"Shake It Up," Not Off: How Lyric Substitution Empowers Clients in Music Therapy
- georgiatayl
- Apr 30
- 4 min read
Music has a innately unique way of connecting with people, fostering self-expression, and creating a sense of belonging. A way that this can be achieved is through lyric substitution—modifying specific words in songs to make them more relevant, accessible, or empowering for the person singing them.
Lyric substitution involves changing certain words in a song to better fit the needs of the individual or group engaging with it. This can be done to:
Lyric substitution allows for meaningful engagement by making songs more relevant and affirming. This approach helps in:
Enhancing participation: When lyrics reflect a person's abilities, they may feel more comfortable and confident in singing along or engaging with the song.
Encouraging movement: Substituting words to align with a person's range of motion makes music-based movement more accessible.
Building self-esteem: Singing words that resonate personally fosters a sense of agency and self-worth.
Strengthening communication: Adapted lyrics can reinforce speech goals, promote language development, and facilitate social connection.
Supporting emotional regulation: Modifying lyrics to reflect positive affirmations or calming phrases can help individuals manage emotions and anxiety.
Improving cognitive engagement: Adjusting lyrics to focus on memory recall or sequencing can assist individuals with cognitive impairments in strengthening cognitive skills.
At the heart of lyric substitution is the broader practice of personalising songs to meet the unique needs, goals, and identities of our clients. As music therapists, we don’t just deliver music—we facilitate meaningful musical experiences that support our clients’ therapeutic journeys. Personalisation is one of the most effective ways to achieve this.
Changing lyrics allows us to tailor our interventions in a way that resonates more deeply with each client. This can help:
Build trust and rapport: When clients hear language that reflects their world, they feel understood and connected. This can be especially important for clients who may have experienced exclusion in other settings.
Meet clients where they are: Whether it's supporting a child learning to walk, an adult regaining speech after a stroke, or a teen working through self-esteem challenges, adapted lyrics allow us to align musical material with developmental or therapeutic goals.
Reflect client identity and culture: Including a client’s name, interests, daily routines, cultural references, or favorite themes in a song acknowledges their individuality and helps them feel seen and respected.
Increase relevance and motivation: Familiar and meaningful content often results in increased attention, engagement, and willingness to participate—key factors in achieving therapeutic outcomes.
Facilitate emotional expression: Adapting lyrics can help give voice to feelings that may be hard to express otherwise, offering clients a safe and creative outlet for emotional processing.
Personalising songs is not just a creative choice—it’s a clinical one. It enables us to deliver client-centered care and adapt our methods in real time based on therapeutic insight and relational dynamics.
Whether it’s changing "Wheels on the Bus" to reflect a child’s favorite people or adjusting pop lyrics to resonate with a teen’s experiences, these adaptations transform music into a highly personal and powerful tool.
Examples of Lyric Substitutions in Practice
Music therapists and educators can use lyric substitution in countless creative ways. Here are a few examples:
By changing the lyrics to “Shake it Off,” we can target a multitude of upper limb goals. You can encourage people to play instruments and “shake it up, down, out, left, right, round.”
Instead of “I wanna dance with somebody,” a person might sing “I wanna sing with somebody” if they express themselves more through vocalization than movement.
In “Dancing Queen” a RMT might substitute words to reflect a clients physical goals, such as “you are the walking queen” for someone who is working on training their gait.
A group engaging in a drumming intervention might sing “We will drum you” instead of “We will rock you” (Queen) to encourage participation.
A song about daily routines, such as “This is the way we wash our hands”, can be adapted to “This is the way we wash our [body part]” to support independence and movement through ADL tasks.
A therapist might change “Old MacDonald had a farm” to “Old MacDonald had a train” for a train-loving client, encouraging engagement through preferred themes.
Another song for redirection and building routines could be, “She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain” could become “We’ll be going to the garden” to provide simple, repetitive instruction and to reflect a familiar, comforting activity.
How to Implement Lyric Substitution in Music Therapy
If you're a music therapist or educator looking to use lyric substitution, consider the following steps:
Assess Individual Needs – Observe the participant’s strengths, preferences, and abilities to determine which modifications would be most meaningful.
Collaborate – Involve the individual or group in the lyric adaptation process when possible, allowing them to choose or create their own substitutions.
Test the Changes – Try out the new lyrics to ensure they flow naturally and enhance engagement.
Encourage Creativity – Lyric substitution can be spontaneous and flexible; don't be afraid to experiment and adjust as needed.
Lyric substitution is a simple yet impactful tool that enhances the accessibility, relevance, and enjoyment of music therapy sessions. By adapting songs to better fit the needs and experiences of disabled individuals, we create opportunities for increased participation, self-expression, and engagement. Whether the goal is motor skill development, emotional regulation, or social connection, personalised lyrics can make a meaningful difference.
Do you use lyric substitution in your sessions? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Georgia Taylor
Georgia is a Registered Music Therapist and joined the Sounding Board team in 2021. A proficient vocalist and guitarist, she is passionate about facilitating personalized, empowering and collaborative music therapy experiences
Georgia has experience working in the community with disabled and neurodiverse adults and children, in neuro-rehabilitation, acute adult and paediatric hospitals, in pediatric oncology, and supporting adults with lived experiences of homelessness and people with complex mental health needs.
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