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Decoding the craft of lyric writing from idol masterpiece songs

Decoding the craft of lyric writing from idol masterpiece songs
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There is a method called a “comp” for selecting songs.

“Comp” is short for competition—it means a contest.

From among many candidates, one standout track—or a few tracks—are chosen.

What becomes of the songs that lose the comp…?

Songs sturdy enough to challenge the next comp set out again to find a place where they can shine.

Songs that are defeated and usable nowhere return from songs to mere scraps.

There has long been debate for and against the comp system.

The late Shuji Terayama said, “Even things that never truly happened are part of history.”

Where, then, do the songs that never passed all those comps let their tones resound?

This time, whether by inevitability or chance, I would like to unravel the craft of lyric writing through two divine tracks that managed to reach the world.

Model Divine Song Manaminorisa “v Polaris Ab”

The lyrics were written by testuhiko.

Chorus first

Round and round, round and round, round and round, round and round

For better or worse, it feels like without this chorus, the song might never have seen the light of day—that’s how big this chorus is.

They're just ordinary lyrics, but the way they're spatially arranged in rhythm is...Noteworthy itemsIt is.

It's important that lyrics carry not just words, but something like a womb for emotions.

This chorus instantly connects the performer and the fans, and both...Spin it right there with a lively rhythm.。

This sense of unity elevated the song into a masterpiece.

I remember thinking, when I first listened to this piece, “I wonder if I’ll ever be able to create anything that surpasses it.”

It was that shocking.

The most refined part is the chorus.

Songs with easy-to-understand choruses stick in your ear first.

I believe it will ultimately stay in people's hearts—and it will sell.

So I think one approach is to start writing the lyrics from the chorus.

I often start by writing from an irresistibly cute chorus phrase.

Crystal King's “Daitokai” and Hideki Saijo’s “Young Man” (though “Young Man” is a cover of Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”) — among these Shōwa-era mega-hits, there is thisFirst comes the hook.There are many songs by (artist)/of (genre).

For example, if someone asks you to sing Hibari Misora’s “Like the Flow of the River,” most people will sing the chorus, going, “Ah—ah—like the flow of the river—.”

If someone asks you to sing Tube’s “Season in the Sun,” you’d enthusiastically belt out the chorus, “Stop the season in the sun~.”

Rust has that much power.

Then, conversely, if we were to give examples of songs that aren’t built around the chorus, what kind of songs would they be?

ITatsuro YamashitaI instantly thought of “Christmas Eve.”

The rain will probably turn to snow after midnight.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this opening verse (A-melo) is Christmas Eve itself.

I think this is, in its own way, a rare occurrence that is the ultimate honor for a writer.

The concept of A-melo and B-melo

Heave-ho, heave-ho, hey—down the river of time; and one more heave-ho, hey—until I fall asleep.

Is it okay to separate it as the B-melody?

A slightly jarring melody with a sudden change of rhythm is inserted.

this lyrics,

I ran away by deciding that nothing I did would work, but this time I’ll seize it—even if you’re not here.

andA classic “You must not run away” type of cheer songSince it’s a continuation of the lyrics, the appearance of the phrase “eikora eikora hoi” in the lyrics feels very strange.

A stress-free battle is unfolding within the song.

In the world of music production, unless you’re writing both lyrics and music yourself, the melody is often decided first, so adding depth to these tracks is very much a matter of the composer’s spirit and intent.

You can once again confirm that sound is created by accumulating many detailed impressions.

QUEENLike their signature song, Bohemian Rhapsody, multilayered tracks where the usual care for verse and pre-chorus structure goes right out the window are a joy to listen to.

Surely, Freddie Mercury, who composed the song, didn’t have concepts like verses and choruses the way ordinary people think of them.

He, too, was likely someone with a unique sense of bodily perception.

Even though the idol song “v Polaris Ab” isn’t that heavy,This B-melody part, which is like a kind of gameJust by having it, the subsequent C melody and chorus become much more exciting.

Momoiro Clover“Mirai Bowl” is also a song in which the A melody, B melody, and chorus keep whirling through changes, giving it a strange feeling as if parts from completely different songs were stapled together.

Unfortunately, unlike melodies composed by composers, lyrics rarely shift dramatically in tone and continue the song.

I don't think there’s much chance.

It’s just that it hasn’t existed until now,Vocaloidand/or; such as; or (used to list examples)DTMGiven that we live in an era where music can be created so freely, I don’t think it would be surprising if a song started out with a heavy metal vibe but had an enka-style chorus.

Lyrics about relentlessly chasing an idol

Pretending to be all excited, I’m going to try chasing once more the dream I told only you about.

When you go to a creative French restaurant, you do get all sorts of unusual dishes, but in the end, it's only natural to find yourself thinking, “I just want regular French food…” or “I want to eat it with a classic framboise sauce…”

Even with idol songs—maybe it's just me—but I feel most at ease with lyrics where the protagonist is a girl who is generally bright and positive, yet carries a touch of sadness somewhere.

In the above lyrics, there’s a girl who pretends to be cheerful but shares her dreams only with the boy she likes.That's all I need.It’s truly a great situation.

I don't need anything else.

The part that goes “Yume wo mata ima kara ~” can also be read as a standout line within the narrative of this song.

Countless stars that no one knows will fade again tonight; I won’t forget the twinkle—memories flutter softly.

It may look simply written, but it’s a carefully crafted turn of phrase.

Nameless stars are born and vanish; just like that, the feeling of liking someone is born somewhere and then fades away somewhere else.

A portrayal of a girl who entrusts her bittersweet feelings to the stars and, though she sometimes sighs, always tries to live positively.

The unconsciously contrasted kirakira and hirahira also sound pleasant to the ear without venturing away from the melody.

This song goes on and on foreverA series of lyrics chasing an idolIt is.

I only write lyrics that idols would sing.

I don’t mind being called a jack of all trades; I think it’s okay to have that kind of modest pride.

The Heisei era is ending, and a new future will arrive soon.

Specialization is the keyword of a new era.might (be) / may (be)

℃-ute “Dance de Baco-n!”

The lyrics were written by Tsunku♂.

Songs I want to make someone sing, songs I want to sing

Speaking of popular producers that even ordinary people who don’t listen to much music know,AKB48leading a groupYasushi AkimotoMr./Ms. ___ has been heavily involved with many Hello! Project songs.Tsunku♂I am Mr./Ms. ____.

If asked what the difference between the two is, I would say: “Mr. Akimoto writes songs he wants idols to sing, whereas Tsukun♂ writes songs he himself wants to sing.”

The endlessly lively and charming songs Akimoto-san creates are the kind that truly shine when sung by idols.

The songs Tsunku♂ creates have something about them that would work just as they are even if Sharam Q sang them.A song that includes sexual pointsIt makes me feel like they’re writing exactly the kind of songs I want to sing.

Both of them write a wide variety of lyrics, so of course it’s impossible to force a comparison by picking out a single specific line. However, if we extract the greatest common factors and dare to liken the image of the girl, then…

Could it also become (serve as)?

Glimpses of that can be seen here and there in the lyrics of you two.

If I were to add one more thing, Akimoto's 'Everyday, Kachuusha' feels like it was written primarily to get the fans excited.

“Dance de Bakōn!” feels like it was written first and foremost to hype up the performers, °C-ute.

How about it?

Reality, the scent of night

Even with their big hit songs, Sharan Q’s music is somehow still...The smell of the nightdid

It might have become a big hit because it smells like the night.

Here, at least, the smell of the night is something real.

How should I put it—the host’s fishy smile, or perhaps the inner struggle of a nightlife woman who can’t fully become the role she plays; the reality for which no words can quite capture the state—maybe that’s the flavor of Tsunku♂’s songs, I think.

Of course I want to marry into money—who wouldn’t? I wear my lucky underwear every day.

pantssurprisingly appears in idol songsKeywordIt is.

NMB48 “Pure-hearted U-19”

Someday, I’m sure I’ll become an adult—so just a little longer, iron...pants」

Dempagumi.inc “Sakura Applause-tion”

Even if you try to act cool,Pants, pants, pantsIt's sticking out.

Compared to iron underwear that’s assumed never to be taken off and underwear that’s sticking out but assumed never to be shown, these are ‘battle panties’ meant first and foremost to be shown and taken off. So if we’re competing on lewdness, Tsukun♂-san’s lyrics come out on top.

Having a current top idol sing this—and with absolutely no sense that it was forced in—makes it nothing short of exhilarating.

The first-person pronoun seems to be the feminine “watashi,” but the perspective leans more masculine.

Mixed cuteness with rugged strength and a touch of vulgarityTsunku♂'s lyrics always keep me on the edge of my seat with excitement.

I'm starting to get hungry. I think I'll grab some udon on the way home.

While many idol songs sing about heart-fluttering excitement and bittersweet longing, Tsunku♂’s lyrics frequently feature raw, vivid realities.

The “udon” that appears in the lyrics above—normally, if it were an idol, they’d be eating a crepe.

Idols are a fiction—nobody’s asking for anything real—so when the word “udon” shows up in the lyrics, it hits the audience like a smack to the head.

Speaking of lyrics linked to reality, Chisato Moritaka’s early songs were essentially her personal essays (or essay-like lyrics) set directly to melody.

Both “Next time, please take me somewhere” and “This Town” were lyrics composed entirely of her feelings.

These lyrics were etched into Japanese-made Eurobeat, playing out with a snappy, satisfying tempo.

Like a trace of poison,Mix in words that evoke realityIt may be one effective method of lyric writing.

double chorus

The first chorus begins.

Bust it out with dance—I just wanna forget everything!

Dance de Bakoon! I can’t stop the tears!

The fans here100% heat-upIt is.

From observing the lyrics, it gets exciting with the phrase “Dance de Bakoon!”, which is also the title of the song.

Even though the dance is pumping and the crowd is hyped, I can’t stop crying—this is that uniquely female feeling you just can’t neatly rationalize.a sense of emptiness in the heartis expressed.

At this point in the chorus, the excitement is at its peak; the second chorus.

I feel so incredibly heartbroken—I don’t know why.

I’m saying goodbye to all the stress I’ve built up—tonight!

But it will make things even more exciting.

double chorusI’d even like to name it that.

I don’t think there’s ever been a song like this before.

A chorus-like melody that gets even more exciting after the chorusThat it would continue.

In live footage, you can see not only the performers but also the fans, and in the way each fan gets excited, you can catch a glimpse of the original, archetypal image of idol fandom.

The fans smiling in that place feel neither pseudo-romance nor obsessive love.

It captures that oddly refreshing, totally committed vibe of the Shōwa-era idol fan brigades (the oshi “cheering squads”) who were completely in sync with the music.

I often hear fellow lyricists say, “People who both write lyrics and compose are lucky—they can create their own melodies.”

However, a distinctive trait often seen in the lyrics written by people who both write and composeNonchalant vibeIf you listen closely, you’ll find turns of phrase that aren’t interesting at all.

I can’t quite put it into words, but I find lyrics boring when the notes go out to meet the words.

There’s a melody, there are note lengths, I want to use this wording but the character count doesn’t fit... and so on.Lyrics that shine because of their strugglesThere should also be some.

If you can enjoy that kind of struggle, then from today I believe you’re a true lyricist.