Lyric Writing: 6 Ways To Make Your Opening Lines Sparkle!

Not sure how to start your song? Try this:

Curiosity

These opening lyrics pique your interest without giving away too much information, so you want to keep listening:

• I heard there was a secret chord
• There must be some kind of way out of here
• I read the news today; oh boy

Open Loops

An open loop is a thought that doesn’t get completed, leaving you wanting to close the loop:

• Please allow me to introduce myself
• Dig, if you will, the picture
• A man walks down the street

Places, Weather, and Environments

A fast way to make an impression is to describe the details of the environment in your lyric:

• It was raining hard in ‘Frisco
• On a dark desert highway
• Mind if I sit down?

Unique and Unusual

These lyrics draw your attention toward objects and ideas that stand out:

• Jeremiah was a bullfrog
• Hello darkness, my old friend
• Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream

Active

Lyrics that have action are more engaging than passive opening lines:

• The screen door slams
• Stop…in the name of love
• Take the ribbon from your hair

Universal Suffering

We all know suffering and these opening lyrics acknowledge your pain:

• When you try your best but you don’t succeed
• When I find myself in times of trouble
• Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
• And now, the end is near
• We’re caught in a trap

One of the most important things you can do for your songwriting is to keep practicing. The more you do it, the better you will become.

Keep at it!

Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog