Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you want to add depth to the characters in your songs? Writing about a celebrity or historical figure can be a great way to get the lyric crafting juices going. Read more to learn how to use archetypes in songwriting.
This article uses literary terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Humphrey Bogart
Famous People as Archetypes in Your Songwriting
If you had the chance to meet a celebrity or a person from history, who would it be? Frank Sinatra, Martin Luther King Jr., Princess Di, Albert Einstein, Chadwick Boseman?
What would you talk about?
- Think about the questions you’d ask, or what you’d like to say to them.
- Would you admire (or scorn) their work, personal life, or politics?
- In other words, what about their lives have moved you?
- Your answers to these questions will be the core of your lyric.
The person can be from any walk of life (poet, artist, athlete, musician, scientist, or even a fictional character) from the past or present.
- You can use him as a passing reference to add spice.
- For example, the song Mrs. Robinson has the character Joe DiMaggio.
- Or it could be the focus of the song.
- In Key Largo the singer compares his romantic relationship with the 1940s film star couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Likewise, the lyric can focus in on a physical aspect of the famous person, such as in Betty Davis Eyes.
- Like with Key Largo, the celebrity here gets compared to something else.
- The chorus (“She has Betty Davis eyes. . .”) compares the character in the song with the striking quality of the actress’ eyes.
In each case, the celebrities became archetypes. In the same way, you can create archetypes in your songwriting.
Key Largo Video
What’s an Archetype and How Do You Use it in Songwriting?
Before we can talk more about how to use archetypes in your songwriting, we need to define the word.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines archetype as, “the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies.”
- Bogart, Bacall, DiMaggio, and Davis become symbols that convey a universal meaning.
- In other words, they become the model to which other things get compared.
- In the song, Turn on Your Heartlight, E.T. becomes an archetype for friendship.
Likewise, famous people, by their actions (alleged, perceived, or true), can become popular archetypes for certain behaviors or lifestyles.
- Napoleon could be an archetype for a dictator.
- Mozart for musical genius.
- Mother Teresa for compassion.
Real or not, these become symbols in our minds that can be an excellent source for writing songs.
- Once you have your famous person chosen, try different point-of-views.
- Should the lyric be in first person, second person, or third person perspective?
- Ask yourself about who the character is, and the best point-of-view should be clear.
Also, try to establish the celebrity’s identity early in the song.
Turn on Your Heartlight Video
Concluding Thoughts on Archetypes in Your Songwriting
Employing archetypes in your songwriting can add to its depth, atmosphere, and memorability.
The celebrity focused lyric remains only one option among many that can be explored. Any object, location, person, or event can be a source of inspiration for your lyric writing.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
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Glossary
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