10 + 1 ways to visualize lyrics

Really good songs have usually really good lyrics. And good lyrics stay with you. When we were at school we doodled them on our books and carved them into the desks. What do the digital natives do? Here are the best ideas (and, incidentally, really good songs for the most part) we found around the web:

1. Pick a photo, apply a vintage effect and write the lyrics in helvetica

Paris by the Friendly Fires (the Aeroplane version featuring Au Revoir Simone  kicks major ass, too)
(visual first seen at letlooselove, our title inspired by this)

2. Make a flowchart*

Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash
(visual first seen at Urlesque)
*but be careful not to be trapped on an infinite loop

See 9 more ways after the jump

3. Make a checklist

Never gonna give you up by Rick Astley
(visual first seen at pinterest)

4. For the bibliophiles: turn them into a book cover

Panic by The Smiths
(visual by Hunting Bears)

5. Make a word cloud

Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
(visual by it’s a small web)

6. Mark the lyrics on Google Maps

Where the Streets Have no Name by U2
(visual first seen at buzzfeed)

7. Illustrate them

Creep by Radiohead
(visual by Hunting Bears)

8. For the die-hard fans: use the lyrics to create the artist’s portrait

Redemption song by Bob Marley
(visual by Jonas Fleuraime)

9. Rely on good typography

You Can’t Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones
(visual by music philosophy)

10. Satisfy your inner child

Just a Girl by No Doubt
(visual by Karlisha Gray)

and, alternatively:

11. Skip the words and just use pictograms instead

Friday I’m in Love by The Cure
(visual first seen at Urlesque)

Update: see 10 more ways to visualize lyrics

See also:

• Thus sung Zarathustra
• 69 love illustrations…
• Songs as books
• Create stunning word cloud infographs
• The lyrics on the wall
• Ten rock movies we would like to see