How To Quote Song Lyrics In Chicago Style

Al Mazer

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27-11-2024

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How to Quote Song Lyrics in Chicago Style

Quoting song lyrics within academic papers, essays, or other scholarly works requires adhering to the specific citation style you're using. The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) offers two primary citation systems: the Notes-Bibliography system and the Author-Date system. Both approaches handle song lyric quotations similarly, but the formatting of the bibliographic entry differs. This article details how to correctly quote song lyrics and cite them appropriately using both systems.

I. Quoting Song Lyrics:

Regardless of the citation system used, the principles for quoting song lyrics in Chicago style remain largely consistent:

• Accuracy: Ensure your quotation accurately reflects the original lyrics. Any alterations, such as ellipses (...) to omit words or brackets [ ] to add clarifying information, must be clearly indicated.

• Short Quotations: Incorporate short quotations (fewer than four lines) directly into the text, enclosing them in double quotation marks. For example:

Bob Dylan's iconic line, "The times they are a-changin'," resonates even today.

• Long Quotations (Block Quotes): For quotations of four or more lines, use a block quotation. This involves:
  • Indenting the entire quotation one-half inch from the left margin.
  • Omitting quotation marks around the block quotation.
  • Maintaining the original line breaks of the lyrics.

From Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run":

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last-chance power drive And singers living on the boulevard, their shadows growing tall Hey, I'm just a city boy, on the make, for the city game And I'll play it till it's through

• Attribution: Always clearly attribute the quotation to its source (artist and song title). This usually follows the quotation immediately. The specific formatting depends on whether you are using the Notes-Bibliography or Author-Date system.

• Changes to the Original: If you make any alterations to the lyrics, clearly indicate these changes within the quotation.

  • Ellipses (...): Use ellipses to indicate omitted words within the quotation.
  • Brackets [ ]: Use brackets to insert your own words or explanations within the quotation for clarity.

• Emphasis: If you wish to emphasize a specific word or phrase within the quotation, italicize it and include a note indicating your addition of emphasis. For example: "The highway's jammed with broken heroes..." [emphasis added].

II. Citing Song Lyrics: The Notes-Bibliography System:

The Notes-Bibliography system uses footnotes or endnotes to cite sources and a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the paper.

• Footnote/Endnote: The footnote or endnote for a song lyric quotation provides the artist's name, the song title, the album title (if applicable), the recording label, and the year of release. If accessing lyrics online, include the website URL as well.

¹ Bob Dylan, “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Columbia Records, 1963.

² Bruce Springsteen, “Born to Run,” Born to Run, Columbia Records, 1975. Retrieved from [URL if applicable].

• Bibliography: The bibliography entry mirrors the information in the footnote/endnote, but with consistent formatting. The song title is enclosed in quotation marks, while the album title is italicized.

Dylan, Bob. “The Times They Are a-Changin’”. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Columbia Records, 1963.

Springsteen, Bruce. “Born to Run.” Born to Run. Columbia Records, 1975. [URL if applicable]

III. Citing Song Lyrics: The Author-Date System:

The Author-Date system uses in-text citations (author, year) and a reference list at the end.

• In-text Citation: The in-text citation for a song lyric quotation includes the artist's last name and the year of release in parentheses. If you're citing a specific line or section, add a page number or relevant identifier if available (though page numbers are not always present in lyric websites).

Bob Dylan's famous line, "The times they are a-changin'," reflects the era's social unrest (Dylan, 1963).

Springsteen's evocative imagery in “Born to Run” paints a vivid picture of youthful ambition (Springsteen, 1975).

• Reference List: The reference list entry includes the artist's name, the song title (in quotation marks), the album title (italicized), the recording label, and the year. Similar to the Notes-Bibliography system, include the URL if the lyrics were obtained online. Note the specific formatting requirements for capitalization, punctuation, etc., as per the latest edition of the CMOS.

Dylan, Bob. 1963. “The Times They Are a-Changin’”. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Columbia Records.

Springsteen, Bruce. 1975. “Born to Run.” Born to Run. Columbia Records. [URL if applicable]

IV. Specific Considerations:

• Live Performances: If citing lyrics from a live performance, specify this in your citation. For example: (Springsteen, Live at Wembley Stadium, 1985).

• Multiple Artists: If a song has multiple artists, list all artists in the citation.

• Covers/Remakes: If citing a cover version, clearly identify the artist who performed the specific version you're quoting.

• Unofficial Lyrics Websites: While convenient, unofficial lyric websites lack the rigorous fact-checking of official sources. Use caution when relying on them, and consider verifying the accuracy of the lyrics using multiple sources if possible. Always cite the specific URL of the website used.

• Copyright: Be mindful of copyright restrictions when quoting song lyrics extensively. Fair use guidelines generally allow for limited quotation for educational or scholarly purposes, but extensive use may require permission from the copyright holder.

V. Example incorporating all aspects:

Let's say you are quoting the following lyrics from Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)":

If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it

Using the Author-Date system, your in-text citation and reference list entry would look like this:

In-text: Beyoncé's iconic line, "If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it," emphasizes the importance of commitment (Beyoncé, 2008).

Reference List:

Beyoncé. 2008. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” I Am… Sasha Fierce. Columbia Records.

By following these guidelines, you can accurately and properly quote song lyrics in your Chicago-style papers, maintaining academic integrity and showcasing your understanding of proper citation practices. Remember to always consult the most up-to-date edition of the Chicago Manual of Style for the most precise and current guidelines.