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How do I Design a Theme Song for Women?

From Helen Reddy's 1970 hit "I Am Woman" to "I'm Every Woman," the Whitney Houston favorite used as Oprah Winfrey's theme, tunes celebrating the virtues of being female long have found their way to the charts. Whether you're male or female (the co-writer of "I Am Woman" was a man), you can understand the elements needed to write a song women relate to and sing with pride.

Things You'll Need

  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Instrument
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Instructions

    • 1

      Write lyrics on paper first, as they will be the focal point of the song. Write positive lyrics that will make women want to stand up and be counted. Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" became a theme song for women in horrible relationships who realized they could make it on their own. The content can be serious or playful, so long as your lyrics express a female viewpoint. Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is a fitting example of a lighthearted female anthem.

    • 2

      Sit down with your lyrics and an instrument (usually a guitar or piano) and determine the tune of your song. Play a few chords while you sing the lyrics. A theme song for women either can be fun, containing a lot of major chords, or uplifting, using more advanced chords such as seventh and ninth chords. The key to writing a song that will act as a women's anthem is to match the music to the lyrical theme.

    • 3

      Sing your lyrics as you play the chord changes and try variations on the tune. Try the song as a ballad and with a more upbeat style to decide which will work better. Listen to the chord changes and make sure they convey the sound you're looking for. Pay particular attention to your chorus. Female anthems tend to have big, sweeping choruses that express the freedom of being a woman, along with pride, strength and independence. Change keys at the end of the song and repeat the chorus to draw attention to it and leave your message ringing in listeners' ears.

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