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[Songwriting Basics] How to Write Lyrics for Idol Songs: Adding Motifs

[Songwriting Basics] How to Write Lyrics for Idol Songs: Adding Motifs
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When you try to write lyrics about love or romance with just that alone, the words often stall partway through.

I’ve stalled many times myself.

“With love for you, I’m right here”—on its own, there’s simply too little material, and the imagery can’t unfold.

But with a single addition—“romance + something”—the world changes dramatically.

This time, I’d like to present two songs as models that go beyond the clichéd equations like “sea + romance” or “Christmas + love.”

Model divine song: Animadoll - Animadōru - | Shiritorin Gorilla

Lyrics by GA-HA-.

Groundbreaking 'Shiritori + Love'

To put the addition of lyrics simply: writing it using only 'galaxy' → 'Galaxy Express 999'.GodiegoWould “Koi + Galaxy” → “Furious Cosmic Symphony, Movement VII: ‘Infinite Love’” by Momoiro Clover Z be a suitable example?

AnimadollAnima-doll’s “Shiritorin Gorilla” uses the word game shiritori as its motif, unfolding an indescribable world that links it with romance.

Putting aside whether the song was a hit or not, as lyrics, it was a success.additionIsn't this an example of style/appearance?

Shiritori that connects me with you — I don’t want it to end: gorillappa-serin-gorilla

I feel an abundance of humor and, for some reason, a tinge of sorrow.

Because shiritori can permanently serve as a metaphor for “something that never ends.”

Normally, if “shiritori” showed up in the lyrics of an idol song, you’d probably go “huh?”, but in this track the way the lyrics unfold and the songwriter’s strong touch keep it from feeling that way.

Explore possibilities

There are more “Christmas + love” songs than you can shake a stick at.

There probably aren’t any idol songs that don’t weave romance into Christmas.

However, even if you deliberately aim for such a saturated combination, unless the lyrics turn out exceptionally good, they will end up buried among the countless others.

No, it might not even turn into a particularly good song.

If we were to aim for it, what do you think?

To play it safe

Even when you take the offensive, if you push too hard, things can get out of hand.

How about things like that?

There’s also a song by Animadoll called “Travator.”

You know the story where a tiger runs around a tree and turns into butter? That’s exactly it.

Since even “The Tiger Who Turned Into Butter + Romance” has turned out to be a good song, no one can predict what kind of addition will become the subject of the lyrics.

The more unexpected the combination, the greater the impact when it succeeds.It will probably be the case.

Mysterious Shiritori

A world that spins round and round, where feelings also circle and return

It exudes the creator’s unique sense for words and a distinctive fragrance.

It might have been the moment when the love motif and the word-chain game shiritori clicked perfectly together.

The chorus goes: “Gorirappaserin gorilla, gorirappaserin gorilla, gorirappa, gorirappa…”.

The words “gorilla, trumpet, parsley, apple” are not special words that would move someone to tears.

If it were a love song, I could come up with a more moving situation and choose words with more sensuality.

However, if you take in the build-up to the chorus and appreciate it with that in mind, this “shiritori” lingers more than any words like “I love you” or “I miss you.”

This is where the lyrics are mysterious, isn’t it?

The harmony between the flow of time called a finite love and the endlessly continuing shiritori.I think it’s a divine song that makes you feel something beyond even the lyrics.

Model Divine Song: Momoiro Clover | Chai Maxx

Lyrics byNatsumi TadanoI am Mr./Ms. ____.

Abundant wordplay

"Chai Maxx" is pronounced "Chai Max." Here, I read the addition as "ring + idol," but this interpretation is not certain.

If we work backwards from the lyrics “Tamesare Chai Maxx Tsu ki yabuccha MAX,” it would likely become “We’re going to be put to the test” and “We’re going to break through,” so you could say the lyrics interweave unreserved wordplay.

In many cases, detailed analyses of each and every element are unnecessary for enjoying a piece of music.

In the part with the lyrics “Milky de Kusemono Chai Maxx,” it’s leaning toward (referencing) the drink, chai.

It makes listeners pause and think, “Huh? So Chai Maxx really does mean the drink chai?”

Matching the feel of the words without breaking their meaning—that’s the rhyme in rap.It is exactly that.

In the lyrics for “Gong, Chime, MAX!”, the feel of the word chai is being playfully linked with chime.

In addition, this song is sprinkled throughout with tiny little tickles.

Simple and polysemous rhymes and puns (kakekotoba) will likely be one of the important elements in songwriting.

An adventurous spirit that isn't imitation

present; current; existing; actualMomoiro Clover ZWhen they announced this “Chai Maxx,” they were still Momoiro Clover without the Z.

It’s a venturesome song we released before we had a firmly established status as idols.

Looking at the lyrics, the latter half of the chorus with 'byun byun byun byun byun byun, byun byun byun byun byun byun' is groundbreaking.

I find it puzzling where in reality you scratched to come up with the idea of saying, “Let’s just call this good.”

Another song by Momoiro Clover, “Coco☆Natsu,” this isKenichi MaeyamadaIt’s written by [name], and the chorus goes: “Ko-ko-ko, ko-o-ko, ko-kko— ko-ko-ko, ko-o-ko, ko-kko— ko-ko-ko, ko-o-ko, ko-kko ko-kko-kko-kko-kko— ko-o-ko, ko-o-ko☆naaats.”

Lyrics written after losing all connection with the outside world.

These are lyrics that make it seem almost absurd how lyricists spend day and night wearing down their stomach lining, agonizing to somehow come up with a good phrase, words that will linger in the heart.

Not an imitation-driven spirit of adventure, but rather, both the Momoclo of that time and the staff around them—put another way, they seemed to be brimming with a kind of almost insane spirit of adventure.

Groundbreaking lyrics are not easily accepted, but that’s the responsibility of the writers and the sellers.seriousness and enthusiasmIs that so?

As a true idol divine song

Since it is themed around a ring (dueling arena), there are highlight moments of battle within the piece.

At the chorus, the six members split into two groups of three, as if...Hana Ichi MonmeA back-and-forth begins, as if watching a “(show/movie)”.

If this part hadn’t been there, this song might have ended up just like a typical idol song.

Momoclo was also one of the groups that took a little time to become popular.

However, I sense in this song the 'hungry spirit'—a term that’s practically a dead expression in modern times—which I never let go of even for a moment during my period of biding my time.

Lastly, let me quote my favorite verse of the lyrics.

If I just sing easygoingly about passion, pure love, and pure sympathy, it won’t pierce anyone.