How to Quote Song Lyrics

Quoting song lyrics in your writing can feel like a delicate balance.

You want to capture emotion.
You want to reference a meaningful line.
But at the same time — you don’t want to run into copyright problems.

Whether you're writing a blog post, creating songwriting tutorials for your music production students, or posting on social media, knowing how to quote song lyrics properly is essential.

Lyrics often express emotions that are hard to put into words. When you reference them in your content, you're not just repeating text — you're connecting readers to a shared feeling through music.

But there’s a right way to do it.

Song lyrics are copyrighted the moment they’re written.

That means:

• You cannot legally post full lyrics on your blog

• You cannot include entire verses in course material

• You cannot rewrite lyrics in Hinglish or another language

Even if you give credit to the artist, permission may still be required.

How Do I Format a Quotation of Song Lyrics?

Format a quotation of song lyrics the same way you would format a quotation of poetry. If the quotation consists of fewer than four lines, include it within your paragraph using quotation marks and separate each line using a forward slash ( / ) with a space on either side.

For example:

The songwriter expresses emotional vulnerability in the line,
“Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong / Like I’m just holding on.”

Work Cited

Sharma, Arjun. Lost in the Echo. Echo Records, 2022.

If the quotation consists of four or more lines, format the lyrics as a block quote by placing them on a new line and indenting them from the left margin.

For example:

In Lost in the Echo, the artist reflects on self-doubt:

I tried to find a place to hide
In the silence of the night
But every truth I ran from
Was waiting in the light

Work Cited

Sharma, Arjun. Lost in the Echo. Echo Records, 2022.

Song lyrics are powerful — and referencing them can strengthen your writing, tutorials, or music blogs.

But quoting them responsibly ensures that your content stays:

• Monetizable

• Copyright-safe

• SEO-friendly

When in doubt:

Summarize the lyric instead of reproducing it.

That way you keep the emotional impact — without the legal risk.

Check out a ​video tutorial of this post on Youtube.