Page 93 - Song Maps - A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics - Simon Hawkins

Country
"Peter Pan" by Kelsey Ballerini–one of those songs you hear and immediately wish you had written, projecting the qualities of a children's story onto a hopeless boyfriend. V1 starts with the literal, painting the picture of how the boyfriend let her down before the Pre-Chorus introduces figurative elements of the Peter Pan story ("lost boy," "head up in the clouds"). The Chorus continues to build the metaphor ("always going to fly away," "no such place as Neverland," "never grow up to be a man") before nailing the title with a rhyme setup: "Peter Pan." V2 introduces more elements of the Pan story ("too good to be true," "wanted to believe in you," "happily ever never"). The Bridge includes a lovely phrase twist: from Peter Pan being a lost boy in the Pre-Choruses to the line "I know who you are, You don't know what you lost, boy...too busy chasing stars". Fabulous crafting.
Other Country examples of Literal/Figurative include"I Hold On" by Dierks Bentley and "The Dance" by Garth Brooks.
Pop
"Love Is A Wonderful Thing" by Michael Bolton is a good example of Literal/Figurative, only the structure is a little different: it contains both literal and figurative in V1 and in V2, starting with the figurative and ending on the literal ("Birds fly, sun shines, same applies to you and I"). The Chorus is the title. V2 is another metaphor ("only thing a river knows is running to the sea"). The Bridge extends this mix of nature and love ("when the cold wind blows, you'll be there to warm me").
CCM
"Life Means So Much" by Chris Rice–two figurative Verses: V1, "life is a journal page," Chorus is "life means so much," V2, "life is a bank account for us to spend." The Bridge delivers a lovely payoff: "we can prove the value of life by giving it away." Excellent work, Chris.
Also, "Diamonds" by Hawk Nelson is a good example of this Map, but in a Figurative/Literal format.
Southern Gospel
"God Will Close the Door" by Brian Free and Assurance–V1 starts with the figurative, of when God closed the door to the ark to protect Noah and the animals. Chorus is the title: "God will close the door." V2 is talking about me: "I've seen God open and close doors and I'm grateful for both." The Bridge is the payoff: when He closes it, He locks it and "throws away the key" to totally protect me. Thanks to my co- writers Sue C Smith and Kenna West for that one.
Worship
"Waterfall" by Chris Tomlin–V1 sets the literal tension ("I seek You, I thirst for You") followed by a transition in the Pre-Chorus ("You're an ocean to my soul"). Chorus is the figurative simile ("Your love is like a waterfall raining down on me"). V2 is more figurative, a metaphor ("In this dry and desert land / lead me to streams of mercy"). Bridge extends the original simile ("coming like a flood, I'm dancing in the rain / rivers of grace"). Unusual to have so much figurative in one song of this genre, but it still works.
Musical
"Love And The Weather" from White Christmas–some brilliant crafting here by one of the masters, Irving Berlin. Intro starts to list common characteristics of both love and the weather (unpredictable, irresponsible, unbelievable, unreliable). Double V1 mixes the figurative and literal, making comparisons before the B section, which continues the combination of literal and figurative with the consequences of