Songwriting Habit: Using Rhyme

If you read any great poetry, the use of rhyme is essential in conveying the meaning of your words. This is not easy. It is an area I often struggle with, as I often go for the obvious rhymes.

Reading some poetry from famous poets can give you some inspiration I like reading Maya Angelou, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, because not only do they have a great way to use words, they also establish a sense of pace and rhythm through their phrases. They are masters at lyric writing, a great introduction to songwriting.

Basically there are a few structures you can use when rhyming:

1. Rhyme your second line with the first. For example Justin Bieber’s version of Despacito:

   Come on over in my direction

   So thankful for that it’s such a blessin’

   Turn every situation into Heaven, yeah

   (Oh you are..)

   2. Rhyme the third line with the first and the fourth line with the second, like this Beatle’s Song:

   I give her all my love
   That's all I do
   And if you saw my love
   You'd love her too
   I love her

   3. Use near rhymes. They are words that sound like the word you are rhyming with. For example Ed Sheeran’s Supermarket Flowers has many:

   So I'll sing Hallelujah
   You were an angel in the shape of my mum
   When I fell down you'd be there holding me up
   Spread your wings as you go
   And when God takes you back we'll say Hallelujah
   You're home

There are plenty of websites that are rhyming dictionaries. These are very useful and can help you when you are stuck. Rhymezone is one that I use, or you can go old school and actually buy a rhyming dictionary.

What ever way you use rhyme it needs to flow with the story you are telling. Take the time to change lines and play with words to achieve that flow, pace and meaning.