Laulutekstide

Laulutekstide is the Estonian term for the words of a song, i.e., the lyrics. The word is formed from laul (song) and tekst (text), with the plural/genitive ending laulutekstide used when referring to multiple songs’ lyrics or to a corpus of lyrics. Singers, poets, and musicians often collaborate to produce laulutekstide that fit a given melody and genre.

Typically, a song’s lyrics are written by a lyricist, and the music is composed by a composer. In many cases, the lyricist and composer are distinct individuals, but rights are governed by contracts that assign copyright and licensing terms. In most jurisdictions the author holds copyright and moral rights; the use of laulutekstide in recordings, performances, publications, or online platforms requires permission or a license, unless the work is in the public domain or covered by a suitable exception.

Public access to laulutekstide varies; official lyric sites, liner notes, or music publishers may provide texts, sometimes with annotations, translations, or concordances. Translations create derivative works and may require separate permissions. Educational and scholarly use may fall under fair dealing or fair use, depending on jurisdiction.

In Estonia, the tradition of singing and the national Laulupidu festival highlight the role of lyrics as a vehicle of communal expression and cultural identity. Estonian lyric writing has historical ties to folklore, poetry, and contemporary music, spanning folk, choral, and pop genres.

Understanding laulutekstide involves language, copyright, and culture, and the term covers the words across genres—from traditional songs to modern compositions.