You Can Write Song Lyrics (You Can Write It!) [Paperback]

Terry Cox (Author)

Book Description

Series: You Can Write It! | Publication Date: August 2000

Anyone who's dreamed of writing that hit song - the one that gets played time and time again on the radio - but doesn't know how to start, will welcome the inspiration and practical instruction offered in this new book Terry Cox, an experienced and successful lyric writer, guides readers step-by-step through the process of lyric writing. Readers will learn about basic song components, collaborative songwriting and creative ways to come up with song ideas. Cox also takes the reader through the stages of writing lyrics for a song, from choosing a title to the chorus, versus and bridge. Readers will even find sections on getting the song performed, recorded and getting people in the music business interested. Cox's enthusiastic you-can-do-it approach to the craft of lyric writing is sure to inform, inspire and motivate want-to-be-songwriters. It is the one resource that can make their lyric writing dreams come true.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Terry Cox is a lyric writer who has had over seventy songs recorded by artists such as Vanessa Williams, Patti Austin and Grover Washington, Jr. Her songs have been featured in movies such as Roxanne and on TV shows such as All My Children and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (August 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898799899
• ISBN-13: 978-0898799897
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,113,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book sings "READ ME", February 21, 2001

By 

Ve "Ve" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Can Write Song Lyrics (You Can Write It!) (Paperback)

You Can Write Song Lyrics is a good book for those looking to learn about songwriting. This book uses well know songs as examples which makes it easier to understand the lesson being taught. The author (Terri Cox) also gives very challenging exercises so you can use the skills you are learning.

You Can Write Song Lyrics covers rhyming schemes, and includes exercises how to rhyme past that basic one syllable connection. Although you may 'think' that rhyming is easy...wait until you try these exercises! They are tough and quite fun!

This book also talks about how to understand music jargon, how to work with others on songwriting, and how tempo affects your song.

I was disappointed to see that, You Can Write Song Lyrics offers very little information about how to market your song, once it has been written. Other than that one small dislike, this book was really good.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!!!, September 7, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Can Write Song Lyrics (You Can Write It!) (Paperback)

As an aspiring lyricist, I am greatly excited to finally(hence the catchy title) to have in hand a tool that is both usefull and inspiring. Ms. Cox's book is the best instructional text I have ever read, and , believe me, I've read them all. Terry has scored big as both a song writer/lyricist and teacher of lyric writing with this book. She introduces the craft of lyric writing in a way that offers true guidence in both the mechanics of the craft and the way of the heart. She integrates intuition and wordsmithing in a way that sent me scrambling for my pen and paper. Her book blew on the embers of my lyric heart in such a way that what once was but a flicker, is becoming now a flame. From chapter one she offers advice and guidence that awakens the heart and informs the mind. This book is sure to become a text for the inspiring lyricists out there , or anyone else for that matter who has ever longed to say something original, but needed more tools to do so. Terry, thank you for all of us still trying to find our way in this art.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, superbly-written and passionate, May 26, 2002

By 

Harold Horn (Eau Claire, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Can Write Song Lyrics (You Can Write It!) (Paperback)

Let's face it "You Can Write Song Lyrics (You Can)" is such a delightful read that it can put the real passion of music into any heart. I disagree with anyone who says that there are things in life that can't be taught for a few reasons= I was deafened at 19 and am now past 55. I was headed for a career as a pro musician in my late teens. Terry Cox renewed flames that were dying inside me as I "forgot" how melodies and lyrics of many favorite songs went together. Maddening. Along comes this book and bang! I go back and reread those lyrics over and over, and more often than not, I recall beautiful music behind the lyrics. Magical. To whom would I recommend this book? Anyone that truly loves music.