Lyric Fail


Sometimes, there are songs where something in the lyrics makes you want to laugh.  For example, "You're like a tattoo.  I'll always have you."    So, the person is something that you'll regret later when it becomes irrelevant to your life?  However, I feel like there are two recent songs that take the cake when it comes to failing at lyric-writing.  And both of these come from the rhyme situation.  I have news for young songwriters and poets.

1)  It doesn't HAVE to rhyme.
2) It not rhyming doesn't make it more artistic

The best thing, really, is for it to have a middle ground.  If your poetry pattern fits to rhymes, do it.  If it doesn't, go ahead and don't.  But it still needs a pattern or rhythm to be a poem.  And, I present to you two songs that show the opposite ends of the rhyme spectrum.

"Grenade" (Bruno Mars)
 
I like Bruno Mars a fair bit of the time.  However, this song is the biggest lyric fail of the year.  The first time I heard it, I was laughing at the desperate measures to make it rhyme.


A piece:
I'd catch a grenade for ya
Throw my hand on a blade for ya  
I'd jump in front of a train for ya  
You know I'd do anything for ya
I would go through all this pain  
Take a bullet straight through my brain  
Yes, I would die for you, baby 
But you won't do the same

You don't have to rhyme. 

"The One that Got Away" (Katy Perry)

On the other end of the spectrum, if you've been rhyming the whole song, and then there's a natural rhyme KEEP IT.  The first time I heard this song, I was kind of singing along when the chorus came.  I was predicting that "in another life" would be followed by "I would be your wife."  

But, it's not.  It's I would be your girl.  Keep the rhyme scheme, especially if it matches!




If you have lyrics, keep it going guys.  Lyrics really can make or break a song.



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