(dumb question)
 

i want to start songwriting, but i find myself in a bit of a hole, if you will.

which should i write first?

lyrics music or melody?

well...i suggest writing the lyrics before you write the music.

to write lyrics, just sit down with a pen and paper and write whatever comes to mind.

thanks!

haha, now i can finally start (that was bogging me down for a while)

but make sure you edit and stuff...:]
good luck.

( https://www.musicbanter.com/games-li...litz-game.html )

Lots of famous song writers get asked this question, though I don't usually remember their answers. My instinct is that it's easier to fit words to a tune than it is to fit a tune to words, so I'd say start with the music.
Two pertinent comments supporting this approach that I more-or-less recall:-
Brian Eno: The problem with putting words to a piece of music is that people imagine that's what the song is about.
Jon Anderson: I chose words according to their sound as much as their meaning.

I used to do lyrics first but now I typically do the music first. But it's what ever feels best.

It is a dumb question. Both work. If you're stuck there then I think you might have bigger problems. It took 12 years to break the truth to you, OP.

Didn't even realize, lol.

^ Well this old thread prompted me to click on your "Art Is Dead" link Lucem, so I've just heard your music for the first time. I was pretty surprised by the graphics of your webpage, and even more by your songs. I liked your insistence on aggressively offensive lyrics; it's quite unusual I think. Unfortunately I don't like the structure or rhyme pattern of rap, so I enjoyed more all the musical bits around your singing I'm afraid. But as rap goes, your lyrics are interesting; I liked the couplet ending in "scum town", and I really liked the line, "Don't drink the taaap water" and what you did with it !

Unless it’s hip hop make the lyrics fit the song not vice versa.