Preview

Lyrics as a Genre

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
619 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Lyrics as a Genre
Lyrics as a Genre
Lyric derives from the Greek word λυρικός lyrikos, meaning "singing to the lyre". A lyric poem is one that expresses a subjective, personal point of view.
Lyric Poetry consists of a poem, such as a sonnet or an ode that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. The term lyric is now commonly referred to as the words to a song. Lyric poetry does not tell a story which portrays characters and actions. The lyric poet addresses the reader directly, portraying his or her own feeling, state of mind, and perceptions.
Some definitions:
• A short poem of songlike quality.
• In classical Greece, the lyric was a poem written to be sung, accompanied by a lyre.
• Highly musical verse that expresses the speaker's feelings and observations.
• Lyric poetry is a form of poetry with rhyming schemes that express personal and emotional feelings.

In the ancient world, lyric poems were meant to be played to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat.
Lyrics are the written words in a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. Lyrics can be written during composition of a song or after the accompanying music is composed. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of expression. Sometimes, however, music is adapted to or written for a song or poem that has already been written. Not all lyrics generally make sense or are even intelligible. This has long been a plaint about the work of rock and roll lyricists, although it doesn't pertain only to that genre of music. From the Greek, a lyric is a song (poem) sung with a lyre. Now, it is commonly used to mean a song of no defined length or structure. A lyric poem is one that expresses a subjective, personal point of view.

On the ancient Greek stage,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Poetry is an art form that makes a statement, tells a story, and expresses feelings and ideas.…

    • 4731 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The language a poem is written in is referred to as diction. Every poem or writing has a certain style. That style in some instances can be complex or…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sun Is Burning

    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The lyric poem is a poem that captures a moment of joy or sorrow or longing or some other keen emotion. These poems contain four elements:…

    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Rhyme Scheme: An arrangement of verses in a poem that can be predicted using letters such as abbcca.…

    • 84 Words
    • 1 Page
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Poetry is a form of writing that lets people express themselves. Poems are typically short and sometimes rhyme. In other senses, they do not rhyme, but have a reasonably deep meaning. In the poem, "The Names", by Billy Collins, the title really caught my attention because I was surprised by the relationship between the title and the poem, my expectations about the connection were fulfilled, and the poem itself was extremely moving.…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sky Scraper Poem Analysis

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What exactly identifies a poem? How can we classify a song as a poem and another not? There is debate over how a poem should be defined, but there is absolutely no doubt about its ability to set a mood. In general, poetry is art by means of words, an arrangement of words containing meaning and musicality. A poem is identifiable by its literary and musical elements such as its poetic devices. Another characteristic of a poem is its ability to say much in few words with the use of symbolism. Most poems are a series of lines separated into groups called stanzas. However, a poem can be rhyming or non-rhyming; it can contain full sentences or just fragments. The song “Sky Scraper” performed by Demi Lovato is an influential song that speaks of staying strong and believing in yourself. A skyscraper is a tall building which needs to be strong in order to endure; therefore the unique name of this song is used as a metaphor for rising above struggles and obstacles in life and succeeding despite heartbreak and turmoil. The song “sky Scraper” can also be classified as a poem due to the many poetic devices it has, such as Imagery, symbolism and Anaphora. The songwriter is successfully able to set a mood and portray a great deal of meaning by effectively using the poetic devices which cause the readers to relate and connect with the song.…

    • 1008 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Poetry offers different perspectives into life and the world. Through the use of the lyrics in his songs, the rapper Eminem offers his own perspective of his life and the events that have occurred throughout it.…

    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dear Mama by Tupac can be considered as lyrical poem. Tupac rite's a ballad poem, witch consists of the hardships and struggles he went through as a kid. "Dear Mama" was written in two stanzas, all sung to the same melody, and adapted for singing. With that being said we can consider "Dear Mama" by Tupac a lyric poem.…

    • 654 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Langston Hughes Essay

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Poetry is expressing one’s feelings and emotions through words. Describing these things in a unique and vibrant way was…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages

    To kill a mockingbird was a classic. The life of Harper Lee and Scout was very similar. To Kill a Mockingbird was inspired by Lee's hometown and the people in it. The role of Atticus was inspired by Lee's father and Dill was inspired by Lee's childhood friend, Capote. Capote is also a writer himself. I recommend everyone to read this article it truly is an inspiration. Literature vocab…

    • 351 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Song as Poetry

    • 319 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I chose the song “Started from the bottom” by Drake as an example of poetic language in song. In the lyrics there is a reoccurring theme of how Drake (Aubrey Drake Graham) is implying how he came up with nothing, but now is living the dream. Being a young successful, rich, and popular young artist. The theme of the song is if you work hard for your dreams they will come true. Drake mentions in several lines about the late nights he would work as a teen and then focus on his music after. He experienced much doubt in the people around him and was told he couldn’t make it as a rapper. The hook at the end of the song he pretty much tells the fake friends that want to be apart of his life now that is famous to screw off, and he only associates with the crew that stuck by his side even when he wasn’t big.…

    • 319 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    A poem is a composition, in verse, with a carefully selected language, to express feelings through certain rules and specifications. Some of these specifications like figurative language, poetic foot, meter, rhythm, rhyme and meter help to understand a hidden message provided by the author. Emily Dickinson, American writer, wasn’t an exception; her poems, especially I’m nobody! Who are you? had an unique technique that support the main idea, explained in this text.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ghazal from about 12th century is another form of lyric. Ghazal poems were a much shorter form, 10 couplets that do not rhyme and mainly used to express love, both human or mystic. Hafez and Saadi mastered this form of poetry.…

    • 692 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Journey of Lyrics

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Elizabethan lyric is sweet and musical, but is characterized by artificiality. As the lyrics were composed because it was the fashion to write lyrics, and not because the poet really had any urge for self expression. Allitration and the other verbal devices are frequently used to make the lyric musical.…

    • 368 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics