Write a Song

Write a song in four easy steps.


Step One: Start With a Title

What are you interested in?  Dinosaurs?  Baseball? Animals?

For example, I wrote a song about two pals going fishing.  The title of the song is Fishin’ Hole, and the song is about all the things you can do fishing with a friend.  

Practice exercise: Write down your title.  Then, write a sentence or two about your title.  

Step Two:  Pick the “Story” of Your Song

What is your song going to be about?  What is going to happen in your song?

For example, here are some things that happen in my song the Fishin’ Hole:

The sun is shining
The fish are biting
We’re digging up the ground for dinosaur bones
I’m spending the day with a friend
We’re climbing trees and skimming stones  

Practice exercise: Make a list of everything you can think of that goes along with your song.

In your list, use picture words (things you see, like “sun” and “trees”) and feeling words (things you feel, like “happy” or “warm”).

Step Three:  Write the Lines to Your Song  

The lines of your song tell the story.  Try rhyming the words in your lines. Here are some of the lines from Fishin’ Hole.  Can you find the rhymes in this song?

Grad your hat  
I got my pole
Let’s head down
To the fishin’ hole
Sun is a shining
And the fish are a biting
Can’t imagine anything
I’d rather do

Than climbing trees
Or skimming stones
Digging up the ground
For dinosaur bones
Spending the day
With a friend like you
Can’t imagine anything
I’d rather do

Click here to listen to Fishin’ Hole.

Practice exercise: Write the lines to your song.  Remember, you are writing a story that rhymes.  Try rhyming the lines.

Step Four:  Writing a Melody to Your Song

Writing a melody is like putting sounds to your words.  The melody is the tune of your song.  You can sing the melody any way you want to.   

Practice exercise:  Sing the words to your song.  It might take a little practice to come up with a melody, but keep trying.    

Congratulations, you have written a song.  Practice writing songs often, and listen to how others write songs.  You can write about anything you want to. You are only limited by your imagination.