Starting Songwriting: Should Melody Or Lyrics Come First? Lessons From Great Examples For Beginners

By Author: Sara Lewis
Total Articles: 3
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The Question Every Beginner Asks First

When you're starting songwriting, one question almost always comes before everything else: Do I write the melody first, or the lyrics?

It sounds simple. But the honest answer — backed by how the world's greatest songwriters actually work — is that there is no single correct answer. As songwriter and educator Hannah Trigwell writes on her blog: "There is no secret formula when it comes to successful songwriting. Everybody has a different process and you just need to find what works for you."

Let's look at what real songwriters actually do — and what those examples teach beginners about finding their own process.

Approach 1: Melody First — What the Beatles Teach Us

The most famous melody-first story in music history belongs to Paul McCartney and "Yesterday."

Here's what makes this a great example for beginners:

• The melody existed for months before real lyrics were written

• McCartney used a placeholder lyric "Scrambled Eggs" to hold the melody's rhythm while searching for real words

• The final lyrics came to him ...
... much later, during a car ride in Portugal

Approach 2: Lyrics First — What Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen Teach Us

On the opposite end, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen built entire careers on starting with words.

Both artists are "quintessential examples" of lyric-first songwriting — crafting songs with profound lyrical depth where the music was shaped to serve the storytelling.

Approach 3: The Hybrid Method — What Most Working Songwriters Actually Do

Here's something Great Examples for Songwriting Beginners consistently reveal: most professional songwriters go back and forth between melody and lyrics throughout the entire process.

As we puts it directly: "Virtually ANY song you write will eventually require you to go back and forth between the music and the lyrics to finish it."

A Practical Guide for Beginners: Which Approach Should You Try First?

Based on verified real-world examples, here's a simple framework for Starting Songwriting:

• If you love words, stories, and poetry: Try lyrics first. Start with a title or a theme. Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen built legendary careers this way.

• If you play an instrument or think in sounds: Try melody or chords first. Hum into a voice memo, then find your words. Paul McCartney, Chris Cornell (Recording Revolution), and The Beatles worked this way.

• If you feel stuck starting either way: Try the hybrid approach. Pick up a guitar, find a chord progression you like, and start humming loosely. As Hannah Trigwell explains, "when you hear the melody, that's when you can imagine what those phrases or lyrics might sound like."

• Use placeholder lyrics. Even McCartney used "Scrambled Eggs." Don't let the absence of perfect words stop the melody from being born.

The Bottom Line

The Songwriting Which Comes First Melody or Lyric debate has no winner. What the greatest songs in history actually prove is that the starting point matters far less than the commitment to finishing.