José González on writing lyrics

Usually when I have a song [idea], I get a feeling of how many verses I want to have, how many choruses and bridges. Then I know the length of the song, and I get a sense of how many syllables I need and where they should rhyme to make it sound musical. I have brainstorming sessions where I write down words that could fit into the song, and with those I find synonyms. I make lists of words, basically, and make sure to have words that rhyme. With these sheets of words and sentences, it’s easier to brainstorm a finished lyric.—José González

From an interview in the June 2015 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.