Chapter 21 - Excerpt (pages 1-3 of 12)

Chapter 21 - Song Structure
"Have you seen the bridge? I ain't seen the bridge! Where's that confounded bridge?"
– "The Crunge" - Led Zeppelin / J.Baldwin, J.Bonham, J.Page, R.Plant

Individual Components:

In Chapter 5  (Songwriting Rules) we briefly defined the most common song sections (verse-chorus-bridge).   Before we can discuss how to organize these sections into a song structure; we need to review and expand these components: (plus - I’ve added three more sections, listed below in boldface).

(I) Intro · (V) Verse · (C) Chorus · (B) Bridge · (S)Solos, etc. · (CD) Coda

(I) Intro

We are not talking about instrumental introductions, which are now pretty much de rigueur (SPFT: required by fashion or custom).  A guitar bangs through a couple repetitions of a short chord loop, or the song starts with an instrumental version of the chorus melody.  For the most part, these can be considered part of the arrangement or production.  The exception would be if an instrumental intro adds an important hooky melodic idea, not used in the rest of the song - as in the Door’s “Light My Fire” or in a fair amount of John Mellencamp’s songs.  Then it is debatable whether the intro is part of the “song” or arrangement.

What we are talking about here is an introduction that has its own unique melody and lyrics.  It is just played at the beginning of the song and not repeated again. This type of intro was used in the majority of American pop songs during the first half of the 20^th century.  It is used almost invariably to “set the stage”, establish the “backstory”, to give the listener a perspective for the song to follow.  Quite often these intro sections have been forgotten and frequently the “old standards” are performed without them.  They were not often very musically hooky.  Although the vocal intro dropped in popularity rather quickly after the advent of rock and roll; it has been used very occasionally in more recent pop songs, and more frequently in musicals.  One likely reason for its decline is radio's and the industry’s criteria that a song “hook” the listener within the first 30-45 seconds.

A few examples:
“Stagger Lee” – Lloyd Price or many / L.Price, H.Logan
“American Pie” - Don McLean / D.McLean
“Honey Pie” – Beatles / Lennon, McCartney
“Skid Road” – “Little Shop of Horrors / H.Ashman, A.Menken
“Heaven On Their Minds” (opening number) – “Jesus Christ Superstar” – T.Rice, A.L.Webber

The Beatles used short vocal intros (not repeated in the remainder of the song), but they were not the more traditional stage-setting narratives.  E.g.: “Help”; “All You Need is Love”; ”Can’t Buy Me Love” / Lennon, McCartney

(V) Verses

These are the “meat and potatoes” of most songs.  The narrative, story, and/or details of the writer’s subject matter are usually expressed predominantly in the verses.  Musically they will tend to be less memorable than the chorus - (remember our exercise in the “Musical Hooks” chapter?)  The melodic ideas, on average, tend to be longer and the number of notes per measure greater than in choruses (you have to fit most of your lyric content in here).  Each verse will generally have different lyrics than the last, though on occasion the writer might use the same first or last line for each verse (especially if that is one of the melodic or lyric hooks).  On some songs they may repeat the first verse as the last verse, or even part of one verse and part of another to comprise a last verse.  I guess they ran out of ideas, are really proud of those lines, or just wish to emphasize them by repetition.

Verses may be more or less homogeneous (another fifty-center), or often may consist of an “A” part and a “B” part.  Some people consider the “B” part of a verse a whole different section of a song.  I don’t – it’s just another part of the verse – but they might call it a “pre-chorus”, a “lift”, or "climb".    It is certainly an optional section and is usually fairly short – 4 to 8 bars and 1 or 2 lyric lines.

Probably the most important function of a “Verse-B” section is to provide a better lead-in to the chorus, if you feel your basic verse doesn’t flow smoothly into your chorus.  It will usually introduce a new chord progression, often starting on a different chord than the verse, and ending on a chord that "pulls" towards the chorus.  If you think of it as part of the verse  - it may use new lyrics each time.  If you think of it more as a pre-chorus lead-in, you may use the same lyrics each time so it leads lyrically as well as musically into the chorus.

So schematically – a verse with both “A” and “B” sections might look like:

(C) Chorus

If the verses are the meat and potatoes, then the chorus is the icing on the meat and potatoes (see what happens when you carry a metaphor too far?)  The chorus of a song is usually its most powerful part. It’s frequently the most memorable melodically and lyrically.  More often than not, it will contain the song’s strongest lyrical and melodic hooks.  Since in most song structures it is usually repeated 3-4 times, that’s your chance to imprint it in your listeners’ subconscious.   Obviously if you’re not concerned at all with commercial success, but more with art for art’s sake, the need for a strong hook and its repetition is less important.

The chorus will on average have less lyrical content than even a single verse.  It may consist of basically your lyric hook repeated 2 or 4 times.  It may start or end with the hook, or maybe you’ll use it in both places.

Most often the chorus will be “of a whole” musically, though some will use a two-part convention like we discussed in the structure of verses.  The melodic pacing (the number of notes per bar) will often be slower than the verse; with more sustained notes. 

Some examples:
“Moondance” – Van Morrison / V.Morrison
“Rhiannon” -  Fleetwood Mac / S. Nicks
“Hold My Hand” – Hootie & the Blowfish / M.Brian, E.Felber, D.Rucker, J.Sonefeld
“Red Ragtop” – Tim McGraw / J.White

I’d say 90% percent of the time (or more) the lyrics for the chorus remain the same each time it is heard.  On a small percentage of songs the writer may change a line or two in later choruses.

As you continue to write, and create more songs and fragments, you will begin to develop a “sixth sense” on whether a melody is more suited for a verse or a chorus.

Chorus (in Lyrics Change Only)

There are certain songs that use the same chord structure and almost identical melodies for the verse and the “chorus”.  This is kind of a holdover from old ballad-of-so-and-so type songs, pub songs, and even certain hymns.  In this case let’s call the chorus a refrain (the older term).  While the lyrics repeat like a chorus, the lack of a new melody makes it a different sort of kumquat.  This type of song is almost always a straight VRVRVRVR pattern (or might start with the refrain)

“Sloop John B” – Beach Boys / arr: B. Wilson
“Put Your Hand in The Hand”  - Elvis Presley or Ocean / G.MacLellan
“Puff, The Magic Dragon” – Peter, Paul & Mary / L.Lipton, P.Yarrow
“Born in the U.S.A” – Bruce Springsteen / B.Springsteen

Chorus (in Lyrics and Melody Change Only – chords same as verse)

The chord progression stays the same throughout the verse and chorus, though the melody will change for the chorus.

“Cadillac Ranch” – Bruce Springsteen / B.Springsteen
“Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road)”  - Loudon Wainwright III / L.Wainwright III
“Get Back” – Beatles / Lennon, McCartney
“Helpless” – Neil Young / N.Young
“With or Without You” – U2 / A.Clayton, D.Evans, P.Hewson, L.Mullen

(B) Bridge

This is the most misunderstood, under-used and over-used of all the component sections of popular song writing.  Misunderstood, as not all agree what should be called a bridge, or what its function should be.  Under-used, as quite a few songs would be improved by its addition; particularly in songs with only two short verses and a short repetitive chorus that gets driven into the ground.  Over-used, as certain songwriters seem to feel that they have to have a bridge in every song; and the song may not really need it.  If the verses are fairly long and complex, and the chorus both musically and lyrically interesting; a bridge is likely not a requirement.

For me, and quite a few others, writing a strong bridge can be the hardest part of a song – even for a song that needs one.  I’ve heard way too many bridges that sound like they were ripped out of some totally unrelated song, and scotch-taped in place to fulfill the bridge “requirement”.  That's the trick – it has to sound new, fresh and different from the verses and chorus – but still has to sound like it "belongs".

My opinions (shared by writers I interviewed, books and articles I read):

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