Description
Book SynopsisGlenn Fosbraey is Programme Leader of BA Creative Writing at the University of Winchester, and co-wrote the 2nd year module 'Composing Song Lyrics' with Andrew Melrose. He has published various journal articles on the subjects of drama and lyrics, with the most recent being a study of pedagogical approaches to song lyrics, and is currently working on a chapter in the upcoming book on Leonard Cohen (ed. Prof. Peter Billingham). Glenn has been writing and recording songs for almost twenty years, and is currently working on his new album 'In Bloom', a musical re-imagining of Joyce's Ulysses.
Andrew Melrose is Professor of Writing at the University of Winchester, he has around 170 published works in the public domain, including 15 films, 36 books (3 academic with Routledge) , and countless other works including academic articles, chapters, short stories, poetry and songs (on CD and Film). He has been writing and performing songs for over forty years and is currently recording his
Trade Review
Writing Song Lyrics is a lively and entertaining meditation on the art of songwriting; a joyous personal riff on a canon of beautiful songs which continue to inspire and colour our lives. * Richard Mills, St Mary’s University, UK *
Writing Song Lyrics is a necessary and lively guide for the creative writing classroom. The authors analyze lyrics by legendary artists like the Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and many others to illustrate the techniques of matching words to music. * Tami Haaland, Montana State University, USA *
Writing Song Lyrics is indispensable for anyone who wants to take lyrics seriously and intelligently. Written in a clear and accessible style, it has good points for discussion, practical advice/exercises for writing, a wide range of reference and is written by experienced lyric writers. * Adrian May, University of Essex, UK *
Table of Contents
Introduction Part I Foundations 1. How important are lyrics in popular music? And who makes them important, the author, or the audience? 2. What should the popular lyric be discussing? 3. Meaning 4. Genre 5. Getting a reaction 6. The extra-verbal elements of music 7. Technology and creativity Part II Speculations 8. Inspiration/the grind – Getting the ideas 9. Character 10. To rhyme or not to rhyme 11. Chord sequence 12. Marriage between words and music 13. Structure 14. Storytelling 15. Looking beyond.
