In this video, Martin Sutton gives some really good advice on writing choruses. The main point of a chorus is to create a strong melodic hook, that people can sing along to. When writing lyrics for a chorus, it's a good idea to keep these things in mind:
1) Make one single point as clearly as possible
2) Try to Include the title of your song
3)Make your message as strong as possible
Effective choruses are usually one of three things:
A Call to Action eg "Let's Rock" "Stand by Me"
A Statement - "You're Beautiful"
A Question - "What becomes of the broken hearted?"
Make sure that your chorus stands on it's own. Does it still make sense without the verses to contextualise it?
KELLY CLARKSON
MILEY CYRUS
KATY PERRY
ROD STEWART
THE KILLERS
CARLY RAE JEPSON
SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE
But since you been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so movin' on, yeah, yeah
Thanks to you
Now I get what I want
Since you been gone
WRECKING BALL
I came in like a wrecking ball
I never hit so hard in love
All I wanted was to break your walls
All you ever did was wreck me
Yeah, you, you wreck me
TEENAGE DREAM
You make me feel like I'm living a
teenage dream
The way you turn me on
I can't sleep
Let's runaway
And don't ever look back
Don't ever look back
DO YA THINK I'M SEXY?
If you want my body and you think I'm sexy
Come on, sugar, tell me so
If you really need me, just reach out and touch me
Come on, honey, tell me so
MR BRIGHTSIDE
Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
'Cause I'm Mr. Brightside
CALL ME MAYBE
Hey, I just met you and this is crazy
But here's my number, so call me maybe
It's hard to look right at you baby
But here's my number, so call me maybe
Look at the paragraphs from your 'destination write' in the previous lesson, and the verse that you've written so far.
Identify the main thought or feeling that the narrator of your song is experiencing.
Write several different catchy single-line phrases that best capture this idea, and then pick the best one to be the title of your song. (It is also going to be the line that you either start or finish your chorus with.)
Write another 3 lines to help reinforce this central idea. You have just completed your chorus.
Once you've finished your chorus, it's time to write the second verse and the bridge.