If you find yourself looking for new lyric ideas and inspiration, here’s a tip that works… Watch television! That’s not as crazy/stupid as it sounds. Many TV scenes are built around common emotional situations the audience can relate to. That’s just what you want for your song. Here’s how to do it.
CHOOSE A TV SHOW
Drama series with plenty of emotion work well. Hospital dramas, fire fighters, and even vampires deliver some great lines. Look for scenes with characters who are feeling a strong emotion and get ready to take notes. Much of what you’ll hear is conversational speech—but that often works well as a base-line to start a lyric from. A mix of direct statements and poetic imagery is ideal for lyrics. You can start with direct statements and add the imagery yourself later on.
Comedy series are not as easy to use as drama but they will work. If you choose a sitcom, check out the last 5 to 10 minutes of the show when any conflicts or problems are wrapped up and there’s often a heartfelt moment between characters.
Soaps operas, yes, good old-fashioned afternoon soaps, are a good source if you can find one to watch. (There aren’t many left.) They’re slow moving and nothing much happens, but that’s because everyone is busy emoting all over the place. There’s enough emotional confrontation, regret, tearful forgiveness, and joyful reunions to fill a couple hundred songs!
