So many different techniques....
I don't think there is a wrong way of doing it, as long as it gets the job done!
Personally, I like getting the melody down first, phonetic singing over the music. Then I listen to it loads. A particular line or phrase will attach itself to a bit of the phonetic melody, and the rest of the lyrics seem to flow from that.
It helps to remember that Lennon and McCartney would sit down with their guitars and say, 'Lets write a swimming pool.' Their motivation was money.
Likewise U2, having finished a rough version of 'One', The Edge commented, 'Thats the roof in Ireland paid for.'
Lennon said of Dylan (re his lyrics), 'He gets away with absolute murder.'
Zappa only wrote lyrics because '...the audience expects it.'
My own personal struggle with lyrics & songwriting was solved when I was flicking through a book of 70's music and came across 'Get It On' by T-Rex. Terrible nonsense lyrics backed up with the easiest chords in the world. I then realised i didn't need to be the Shakespeare of lyric-dom, but just get the ***k on with it!
So in short, I agree with ez willis.
I hope this helps!
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