%LSR Tip taken from http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2007-12/msg00215.html mel = \relative c'' { c4 c c c } lyr = \lyricmode { Lyrics \markup { \italic can } \markup { \with-color #red contain } \markup { \fontsize #8 \bold Markup! } } << \new Voice = melody \mel \new Lyrics \lyricsto melody \lyr >>