Love Song Lyrics:
What Makes A Love Song Great?

Love song lyrics are a primary component of what makes good love songs great.

Unlike poetry, musical rhyme tends to vary - in many instances even within the same song.

And the timing of the rhyming in many songs can be so diverse, that it literally becomes a science of its own.

In fact, it would drive a poet to distraction to decipher how certain songs pull off their rhyming at the hands of very capable lyricists (A lyricist is one who composes the words to a song).

The Overlooked Love Song Lyricist

It probably goes without saying that quite often the lyricist is overlooked when the fame of the song is established. And I am also quite sure that the writer of the music passes judgment on the lyrics his cohort produces, before the song goes to press.

Another reason the lyricist may be overlooked as far as the song goes, is the fact that throughout the life of the song, (which could be literally hundreds of years), the song is played by an orchestra and/or by a single instrument many hundreds of times more than the song is vocalized the words to any song are more focused on, by far, when the song is sung, than when it is played.

I have to wonder how difficult it must be to compose rhyming lyrics to a meter that has already been set by the music composer?

Writing Music Lyrics

A great lyricist must at all costs, bury himself in the song, and try to make the created lyrics match the wonder of the musical tune.

I would greatly imagine that the song is typically composed first - then the lyrics, hopefully great lyrics, can be added.

Certainly the lyricist is at more of a disadvantage with his task, than the composer of the music.

And yet...and yet...often the lyrics DO make the song (not always, though).

While I realize that writings and musings about lyric writers for love songs and other songs may not interest everyone, I am still wondering just how often this subject is discussed, if ever?

Love song lyrics are in a class by themselves, so the next time you hear beautiful words from an old love song, give an appreciative "hats off" to the writer behind the song.

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