Writing Song Lyrics

Glenn 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 latest 'album'.

• IntroductionPart 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. Meaning4. Genre5. Getting a reaction6. The extra-verbal elements of music7. Technology and creativityPart II Speculations8. Inspiration/the grind – Getting the ideas9. Character10. To rhyme or not to rhyme11. Chord sequence12. Marriage between words and music13. Structure14. Storytelling15. Looking beyond.

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.