Welcome to Back to BASSics – a monthly blog from EDGEOUT’s Head of Artist Development, Cheryl Benson-Guanci. 

The lyrics in your songs are like storytelling.  

You need an overall theme: a HOOK (often the title of your song) as well as a story that has a beginning, middle and end. 

Your verses should be like progressive chapters, and your chorus should be your story’s theme and its statement. 

In writing your chorus, The Almighty HOOK needs to be: instantly catchy, somewhat repetitive or word consistent,  and incredibly memorable!  THIS .. this is where the money is. 

As A&R- this is what I look for,  especially in focus tracks and singles.  

Once you set up these baseline structures, you need to write with “simplicity” in mind. 

Use less words. Words that are easy to grasp, yet clever and connect with the masses. You don’t want to confuse or baffle your listener. 

Poetic rhyme schemes; shorter, repetitive words and syllables counts – this all  helps to establish more of a connection and the memorability you need. 

Remember those simple stories and tunes you were taught when you were young? Like Dr. Suess, nursery rhymes, limericks and poems?  Recall how easy they were to grasp, recite, sing and remember! 

My advice – write with a 10-year-old in mind. If you were to read them your lyrics, just ONCE- could they then tell you ( with ease)  what it was about?  Could they remember the main words; your theme; your ALL-MIGHTY Hook? 

If so…you’re off to a good start! 

Cheers, 

Chery Benson-Guanci