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Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison (26-Feb-2010) Paperback
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 24, 2025
A great resource and guide for writing powerful lyrics!
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April 27, 2026Reading "Writing Better Lyrics" by Pat Pattison, was one of the best decisions i've made towards the progression of my music journey. Reading this book not only gave me understanding and knowledge but also confidence that I could one day be writing my own book on how to wright good lyrics. One of the biggest things I took from the book is how to come up with your own cliches by taking two totally different things, "like a kudzu vine and a tightly intertwined pair" and finding what there is in common. This cliche right here is one of the most common cliches in American music, along with cold & rain, trucks & dirt roads, and fire & desire. This book taught how to make my own cliches, as well as teaching me how to structure my song well so as to keep the attention of my reader. You do this by giving a little information from the start and gradually adding more colors or space till your at the end of the song and it kept the reader compelled while listening the whole way. If you look at really popular songs they tend to follow both these rule of keeping the reader engaged and not bored of all the famous cliches. I would recommend this to anyone looking into going into the songwriting realm of their music journey, this book was very fun and interesting to read and is a must if your looking to become a songwriter.
Pat Pattison is an author, clinician, and Berklee Professor of Lyric Writing and Poetry. Pattison's educational background is rooted in philosophy and literary criticism. He completed his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at the University of Minnesota and graduate work at Indiana University Bloomington, followed by a Master's in Literary Criticism from the Kenyon School of Letters.
In 1975, he began teaching at Berklee. His "Analysis of Song Lyrics" course which applied literary criticism techniques to artists like Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell became so popular it served as the foundation for Berklee's songwriting major. He has mentored numerous Grammy-winning artists, including: John Mayer, Gillian Welch, and Tom Hambridge.
I would say that the biggest question raised in the book is that when writing, don't be afraid to write something that sounds bad, write without judging the quality, "don't be afraid to write crap, because crap is the best fertiliser".
I noticed that Pat writes very well as that's his job to write lyrics and sometimes he can say something in a very interesting way as part of his nature to find things in common, you can tell he is a very good poem writer based off his style of writing.
Pat Pattison is an author, clinician, and Berklee Professor of Lyric Writing and Poetry. Pattison's educational background is rooted in philosophy and literary criticism. He completed his undergraduate degree in Philosophy at the University of Minnesota and graduate work at Indiana University Bloomington, followed by a Master's in Literary Criticism from the Kenyon School of Letters.
In 1975, he began teaching at Berklee. His "Analysis of Song Lyrics" course which applied literary criticism techniques to artists like Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell became so popular it served as the foundation for Berklee's songwriting major. He has mentored numerous Grammy-winning artists, including: John Mayer, Gillian Welch, and Tom Hambridge.
I would say that the biggest question raised in the book is that when writing, don't be afraid to write something that sounds bad, write without judging the quality, "don't be afraid to write crap, because crap is the best fertiliser".
I noticed that Pat writes very well as that's his job to write lyrics and sometimes he can say something in a very interesting way as part of his nature to find things in common, you can tell he is a very good poem writer based off his style of writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2026
This book is apparently a bit of a classic and for good reason. Pat Pattison details quite a comprehensive methodology of the "writing" part of songwriting and points out common pitfalls and how to avoid them. I found tons of nuggets of songwriting wisdom as well as many helpful exercises. My favorite saying from the book is: "You can't tell unless you show first." I also really enjoyed the sections on object writing and poetic meter. I'd gladly recommend this book to any songwriter who wants to become more confident in their lyrics, with the following caveats.
At times, I found it hard to take the author seriously. He takes one too many opportunities to remind us that he has taught both Gillian Welch and John Mayer. I'd prefer he let his ideas speak for themselves. And some of his pedagogy is a little silly, like naming strong placements of lines "power positions" or likening the development of a song structure to a stack of boxes. They get at something true, but these concepts just don't hold up as well as his teachings on metaphor and point of view, for instance.
Elsewhere, I found his teaching a little too opinionated, like his dismissal of so-called "travelogues"—songs that feature tangentially related verses—which might include classics like "Castles Made of Sand" and "Suzanne." Would Pat really say those are bad lyrics? Granted, he admits, "Although the strategy can work, it isn't optimum." Here and occasionally elsewhere, Pat goes the way of too many other songwriting teachers who present their pet peeves as gospel and shame others' writing. Beginners, beware.
But the main reason I don't rate this five stars is because the book is a bit disorganized. Sometimes he spends too much ink on less common linguistic devices, like inner-line repetition. Sometimes he gets ahead of himself and starts talking about a concept he admittedly has reserved for another chapter (which I found disorienting when I wanted to take notes or revisit passages to reference). And I'm not sure we needed nearly a lengthy chapter on every possible rhyme-scheme/meter for a 3-line, 4-line, 5-line, and 6-line stanza.
Nevertheless, Pat Pattison is a great teacher. Do be aware that the author's own songwriting style tends toward country and pop, so take what you like and leave the rest.
At times, I found it hard to take the author seriously. He takes one too many opportunities to remind us that he has taught both Gillian Welch and John Mayer. I'd prefer he let his ideas speak for themselves. And some of his pedagogy is a little silly, like naming strong placements of lines "power positions" or likening the development of a song structure to a stack of boxes. They get at something true, but these concepts just don't hold up as well as his teachings on metaphor and point of view, for instance.
Elsewhere, I found his teaching a little too opinionated, like his dismissal of so-called "travelogues"—songs that feature tangentially related verses—which might include classics like "Castles Made of Sand" and "Suzanne." Would Pat really say those are bad lyrics? Granted, he admits, "Although the strategy can work, it isn't optimum." Here and occasionally elsewhere, Pat goes the way of too many other songwriting teachers who present their pet peeves as gospel and shame others' writing. Beginners, beware.
But the main reason I don't rate this five stars is because the book is a bit disorganized. Sometimes he spends too much ink on less common linguistic devices, like inner-line repetition. Sometimes he gets ahead of himself and starts talking about a concept he admittedly has reserved for another chapter (which I found disorienting when I wanted to take notes or revisit passages to reference). And I'm not sure we needed nearly a lengthy chapter on every possible rhyme-scheme/meter for a 3-line, 4-line, 5-line, and 6-line stanza.
Nevertheless, Pat Pattison is a great teacher. Do be aware that the author's own songwriting style tends toward country and pop, so take what you like and leave the rest.
April 24, 2025
"Writing Better Lyrics" by Pat Pattison is a treasure trove for songwriters of every skill level. Pattison's professionalism is evident in his clear, readable writing, with practical exercises and biting critiques that dissect the process of writing lyrics into doable, everyday steps. He stresses storytelling, emotional connection, and powerful imagery, challenging readers to hone their lyrical skills. The book not only teaches about the mechanics of lyricism but inspires creativity and self-expression. If you're a new songwriter or a seasoned musician wanting to refine your craft, Pattison's suggestions are inspirational as well as useful, which is why this book is an absolute must-read for anyone who wants to write great lyrics.
May 18, 2025
I enjoyed all the excercises and tools that will help me express myself more effectively in the songs I write. This is now a reference book for me, one I will turn to often.
September 14, 2025
must have for writers. with it i learned how to rhyme in English and got to know so many different rhyme types. want to reread it with new knowledge i got over the years
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews