Exercise

Step 1: Take a pen and paper. Write the title of the song in the middle of your paper and draw a circle around it.

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Step 2: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Brainstorm words and imagery/images that are related to your title.

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Step 3: Choose the best words and imagery, and incorporate them into your song.

 

Theory

"As visual artists use a palette of colors to create their art, it can be helpful for songwriters to develop a “palette” of words and images applicable to each song before beginning the process of actually crafting the lyric. Sometimes referred to as “word clustering”, this process provides instant access to words and phrases that relate directly to the title. It’s an effective

way to ensure that your title will have maximum impact and will pay off. A palette of images and phrases for the title “It’s Heaven” might include: angels, golden halos, hell, angel’s wings, silver clouds, St. Peter, the pearly gates, harps, eternity, and heavenly songs. While you certainly won’t use all of the related images you come up with, using some of them will add to your title’s effectiveness by infusing it with color, detail, and imagery. But remember that the ultimate goal is to evoke emotion. Overloading your lyric with clever images and phrases can make it sound less conversational and more like a novelty song. A lyric palette is an important and powerful tool; use it – but use it sparingly" (Blume, 2008, p. 56).

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Source

Blume, J. (2008) Six Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs. 3rd edn. New York: Billboard Books.