JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Overused Rhymes

I am sort of an instinctive writer.
Things show up, mostly, and I write them down. I fiddle with them later, but most often the basics arrive quickly.

So far that means the rhymes I use tend to be fairly simple. I don't own a rhyming dictionary and don't spend a long time figuring out new word combinations.
I'll use a rhyme someone might think overused, if it fits.

I like to think if the idea is new, or different, the rhymes don't always have to be.

What do you folks think?

I don't think overused rhymes are as much of a problem as overused cliches'. I have recorded some cliches' that I wish I could take back. But its too late now. Ben

Lee,

I sometimes do the same thing. And, as you said, if the idea is strong enough and the rhyme works..use it! However, I think we are in a huge minority with that approach/attitude.

I am not one to beat myself into mental submission in an attempt to write a "near-perfect" song. In my opinion, there are few songs, well-known and otherwise, that would qualify as "perfect" or "near-perfect". I try very hard to write a song that is enjoyable to listen to and that might catch the attention of the listener. If they are also composed such that they have technical merit...so much the better. Again, being in the minority, enjoyable and catchy are more important to me than technical structure per se. I have been reminded that I have never had a major cut and maybe that is the reason that I have not. Although I do not respond to those fine folks with the following reply, I do find it interesting that most of the folks telling me that also have not had a major cut. I do not suggest that my approach is better or more successful than the technical structure emphasis approach. It is simply my attitude and approach and I am comfortable with it. And if the other folks are comfortable with their approach, then, by all means, they should use it.

So, using casual and somewhat common rhymes, as well as some cliches...so long as they are not used ad nauseum, are fine with me.

Al

Hi Lee,

There are some resources online. One that I have used is http://www.rhymezone.com/

I'm sure you can find others by doing a Google search.

They're not always helpful, but sometimes if I find a good rhyming word, it opens up some possibilities for writing a particular line in a different way.

Just a suggestion.

What rhymes with quahaug?

How do you pronounce quahaug?

Technically it's "Kwo' hog", but for simplicity sake I just say "Kwah' hog".

Michelle:
I took a look at the site, but don't think I'll need it.
I usually don't get stalled due to rhymes.

I always wondered about that. Isn't it a type of clam?

Hi Lee, Ben, Kaika & Michelle:

Great topic. I really have to watch myself on both counts...
overused cliches and overused rhymes. Writing down what the muse tells me at 3:00AM (or whenever) is my first objective. Then I go back and edit the darn thing when I'm more awake. I even catch myself trying to re-use a melody I've done. I wonder if that's due to old age or just plain senility? LOL!

All my best,

Dave Rice

Technically it's "Kwo' hog", but for simplicity sake I just say "Kwah' hog".
_________________________
Hi Kaika Kale,

You asked what rhymes with the pronounication of kwahhog,

Here are some soft rhymes if I am rhyming the pronounciation right. Let me know if not.

backlog
known slob
heart throb
mob job
mish mosh
OshKosh (name brand)
flip flop
non stop
bebop
tip top
ETC.

By the way what is it?

Best,
Lynn

Hi Dave,

I'm guilty of all those things myself! The first write is the easiest, isn't it? Then comes the hard work, unfortunately. It'd be great if it came out perfect the first time!

Random House College Dictionary: Quahog (kwo-hog, kwe( the e should be a schwa but I can't find a schwa on my keyboard)-hog) n. an edible clam. Venus mercenaria, found along the Atlantic coast, having a relatively thick shell. Also, qua-haug. [< AmerInd (Narragansett), aph. var. of poguauhock]

Personally there is no such thing as an over used rime or cliche... if the writing is "fresh" ... anything and everything can work.... you only need worry when telling the same story the same way as has been done many times before. JMO

....

We were down on the shore eating quahaug,
Gotta say it was better than stewed dog,
But not as tasty as bar-b-qued frog,
Yeah down on the shore eating quahaug,

Ok pretty sad

Cheers

Cheers

Hi Al,

I have to agree with you....sometimes it just seems right, regardless of whether the rhymes are overused or not.

I think we beat ourselves up too much sometimes to try to come up with something different, when the natural rhythm and flow of the words suits the song just fine.

Sometimes we songwriters tend to "over think" things, and forget that the listener isn't focused on the structure of a song as much as we are. They just want something that is pleasant to listen to. Something that is catchy and memorable, and something that makes them feel good when they hear it.

Yeah, "stewed dog" not only rhymes, but also conveys some of the quahog "ambience." So would "rotten log."

I'd be tempted to use the word in the middle of a line (where a rhyme might not be necessary) or, if I put it at the end of a line, end the couplet with something that rhymed with "clam" instead--and grin when I sang it.

Joe

Tolerance means if you don't like something you ignore it

HIDee KK!

"Quahog/Mud bog"..(Or is it "Sand?" Think so 'tis..heh!) They're MARINE Molluscs, aren't they? Poppin' Quahogs..is a Big Job!

Think there definitely ARE some Rhymes that are WAY-Overused: "Arms/Charms"..."Love/Above/Thinkin' Of"..."Mine/Wine/Time/Fine"..."Heart/Apart".."True Love/New Love".."Blue/You"..& the Thoroughly-Threadbare Tin-Pan-Alley-Special, "Moon/June".

Voila..The NEW "7 Deadlies" IMO.

(The LAST Time I heard "Mine/Wine/Time" Work as a Rhyme was with the Everly Bros, 1967 or so.)

Happy Trails, to Quahog, the RCA Dog...(uh, naw, guess that was "Nipper!" ;-)>
Stan

Lee,

I must be alone here when i say that i have trashed entire songs because it's rhymes were just in a song i heard on the radio. Or the chorus is too "jackson browne ish. " Or i used too many similies.(like i could help that) I know the song wasn't what i intended when i started. then i go have a nice tall gatorade, and start over again.

Quahog is the town the family lives in Family Guy.

-steve

Stan:
I haven't used moon/June or heart/apart yet. They just haven't come up in anything I've written.
First time for everything, I suppose.

People always use the moon/June rhyme as an example of an overused rhyme. I have heard that all my life, but there is actually only one song I can ever remember with that rhyme. When I was a child I did hear it occasionally, but I don't think I have heard it in the past 40 years.

I think the warning against overused rhymes is misunderstood. There is a limit to the rhymes available to us, so the problem is probably having too many of the "overused" rhymes in one song which is something beginning songwriters often do. You could probably pull up any number of current "hit" songs and discover "overused" rhymes in them. I think the greater danger is writing lines merely to accommodate a rhyme scheme. This is probably where the overused bit comes into play. Rather than working on a more interesting way to say something, a beginning writer will go for the obvious and predictable rhyme. Another thing to take into consideration is that the problem may not be the ending rhyme but the words or phrase in the line that precede it.

just when ya think ya know the rules somebody charts a smash hit that breaks the rules and you can forget all the rules and start over...seems to me it's everything about a new way to tell a story that's already been told in one way, shape , form or another, with some great music behind it...I always try and step back as a writer and hear it as a listener, if it listens cheesy, it's cheesy...and then just when you order it without cheese, somebody charts a super cheeser that gets airplay out the wazoo...just keep writing, either you're smart enough to figure it out and catch a break or keep trying to figure it out 'til you do...I will say there are a few rhymes that will send a publisher after the next song immediately...biggest issue to me,if it feels forced it probably is...Moker