Some common issues/problems that get brought up about lyrics:

* Not understanding the meaning of a word (or phrase) immediately

* The use of an uncommon word – one that might be known to some but is somewhat obscure; not known and used by almost everyone

* Words that are generally used by more educated people – ‘5 dollar words’, that kind of thing

The problem for some people is that these types of words seem stick out. Listeners may indeed stumble over them or be puzzled by them. Therefore some think they should be replaced by words that are in more common usage.

I myself tend to be a ‘words in common usage’-type songwriter; it’s just always felt right for me. At the same time I often disagree with comments like the ones above.

Why?

First of all I think writers should use the vocabulary that’s not only most suited to their song but that also feels most right for their style overall. Some people use big words, some use short ones, etc. By no means should you feel the need to write the way you talk. But most of us are groping towards a writing voice of our own; this includes finding what vocabulary feels right to each of us.

Also, language drives curiosity. So many great songs used words, phrases, and idioms that were unfamiliar to me… and got me curious about the world they came from. The English/Liverpool world of Lennon & McCartney. The sophisticated sphere of Cole Porter and the Gershwins. The Jamaican patois that brought us into the universe of Bob Marley. The psychedelic world of Jimi Hendrix.

And what about the urban slang of Rap, with so many words and phrases that were unfamiliar to most listeners at first? By now the creativity of idioms that were once known only to the individuals and neighborhoods that gave us rap have now entered and enriched the vocabulary of almost every speaker of English.

As a close listener to songs, I always quiz myself when something sticks out… because it’s usually feels like a mistake… at first… But often it’s not a mistake. It can be a sign of individuality.

There are certain places in certain kinds of songs where you absolutely want everyone listening to understand every word without thinking at all. But not every song is like that. The key thing is that the language should feel consistent within each song.

When something jumps out because it sounds like it’s coming from a different character than the one singing the rest of the song… that’s usually a bad sign. But if my discomfort is just because I, the listener, am not familiar with the word or phrase, it can have the opposite effect, creating interest.

So don’t be discouraged right away if a word or phrase sticks out to some listeners. See if it feels right to you. Does it it feel like exactly what the narrator singing the song would say at that moment? Does it match the tone of the rest of the song, even if in an unexpected way?

Then maybe it’s worth sticking with… even if people may not get the whole meaning right away. It may make them want to find out more.

You or I may not bring new vocabulary to to the world of mainstream popular music, as writers like Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and Jay-Z have. But we can be bolder about ignoring the familiar, pushing the limits, and pursuing our own songwriting voice.

(Almost everything I’ve written here – about the familiar and the unfamiliar – applies to the music part of songwriting as well.)

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