As you map out the framework of your song, you begin to see everything fall into place. You have you main idea which you can expand upon. There is your title the opening lines that grab the listener’s attention. And there is your body of the song.
Writing the body of your song is like writing the body of a book to some degree. It needs to captivate the attention of the audience through development leading to a climax (and possibly a resolution at the end).
It is best to start by having the “end goal” in mind. Ask yourself “what do I want my listeners to take away from my song?” Do you want them to party, cry, laugh, feel empowered, angry, etc.? Knowing what you want to accomplish will help determine your body of the song.
The bodies of songs boil down into three basic plot ideas:
- The Attitudinal Plot – where the singer talks solely about an emotion
- The Situational Plot – where the singer gives perspective and emotion about a situation
- The Narrative Plot – where the singer solely talks about a situation, but the emotional perspective is implied
You can think of this as emotion, story, or both in terms of choosing how you want the plot of your song to be.
Try coming up with an idea for each of the three different main plots for the body of your song.
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Daily Music Writing Tips - Blog by Bryan M. Waring 