Lyricists create great songs by employing strong rhyme
schemes and narrative song structures. Mariah Carey's songwriting tips will
help you learn how to write lyrics.
A Brief Introduction to Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey, also known as the "Queen of
Christmas" and "Songbird Supreme," is a celebrated
singer-songwriter known for her stunning five-octave vocal range, riff skills,
and chart-topping popular songs. Mariah has five Grammy Awards to her name and
has performed everything from love songs ("Visions of Love") to
holiday hits ("All I Want for Christmas Is You"). She frequently
writes her own songs and infuses them with great lyrics, chugging chord
progressions, and infectious melodies.
Mariah became the first artist in music history to have
their first five singles chart at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. "One
Sweet Day," which he recorded with Boyz II Men, was the longest-running Billboard
No. 1 song of the 1990s. Her success continued into the millennium, as she
released hit song after hit song, broke into film (starring in the Academy
Award-winning film Precious), appeared as a judge on American Idol, and
published a best-selling memoir. Mariah was inducted into the Songwriters Hall
of Fame in 2022.
How to Write a Song
Songwriting requires a wide range of skills. In terms of
music, a songwriter or songwriting team must address song structure, melody,
harmony, rhythm, and instrumentation. Aside from these musical elements,
songwriters must also deal with lyric writing. Many good songs follow the same
formula: intro, first verse, chorus, second verse, chorus, bridge, and then
final chorus. Lyric lines connect each section of your song and tell a story and
paint a picture for the listener. "I enjoy songwriting," Mariah says.
"That is my talent. That's what I'm good at."
How to Write Song Lyrics: 5 Tips From Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey provides step-by-step instructions for
developing song ideas and writing better lyrics. With these ideas that have
inspired some of Mariah's favorite songs, even beginners can get their creative
process started:
1. Bring to light things that are difficult to express. You
can express yourself through music. "I wrote Outside about specific
feelings of otherness I experienced as a child," says Mariah. "It was
about being biracial and how it has truly become such a... I'm not sure there's
a single word to describe what that's done to me. It's the scourge of my
existence. Being Black and biracial is a unique experience... And, especially
when you grow up in white neighborhoods and experience the things that I did,
it's been an interesting journey."
2. Push yourself to try new things. Lean into your emotions
and try to find the words to express their complexities and power. "I
think you can have fun with the words in your songs; perhaps challenge yourself
to use words that paint a more vivid picture of what you're trying to
say," Mariah says. These new words may even spark new ideas for stories in
your writing."
3. Make time for yourself. Self-reflection can be
beneficial, and when words come to mind, write them down. Mariah wrote a song
for Dustin Hoffman's 1992 film Hero. After hearing the movie's synopsis, Mariah
had an idea during the initial music meeting. "I took a five-minute break
to go to the ladies' room because I was thinking, 'Then a hero comes along,
with the strength to carry on,'" she says. "It's just so strange.
But, because I'm never alone, ideas come to me when I have a moment to
myself."
4. Transform small memories into epic songs. Mariah's song
"Sunflowers for Alfred Roy" honors her late father. "It's a
special song to me... he represented this tall, proud sunflower for me,"
she says. "I wrote about specific events in our lives dating back to when
I was a child. I wrote about what I wanted to tell him."
5. Write about the truth. Specificity is important in
songwriting because the more specific something is, the more relatable it can
become. "In certain songs, I've chosen to be very specific and real about
certain things," Mariah says. "Regardless of how relatable you aim to
be, your personal experiences should come through in your writing."
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