Songwriting Infobox

Song Model
Songwriting
Lyrics - Melody - Harmony - Rhythm - Form
Song Form
Title - Chorus - Verse - Prechorus - Bridge
v • d • e

Title Tips

Put your title in spotlighted positions: In chorus opening lines, closing lines, or both. in AABA form, at the end of each verse (modern) or at the beginning.

A good Title should...

• Express the central idea of the song.
• Be the target of the rest of the lyrics.
• Be able to be developed as the song progresses, so that it gains more impact as we gain more information.
• Be engaging and interesting, either by itself or in the ideas it provokes.
• Be specific rather than general.

Titles Types

DNA Titles

DNA Titles are self-contained. They contain meaning all by themselves.

• Rolling In the Deep, Adele
• Party Rock Anthem, LMFAO
• Firework, Katy Perry
• E.T., Katy Perry

Parasitic Titles

Parasitic Titles need lyrical context for full effect.

• Just Can't Get Enough, The Black Eyed Peas
• Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars
• The Time, The Black Eyed Peas
• Only Girl (In the World), Rihanna
• I Wanna Go, Britney Spears

Finding Titles

• Lizard Brain Titles
• Transformed clichés
• Suggest or contain metaphor or simile
• A clever play on words
• Sonic bonding with vowels (assonance), consonants (alliteration), or both
• Opposites
• Repetition
• Variation
• Double meanings
• Advertising
• Book and movie titles
• Interesting things people say
• Songs, especially lines you misunderstand
• References: Thesaurus, Dictionaries of phrases, Rhyming dictionary, Dictionary of alliteration

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