Co-Written Lyrics...what's the deal?

[Madman Shepherd]

So I've been wondering if it has ever been explained how the lyrics that are co-written were broken down?

The two main ones are Caught in a Web and Status Seeker.  Did John sit down with James and Charlie for each of them and hash it out together or were different parts of the songs written separate from each other?

We know that Breaking All Illusions was mainly John Myung's lyrics but JP had rearranged them to fit better within the music as had always been done with JM's lyrics.  This time JM wanted JP to be credited as well.

We also know for To Live Forever, it was already written by JP and then Kevin Moore ended up writing a new verse at the end.

Take the Time had different sections written by each individual of the band (minus James).

I guess there was also the Majesty era songs that were cowritten by two lyricists but I am mainly wondering about the first two songs I mentioned. 

Anybody ever heard how exactly they were broken down?

[Ħ]

Hmm...if I recall correctly, JP and CD wrote Status Seeker together when they were drunk one evening.

With Caught in a Web, JLB wrote most of it and JP refined it.

[PetFish]

I'd like to know what co-written actually means.

All these pop stars are getting co-writing credits but I doubt they did much, if anything at all.  So what does it take to be a co-writer?  A verse?  A chorus?  A word change?

[King Postwhore]

I'd like to know what co-written actually means.

All these pop stars are getting co-writing credits but I doubt they did much, if anything at all.  So what does it take to be a co-writer?  A verse?  A chorus?  A word change?

Really?!  You can't figure this out?  You already answered it.  Both have some input is lyrics.  Some band separate it like Rush, where Neil writes the lyrics but Geddy arraigned the lyrics or helps with the phrasing or the re writes since he sings it but doesn't take the credit for the lyrics.


It's about compromise between the two people.

[GasparXR]

This is kind of related, but it always irks me when singers aren't credited for vocal lines that they write for a song. Sure, someone else wrote most of the song, but the vocal line is part of the music.

[Mindflux]

It's about compromise between the two OR MORE people.

FTFY

[GasparXR]

It's about compromise between the two OR MORE people.

FTFY

Into the orgies are we?

[Madman Shepherd]

Hmm...if I recall correctly, JP and CD wrote Status Seeker together when they were drunk one evening.

With Caught in a Web, JLB wrote most of it and JP refined it.

Actually I think I remember hearing that about Status Seeker.  I think they talked about that on the I Can Remember When... documentary.

Do you remember where you heard/read that about Caught in a Web?

I'd like to know what co-written actually means.

All these pop stars are getting co-writing credits but I doubt they did much, if anything at all.  So what does it take to be a co-writer?  A verse?  A chorus?  A word change?

This is actually a good question.  Ozzy Osbourne is credited on all his songs but he had by far the least to do with all of them.  In some instances he had NOTHING to do with them. 

A good song to look at would be Zodiac Mindwarp's Feed My Frankenstein.  I don't remember the specifics but Alice changed a few lyrics and a little bit of a melody or something.  If any other person had done it they would probably not have gotten a co-writing credit but its Alice so hey....he at least writes a good chunk of most of his songs. 

[Ħ]

James Labrie said the following about Caught in a Web: "... a person that's... it's not male or female, it could be either. And it's dealing with a person who has suppressed their feelings for so long and has finally had enough of it and feels that the only way that they can really live life to it's fullest is to live from the inside out. And that's basically what this person has come to terms with. And they're sick of society inducements and they feel the only way that they can go on with life is to live it the way they feel is the truth..."

[MoraWintersoul]

^ I could always relate to that song.

I've written lyrics with a friend before. It can be about two people supplying different parts of songs with lines, or it can be about the other person "proofing", and changing a bit of the original lyrics. Since the phrasing and the topic of the song is pretty JLB-ish and since JP is the person that usually needs to greenlight stuff before it goes in, as the main writer, I would guess JLB wrote the main body of the lyrics and JP modded it.

[?]

^ I could always relate to that song.

Me too.

[MoraWintersoul]

^ I could always relate to that song.

Me too.

[?]

^ I could always relate to that song.

Me too.

CUT IN A WHAAAAAAALE!

[Another_Won]

Hmm...if I recall correctly, JP and CD wrote Status Seeker together when they were drunk one evening.

With Caught in a Web, JLB wrote most of it and JP refined it.

Actually I think I remember hearing that about Status Seeker.  I think they talked about that on the I Can Remember When... documentary.

I thought they said they got together to write the lyrics but got drunk instead