, when you're a performing star writing for yourself.
|
|
