Lyric Writing 101: Part Two This is Part two of my Lyric Writing guide. Here you will learn how to accompany words by writing alternate lyrics.It is important not to mistake alternate lyrics with cover songs. There are many ways to cover a song, you can alter the lyrics slightly to modernize it like in the Disturbed cover of Tears For Fear’s "Shout”. You can also alter the tune slightly as seen in Madonna’s version of Don MacLean’s "American Pie” or Sheryl Crow’s cover of Guns n Rose’s "Sweet Child o’ Mine” [also altered to change the voice from male to female] huanghaiyan451. You notice that the song in essence stays the same, both lyrically and melodically. For more examples of cover songs, see the reference to ‘Triple M’s Musical Challenge’ in Part 1 of this guide. What are they? Alternate lyrics use both the melodic and lyric arrangement of a pre-existing song. The ‘new’ lyrics are sung to the same melody, and in the same manner as the original song. This process is not ... Read more »