Rhyme and Motion
A cool device for shaping the flow of your lyrics
You know that feeling when a song just pulls you in, line after line, leaving you hanging on for what’s next? As songwriters, we have the power to create that sense of momentum and anticipation, and a key tool in our arsenal is rhyme. In my books, I’ve discussed this crucial aspect of songwriting, but I thought it might be helpful to talk a little more about this.
Examples of this:
"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele - This song uses conversational elegance and a change in the story to change the landscape between sections.
"Perfect" by Ed Sheeran - Similar to "Rolling in the Deep," "Perfect" also uses conversational elegance to create motion from the verses to the chorus.
"50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" by Paul Simon - In this song, the verses are written with long, extended phrases to give a conversational feeling, and the chorus uses shorter lines to create a contrast that speeds up the pace.
"Years" by Beth Nielsen Chapman - This song uses contrast in phrase lengths to create motion.
Let’s see how strategically placed rhymes can transform your lyrics into a captivating journey for your listeners, specifically:
The Power of Anticipation
Rhyme as a Roadmap
Setting the Pace
Internal Rhymes: Adding Texture
Rhyme Schemes: Building Momentum
Let’s go…
The Power of Anticipation
Anticipation is at the heart of great storytelling. It's what keeps your listeners engaged and coming back for more. And in songwriting, it’s the same thing: we can use rhyme to create a sense of anticipation, drawing our audience into the narrative and leaving them eager to hear what's next. Pyramiding is an excellent way of doing this, especially with Song Maps. Click here for more.
Rhyme as a Roadmap
Think of rhyme as signposts guiding your listeners through your song. Each rhyme acts as a marker, indicating that a thought or idea is coming to a close and a new one is about to begin. This helps to create a sense of structure and coherence, preventing your lyrics from feeling disjointed or rambling. Mosaic rhyme here is my favorite way of doing this.
Setting the Pace
The placement and frequency of your rhymes can dramatically influence the pace and feel of your song. A rapid succession of rhymes can create a sense of urgency or excitement, while more spaced-out rhymes can evoke a feeling of calm or reflection. Experiment with different rhyme patterns to find the perfect rhythm for your song’s message and mood.
Internal Rhymes: Adding Texture
Internal rhymes, where words within the same line rhyme, add a layer of sonic richness and complexity to your lyrics. They can also highlight specific words or phrases, highlighting important ideas within your song.
Rhyme Schemes: Building Momentum
Traditional rhyme schemes like AABB or ABAB create a sense of familiarity and predictability. While these can be effective, consider experimenting with more complex schemes to add an element of surprise and keep your listeners on their toes. This can involve using irregular rhyme patterns, introducing new rhymes in later verses, or breaking from the established scheme altogether in the bridge or chorus.
In Summary
As songwriters, we have a toolbox full of techniques at our disposal. But it's the way we weave those tools together that truly elevates our craft.
Rhyme is much more than just a sonic embellishment. It's a cool device for shaping the flow of your lyrics, creating anticipation, setting the pace, and guiding your listeners on a compelling journey.
A cool device for shaping the flow of your lyrics
One of my favorite books on rhyme is Pat Pattison’s book Songwriting: Essential Guide to Rhyming, click here.
A writable idea is a great place to start planning the motion of your lyrics. To learn more about this, click here or check out my book "Song Maps."
Questions
Here are a few questions you might ask for your workflow:
What are your favorite examples of songs that use rhyme to create forward motion?
How do you approach rhyme schemes in your own songwriting?
What techniques do you use to ensure your rhymes feel natural and unforced?
Hope this helps!
Simon.