song lyric Forum

[gbpackerbacker]

Is starting my PS with a song lyric too risky? The lyric is not well known, though it s from a well-known musician (Bob Dylan). It isn't anything cheezy like "what the world needs now is love sweet love." Also, it directly relates to my essay and it is something that legitimately inspired me to go into the type of law that I am pursuing. I have a PS basically written up, but I do not like it.

What are you opinions? Thanks.

[blackwater88]

I think you have to answer a couple of questions to know whether you can make good use of the lyrics or not.

Do the lyrics say something that you are incapable of putting into words?

Are the lyrics so great that the adcomms will be totally engaged with your PS after reading them?

If you answer "no" to either question you should scrap it off.

[MiamiUG]

I think you have to answer a couple of questions to know whether you can make good use of the lyrics or not.

Do the lyrics say something that you are incapable of putting into words?

Are the lyrics so great that the adcomms will be totally engaged in your PS after reading them?

If you answer "no" to either question you should scrap it off.

Don't criticize what you can't understand, Blackwater.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

You should post said PS, so you can get opinions. Otherwise your question is extremely hard to answer, because the success of many writing techniques has to do with delivery, and not the technique in and of itself.

[blackwater88]

I think you have to answer a couple of questions to know whether you can make good use of the lyrics or not.

Do the lyrics say something that you are incapable of putting into words?

Are the lyrics so great that the adcomms will be totally engaged in your PS after reading them?

If you answer "no" to either question you should scrap it off.

Don't criticize what you can't understand, Blackwater.

I'm just not a big fan of putting a quotation or a phrase by someone else in a PS. Albeit we don't have the PS to see how it flows with the rest of the essay, but if you want to make a point, why not use your own words? I don't see how using the lyrics to a song can improve your PS.

[gbpackerbacker]

I think you have to answer a couple of questions to know whether you can make good use of the lyrics or not.

Do the lyrics say something that you are incapable of putting into words?

Are the lyrics so great that the adcomms will be totally engaged in your PS after reading them?

If you answer "no" to either question you should scrap it off.

Don't criticize what you can't understand, Blackwater.

I'm just not a big fan of putting a quotation or a phrase by someone else in a PS. Albeit we don't have the PS to see how it flows with the rest of the essay, but if you want to make a point, why not use your own words? I don't see how using the lyrics to a song can improve your PS.

Haha Miami was simply referencing other, more cheezy, Dylan lyrics...

[starrydecisus]

If the lyrics are truly something that inspired you to go into the field (and you can keep this theme throughout and have a powerful conclusion), then I think using the lyrics will be okay. Maybe you can play around with a few different intros. Maybe you can start with something other than the lyric and bring the lyric into your introduction, so it's not quite as cheesy as "INSERT LYRIC. When I first heard these lyrics...."

I agree it would help to see the PS

[Deuce]

"the man the authorities came to blame"?

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

The sun is not yellow, it's chicken

[hijodehombre]

If they're not familiar with the song, the lyrics may not mean as much to them. Also, the quote will sort of be out of context. I wouldn't do it, but you never know, maybe your PS gets in the hands of a group that listens to Dylan songs as they review apps.

[starrydecisus]

If they're not familiar with the song, the lyrics may not mean as much to them. Also, the quote will sort of be out of context. I wouldn't do it, but you never know, maybe your PS gets in the hands of a group that listens to Dylan songs as they review apps.

I think if you give sufficient context it could work. My PS theme was about a musical/novel that the adcomm's might not be familiar with, but I was able to give context to make it work! I feel like you could do the same with the lyric. I would definitely not just have the lyric stand alone.