LYRIC CHEAT SHEET

Lesson 12: Power Of Contrast

Action Points:

Creating Contrast in your songs is a crucial skill every musician need to learn. It takes established patterns and changes them up to keep them fresh.

But Contrast doesn’t need to be everywhere. Every choice you make should always support the emotion and core message of your song. There are two questions that will make sure you use contrast effectively:

1) How does each section feel? Does it feel unstable or stable? Calm or erratic?

2) Does the feeling match your lyrics?

So when your song part feels unstable, lean into it and create lyrics with unstable structure. But when your lyrics feel calm, then ease off and create only a small bit of contrast, like change the line length.

Answering these two question is all you need to do to spice up your lyrics!

Click here to get back to the other lessons.

Songs That Use This Concept:

The Only Exception by Paramore

[Verse 1]
When I was younger, I saw My daddy cry
and curse at the wind
He broke his own heart and I watched
As he tried to reassemble it

And my mama swore that she would
Never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist

Explanation
These lines set up a powerful contrast between the pain and skepticism learned from the narrator’s parents and the vulnerability of wanting love. The verse paints love as something to avoid or distrust, and then the chorus flips this idea with the phrase “you are the only exception.” This stark emotional shift between doubt and hope is a textbook example of using contrast to make the story more engaging and the resolution more impactful.

Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa

[Verse 1]
Did a full one-eighty, crazy
Thinking 'bout the way I was
Did the heartbreak change me?
Maybe But look at where I ended up

Explanation
These lines use the power of contrast by placing Dua Lipa’s previous heartbreak side by side with her new sense of strength and transformation. The verse starts by referencing pain and change but quickly shifts focus to personal growth—showing both vulnerability and resilience. This clear contrast between the past and present not only adds depth but makes the message fresh and impactful, a classic use of the L12 Power of Contrast technique

Gossip by Måneskin

[Pre-Chorus]
This place is a circus, you just see the surface
They cover shit under the rug
You can't see they're fakin', they'll never be naked
Just fill your drink with tonic gin, this is the American dream, so

Explanation
The pre-chorus paints a shiny surface but reveals the chaos and fakeness underneath, creating a sharp contrast between illusion and reality. Lines jump from playful to biting, keeping listeners off balance. The contrast in meaning (circus vs. hidden truths) gives the section edge and surprise.

Naked in Manhattan by Chappell Roan

[Pre-Chorus]
Touch me, baby, put your lips on mine
Could go to hell but we'll probably be fine
I know you want it, baby, you can have it
Oh, I've never done it, naked in Manhattan

Explanation
This pre-chorus contrasts risk and reassurance ("Could go to hell but we'll probably be fine"), mixing bold desire with innocence ("never done it"). The contrast builds tension and interest, drawing a line between fear and daring. It turns the scene into something vivid and unpredictable.⁠

A Wolf at the Door by Radiohead

[Verse 1]
Drag him out the window
Dragging out your dead
Singing "I miss you"
Snakes and ladders
Flip the lid
Out pops the cracker
Smacks you in the head
Knifes you in the neck…

Explanation
This verse uses sharp, rapid-fire contrasts in ideas and imagery—violence (“Knifes you in the neck”), absurdity (“flan in the face”), and pleas for help (“put me inside”)—to keep the listener off balance. The tone lurches between threat, ridicule, and desperation, constantly shifting meanings and emotional colors. This dynamic use of contrast adds unpredictability and tension, making the lyrics compelling and unpredictable, exactly as described in the Power of Contrast technique.

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