Writing From a Title

by: Peter Linseman

A strong title can ensure that people will remember your song. Many music supervisors and publishers have to sift through thousands of titles to find the right song for publishing and licensing opportunities, so your title is a key marketing tool.

Choose fresh and innovative words and themes, then mix them together with the common words and themes. An example of this would be “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, or “Stairway to Heaven”.

As you build a list of potential titles, why not create a “Hook Book?” Most Nashville songwriters keep there titles and themes in a Hook Book and refer to it in co-writing sessions.

Titles, Titles, and more Titles

Use this list of title categories to brainstorm ideas on new titles which will hopefully lead you to new songs.

1. Questions: What’s Love Got to do with it?
2. Commands/Requests: Lets go crazy, Beat it
3. Political/Social, Current Events: Imagine, We are the World
4. Character/People: Alejandro, Vincent
5. Places: Born in the U.S.A, N.Y. N.Y.
6. Objects: Little Red Corvette
7. Emotional State/ Condition of Mind: Just Can’t Get Enough, All Shook Up
8. Action/Activities: Dancing in the street, Run to You
9. Dates/Times: Workin’ 9-5, Last Friday Night
10. Metaphors: Love is a Battlefield, Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall
11. Similes: Like a Rock, Like a Virgin
12. Numbers: 9 Crimes, Route 66
13. Rhyming: My Guy, Rock around the Clock
14. Alliteration: Seasons in the sun, The Way We Were
15. Assonance: Rolling in the Deep, Sweet Dreams
16. Music: Play that Funky Music, Your Song
17. Novelty/Nonsense Word Titles: MMMMBop, Na Na Hey Hey
18. Dance: Twist, Macarena
19. One word: Blow, Fame
20. Opposites: Ebony & Ivory, Sound of Silence
21. Humorous: Forget You (FU)