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[Lyric Writing Basics] How to Write Lyrics for Idol Songs: Local Idol Edition
There are several types of local idols, and broadly speaking,A type that engages in activities rooted in the local community, such as the prefecture or municipality to which it belongs.andThe kind that, while calling themselves local, are active with dreams of making a nationwide debut.Can it be divided into ... ?
Working within a small budget or a tight schedule is physically and mentally demanding, and it’s rare for members to continue without change for many years.
This time, we’ve put the spotlight on the lyrics of “hidden gems” that might otherwise be overlooked—songs by local idols.
Model Divine Song: SPATIO | Bon Voyage
Lyrics byHigurashi HinatsuI am Mr./Ms. ____.
Within its orthodoxy
SPATIO(Spatio) is an idol group based in Oita Prefecture.
A straightforward, no-frills song structure: Verse 1 A-B-Chorus, Verse 2 A-B-Chorus, Bridge-Chorus.
The chorus is meticulously crafted, with completely different lyrics each time.
Completely changing the lyrics of the chorus is a challenge for a lyricist.That's how I always feel.
The title “Bon Voyage” is French for “Have a good trip (take care and have a good journey).
This song starts with the chorus, and in a way, having the chorus up front makes it feel like it’s revealing the trick right from the beginning.
You reveal the biggest highlight first, and then connect the song’s outline into the A verse or B verse.
If my heart can smile tomorrow, I'll just kick my doubts away.
The opening of the A-melody, where the phrase “tomorrow’s heart” resonates so beautifully, may seem clumsy at first glance, but I can feel a heat there that can’t be contained no matter how hard one tries.
The orthodox choice of words doesn’t get in the way of the song.
honest expression
I’ll start running, spreading my wings on the tailwind, all the way beyond the clouds.
Plain, honest words link together and trace the melody line.
It’s as if we were witnessing trails or light bands from a refreshing phrase.
One trend in lyrics these days is the popularity of otherworldly terms—like those from the spiritual realm or the world of reincarnation—but this song, at every turn,Composed solely of straightforward words that never pause to dwell on meaningis being done.
Aren’t these words neither too heavy nor too light?
Even the inversion in “spreading wings with a tailwind” doesn’t feel affected, and it makes me imagine what seems to be the group’s goals that lie ahead.
After this, it goes into the chorus, and the pre-chorus specialty call that comes here, “Iyaiyai Tiger,” feels absolutely amazing.
A call placed without calculation can sometimes be the best accompaniment.
Joy is always something you seize by overcoming adventures.
It doesn’t have that jaded feel despite being very positive lyrics.
Joy → adventure → something to grasp; an association like the faint lingering trace of a perfume from a few minutes ago. The effortless flow feels very refreshing.
A balance between attachment and generality
A simile is a figure of speech that uses words meaning “like” or “as” (such as ‘…no you na (da)’) to make a comparison.
This song contains almost none of those roundabout metaphors.
There’s no odd, clingy dampness—like the author’s own preconceptions—clinging to the words.
Perhaps we could call it the primordial nature that words possess,Treasure the original nuance and resonance of the word’s meaning.These are the lyrics.
These are straightforward lyrics that are the opposite of 'roundabout' lyrics.
The second chorus is cool, too.
Even on rainy nights, with my heartbeat racing and unceasing—this passion now begins to move.
It reads as if it’s trying to avoid abstract expressions as much as possible.
Once you get deeply absorbed in writing lyrics, you tend to want to pour out and express all the essence of the words within you, so you need to be careful about that.
If you lose a proper sense of distance with words, the lyrics end up targeting such a narrow audience that they won’t resonate with the general public.
Lastly,Calling something a “local specialty” when nothing is necessarily defined as such could be a disadvantage—it might make other regions turn their backs on you.
However, if they can perform “Bon Voyage” at a high level, I don’t think there is any other local idol group with as much potential as SPATIO.
Model divine song: Dorothy Little Happy | Demo Sayonara
Lyrics bySatoru SakamotoI am Mr./Ms. ____.
A song as the leading local specialty
Dorothy Little HappyDorothy Little Happy began as a well-known local idol group from Miyagi Prefecture and has now become an idol group recognized nationwide.
The song that Dorothy Little Happy (hereafter, Dorothy) has been singing for many years is this “Demosayonara.”
Dorothy’s songs are so highly regarded that the term “gakkyokuhai” (music-focused fans) was coined because of them.
When I first listened to this song, I was shocked, thinking, "Are there really local idols with something this good?"
If a national idol had sung it, it would likely have become a mega smash hit symbolizing the era.
Today, the last school uniform is surrounded by bouquets.
It’s an innocent graduation scene.
Since both the lyrics and composition are by Satoru Sakamoto,Because I’m composing and writing lyrics at the same time (or vice versa), there’s no awkwardness in the phrasing.It seems so.
A truly beautiful phrase—prose itself draped in musical notes.
Perhaps it is precisely the craft and skill that turn an ordinary, everyday scene into a first-rate song.
There aren’t any parts where the words are being forcibly crammed into the notes.I think this is important for songwriting.
Starting from prose
Keywords of prose have appeared.
One tip when writing lyrics is,Write in prose and omit particles, auxiliary verbs, othersThere is such a thing.
Speaking in terms of the lyrics of this song 'Demo Sayonara'
- I don’t think I can possibly be a well-behaved child right now.
- Lyrics: I don’t think I can be a well-behaved child right now.
It is.
Let's consider it in a different prose style.
I'll jot down some summer memories for no particular reason.
- I will probably never forget the sea we went to together this summer.
- Lyrics: I’ll never forget the sea I went to with you.
It turned out to be a one-liner that sounds like something from a TUBE song.
Particles and auxiliary verbs are parts of speech that help convey nuanced meaning in detail, but it’s important to choose carefully—neither drowning in particles nor leaning too heavily on auxiliary verbs.
As nothing more than lyrics born of feelings
This is the chorus part.
I love you, I love you—much more than anyone I’ve ever met. I love you, I love you—just like that day.
It's only my imagination, but I felt that this chorus originally had more words (a higher word count).
I believe this form is the result of a lyricist’s own kind of 'pursuit to the utmost.'
The lyrics are simply about a girl’s feelings as she wavers at the start of a long-distance relationship.
It’s just that, but it really grabs my heart.
The small number of characters is also a factor.
Classical Japanese,elegant languageNo brackets or any extra elements whatsoeverIt is (that).
Lonely, so lonely—please come to pick me up someday.
Only feelings, and no desire.
This is a song that taught me lyrics don’t need detailed explanations of the situation.
If you get too chatty, the lyrics end up full of explanations.
Let's try reducing the finished lyrics to half the amount of printed text.
Another different song might be born.