Some writers construct songs based on short lines of lyrics, while others have longer lines with more beats. There is no fixed rule, although it’s usually much easier to write a good melody for a lyric that has shorter lines.
But what you should never do is make the mistake of using a different line length in the corresponding line in each verse or chorus!
To achieve the musical symmetry that is so important to listeners’ ears, it is essential to make sure that your lyrics are balanced and don’t have uneven line lengths or syllable counts. It’s the same as ensuring that all your verses have exactly the same number of bars and your pre-chorus and chorus are the same length every time.
When you analyze the structure of your favorite writers’ songs, you will find they usually have the same number of syllables between corresponding lines. For example, if the first line of their first verse has eight syllables, then the first line of their second verse will also have eight syllables.
Similarly, if a verse or a chorus consists of four lines, then every line should have the same number of syllables. If the amount differs, it may create a distracting imbalance for the listener.
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