[Matty22]

Is there a standard, as such, with rhyming lyrics?
I realise a lot of songs, dont rhyme, or only rhyme at certain points.

Is it better to rhyme each line
ie:
Blah blah blah blah I see
Blah blah blah blah to be
Blah blah blah blah Sink
Blah blah blah blah think

or rhyme every second
ie:
blah blah blah I see
blah blah blah blah sink
blah blah blah to be
blah blah blah blah think

or can you get away with not rhyming at all?

And also, should the number of sylables match on the rhyming lines? Can they vary between lines as above? or do they have to match up completely all the time (assuming it still, flows, so to speak)

Forgive me if these are somewhat amatuerish questions, ive never really considered myself very creative, espescially with poetry, lyrical style creativity, but i thought that i cant really hurt to give it a shot, the worst that can happen is ill stick to just playing the guitar instead, lol...

Probably one of the dumbest questions of all time, but id rather kinda do right, rather than break into bad habbits early on and have to retrain myself later....

Matty

[USGold]

IMO--rhyme should be looser and more casual--avoid the sing song 123, 123 ,123 repetitive pattern--be free to be more expressive--good lyrics are like a good story or a relaxed poem--they should feel like they have a natural flow--sure use a rhyme when you want-but don't try to force it -if the rhyme isn't there-use the word you want in that place and just have fun with it. Scott

[Fretsource]

Fortunately, there are no rules about it. Many ways are possible as you've seen from other songs. Try different rhyming schemes to ensure variety in your songs. Don't be too strict, otherwise your songs will end up sounding like nursery rhymes (unless that's what you want to write).

[Lcjones]

Matty,

There is no hard written rule that says a lyric must use rhymes. However, if you start to rhyme, then there are some rules to rhyming. Personally I prefer lyrics that use a rhyming scheme of some sort.

Of course the English language is rife with rhymes. We were all brought up with rhymes in some fashion. Rhymes are extremely helpful in causing a lyric to be remembered. But there are different types of rhymes as well as different placement of rhymes in a lyric.

You can use perfect rhymes : need ... weed ...beard ... weird ....
Imperfect rhymes : love .... enough .....
Asonance rhyming : (where the primary vowel sound is alike) bike ... night
Consonace rhyming : (where consonants rhyme) .... dust ...frost.....
Internal rhymes: (in a line) "Nobody seems to care about nobody anywhere"
Alliterations : (where the first consonant is in several words) feasting on fine fish

Rhymes are cool and if used well can really make a lyric stand out. But you don't have to use rhymes. A lyric can be outstanding without rhymes.

There is the whole technical thing about AABB, ABAB, AABC rhyming patterns or structure. I've never been one to care about that. If I start a lyric, where ever the rhymes turn up is right where they needed to be! Once the initial or first draft is down, then I'll go back and finesse that rhyming scheme to suit myself.

Anyway, I hope this lends a hand.

Les

[Matty22]

Thanks for the tips guys....

See what i can do, if not ill just stick to dirty limericks

Matty22

[Rockerbob]

I agree that there are really no rules, except those you self impose. I tend to like rhymes, but I still don't stick to a particular pattern. I go with the flow.

[papadog65]

I've only just begun
to write songs still unsung…

But I do lean towards trying to figure out some rhyming lyrics around a theme before trying to fit them into a tune. Not that I've done more than one yet. But, it's a start. My 2 cents worth!