As a writer, it’s all-too important to nail those descriptions. I’m not one for wordiness (although my first draft would say otherwise—lol), so short descriptions, one with serious impact, suck me right in.
When I was listening to the radio over the weekend (I’m a huge country music fan), I realize how right they get it. Now, I also noticed that music (of pretty much any kind) uses A LOT of similes. I for one, am a huge fan of similes. I read once that you’re only supposed to use one or two well-placed ones in a ms. I disagree. Similes can have a great effect when used correctly. So, use away!
To show you how well country music does it, I’ve chosen two recent hit songs that give you just the right amount of umph—in three minutes or less. Since I’m a romance gal, I’ve picked two artists (a male and female), both of whom are speaking about the opposite sex.
First up, Taylor Swift with her recent smash hit, Sparks Fly. (I’m only giving you tid-bits here—not full songs). Here goes:
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm (simile!)
And I’m a house of cards (simile!)
You’re the kind of reckless that should send me running (Can everyone picture a guy like that, or what?)
But I kinda know I won’t get that far (the reckless kind have that affect).
And you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch. (Oooh … ahhh).
Close enough to hope you couldn’t see what I was thinking of (Wouldn’t that suck? Or maybe not?)
Drop everything now, meeting me in the pouring rain (*shivers*)
Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain
‘Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile (simile! Well, sort of)
I’m captivated by you, baby like a fireworks show … (simile!)
With this simple section of the song, you know A LOT about the man. And you know a lot about the girl, too. (Hopeless romantic, anyone?)
Now a guy’s perspective. Hunter Hayes with Storm Warning. I LOVE this one:
She rolled in from the west in a summer sundress
Hotter than the heat in July (simile!)
With her windblown hair, it just wasn’t fair
The way she was blowing my mind
Have you ever noticed
Every hurricane gets its name from a girl like this
She’s a CAT Five kind (simile!)
Keeps you up at night
Hangin’ on the edge of kiss (awe!)
She’s a beautiful mess
The kind you love to love
But what happens next
I got a feeling when the sun comes up
I’m gonna wish I had a storm warning
I’m gonna wish I had a sign
I’m gonna wish I had a little heads up
Little lee-way, little more time
Some kind of a radar system—locked on love
I’ve a feeling by the time night finds the morning
I’m gonna wish I had a storm warning.
Ah, a storm warning for the kind of love that comes and sucks you off your feet, smacks you in the face few times, and leaves you reeling cuz’ you never saw it coming! And the woman is on fire! Again, with just a few shorts phrases, we picture a girl with the destructible beauty of a storm, someone who changes your life when you least expect it.
So … you see? Country music (and most music for that matter) takes descriptions seriously. They have to. They’ve got less than three minutes and five hundred words to make you feel something. To tell you a story.
Take a page from the song lyrics handbook. Descriptions: short, sweet, and to the point. But with MASSIVE impact. And similes aren’t all bad.
Can any of you think of a song that does this? Any really good ones that show how words can be put together for a fabulous line that draws you in and doesn’t let go? And if you hate similes, I don’t want to know.
~JD
When I was listening to the radio over the weekend (I’m a huge country music fan), I realize how right they get it. Now, I also noticed that music (of pretty much any kind) uses A LOT of similes. I for one, am a huge fan of similes. I read once that you’re only supposed to use one or two well-placed ones in a ms. I disagree. Similes can have a great effect when used correctly. So, use away!
To show you how well country music does it, I’ve chosen two recent hit songs that give you just the right amount of umph—in three minutes or less. Since I’m a romance gal, I’ve picked two artists (a male and female), both of whom are speaking about the opposite sex.
First up, Taylor Swift with her recent smash hit, Sparks Fly. (I’m only giving you tid-bits here—not full songs). Here goes:
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm (simile!)
And I’m a house of cards (simile!)
You’re the kind of reckless that should send me running (Can everyone picture a guy like that, or what?)
But I kinda know I won’t get that far (the reckless kind have that affect).
And you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch. (Oooh … ahhh).
Close enough to hope you couldn’t see what I was thinking of (Wouldn’t that suck? Or maybe not?)
Drop everything now, meeting me in the pouring rain (*shivers*)
Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain
‘Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile (simile! Well, sort of)
I’m captivated by you, baby like a fireworks show … (simile!)
With this simple section of the song, you know A LOT about the man. And you know a lot about the girl, too. (Hopeless romantic, anyone?)
Now a guy’s perspective. Hunter Hayes with Storm Warning. I LOVE this one:
She rolled in from the west in a summer sundress
Hotter than the heat in July (simile!)
With her windblown hair, it just wasn’t fair
The way she was blowing my mind
Have you ever noticed
Every hurricane gets its name from a girl like this
She’s a CAT Five kind (simile!)
Keeps you up at night
Hangin’ on the edge of kiss (awe!)
She’s a beautiful mess
The kind you love to love
But what happens next
I got a feeling when the sun comes up
I’m gonna wish I had a storm warning
I’m gonna wish I had a sign
I’m gonna wish I had a little heads up
Little lee-way, little more time
Some kind of a radar system—locked on love
I’ve a feeling by the time night finds the morning
I’m gonna wish I had a storm warning.
Ah, a storm warning for the kind of love that comes and sucks you off your feet, smacks you in the face few times, and leaves you reeling cuz’ you never saw it coming! And the woman is on fire! Again, with just a few shorts phrases, we picture a girl with the destructible beauty of a storm, someone who changes your life when you least expect it.
So … you see? Country music (and most music for that matter) takes descriptions seriously. They have to. They’ve got less than three minutes and five hundred words to make you feel something. To tell you a story.
Take a page from the song lyrics handbook. Descriptions: short, sweet, and to the point. But with MASSIVE impact. And similes aren’t all bad.
Can any of you think of a song that does this? Any really good ones that show how words can be put together for a fabulous line that draws you in and doesn’t let go? And if you hate similes, I don’t want to know.
~JD
8 comments:
I was so thinking about his same exact thing this weekend! But it was Jim Croce's Photographs and Memories. (God he was such a great songwriter.)
I love that Hunter Hayes song. I thinks it's so great how he can "show" us this girl in nine lines and you absolutely know exactly what he's talking about.
Great Great Post!
Yay for good similes! I love both of those songs so much. Country music is always awesome--so many stories in those songs!
i used to hate country music with a passion growing up. but that was in the nineties when they were all big hair and too much make-up and guys with mullets.
when we moved to kansas, it was actually the drive down here, it was just me and the kitty and my laden-up lebaron, and the ONLY radio that came in clearly was country. i knew my brand-new hubs loved country, and well there was nothing else to listen to, so i started, you know, listening.
country music has this, you are so right, it is the genre of music with the most ability to tell a full story in one song. i've really grown attatched to it. (which is a lucky thing, because the radio is on the whole time i'm at work and the boss keeps it on country.)
this is a great post.
one of my favorite taylor swift lyrics with a lot of literary allusion, that just means so much with so few words is:
"you were romeo, i was the scarlet letter"
wha-BAM! we know just what she means!
POW! we can feel for her right in the gut.
that little girl is seriously one of the best talents that's come along in a long time.
also, from my (current) favorite country song (by the band perry)
"lord make me a rainbow, i'll shine down on my mother, she'll know i'm safe with you when she stands under my colors."
what a beautiful, profound lyric. it says so muck philosophically, with just a few, few words.
great post darling!
I love metaphors and similes. They really hit the feeling home in such a dramatic way!
The first song I can think of is Starry Starry Night by Don Mclean.
:-) And the title of Patrick Swayze's song in Dirty Dancing "She's like the wind!"
Take care
x
SAHWEET!! And perfect for my revisions today!!! Love me some similes (And love that Taylor song)!
Lyric writing must be so hard! It's just like you said - there's only so much room to pack in emotion and plot and a little characterization, too. I really love OneRepublic's lyrics.
oh, yeah. Country music is and always has been that way. And Taylor Swift is a really great songstress. Her stuff is awesome. Yay! :o) <3
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