Hi, Laurent.

Pleasant song, excellent guitar work.

Since you're writing in English for an English audience, it's important to pay attention word stress. A tool like the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary will show you word stress if you select the "Show Lexical Stress" option.

Even easier, you can ask an AI to do this for you. After many attempts to refine the prompt, I eventually got this:

Quote
Reformat the given lyrics to display stress using only plain text. Display the lyrics preserving the exact number of words per line and using an extra blank line (double line break) after every line of lyrics.

Apply the following five formatting rules strictly and universally to all words in the lyrics provided:

1. Syllabification and Case: All words must be broken down into their standard English syllables and written entirely in lower-case except for the primary stressed syllable, which is in upper-case. Hyphenate between all syllables for multi-syllable words.

2. Primary Stress Emphasis (Mandatory Full Upper Case): The entire syllable carrying the primary stress, based on standard English pronunciation and the Strict Root Stress Rule, must be set ENTIRELY IN UPPER CASE. This stress marking is mandatory: Every multi-syllable word (i.e., every hyphenated word) must show exactly one syllable fully capitalized to clearly display its primary stress.

3. Strict Root Stress Rule: For any multi-syllable word, the primary stress must always fall on the root or base syllable, regardless of common suffixes or simple structure. This principle is mandatory and must be reflected by the UPPER CASE marking (e.g., BET-ter, FUR-ther, LIT-tle, ELD-ers, PRAY-er, be-COME).

4. Single-Syllable Words (No Stress, No Hyphenation): Any word that consists of only one syllable must be written entirely in lower case and must not be hyphenated, as it cannot be stressed relative to another syllable (e.g., i, am, the, we, a).

5. Line Break Preservation: To ensure that the line structure is preserved when copied and pasted, include an extra blank line (i.e., a double line break) after every line of lyrics.

Original Lyrics to Apply Rules To:

Further, higher.
I feel better.
Further, higher.
I am stronger, faster, longer.
I'm a rider, warmer, brighter.
I'm a dreamer.
I say a little prayer that we become better.
Sister, brother, live in harmony together.
I say a little prayer.
Forgive me my elders.
Mother, father, I didn't know to love others.
More beautiful, stronger. I want to be better.
Start all over again to leave. Take a new train.
I wish I were immortal.
A journey to see eternal forever beyond how charms they come.
Never tire.
I wish I were immortal.
A journey to see no forever beyond a chance they come never.
I wish I were immortal.
A journey the soul.
Forever be young. Have charms they come.
Never tire.

And this is what I got back:

Originally Posted by Gemini
FUR-ther, HI-gher.
i feel BET-ter.
FUR-ther, HI-gher.
i am STRONG-er, FAST-er, LONG-er.
i'm a RI-der, WARM-er, BRIGH-ter.
i'm a DREAM-er.
i say a LIT-tle PRAY-er that we be-COME BET-ter.
SIS-ter, BROTH-er, live in HAR-mo-ny to-GETH-er.
i say a LIT-tle PRAY-er.
for-GIVE me my ELD-ers.
MOTH-er, FATH-er, i DID-n't know to love OTH-ers.
more BEAU-ti-ful, STRONG-er. i want to be BET-ter.
start all O-ver a-GAIN to leave. take a new train.
i wish i were im-MORT-al.
a JOUR-ney to see e-TERN-al for-EVer be-YOND how charms they come.
NEV-er tire.
i wish i were im-MORT-al.
a JOUR-ney to see no for-EVer be-YOND a chance they come NEV-er.
i wish i were im-MORT-al.
a JOUR-ney the soul.
for-EVer be young. have charms they come.
NEV-er tire.

Here are some places I noticed the emphasis doesn't fall on the strong beat, so it sounds wrong:

"Further, higher, I am STRONGer"
"Faster, longer, I'm a RIDer"
"Live in HARmony toGEther"
"ForGIVE me my ELders"
"I wish I were imMORtal"

Changing the duration of the note preceding the emphasized syllable so the accent falls on the downbeat will correct the problem.

Following this rule of placing accents on downbeats will make your songs sound much better to English speakers.

-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?