How can you balance creativity and grammar rules when editing song lyrics?

Some lyrics can be ambiguous and misleading to the audience that's why to some extent I think lyrics should be edited. From another perspective, some songs would lose certain melody if our strict grammatical rules are applied because song is an art, and is born out of creativity therefore making songs not subject to grammar.

Appropriately for song lyrics, I'd say that music may have one answer to this. First, learn those grammatical (harmonic) rules and learn them well. Then when you choose to break them deliberately, you'll do it a whole lot more convincingly. Cf the later art of Mark Rothko and that of my young daughter. Superficially similar - but really not...

Understanding your audience is a cornerstone principle in content writing, and it's been immensely beneficial in my experience. Before delving into the editing process, I've found it crucial to identify the characteristics of my target audience. This involves considering factors such as their demographics, interests, and expectations. Additionally, recognizing your readers' expectations helps shape the structure and content of your writing. Are they seeking informative, educational content, or are they more interested in entertaining and conversational pieces? Adapting your writing style to meet these expectations ensures that your content not only captures attention but also fulfills the needs and desires of your audience.

When listening to a song or even reading a book the listener or reader focuses on emotion, depth of circumstances and most people are looking or listening for an answer to help them discover how to handle life circumstances and situations.

I see lyrics as not just mere words but deep words from whatever inspires you - pain, love, challenges, politics etcetera. The aim is to pass a message to a target audience with a view of not just entertaining but to make an impact. Hence, there must be deliberate attempt to ensure that these words are scrutinized with a view to convey the appropriate message devoid of errors and to prevent passing the wrong message.

I think it is important to break every rule when you are writing lyrics. Language is a living, breathing creature and must be pushed to include change. If you don't do that then there is no creativity at play -- and music is at the heart of every rebellion

I'm not concerned with grammar in the context of song lyrics. Imagine Mick Jagger singing, "I'm not satisfied" or Bob Marley wailing, "Don't cry, honey." Understanding the basics extends to understanding the medium. In this case, emotion and artistry trump grammar.

In my experience as a wordsmith for hire, working to transcribe the low guttural tenor of Mongolian throat singing maestro Bilguun Boloorma, impeccable grammar and spelling were a necessity. If I wasn't there to channel Bilguun's 26-second vocal eruptions into the articulated word, his lyrics would never have fit into the insert on his smash hit debut CD. It'd have just been the opening "oooooo" and "aaaaaa" for most of the booklet. I doubt he'd have even gotten to the first chorus. If Bilguun, for all his genius, had followed AP writing standards from the get-go then it would have saved him a lot of time and money in the long run.

Once you learn the rules, you know how to break them. When it comes to writing lyrics, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax are secondary to expression. There's a reason we have the saying "poetic licence." Since lyrics are not meant to be read, taking a more conversational tone and disregarding the rigidity of writing conventions enhances the lyricist's ability to convey emotion. The essence of Rock'n'Roll is rebellion; so, when it comes to songwriting, we don't need no education if we can't get no satisfaction.

While it’s very important to know the rules of grammar, syntax, spelling, and so on, it’s just as important to know when, and how, to break the rules. Even in this instance, knowledge of your audience will help guide you. Your own experience, and your “ear” for language will also help guide you. If you’re a good writer, you’ll know what sounds right.

Becoming a lyricist really is about honing your craft, which in this context is the language you speak. It's not specific to any one genre and all of the greats in music have to broaden their vocabulary to connect with their audience. Whether you're Bob Dylan or Eminem, no one is above their vocab. If you find yourself stuck in finding a word to rhyme or one that fits in with the rhythm of the song, the best thing you can do is brainstorm. Take the term you're struggling with and mentally dump any related word you can think of on a page, then seek other perspectives with tools like the internet or even an old-fashioned thesaurus. Most of the time, the perfect word is there waiting to be found.

Learn to love dictionaries and thesauruses if you want to be a professional lyricist. Contemporary poetry involves much less rhyme, so I do best with the Oxford English Dictionary, but use whatever fits your style. If your stuck, think of the single, best word for what you want to express. Then take that word and become its best friend. Look up and write down words that have anything to do with your word. Write down every synonym, then go through every antonym. Write down different uses for the word. See if your word also has distinct medical, legal or cultural meanings. When your done, write your lyrics. All of the words in your mind are on theme and the connections will jump out at you as you write. Just write down the song in your head.

One of the benefits of editing is that you can try different ways of expressing the same idea. You can play with words, phrases, sentences, and structures to see what works best for your lyrics. You can also use tools like dictionaries, thesauruses, rhyming dictionaries, or online generators to find synonyms, antonyms, rhymes, or other options. Experimenting with alternatives can help you find the most creative, effective, and original way of communicating your message.

It is simply achieved by being with the core of the expression. Whether writing a song or a lyric, (for lyric may or may not be a song, but song is incomplete without being lyric) it is most vital to be with the feeling and have gradual development of it. After writing a first draft, the poet could easily have a grip of recurring note and keeping it keynote, others contents shall be weaved around. Once creativity has its expression, grammar get balanced naturally with our expression.

While editing and revising are part of the writing and creative process, there is something beautifully raw and authentic when original pieces are left relatively unchanged. Sure, it may be unpolished, but life is never polished and allowing our music, writing, art, etc., be less than perfect can actually make it more relatable and less commercialized.

Learn one thing very well: novice writers write; real writers revise. It’s an old adage. Anyone who thinks that great work comes from their first or second drafts isn’t fulfilling their writing potential. While writing is a solitary activity, revision can benefit from groups. Use small critique groups or trusted friends. When they tell you something’s not working, don’t take it personally. Professional writers make tons of mistakes. We’re often too close to our own work. Others can help you by telling you honestly what works and what doesn’t. You’ll have to revise more and revising is hard, but the more you do it the easier it gets. That’s why I’m answering LinkedIn questions to relax. Revising will just become habit if you let it.

Personally, I rarely, if ever take time to edit and revise my own lyrics. There's a certain authenticity to a stream of consciousness that gets lost in constant revision. The flip side is working with other band members to collaborate and change certain aspects of your lyrics to better fit the composition. At the end of the day, music is an art and a form of expression, taking the same approach one would when writing an article doesn't fit the medium.

Something that has always shone through in every song that has made a hit, be it a single or an album, is the colloquial language and beat of a strong narrative that is brought to life in a raw inglorious but beautiful way. Think on the sea-shanty, The Billy-O-Tea. The Viking Song. Valhalla is calling me. Both I think are legends of bringing in hope within a dire or miserable time, using artistic license most sensibly and intelligently. Indeed, gathering, listening, studying and learning good solid information from experienced people and literature, before using artistic license, pays well.

Yes, editing is something that takes time and embracing different perspectives. Managing your immersion in a project is really key to being able to process it objectively. Working on multiple projects, that are very different from one another will give you the distance you need to hear it with fresh ears for at least the first couple hours of each session. If it's time sensitive, then the more people you can incorporate into your production team, the better. Even if it's just friends or associates with good ears that can help identify elements that have negative sonic interactions. Every time you replay, your brain is tuning out mistakes, so having more ears involved gives you larger blocks of time where the feedback is constructive.

How well do you know even your voice? Maybe you know your influencers' voices inside and out, but what about yours? Is your voice moody? Lighthearted? Aggravated? Apologetic? Are you an underdog? A champion? Take some time to define your voice. Once you know it, you can trust it. Use your definition as a barometer against the lyrics. Does this sound like something you'd sing? If not, what words can you swap to better reflect your voice?

As I mentioned in a previous post, emotion is what engages an audience. There was a famous country singer that said, 'all you need is three chords and the truth', and he's pretty much right on the money. Although I personally think it's four chords, obviously that depends on your time signature. But the point is, if you're not communicating a profound truth in your music, whether it's with the instrumental or the lyrics, it's not going to resonate like you hope. Songs like 'God only knows' by the Beach Boys, 'What if' by Five for Fighting, just to name a couple, capture our imaginations and reignite past emotions and that's the actual platinum standard in Music. If it captures you as the artist, it will capture others as well, be fearless.

Remember that editing is not about changing your voice, but enhancing it. You should not edit your lyrics to the point where they lose their originality, personality, or emotion. You should also not edit your lyrics to please everyone, because that is impossible and unnecessary. You should edit your lyrics to express yourself in the best way possible, while also reaching out to your audience. Trust your voice and your vision, and let them shine through your lyrics.

Absolutely, writing poetry is indeed a challenging yet deeply rewarding art form. It requires a profound emotional connection to the subject and a command over language, including grammar and phonetics, to effectively convey those emotions. Your process—starting from the heart, allowing the emotions to flow freely, then refining through practice and revision—is a commendable approach. Would you like any specific guidance or assistance with your poetry writing process?

Who wants to listen to a grammatically correct song? We want emotion and connection, not perfect punctuation and articulation.

I'm a hobbyist songwriter, and in addition to the great points mentioned here, I'd also say that sometimes breaking the grammar rules helps! One thing I find that works with my limited audience is code switching alongside some intentional blunders using puns and homophones. It's fun to listen to, and the catchiness adds to the appeal of the song. Obviously this approach won't work for serious topics. But for the fun, lighthearted stuff, go for it!

Believe it or not, I've co-written country music songs that you may have heard on the radio (spoiler alert, I use a pseudonym). I think in poetry and music and poetry as music, you have a certain leeway. So much music is about love or breakups that perfect language or grammar might not feel appropriate. So while I silently judge the grammar in your emails, I'm not as judgy in your song lyrics...Now, misuse of words and mispronunciation on the other hand, still drive me to distraction! What say you?

As much as I love grammar, and as importance as I think it is in most forms of writing, I take song lyrics to be the exception. Lyrics exist in the context of musical backing and vocal tonality, both of which are semantically charged and can give shape to thoughts and feelings that aren't fully and clearly articulated in language. This frees up the lyrical language a great deal. Grammatical rules can be strategically broken to create layers of meaning and intriguing ambiguities. (For instance, see Modest Mouse, whose lyrics frequently repurpose filler language and redundancies to evoke various psychological atmospheres, and Gogol Bordello, whose lyrics are chock full of ESL "errors" that in fact enhance their connotative range.)

Grammar is descriptive of how meaning is conveyed via language. Knowing audience helps--that sets parameters on what is allowable grammatically. If something isn't grammatically correct, but those who are listening can grasp the meaning, grammar is not important. When something isn't grammatically correct, but that compromises meaning, then it is important.