Lyrics For Choral Composers

Hey, Guys!! I was cleaning out my closet recently and I came across several sheets of lyrics that I had written for a fellow Choral Composer to set to music. Although he had asked me to write them, he never ended up completing the project he was using them for. So, I figure I might as well post a few of them here and hopefully someone might be able to benefit from them or be inspired. So, here is two of the songs. I will try to post the rest later.

The Way of the Human

By J. Glenn Wright

To a little daisey girl,

whose head is brightly

steeped in clouds of blue.

From a man only,

(who is alive)

and briefly Twenty-Two:

Be always beginning

and leaping

and Love;

Every smallest flower,

And all the little,

Pretty things inside

of you.

Put your darker selves

in boxes far away.

And, most merrily

{in all seriousness},

Be Alive today;

And True!

Oh, my sweetest friend:

Hello to you-

Please take your time,

Live not so fast.

For remember;

That which is beauty,

Was meant to last.

Be simple,

And know life

In every breath you take.

And gracious most

For everyday you wake.

Know that with Hope,

Faith,

Love,

Your world will illumine;

Be true, my dear,

To the Path of Peace.

Walk the Way

Of The Human,

Please,

Remember not to live life

In past tenses.

{Living is pleasant most

when you lose your mind

and come to your senses}

And lastly,

in death:

End your story

With grace.

A Will unbroken;

Then die-

With silence most,

Eyes closing.

Loveliest;

Your heart wide open.

Untitled

On this night,

(in the sacred silence)

I hide myself

Inside you,

Softly

(with the deep).

With closed eyes

and a whispered

sound of rain,

as I surrender

To the Universe

Of Sleep.

Tangled, we-

bodies stretched out

upon the bed-

with drowsy,covers

wrapped around us

(Safe).

And a pillow,

For your daisey Head.

Outside, it's (California)

and Beautifully most

raining-

Inside, warm a

A fire's tender most after-glow

remaining-

in the silence-

in the Sacred Silence

Sweet dude! Choral stuff is my thing! I'll take a look at these and PM you or something if I come up with anything.

It's so hard to find good stuff to set. Not sure how I'll do with these, but like I said, I'll let u know if I do anything with them.

Just offhand, do you know who Eric Whitacre is? Because he has a few songs that parts of these remind me of. One is "Hope Faith Life Love," by e.e. cummings, and another is "I hide myself" by Dickinson. Some other imagery that you have is similar to a ton of other stuff he's set. Stuff by Lorca and Charles Anthony Silvestri and Octavio Paz. If you've never heard Whitacre's music, you should check it out. You'd probably enjoy it! :)

Sweet dude! Choral stuff is my thing! I'll take a look at these and PM you or something if I come up with anything.

It's so hard to find good stuff to set. Not sure how I'll do with these, but like I said, I'll let u know if I do anything with them.

Just offhand, do you know who Eric Whitacre is? Because he has a few songs that parts of these remind me of. One is "Hope Faith Life Love," by e.e. cummings, and another is "I hide myself" by Dickinson. Some other imagery that you have is similar to a ton of other stuff he's set. Stuff by Lorca and Charles Anthony Silvestri and Octavio Paz. If you've never heard Whitacre's music, you should check it out. You'd probably enjoy it! :)

Thanks for the positive feedback! Yes, actually I've not just heard of Eric, I know him. we coresponded back and forth via email years ago. Apparently, Eric said, "I am deeply and profoundly moved by your uttter passion to compose and evolve....". I also went to go visit him several times and sat with him to discuss composition. Those talks that we had left a major impact upon me.

However, my lyrical style was actually influenced by the poems of those poets you have cited, long before I knew Eric.

I like The Way of the Human. I was looking for something to start a choral piece with. I will have to see what I can come up with. Thank you!

And you are J. Glenn Wright...correct?

I like The Way of the Human. I was looking for something to start a choral piece with. I will have to see what I can come up with. Thank you!

And you are J. Glenn Wright...correct?

Awesome, piano_player18!!!! :toothygrin: Please do let me know, as you begin to continue to make progress on the piece. And Yes, I am J. Glenn Wright.

Hey, NT, do you write lyrics? *wiggles eyebrows* I need a lyricist. :santa:

http://forum.youngcomposers.com/t28374/lyrics-needed/

Hey, NT, do you write lyrics? *wiggles eyebrows* I need a lyricist. :santa:

http://forum.youngcomposers.com/t28374/lyrics-needed/

Sure, Peter. What do you need? (Please be as specific as possible. I can only help you to the degree that I understand what you are looking, what you want)

Sure, Peter. What do you need? (Please be as specific as possible. I can only help you to the degree that I understand what you are looking, what you want)

I don't know, I've never written lyrics (successfully) before. What sort of things go into writing lyrics?

I don't know, I've never written lyrics (successfully) before. What sort of things go into writing lyrics?

Well, for starters, if you are going to write song and the lyrics, you can go about it one of two ways. Either write the lyrics first and then write the music or write the music first and then write the lyrics. Don't try to write them both at the same time. Also write about something that inspires you or at least makes you feel something very strongly.

And I can tell from both your music and comments that you have make this forum that you are more of an intellectual person rather than a feeling person (not that you don't have feelings, of course). Now, there is nothing wrong with that, per se, when it comes to music. However, in writing lyrics, that will not serve you well at all. You've got to dig deep inside, analyze your own feelings, and then to put them into words as best you can.

After you have done that, step back and look at whatever words you have written. At this stage, it is not important if they rhyme or not. It just has to be a complete thought. Now, pull out your thesaurus and start to ask yourself "How else could I say this?" "What's a more elegant way to put this?". BTW, elegance in lyrics (and in music, I think) is the same as elegance in mathematics; The simplest solution in the most elegant.

As you are re-drafting, try to focus on rhyming to this point and, also the rhythm of the consonances and vowels as text is spoken. It also may be useful to start thinking in metaphors too. And try to use sensory terms and predicates for as many different senses as you can (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and so on).

These are a few of the basics. Other than that, you are welcome to show me what you've come up with and I might be able to see a few other things that you could do. That is some of what is involved with writing lyrics.

Well, for starters, if you are going to write song and the lyrics, you can go about it one of two ways. Either write the lyrics first and then write the music or write the music first and then write the lyrics. Don't try to write them both at the same time. Also write about something that inspires you or at least makes you feel something very strongly.

After you have done that, step back and look at whatever words you have written. At this stage, it is not important if they rhyme or not. It just has to be a complete thought. Now, pull out your thesaurus and start to ask yourself "How else could I say this?" "What's a more elegant way to put this?". BTW, elegance in lyrics (and in music, I think) is the same as elegance in mathematics; The simplest solution in the most elegant.

As you are re-drafting, try to focus on rhyming to this point and, also the rhythm of the consonances and vowels as text is spoken. It also may be useful to start thinking in metaphors too. And try to use sensory terms and predicates for as many different senses as you can (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and so on).

These are a few of the basics. Other than that, you are welcome to show me what you've come up with and I might be able to see a few other things that you could do. That is some of what is involved with writing lyrics.

You don't understand: I do not and cannot write lyrics. :P

Here's my situation:

http://forum.youngcomposers.com/t28374/lyrics-needed/

I've tried writing text once (different situation than this one) and failed miserably. I don't have time or desire to dwell on this piece for hours on end for each line of text, only to erase it all and start over again because I don't like where it was going. I don't even know where to start. And quite frankly I don't care to learn how to write lyrics at this time. It's enough for me to figure out this whole composition business.

Don't get me wrong: your post is full of gems. But that's not what I'm after right now. I've got enough on my plate, as far as new endeavors.