lyrics
LEER-iks
/ˈlɪrɪks/
The words of a song, especially as a subject of study or poetic analysis.
While 'words' can refer to any spoken or written text, 'lyrics' specifically refers to words written to be sung or set to music, often carrying poetic structure, rhythm, and rhyme.
The story behind the word. In ancient Greece, poets did not simply read their verses; they sang them while playing a small stringed instrument called the lyre. This style of performance was called 'lyrikos'. Over the centuries, the instrument was dropped, but the name stuck to describe the emotional, song-like words themselves.
Word relationships
- text: Text is a general term for any written words, whereas lyrics are specifically written for musical performance.
- libretto: A libretto is the complete text of an opera, musical, or cantata, including both spoken dialogue and sung lyrics.
- instrumental: An instrumental is a piece of music that contains no lyrics or vocal performance.
Commonly confused with
- lyric: As a singular noun or adjective, 'lyric' refers to a type of poetry expressing personal emotions, or a song-like quality, whereas the plural 'lyrics' refers to the actual words of a song.
Word family
- lyricist (noun): A person who writes the words for songs.
- lyrical (adjective): Expressing deep personal emotions in a beautiful, song-like way.
Collocations
- write lyrics
- song lyrics
- poetic lyrics
- lyric sheet
- memorize lyrics
Example sentences
- "The lyrics of the ballad were deeply poetic, telling a story of love and loss in the Scottish Highlands." Analyzing a songwriter's work.
- "The lyrics of a song are just as important as the melody, for they give the music its soul and story." A famous citation about the power of song words.
Memory hook
Think of a lyre (the ancient harp). The 'lyrics' are the words you sing while playing your lyre. Lyrics are the words sung to the lyre.
When not to use
Do not use 'lyrics' to refer to the spoken dialogue of a play or opera (which is called the libretto or script), unless you are specifically referring to the sung portions.
Fun facts
- Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 'for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition,' sparking a global debate on whether song lyrics should be considered literature.
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