View source for Lyricist

{{short description|Songwriter who writes lyrics}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=May 2020}}
{{About|lyricists in music|lyricists who write [[lyric poetry]]|poet}}
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{{Expert needed|music|ex2=Christianity|reason=need citations, content update|date=January 2019}}
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A '''lyricist''' is a [[writer]] who writes [[lyrics]] (the spoken words), as opposed to a [[composer]], who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the [[melody]], [[harmony]], arrangement and accompaniment.

==Royalties==
{{Globalize|section|United States|date=May 2020}}

A lyricist's income derives from [[royalties]] received from original songs. Royalties may range from 50 percent of the song, if it was written primarily with the composer, or less if they wrote the song in collaboration. Songs are automatically [[copyright]]ed as soon as they are in tangible forms, such as a [[Sound recording and reproduction|recording]] or [[sheet music]]. However, before a song is published or made public, its author or publisher should register it with the [[United States Copyright Office|Copyright Office]] at the United States [[Library of Congress]] to better protect against [[copyright infringement]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.copyright.gov/engage/musicians/|title=Why musicians should know about copyright|work=copyright.gov|access-date=17 October 2023}}</ref>

==Collaborations==

Songwriting collaborations can take different forms. Some composers and lyricists work closely together on a song, with each having an input into both words and tune. Usually a lyricist fills in the words to a tune already fully written out. [[Dorothy Fields]] worked in this way.<ref>Portman, Jamie (April 5, 1974). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=76848886 "A great song-writer passes from the scene"]. ''The Calgary Herald''. p.&nbsp;81. Retrieved May 1, 2021.</ref> Lyricists have often added words to an established tune, as [[Johnny Burke (lyricist)|Johnny Burke]] did with the [[Erroll Garner]] jazz standard "[[Misty (song)|Misty]]".<ref>Campbell, Mary (August 9, 1965). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76837698/asbury-park-press/ "Piano Stylist: Garner Stays Close to Melody"]. ''Asbury Park Press''. p. 15. Retrieved May 1, 2021.</ref> Some partnerships work almost totally independently, for example, [[Bernie Taupin]] would write lyrics and hand them over to [[Elton John]], who composed the music to go with it, with minimum interaction between the two writers.<ref>Lloyd, Jack (May 18, 1976). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=76836866 "The silent partner of Elton John is finally speaking up"]. ''The Philadelphia Inquirer''. p.&nbsp;15. Retrieved May 1, 2021.</ref>

The collaboration of [[Lennon–McCartney|John Lennon and Paul McCartney]] is widely considered the most successful songwriting partnership in history, with their songs making up the majority of [[The Beatles|The Beatles']] catalog.<ref name="billboard">{{cite web|url=https://billboard.com/music/music-news/it-takes-two-10-songwriting-duos-that-rocked-music-history-467781/|title=It Takes Two:10 Songwriting Duos That Rocked Music History|publisher=Billboard|author=Jason Newman}}</ref> Other famous collaborations include [[Leiber and Stoller]], [[the Rolling Stones]] lead singer [[Mick Jagger]] with [[Keith Richards]], and [[Richard Carpenter (musician)|Richard Carpenter]] with [[John Bettis]].<ref name="billboard" />

==Religious songwriting==

In the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[hymn]]-singing tradition, many of the popular pieces have words written to fit existing melodies. The [[Christmas carol]] "[[What Child Is This?]]" had its words set to an old English folk tune that had been a lover's lament, "[[Greensleeves]]". The English composer [[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] set existing poems, such as those by [[William Cowper]] and [[Charles Wesley]], to traditional folk tunes to create hymns, many of which he published in ''[[The English Hymnal]]''. A different way this happened was the combination of unrelated words and tune, such as "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]", the [[national anthem]] of the United States, with words written by [[Francis Scott Key]] strictly as a poem, later set to the tune of an old drinking song.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}

==Classical music ==

In opera, the [[libretto|librettist]] is responsible for all text, whether spoken or sung in [[recitative]] or [[aria]].{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}

==See also==
* [[Singer-songwriter]]
* [[Robert Hunter (lyricist)]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category inline|Lyricists}}

{{Musical composition}}

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Lyrics]]
[[Category:Mass media occupations]]
[[Category:Occupations in music]]
[[Category:Songwriters]]