A song is poetry set to music, often with rhyme. It can be a short work, such as Pablo Neruda’s “April Rain Song,” or it can be a long work, such as the operas of Beethoven and Verdi. Most songs have words (or lyrics) and a melody or chords, although a song can also have no melody or just a rhythm, or even be purely instrumental.
The word song can refer to a wide range of musical genres, from Irish folk songs and African storytelling songs to Christian hymns and Heavy Metal songs. It can also include choral works, operas and other forms of classical vocal music.
Songs may be accompanied by instrumentalists or by a singer, and they can be improvised or written down on paper. The term is not usually used for large classical music vocal forms, such as oratorio and opera, which are referred to as aria and recitative instead.
Sometimes the ideas for a song will come to you in moments of inspiration, seemingly out of nowhere. It is recommended that aspiring Songwriters carry a small notepad or phone with them and make notes of whatever inspires them, whether it’s a phrase, a title, an idea for a chorus, a melody, or even just a beat and chord progression.
Articles on songs should focus on facts and not subjective interpretations of lyrics or what a song is “about.” However, if a particular characteristic defines a song, then it should be addressed in its own article unless it meets the criteria for a template such as Template:Infobox musical composition or Template:Infobox anthem.