[Yodasdad]

My advice.......Don't write one, write another first verse instead.

I'm useless with lyrics and I often have difficulty coming up with the second verse. It seems from doing a bit of reading that I'm not alone in this and a lot of people struggle with where to go next.

For what it's worth, what I've found is that the first verse I write often works better as a second (or even third) verse. I find it's easier to write about what preceded what I originally wrote rather than what came after.

It's like my default position is to start my story half way through or at the end, leaving me nowhere to go.

My thoughts, work backwards.

Just thought I'd offer this up. It's probably old news to most of you I know but it was a revelation when I first thought to try it.

Yodasdad

[Boydie]

I couldn't agree more with this approach

It's probably old news to most of you I know but it was a revelation when I first thought to try it.

I suggested this approach a while ago as I think it really does help solidify the "story" and helps introduce the characters and how they got where they did - to encourage the listener to engage more with the story

More details are here:

http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6793.0

[jacksimmons]

Yep, this is pretty much gold dust. Never really given it much thought because lyrics come relatively easy for me, but I almost always end up using the first verse later on in the song and writing new lyrics for the first verse. Guess it's naturally an easier way of writing, too

[S.T.C]

Also ,sometimes a great line comes to you , and you proceed to write, then you realise that great line is the theme and should be in the chorus ,then you have to come up with v1+2 ...

[Mike67]

Not something I've had an issue with, but it sounds like sound advice.  In my the view the first verse should set the scene, but it does depend on what you're writing about.  For me, the issue's really about having a strong opening line, and taking it from there.

I was born in a cross-fire hurricane
Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near?
Hello, Darkness, my old friend
You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips
All around me are familiar faces

All those lines just seem to work as opening lines, and I don't know why.

Mike

[Boydie]

You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips

This is an absolute GENIUS first line - possibly the best one ever?

I will start a thread in the bar so as not to derail this one as I love hearing a good opening line!

Post your favourites here:
http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=12925.0

[Sing4me88]

Also ,sometimes a great line comes to you , and you proceed to write, then you realise that great line is the theme and should be in the chorus ,then you have to come up with v1+2 ...

Amen to that!!!! I always find this a bitter sweet experience; you've now got a killer hook that works on so many different levels but you've also got to rethink an entire first verse. Odd how some lines suddenly become the main hook and core of the song. If it grows organically and isn't forced I think extracting lines from the verse to become the hook and/or title can work really well, though it doesn't solve the matter of needing a first verse!

Recently batting about ideas for a song with a particular brief from a particular producer for a particular artist. One particular turn of phrase in a single line meant to do no more than simply sign off the first verse actually became the song - literally. It became the title, the hook and the repeated line in the chorus. The whole thing just clicked with was needed.

[Rosanna Eastman]

Hi everyone,

I always think of the second verse as revealing more of a story, so if it's a song about cheating, use it to say how she/he cheated/what he/she did; or if it's  a story of some kind, reveal why someone is upset/happy etc. Also I think lyrically it should really try and pack some punch and say something different form first verse, 'story building' I think of it as. And the last line, should be had hitting (something I think I am yet to do)!!

Rosanna

[Gill]

This is helpful to me as I am in no way shape or form a lyric writer. Thanks!

[Jenna]

I am glad to find this post today, wondering if what I'd written last night would make a better chorus than first verse. It opened the door to a different approach that might help the story evolve. The whole thing is, it changes the direction of the song. If you can't develop the story using one method, there are at least a half dozen others to try before throwing in the towel. They all have value. I may just collect them and turn them into a system to write from every angle possible first, then select the best to develop further. It would be good practice of nothing else.

What I have found that helps move the story forward is rummaging through rhyme dictionaries online. I often collect a number of possibilities, and those rhymes can easily change the direction the lyrics take from what was originally envisioned. There are some decent tools out there in cyberspace one can use to jog ideas during the writing process. If only the same existed for the musical part of the writing!