I came up with the music (chords & melody) but was unable to think up any lyrics for a long time. I began thinking "What if the song were about someone having trouble coming up with appropriate lyrics?" I then wrote a poem titled "No Lyrics to This Song", which was about twice as long as the song. I cut that poem down and reworked it to become the near-final lyrics. At that point my wife suggested that, instead of claiming there are no lyrics at all, the singer could have lost the lyrics. This change required only a few fixes to the first two lines of the song and it was done.

Lyrics

LOST THE LYRICS
Michael Dyer
© 2009

Lost the lyrics to this song,
So what was right might now be wrong.
Should I go or should I stay?
Do you want me, in the same way?

I don't want to feel regret,
From wrong moves or misplaced bets.
I don't want to be all wet,
Fingers touching wrong neck frets.

You should know that since we met,
I've been payin' off old love debts.
Gonna close all those accounts,
No matter what the cost or what amounts.

Got no chords, for this here song,
No riffs or hot licks, in my mix.
No beating bass, no drivin' rhythm,
No clever rhymes. Could mean hard times.

Just give a smile and I'll be inspired.
What rhymes with "smile"?
I'll ponder a while.
Just hold my hand. Can barely stand.

But with your help, think I can bet,
I'll finish this song.
I'll finish this song.
I'll finish this song yet.
Yeah!