Your Song’s First Line Needs This!

Tips & Resources by Brent Baxter, Songwriting Pro on September 02, 2019

Imagine yourself in a dark movie theater.

The movie starts to play, but there is just sound- no picture.  You'd be upset, right?  Then why do we often write songs that way? Why don't we give our listeners some pictures right at the beginning of our movie/song?  After all, the hit songwriters know how important this is, and they do it consistently.

I think the movie analogy is an appropriate one for songwriting.

Songs are basically 3-minute movies.

And just like someone making a movie, we want to hook our audience immediately.  We want to draw them into our story as quickly as possible.  And you know what does this extremely well?

Imagery.

Well-written imagery quickly lets the listener know the setting for our story or gives them a sudden emotional punch.  Or it builds mystery or interest.  And, along with good melody and production, that will keep the listener listening further into the song.

The main job of your song's 1st line is to make the listener want to hear the 2nd line.

Here are the first lines of a few of my songs that have been cut.

You left your Bible on the dresser, so I put it in the drawer - "Monday Morning Church" recorded by Alan Jackson

Sunday morning was a fight, I was runnin' from that clip-on tie - "Every Head Bowed" recorded by Randy Travis

Past the cotton fields and the old Spring Mill, we laid a blanket out where the world was still - "Crickets" recorded by Joe Nichols

There's a towel on the bathroom door, a t-shirt in my dresser if you like - "Last Night Last" recorded by Lady Antebellum


But don't just take my lyrics for it.  Here are the first lines of the current top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot Country Songs.

Right now I just need you to get real loose - "The Git Up" by Blanco Brown

I've had a largemouth bass bust my line - "Beer Never Broke My Heart" by Luke Combs

This truck needs a half tank - "Knockin' Boots" by Luke Bryan

Wipe the footprints off my dash - "Rearview Town" by Jason Aldean

Right outside of this one church town - "God's Country" by Blake Shelton

I'm jealous of the blue jeans that you're wearing - "All To Myself" by Dan + Shay

Pour me, pour me another drink - "Whiskey Glasses" by Morgan Wallen

I've cheated and I've lied - "One Thing Right" by Marshmello & Kane Brown

Tour was up, middle of June, she was planning a welcome home barbecue - "The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home" by Justin Moore

I don't know about you, but I never could make it this far- "I Don't Know About You" by Chris Lane

7 out of the top 10 songs start with an image in the first line. That's 70% of the current top 10, and it's something you should pay attention to. It's interesting to note that the other three songs, "The Git Up," "One Thing Right" and "I Don't Know About You" are the most pop of the songs in the top 10. So that's worth noting, as well. And "The Git Up" and "I Don't Know About You" are packed with imagery, just not so much on the first line.

And though it's not always the case, note that not all these first-line images are literal. Hmmm...

Put images in your song's first lines to draw your listener in.

If you want YOUR songs to consistently pull the listener in, I have a great event coming up for you! In October, I'm hosting a 4-night songwriting workshop called “Your M.A.P. To A Hit Song Lyric.” If you're tired of your songs NOT affecting your listeners, if you're tired of your songs not being noticed, if you want your songs to be more memorable, to connect with your listener more, and to affect your listeners' emotions, this is the workshop for you.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND JOIN THIS CAREER-CHANGING EVENT!



God bless,

Brent