How to Cite Song Lyrics in an Essay
Overview
Citing song lyrics requires specific formatting to distinguish musical poetry from standard prose. To cite lyrics correctly, you must identify the artist, song title, and album. You will then format the in-text citation using parentheses and create a full entry for your Works Cited or Reference page. This guide covers MLA and APA standards for short and long musical quotes.
Step 1: Format Short In-Text Citations
When quoting three lines or fewer, incorporate the lyrics directly into your sentence using quotation marks. If the lyrics span multiple lines, use a forward slash (/) with a space on either side to indicate the line break. In MLA style, the in-text citation typically includes the artist's last name or the group's name. If the artist is mentioned in the lead-in sentence, you may only need the timestamp or no parenthetical if the source is clear and has no page numbers.
Step 2: Use Block Quotes for Long Passages
If you are quoting four or more lines of lyrics, you must use a block quote format. Start the quotation on a new line, indent the entire block 0.5 inches from the left margin, and omit quotation marks. Unlike standard quotes, the period in a block quote comes before the parenthetical citation. Maintain the original line breaks of the lyrics exactly as they appear in the liner notes or official transcription.
Step 3: Create the Works Cited or Reference Entry
Your bibliography must provide the full publication details. For MLA 9, follow this structure: Artist. "Song Title." Album Title, Publisher, Year, URL. For APA 7, the format is: Artist. (Year). Song title [Song]. On Album title. Label. Note that APA requires the description '[Song]' in square brackets after the title to identify the medium clearly to the reader.
Example: MLA Lyric Citation
The following example demonstrates a short quote with a line break and a corresponding Works Cited entry: `In-text: Kendrick Lamar highlights systemic struggle when he raps, "When the lights shut off / And it's my turn to settle up" (Lamar).` `Works Cited: Lamar, Kendrick. "How Much a Dollar Cost." To Pimp a Butterfly, Top Dawg Entertainment, 2015.`
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these frequent errors when citing music:
1. Confusing titles: Never italicize song titles; always use quotation marks. Only albums get italics.
2. Missing slashes: Forgetting the space-slash-space ( / ) in short quotes makes the lyrics read like a single sentence.
3. Incorrect timestamps: If your instructor requires a timestamp for a specific line, format it as (0:45) rather than guessing a page number.
4. Vague attribution: Ensure the artist name in your citation matches the first word of your bibliography entry exactly.
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