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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43015
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I would say that quite a few different methods are possible. I have read books where a few lines are given, followed by paragraphs or even pages of description of how the characters react, followed by a few more lines, and so on. I have read examples where the entire lyric is given in one place. And ones in which a character describes how he or she reacted to the song, without ever quoting one word. All of these worked, for me. It depends on the effect desired. It also depends on whether you are going to have the character sing an existing song that can be simply referred to by name, or one that you write yourself.

You might look at the various scenes where music is played (not sung) in the Aubry / Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian. There the music, and the shared creation of it, is a significant bond between the characters. It is also used as a way of showing the changing moods of the participating characters. And that is just one example that comes to mind.

Original score: 5