2nd
Place
By
Michael Olivarez
Corpus
Christi, TX
The most important aspect of a lyric is that its message and/or story speak a universal truth that reaches many. Youth of A Nation could have been written by any number of angry teenagers and as a parent of teens, the message was painfully familiar. However, the title is the same of a very famous rock lyric by P.O.D. which most probably will doom its chances of getting anywhere. Also, the writer’s transition from a personal address to the parent, to speaking for all the youth is awkward and lacks focus. Do a rewrite with a different title and chorus and with a rhyme scheme consistent throughout, and this lyric has the potential to be very powerful.