Lyricist

Job Duties

A theatrical lyricist is a person who writes lyrics for the stage. Some lyricists also write the accompanying music to their words. Other lyricists collaborate with a composer or a series of composers over the course of their career. Lyricists pen the words that are sung by actors over the course of a musical, opera, or play with music.

There are many aspects of lyric writing that help the lyricist construct songs that propel the story, illuminate character, and cause an emotional reaction in the spectator.

Some aspects of lyric-writing that a songwriter uses include:

Rhyme: corresponding end sounds of words. Rhyme links up words to like-sounding words, giving a lyrical phrase symmetry and balance. There are true rhymes / perfect rhymes (“sweet” rhymes with “eat”) as well as near rhymes / slant rhymes (“came” sort of rhymes with “drain”). There is great debate within the lyric-writing community about the merit and value of exact rhyming. Some rhymes utilize a single concluding sound or syllable (“tale” rhymes with “pale”) whereas some rhymes utilize a series of syllables (“monotonous” rhymes with “forgotten us”). The rhyming parts of words do not need to be spelled the same in order to rhyme (“greased” rhymes with “priest”). Sometimes multiple words can link up to form rhymes (“menu” rhymes with “when you”). The English language is not the easiest language to make rhyme; the word “love” for instance has limited rhyming possibilities (if you’ve heard a couple of love songs you’ve probably heard most of them!). Lyricists use rhyme to structure their lyrics and to give their songs structure and synergy.

Word Play: the fanciful use of language to create humor and delight. Sometimes a lyricist wants to charm the audience (or the character the lyricist is writing for wants to charm someone). Clever turns of phrase and playful use of words can add spice and whimsy to a song. Types of word play include puns, double entendres, and verbal gymnastics / tongue twisters. Sparkly, witty lyrics tickle the listeners’ ears and keep them engaged.

Literary Devices: various linguistic tools to give phrases shape. These include alliteration, repetition, assonance, consonance, metaphor, and simile. These devices help give a lyric variety and nuance. They can also help to reveal a character’s means of expression. Lyricists are not poets. Whereas poems often revel in metaphor and expansive imagery, lyrics must be streamlined and clear.

Word choice is of vital importance to a lyricist. Since a lyric writer will often only have a few short phrases to convey a world of information, every word is of immense importance. The details are everything! The exact right word can help complete a rhyme, illuminate a character’s inner life, propel the plot forward, or land the punch line of a joke. Lyricists are sticklers for the perfect word.

Lyricists must do a lot with a little. A short lyric must contain multitudes and accomplish many competing things simultaneously. Lyric writing is the art of fitting a great deal of meaning, nuance, and crucial information into a short lyrical phrase. The way a character sings is very revealing to the listener: the character’s specific diction, their specific mode of communication, their style of speech, their linguistic rhythm - all are clues to their personality and their desires. A good lyric will be unique to a character. A good lyric will also move the story along. Lyricists are constantly trying to find the swiftest and clearest way to share information: How does a set of lyrics carry the story forward? What new information is given with the words of each song?

Lyrics must sit well on music. Lyrics are not the same as poetry. The words in a musical must sing! They must rest on notes with ease and smoothness. The effort of the lyric writer must be invisible. An audience member shouldn’t spend their time thinking about the skill it took to write a lyric; rather the lyric should tumble out of a characters’ mouth, surprising and inevitable, fresh but totally believable.

Terminology

• Composer: The person who writes the music.
• Librettist: The script (or book) writer of a musical.
• Lyrics: The words of the songs in a musical.