How To Write Songs—Secrets to Great Lyric Writing: The First Line

Want to grab your listener by the ear? This video explains 3 strategies for making your first line of lyric irresistible.

Not all lines in your lyrics are built the same; some get more attention than others because of their position within the structure of the song. And first impressions count! In this video, I reveal one of the most important lyric-writing strategies for engaging your listeners immediately, and lay out 3 levels of tension, in increasing order of 'stickiness', showing examples from popular contemporary songs and songwriters.

00:00 Intro
00:56 Examples of First Line tension
03:40 Power positions
04:16 Important lyric-writing tip
05:06 Image tension
07:11 Inner tension
08:50 The "I Want" song in musical theater
09:44 Interpersonal tension
11:16 Wide-ranging chat with Benny about first impressions, literature, and the psychology of creative work

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Music featured in this video:

50 Ways to Leave Your Love, Paul Simon
Actions, John Legend
White Flag, Dido
I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Death Cab for Cutie
Neighbor Song, Lake Street Dive
I Know, Fiona Apple
Walt Grace's Submarine Test, January 1967, John Mayer
Barroom Girls, Gillian Welch
Weather With You, Crowded House
Need You Now, Lady Antebellum
Downtown Train, Tom Waits
Natural Woman, Aretha Franklin
I Hate it When We Fight, Joy Williams
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, John Mayer

Intro/Outro music: Spotlight, Keppie Coutts

Images featured:
Paul Simon: Gary Heery
John Legend: Maarten de Boer
Ben Gibbard: Sarah Louise Bennett
Fiona Apple: Kevin Hayes
John Mayer: Ryan Pfluger
Gillian Welch: Big Hassle Media
Crowded House: Instagram, @crowdedhousehq
Tom Waits: Jesse Dylan
Aretha Franklin: Getty Images
Joy Williams: Adam McHeffey
John Mayer 2: Mark Seliger

#howtowritesongs
#songwriting
#writingsongs
#lyrics
#writinglyrics

[brianolson_music]

Love the answer to the question “did they know what they were doing “ always felt that way but you articulated it so clearly

[drummermomcjs]

I like your perspective of knowledge Keppe. I understood the concept behind Moeller drumming for years but could not reproduce it with my hands. One evening while playing on my drum kit some random jamming suddenly I noticed that the motion that I was using on the hi-hat was in fact Moeller. I had been playing that on hats for years and never made the connection until then. When I realized that it was the same motion just in a different application and it clicked. I was able to play Moeller on all surfaces. My hands knew the technique before my mind connected the technical read out of the idea.

Often times I find learning to be on several different levels and sometimes when I think that I know a thing, I find months or years down the road how little I had understood that idea and there is so much more to explore in that idea. I am loving the process.

I have read that it is the glory of kings to search out a matter and I am finding that to be true in the process of songwriting. Oh the nuggets and gems to be discovered, if only to be enjoyed by myself. :-}

[adriaandorresteijn]

Great 'lesson' again!! Thank you.

[danstreck]

So nicely done, guys. It's so refreshing to hear thoughtful conversation about this topic. I've learned so much from listening to you both, admittedly while being intimidated by how much there is to learn :). Beyond that, though, I find that it changes how I listen to music. I've become a more active listener and if anything it's increased my admiration for the skills of my songwriting heroes. Thank you.

[mystikrebel]

Brilliant and a very educational video just when I needed it.Thanks Keppie !

[musikfenman]

I've watched and studied almost of your videos. And It made me make a song that would satisfy myself finally in 3 years! Really thank you for making this channel and videos. It really helpful to me! Although I'm a Korean, not good at English, this video also help me write a good lyric in Korean. Thank you :) And...as a HUGE fan of JOHN MAYER, it's very enjoyable to see JM's examples! I hope there will be another videos related to JM's songwriting, focusing on melody or etc.. :D . Hope you have a nice days without COVID ! Thank you :)

[paulahardin]

I woke up on the wrong side of the truck bed this morning by Hardy has some great lines

[ShirinDelsooz]

Thank you so much for a helpful video!I didn’t realize this concept in lyric writing, now I am reviewing my old songs’ first lines!

[garymcmurdie]

Thankyou for this fantastic lesson. I have thoroughly enjoyed all your videos, but this one leaves me triggered and trying to capture the sparks! :)

[Jeronimo]

Brilliant guys, instantly usable tools, thank you so much. Anything more on lyric writing would be greatly appreciated. 🙏❤️😎

[rogeralleyne]

This video was on 🔥 with the "knowledge" that it contained 🙏🙏🙏 Well done 👍👍👍

[steveapplegate]

Hi I just wanted to say I love your channel
Re- coloring the chorus was something I’d never heard of.
I’ve been writing for almost 50 yrs and still learning, thanks

[Mars_Fortune_Music]

At the 15:50 mark you make mention of limited real estate to build our lyricial mansion. Wouldn't this be relative to the lenght of time? My friend tends to write very pop/flavour of the day songs 3 minutes or less as I tend to write more along the progressive/experimental bent at 4 to 5 minutes. Or am I splitting hairs?

[Manisono]

Your vids are absolutely great! I´ve never before learned that much in such a short time! Thanks a lot! :)

[scopemaverick]

Dang, you’re on point about the first line of a song. I have a song called My Worst Fear and the first four lines are “I keep it real, I’m afraid to give you my heart/ Because I fear you gon’ play me, rip it apart/ I shed tears over shady chicks, it was hard/ So now I kill all the craziness from the start”. The first line told the whole song: my fear of trusting a lover. Never even realized that lol.

[mysteriousplankton]

This is high quality info. Here's a well deserved cookie. 🍪

[bobbybrenton]

Thank you! I just took one of my songs to the next level by fixing the first line.

[Ibrahimherrou]

To the point . Thank you for the effort

[patriciacollins]

Wow so much food for thought. Here I am using a cliche, ah…. Anyway a very informative video, so much to think about. As a beginner I love it when the lyrics just come, sometimes they just arrive as I play a chord progression. Loved the explanation about the importance of the first line. I will now put more thought into positioning the story without stifling my creativity. Thanks Keppie! :)

[xtolhim]

You guys are just awesome. I love your chanel.