Page 30 - Song Maps - A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics - Simon Hawkins

Melody ideas – I like to hear the whole arrangement moving from, say, the Verse melody to the Chorus, sketch out the highs and lows, the harmonies, the bass, the feel, the groove, the rhythm and the tempo.
Lyric ideas – I like to hear the lyric moving from, say, the Verse lyric to the Chorus, what is each section saying, what rhymes and rhythms could fit with the melody, how does the Pre-Chorus build the idea of the Chorus, how does each Verse recolor the idea in the Chorus, where does the Bridge go before returning to the central theme of the Chorus again. And more.
When we do this with lyrics this is basic Song Mapping: plotting out where the song is going to travel, section by section. We are designing the flow of ideas, sometimes with tried and tested templates i.e. Song Maps, to ensure our lyric has the emotional impact we are seeking to achieve.