23 Apr 2011

The Secret Life of Lyricists

From RNZ Music, 4:00 pm on 23 April 2011

What makes a great song lyric? Is it the same process as writing a poem? Does it need to rhyme? Does it need to mean anything at all? Julie Hill asks musicians and music lovers about some of their favourite wordsmiths in song, and along the way discovers the mysterious concept of glossolalia; the best misheard lyrics of all time, and why Yesterday might not have been quite the same had it been called Scrambled Eggs, and meets the man partly responsible for John Mayer's Grammy winner 'Your Body Is A Wonderland'.

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

This programme includes interviews with poet and songwriter Hinemoana Baker and Phil X Milstein, a technical advisor for the film ‘Off the Charts’ about song poems - as well as other lyricists and fans.

Produced by Julie Hill for Radio New Zealand National

 

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