Examples of Metaphors

Examples of metaphors will help you as the songwriter build a powerful song lyric. These metaphor examples will help you see how to use them and become a better songwriter.

It’s the way to get straight to the meaning of something. It places two different things beside each other so the listener can see, hear and feel how your new creation make them similar.

If you have a character in your lyric say “he is a dog” that makes a very direct and stark image for the listener. There is no doubt that the end product is a dog. A dog in every meaning of the word with all the things associated with a dog.

Dogs are known to be faithful, loyal, a best friend who won’t abandon their master. All dog dog-like qualities apply. Such as enjoying being taken for walks and lying around in front of the fireplace. It includes everything we associate with dogs. Some of it can be very positive.

However part of this package is the other less desirable things that are associated with dogs. Howling all night, biting, barking, smelling when wet, bad breath, shedding hair in the car, and licking people’s faces etc.

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When you decide to paint this image in a lyric you have to live with all the positive and negative aspects. If you can’t live with the package, then find another way to create the image.

It may be ok but you may be looking for a simile or an analogy. A simile leaves more room for interpretation and an analogy is vaguer yet. Here’s the difference:

Metaphor: you are a dog
Simile: you are like a dog
Analogy: people feel you could be a dog

These are some examples of metaphors. Hopefully they will provide a sense of the concept so you can experiment with them in your songwriting.

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