Song WritingCreative Writing

May 1

Homework & Reminders

Homework Print out the lyrics to a chosen song and

annotate them by highlighting key words, literary elements and devices, observations they make about the text and ideas about theme. Find examples of as many literary elements as possible within the lyrics.

Reminders Poem to recite due May 7 Final original poem assignment due May 11

Ballad

Now that your ballads are complete, let’s share.

Make sure you turn them in for grading.

Objective

Students will examine the lyrics of Jay-Z for literary elements in order to consider what he says about his own writing process.

“Empire State of Mind”

Read along https://vimeo.com/11763681 What do you like about it? What are the main ideas and themes

of the lyrics? Is it literary? Why or why not?

Complete the literary analysis How has Jay-Z used these literary

elements to express his own experience?

Why does he use them? What effect do they have on you?

What themes does Jay-Z address in this song?

How does his use of literary elements help bring out these themes?

Where in the lyrics do you see layers of metaphors?

What are the effects of his “language tricks” on you as a listener?

Jay-Z says…

“Everywhere I went I’d write. If I was crossing a street with my friends and a rhyme came to me, I’d break out my binder, spread it on a mailbox or lamppost and write the rhyme before I crossed the street.”

If he didn’t have his notebook with him, he’d run to “the corner store, buy something, then find a pen to write it on the back of the brown paper bag.”

Jay-Z says…

That became impractical when he was a teenager, working streets up and down the eastern corridor, selling crack, and he says he began to work on memorizing, creating “little corners in my head where I stored rhymes.”

The Building Blocks Of Song Writing

Inspiration A Concept The Lyrics Genre Structure A Hook Rhyming Rhythm

What Would You Like To Express?

Inspiration

Getting Into The Zone

Relax And Quiet Your Mind Focus On A Specific Subject With An

Intention Allow Any And All New Thoughts/Ideas

To Flow Analyze These Without Judgement Write Down Or Record What Comes To

You Allow For A Sufficient Time For Creation

What is The Point?

A Concept

What Will You Write About?

Friendship Love Loss A cliché Places Spirituality The Past, Present, Or Future

The Lyrics

Words & Expressions

What’s Your Sound?

Genre

The Building Blocks Of Song Writing

Your Song’s Structure

What’s The Catch?

The Hook

Are You A Poet?

Rhyming

Timing Is Everything!

Rhythm

Compose Your Own Song

Think about who the audience for the song will be.

What will the age range of the audience be?

Will the song be for those in love, or those mourning lost love?

Compose Your Own Song

VERSE: The verse is usually the “story” of the song. Create two phrases or sentences. Each phrase or sentence needs to have 9 – 14 syllables. A syllable (a word or part of a word) is a short sound that can be said without interruption. For example, the word “original” has 4 syllables.

TRANSITION: This part of the song connects the verse to the chorus. Write two phrases, each 10 syllables long. You can use the back of this sheet if you need more space.

CHORUS: The chorus is the musical highlight of the song, with a catchy phrase or “hook” that gives the song its title. Most choruses use repetition, so don’t be afraid to use the same phrase more than once in your chorus. Write four 8 – 10 syllable lines.

And finally…

THE VALUE MESSAGE: All songs have a value message. What is your song really saying?