Spandau Ballet’s “True”
“Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
Oh, I want the truth to be said.”
In 1983, while staying at his parents’ house, Gary Kemp wrote the lyrics to what would become Spandau Ballet’s biggest hit.
The song, “True,” was about several things: Kemp’s love for Marvin Gaye and his platonic relationship with Altered Images singer Clare Grogan among them.
But, whether wittingly or not, his words also encapsulated the anxiety of aspiring songwriters everywhere.
For some creative types, writing lyrics comes naturally. For others, though, creating lyrics that speak the truth, as Kemp intoned, is a grind. It’s why the Elton Johns of the world have their Bernie Taupins.
Unfortunately, Taupin-level lyricists are hard to find, especially online. Sure, there are great wordsmiths on sites like Fiverr and Upwork, but you’ll have to wade through thousands of mediocre candidates to find them. Even then, pairing with a writer that matches the exact specifications of your project isn’t guaranteed.
Premium Lyrics, the site launched by Christian Krauss in 2017, may pose a solution. The internet’s largest original song lyrics library, the clue for the site’s unique selling point is in the name.
Unlike other websites, Premium Lyrics offers a curatedcatalogue of quality lyrics, written by professionals. Browse-able by mood, language (the site currently features words in English, French, Spanish and German) and rhyme scheme, there are thousands of lyric sets currently available to suit a range of projects.
Handily, as well as a large catalogue of lyrics, the site also offers a range of licenses for different uses. If you’re working on a personal project solely for your own amusement, a non-commercial license is available for $4.95. If you’re intending to produce a limited number of copies of the work (up to 1000 in any combination of downloads and physical copies), there’s a limited commercial license for $24.95. For unlimited commercial use, the fee is $99.95.
Browsing through the easy-to-navigate Premium Lyrics catalogue (the English lyrics at least; my German, French and Spanish is too ropey to fairly judge the others!), it’s clear that the words on offer are a cut above your average freelancing site. And, the ability so sort by rhyme scheme is useful for finding words that slot into a pre-existing project with ease.
Whether you’d find the right words for any project on Premium Lyrics, I’m not sure. The catalogue, currently in the thousands, is extensive, but not entirely exhaustive. That said, new lyrics are being added to the site regularly (if you’re interested in applying as Premium Lyrics lyricist, you can do so here, and there’s plenty of great content here to suit a range of projects.
If like Gary Kemp, you’re desperate “for the truth to be said” but find the words are failing you, Premium Lyrics might be what you’re looking for. Thanks to its strong content and easy-to-navigate search options, it’s an eloquent solution for the world’s lyrically challenged songwriters.
For more info, head to https://www.premiumlyrics.com
site disclosure: this post has been sponsored by Premium Lyrics (www.premiumlyrics.com)