How to Write Swing Lyrics

You want lyrics that snap, strut, and make a room want to dance right now. You want words that sit perfectly on a walking bass, that breathe with syncopation, and that let a singer swagger through a melody while the band cooks. This guide gives you everything you need to write swing lyrics that work for classic big band, gypsy swing, modern swing, and electro swing. It also explains the weird jargon so you do not act like a clueless intern when you walk into a rehearsal.

Everything here is written for musicians who want results fast. You will get practical workflows, lyric drills, real life scenarios you actually live, line level before and afters, examples of scatting explained, advice for lyricists who do not play an instrument, and pro tips for working with arrangers. We will cover swing feel, phrasing, prosody, rhyme choices, storytelling, structure, collaboration notes, and a finish plan you can use tonight.

What Is Swing Lyrics Anyway

Swing lyrics are words written to match swing music. Swing music is rhythmic music that was popular from the 1920s through the 1940s and that keeps coming back because people like to move. The music leans on a specific rhythmic feel where pairs of eighth notes are played with a long short pattern instead of evenly. This is called swing eighths. Swing lyrics must respect that rhythm and the room where the song will live. That means short lines for dancers, call and response lines for bands, and strong vowel shapes for big notes.

Types of swing you will run into

• Classic big band swing with brass charts, shout choruses, and arrangements that hit like a parade.
• Gypsy swing which often uses acoustic guitars and violin with fast guitars providing the rhythm known as la pompe, which sounds like a syncopated oom-pah.
• Vocal swing which centers the singer with small ensemble backing, often intimate and playful.
• Electro swing which blends classic swing samples with modern electronic beats. Lyrics can play retro and modern at once.

We will use the term prosody a lot. Prosody means how words fit with rhythm and melody. If a strong word sits on a weak musical beat you will feel friction. We will fix that.

Core Principles of Great Swing Lyrics

• Say less. Mean more Swing is athletic. Dancers need room to move. A lyric that does too much will step on the band.
• Keep vowels open for high notes. Open vowels are sounds like ah oh and ay. They let singers hit the note without choking on consonants.
• Respect the rhythm by writing lines that can be sung with swing eighths and syncopation.
• Make the chorus a call with a punchy title that audiences can shout back or hum.
• Use imagery that invites movement like feet hands top hat city lights sweating jackets or moonlight. Concrete details help dancers imagine choreography.

Understand Swing Eighths and the Triplet Feel

Before you write another line, understand the core rhythmic feel. In straight time two eighth notes are equal. In swing the first of the pair is longer and the second is shorter. A common way to think of this is as a triplet where the pair equals the first two parts of the triplet. Think of it like long short long short where the second note is a quick bounce. This is the triplet feel. If you cannot clap it do not write it yet. Clap one bar of swing like this

• Count one and two and three and four and
• Emphasize the one and the three

This matters because syllables must land on those moments where a musician will play the note for longer. If your line puts the stressed syllable on the tiny quick bounce the singer will fight the band. Always speak your line in normal speech and then speak it in swing feel. If the natural stress changes, rewrite.

Writing for Dancers Versus Writing for Listeners

Swing songs often live with dancers. That means some lines exist to cue a spin a dip or a break. Other lines exist for listeners who are not dancing. Good writers do both. Write verses to tell the story. Write choruses to land the groove. Add cue lines for band hits. If this is for a dance floor, imagine the DJ calling the chorus as a signal. A great chorus is also a cue.

Real life scenario

You are in a tiny ballroom in Brooklyn. A couple glides under a string of lights and the band needs a chorus the leader can use to cue a spin. A chorus that says Take the left and spin will work, but it will sound dated. Instead write a chorus with a strong vocal tag like Let the world spin with you. The leader will interpret it. The words become an invitation not a direction.

Pick the Right Subject Matter

Swing thrives on certain themes. That does not mean you cannot be original. Use these as tools instead of rules.

• Nightlife and city energy Late trains neon lights back alleys and stolen taxis.
• Flirtation and swagger Cheeky lines that invite dancing and flirting work perfectly.
• Heartache in motion A sad lyric can still be swung fast. The contrast is delicious.
• Boast and bravado Cats with style stepping into the room are classic.
• Playful storytelling Little vignettes that end with a punch line keep audiences smiling.

Example topics in plain English

• The coat you left on the chair when you jumped the midnight train.
• The gambler who learned to dance instead of counting cards.
• The singer who tips a wink at the trumpet player and then loses their heart on the last chorus.

Structure That Serves Swing

Swing songs can use many forms. The most common are AABA which is four eight bar sections with a bridge in the third part, and verse chorus forms that place the hook up front. For ballroom purposes shorter tag lines and instrumental breaks matter. Here are templates you can steal.

Template A Classic AABA

• Intro lick two to four bars
• Verse A eight bars
• Repeat A eight bars with small lyrical variation
• Bridge B eight bars with new lyrical idea
• Return A eight bars with final punch
• Instrumental solo over form

Template B Verse Chorus

• Intro motif four bars
• Verse eight bars
• Chorus eight bars with ring phrase that repeats
• Verse two eight bars with added detail
• Chorus repeat
• Instrumental break and shout chorus

Shout chorus means a section where the whole band plays a bold arranged figure. Write a short vocal tag to sit on top of it if you want to cut through.

Make a Chorus That Works for Swing

Choruses in swing need to land with a hook that is easy to sing and that fits the band. Keep it to one to three lines. Use strong vowel sounds on the melody high points. Use a ring phrase that returns twice. Rhythmically allow space for horns to punctuate and for the drummer to drop a cymbal or accent.

Chorus recipe

1. One clear emotional idea in plain language
2. A short repeated phrase that doubles as a dance cue or memory tag
3. One vivid image that makes the line visual

Example chorus

Moonlight on your shoulder baby that is my kind of news

Moonlight on your shoulder baby come and make my shoes move

Note the repeated phrase Moonlight on your shoulder baby This acts as a ring phrase. The last line gives an image that invites movement. The vowels in moonlight shoulder baby are open and friendly for singing.

Verses That Set the Scene

Verses in swing are tiny stories. Each line should be an image a small action or a character detail. Verses should not explain the chorus. They should place the listener in a time and place so the chorus lands like a payoff.

Before and after example

Before: I miss you when you are gone and I wish you would come back

After: Your seat still smells of cologne and cheap perfume the waiter keeps setting one empty glass at our table

See how the after version gives concrete objects the reader can see and smell. That helps the chorus land with emotional fullness without being blunt.

Rhyme Schemes That Swing

Rhyme in swing can be playful. Use imperfect rhymes internal rhymes and ring rhymes. Do not force exact rhymes on every line. Natural speech is more fun. Remember that rhymes have to be singable not just clever. Strong line endings should land on longer musical notes.

Common rhyme patterns

• AABA classic for simple memorable hooks
• AAAB with the last line acting as a punch
• Internal rhyme like I got rhythm in my feet and rhythm in my heart

Real life example

Write a verse with internal rhymes like

The neon flickers like a wink then it fades into a grin

My shoes remember where the band cut loose and I forget to win

Phrasing That Matches Swing Melody

Phrasing is how you break your sentence into sung fragments. Because swing often uses syncopation you will want to write phrases that can breathe on off beats. Avoid long chains of consonants before an open vowel. Place the stressed syllable of the important word on a longer note. Record a simple swung rhythm and speak your line over it at conversation speed then at singing speed. If the stress lands in the wrong spot you must rewrite.

Try this prosody test

1. Speak your line naturally and mark stressed syllables
2. Count a swing bar out loud and clap the longer beats
3. Match the stressed syllables to the clapped beats
4. If they do not match rewrite the line to move stress

Example fix

Problem line: I will stay with you all night

Why it fails: The word stay is the emotional pivot but in the original melody it sat on a short bounce

Fixed line: I stay with you until the dawn

Why it works: Stay is placed earlier and the key word lands on a longer strong beat

Write Scat Friendly Lines

Scatting is the vocal improvisation using syllables instead of words. If you want to include a scat section write a short call that cues the band and gives space for melody. Scat friendly lines use open vowels and rhythmic consonants that are easy to repeat. Syllables like do be bop sha bah and da are classic because they match percussive consonants with open vowels.

Starter scat pattern

Do ba do ba do be bop shoo wah

Include a chord call before scat like Change down to the bridge now so the band knows when to shift. A chord call is a short phrase that names or implies a new harmony region. If you say Now the bridge it is clear to musicians. If you do not have that luxury make sure your arranger knows the exact bar count for scat.

Lyrics for Big Band Versus Small Combo

Big band arrangements are dense. Your lyric must cut through brass hits. Use short lines strong vowels and repeat the hook. Small combo arrangements allow more conversational lyrics and longer phrases. If you are pitching to a big band write multiple short tag lines that the arranger can place over shout choruses.

Practical tip

If you write a long poetic line and you want it used by a big band break it into two short lines in your lyric document with a suggested horn stab at the gap. That way the arranger can place hits without rewriting your words.

Modernizing Swing Lyrics Without Selling Out

If you write for modern audiences you can use modern slang references but do not date yourself with too specific tech references. Mentioning a smartphone in a swing lyric is funny and anachronistic in a good way if you are doing electro swing. If you want longevity avoid product names unless they are crucial to the joke.

Real life scenario

You write a song called Midnight Swipe. The chorus plays on the double meaning of swipe as both dance movement and phone swiping. The verse can mention a notification tone as a cymbal hit. If you are performing with a traditional ensemble keep the phone mention light and playful.

Collaborating With Arrangers and Bands

When you hand lyrics to an arranger include a lead sheet. A lead sheet is a simple chart with melody lyrics and chord symbols. If you do not read music record a reference vocal track with spoken counts so the arranger knows your intended phrasing. Tell the arranger where you want shout choruses where you want soli lines and where to leave space for dance cues.

Explain common shorthand

• Head means the main melody
• Shout chorus is a loud arranged section
• Soli is a section where a single section like the saxes plays a harmonized line
• Lead sheet is the melody chords and lyrics document

Example deliverables to give your band

• Lead sheet with lyrics and chord symbols
• Reference vocal with counts and clear chorus tag
• Lyric doc with suggested call and response hits and cues

Micro Prompts to Generate Swing Lines Fast

• The Feet Prompt Write four lines where each line mentions a different part of the body used in dance. Ten minutes.
• The City Prompt Name three places in your city in the first verse. Make the chorus the one place everyone wants to get to. Fifteen minutes.
• The One Object Prompt Choose one object like a hat or cigarette or photograph and make it appear in every verse with a different action. Ten minutes.

Line Level Before and Afters

Theme: A brief encounter at a train station

Before: I saw you and then I left and the train took you away

After: Your glove still swings from the bench like it is waiting for your hand

Theme: Bragging about dancing skills

Before: I can dance better than you

After: I fold the floor with a wink and the room thinks I taught the moon to sway

Theme: Heartbreak but upbeat

Before: We broke up and I am sad but I still dance alone

After: The band plays our old tune and I make the lamppost my partner

Production and Performance Tips for Lyricists

If you are producing your own track here are things to consider

• Leave space for brass hits by not packing every beat with syllables
• Record guide vocals with clear enunciation so the mixing engineer knows where lyrics should sit
• Use reverb tastefully on projections to make older styles feel modern

Performance tips

• Sing as if you are telling a secret to one person in the audience
• Use rhythmic speech for verses and stretch vowels on chorus peaks
• Make eye contact when you sing the call back line so dancers feel addressed

How to Finish a Song Fast

1. Write a one sentence emotional promise for the song. Example I want to flirt with danger while I dance until dawn.
2. Draft a chorus of one to three lines that says that promise in plain language.
3. Write a verse with three concrete images that lead to the chorus idea.
4. Do a prosody check by speaking lines over a swung loop. Move stressed syllables onto long beats.
5. Record a quick reference vocal over piano or guitar at the intended tempo and hand it to an arranger or band.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Too many words. Cut the fat. Swing needs space. Remove any adjective that does not hold a picture.
• Bad prosody. Speak your lyrics and count the beat. If important words land on short bounces rewrite.
• Overly modern references for classic swing. If you want a retro vibe keep modern references playful and ironic.
• Trying to sound old school by using archaic words. Authenticity is honesty. Use natural speech with vintage rhythm.

Example Lyric Breakdown

Title: The Night Moves

Verse 1

The neon tiptoes down the avenue

Your hat tilts left like you got something to prove

Pre chorus

Hands find the small of my back like they know the route

City hums low like a secret about to shout

Chorus

Let the night move baby let it spin you slow

Let the night move baby let the brass cut the glow

Notes

• Neon tiptoes is a personified image that points to nightlife.
• Hat tilts left sets a visual cue and swagger image.
• Pre chorus gives motion cues for a possible dance figure.
• Chorus repeats the phrase Let the night move baby for ring effect. The vowel in baby helps high notes.

Publishing and Licensing Tips

If you want your swing song to appear in a film or in a dance show, write a short pitch one paragraph and include tempo suggested bpm. BPM stands for beats per minute and it is how fast the song is. Dancers and supervisors will often ask for a bpm. For ballroom swing tempos typically sit between 120 and 220 bpm depending on style. Lindy hop often sits around 160 to 180 bpm. Gypsy swing is usually faster. Electro swing tempos can vary more widely.

Practical deliverables for a publisher pitch

• Lead sheet with lyrics and chords
• Reference mp3 with guide vocal and click track
• One paragraph pitch describing mood target and dance style

Exercises to Lock This In

Exercise 1 The One Word Hook

Pick one word that sums your emotional idea. Write a chorus that repeats that word three times with a slight twist in the last line. Ten minutes.

Exercise 2 Call and Response Drill

Write a call line that is five syllables and a response that is seven syllables. Swap roles and ensure the response echoes a different image. Practice singing with a metronome swung at 120 bpm. Fifteen minutes.

Exercise 3 The Camera Pass

Write a verse then write a bracketed camera shot after each line. If you cannot imagine a shot rewrite the line to include an object and an action. Twenty minutes.

FAQ

What tempo should a swing lyric be written for

It depends on the style. Lindy hop and jive style tunes often live between 140 and 180 beats per minute or bpm. Gypsy swing can push into the 200 bpm area. Vocal ballad swing tunes slow down into the 100 to 120 bpm zone. If you plan to record provide a suggested bpm and a guide track. That makes life easier for the band and the arranger.

How do I write lyrics that suit scatting sections

Leave space. Scat sections are for the vocalist to improvise with syllables. Give the band a clear harmonic roadmap and a call to enter scat. Use short lines and strong rhythms before the scat so the transition feels natural. Syllables like do ba do and sha work well because they combine consonant attack with open vowel sustain.

Can I write modern slang into swing songs

Yes but do it with a wink. Modern slang in a vintage style can be charming if it feels intentional. Use it sparingly and make sure it sings well. If the slang is very time sensitive consider writing an alternate lyric for future performances.

How do I make my chorus easy for dancers to follow

Use a repeatable ring phrase and keep the chorus short. A one to two line chorus that repeats works best on a dance floor. Use imagery that implies movement without giving explicit choreography. Let the band add hits and fills that serve as cues.

What if I cannot read music and I need to give my lyric to an arranger

Record a clear reference vocal over a piano or guitar with counts at the top. Provide chord names if you know them. If not, hum the melody and label the sections like Verse A Chorus B with bar counts. Arrangers are used to working from rough demos. Communication is more important than notation here.

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