To quote a song, put the borrowed lyrics in quotation marks, separate lines with a forward slash, and cite the songwriter or performer. In MLA, that means an in-text citation with the artist’s name and a Works Cited entry for the recording; in APA, an in-text citation with the songwriter and year plus a reference entry. Quoting song lyrics also carries a copyright wrinkle that quoting a book does not, covered below.
How do you quote lyrics in an essay?
Enclose the exact words in quotation marks. If you quote more than one line and are running them into your sentence, mark the line breaks with a forward slash, with a space on each side: “I heard there was a secret chord / That David played.” For three or more lines, set them off as a block quote, indented, with the original line breaks kept and no quotation marks.
Quote lyrics exactly as sung, including any nonstandard spelling or grammar, since altering them changes the quotation. If you need to leave words out, use an ellipsis; if you add a word for clarity, put it in square brackets. The rules here are the same as quoting any source, laid out in how to cite a quote.
How to cite a song in MLA
In MLA, cite by the name that begins your Works Cited entry, usually the artist or performer. The in-text citation is just that name in parentheses: (Cohen). Songs have no page numbers, so you cite the name alone, or nothing in the parentheses if you have already named the artist in your sentence.
The Works Cited entry follows the format: Artist. “Song Title.” Album Title, Label, Year. For example: Cohen, Leonard. “Hallelujah.” Various Positions, Columbia, 1984. If you accessed it through a streaming service, add the platform as the container: Spotify. The mechanics match how to quote an article and the citation format in MLA quote citation.
How to cite a song in APA
APA credits the songwriter, not only the performer. The in-text citation is the songwriter and year: (Cohen, 1984). The reference entry is: Songwriter, A. A. (Year). Song title [Song recorded by Performer if different]. On Album title. Label. When the writer and performer differ, note the performer in brackets. APA treats a song as an audio work, so no page number is needed; use a timestamp only if you are pointing to a specific moment.
Do you need permission to quote song lyrics?
For a class essay, no, quoting a few lines for analysis or commentary is standard academic fair use, as long as you cite the source. The concern arises with published or commercial writing: song lyrics are densely copyrighted, and rights holders are notably strict, so quoting even a single line in a book or a monetized blog can require a paid license. In a student paper this does not apply, but it is worth knowing that lyrics are treated more protectively than most prose. For how to avoid over-quoting in the first place, see how to paraphrase a quote.
How to introduce a song quote
Lead into the lyric with a signal phrase that names the artist and gives context, rather than dropping the quote in cold. “In ‘Hallelujah,’ Cohen writes…” tells the reader whose words these are and where they come from before they read them. The techniques carry over from how to introduce a quote.
FAQ
How do you quote song lyrics in an essay?
Put the exact words in quotation marks and separate lines with a forward slash. For three or more lines, use a block quote with the original line breaks and no quotation marks.
How do you cite a song in MLA?
In-text, use the artist’s name: (Cohen). In Works Cited: Artist. “Song Title.” Album, Label, Year. Add a streaming platform as the container if relevant.
Do song lyrics need a page number?
No. Songs have no pages, so you cite the artist or songwriter’s name instead. Use a timestamp only to point to a specific moment.
Can I quote lyrics without permission?
For a school essay, yes, with citation. For published or commercial work, lyrics are tightly copyrighted and may require a paid license even for one line.
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