Lyrics are the words in songs. Lyrics can be written as the accompanying music is composed, or added afterwards. Sometimes, however, music is adapted to or written for a song or poem that has already been written. A person who writes lyrics is called a lyricist. The meaning conveyed in lyrical verses can be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are so abstract as to be completely unintelligible. In such cases, there is a tendency to emphasize the form, articulation, meter, and symmetries of the expressions. There are many websites that feature lyrics to songs.

Etymology and usage

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• From the Greek, a lyric was originally a song sung with a lyre.
• A lyric poem is one that expresses a subjective, personal point of view.

I would be the Lyric

Ever on the lip,

Rather than the Epic

Memory lets slip.

—Thomas Bailey Aldrich

• The word lyric came to be used for the "words of a popular song"; this meaning was recorded in 1876 ^*. The plural lyrics was used only in referring to the words of multiple songs; to refer to the words of a single song as its lyrics instead of its lyric was considered erroneous. Even so, such usage became increasingly common (probably because of the association between lyrics and the plural form words), and is predominant in modern usage. Use of the singular form lyric is still grammatically acceptable; it is still considered erroneous to refer to an individual word in a song as a lyric.

Academic study

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• Lyrics can be studied from an academic perspective. For example, some lyrics can be considered a form of social commentary. Lyrics often contain political, social and economic themes as well as aesthetic elements, and so can connote messages which are culturally significant. Lyrics can also be analyzed with respect to the sense of unity (or lack of unity) it has with its supporting music. Analysis based on tonality and contrast are particular examples.
• Chinese lyrics (詞) are Chinese poems written in the set metrical and tonal pattern of a particular song.

More on [ Lyrics ]

NPR Topics: Pop Music

The Celtic Journeys of Loreena McKennitt
Sun, 04 Nov 2007 10:00:00 -0500
McKennitt fell in love with Celtic music many years ago, but a late-'90s visit to Venice gave her a new appreciation for the wide reach of Celtic culture. Her new album is a concert recording from an unlikely Celtic outpost: Spain. She visits NPR for an interview and in-studio performance.
Nickel Creek Farewell (For Now) Concert
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:30:00 -0500
When Nickel Creek began as a bluegrass trio in 1989, its pre-teen members stunned audiences with their remarkable musical gifts. Since then, their sound has evolved into progressive acoustic music, but they're calling it quits. Hear Nickel Creek recorded live in concert in one of the band's final performances.
Over the Rhine in Concert
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:01:00 -0500
Over the Rhine has taken on a variety of forms since 1989, but it's now just the husband-and-wife duo of Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist. Hear the bittersweet folk-pop band perform a concert from WXPN and the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg, Pa.
Dreamy Vocals and Jarring Chords Collide
Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:20:00 -0500
In "Signing Off," the L.A. band Oliver Future performs an anthem of collective hope and universal despair. But, as with so much successful commentary about large-scale conflict, it allows the wide-angle shot of the battlefield to zoom in at eye level.
Instrumental Hard Rock, Teasing as It Pummels
Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:45:00 -0500
Drawing from sources as disparate as Black Sabbath, the indie-instrumentalists in Tortoise and the self-flagellating noise-masters in Swans, the instrumental hard rock of Pelican's "Winds with Hands" whispers as much as it shouts.
Orba Squara: Diving into Emotion
Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:41:00 -0500
Orba Squara burst onto the national music scene when its song "Perfect Timing" was featured in an iPhone TV commercial. Thrown into a whirlpool of popularity, the band has quickly leaped from anonymity to instant fame. Hear an interview and performance.

VH1 News

It's Official! Britney Spears Will Appear At VMAs This Weekend
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:31:00 -0400
Britney Spears will appear at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday. "I'm excited to open the entire show, to say hi to my fans and to be nominated," the singer said.
Sarah Palin Questions Obama's Experience At Republican National Convention
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:10:00 -0400
Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin went on the offence at the Republican National Convention, attacking Barack Obama for lacking experience
Jordin Sparks, Chris Brown Turned Up The Heat For VMA-Nominated 'No Air' Video
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 08:03:00 -0400
"American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks is nominated for Best New Artist and Best Female Video for her "No Air" clip at the 2008 Video Music Awards.
Rage Against The Machine Fans Arrested Following Impromptu Post-Show RNC Protest
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:09:00 -0400
More than 100 Rage Against the Machine fans were arrested in Minneapolis after an impromptu march against the Republican National Convention.
Paramore Nervous About VMA Performance, Get Busy On New Album
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:09:00 -0400
Paramore discussed performing at the Video Music Awards and starting work on the follow-up to Riot!
Akon May Stand Trial For Alleged Fan-Throwing Incident
Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:44:00 -0400
Akon will stand trial in December for an incident in which he allegedly threw a 15-year-old fan off the stage during a concert.

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