Do you write lyrics first?

[britannica]

I have written lyrics but never matched it up to music. People tell me I need music first. Which order do you do?

[Raichu]

Um, I'm not sure what you mean. Are you composing a song?

If you have the lyrics already, then the answer is obvious. Start with the lyrics and compose music to suit it.

Actually, when I compose songs I usually start with the lyrics and compose music to fit. However, each person is different, and I've heard that some people do the opposite. There's no wrong or right way. Just do what works for you and don't let your creativity be straitjacketed by what you've been told you're "supposed" to do.

[GrammarNinja64]

To follow up on what Raichu said, I personally like to have some kind of melody first because it helps me choose words.

Having some kind of melody in mind makes it easier for me to choose which words to use because then I know how certain words will affect the flow and pace of the song.
(Things like how many syllables the word has, whether any of the syllables should be stretched over several notes, etc.)

But plenty of people would write words first and then try to find a melody.

Since there are lyricists (people who mainly just write lyrics) in the world, we know that there are people who make a living doing the lyrics first or even only the lyrics.

[Raichu]

hey i find the words help me with the melody!

just goes to show that it depends on the person and their individual talents. i'm sure there are people that go both ways.

do what works for you, and sometimes broaden yourself by trying something different too!

[EJTranslations]

Personally, my favorite answer to "which comes first, the lyrics or the music?" is "generally, the paycheck," though I can't remember who that's (possibly apocryphally) attributed to.

[Happyblossom]

It totally depends on you, I guess. I like to make the lyrics first, and then the music, but I often change the words with synonyms to match the music.