The Whole Nine Yards Episode 172
With Roy Stannard
On Mid Sussex Radio 103.8FM
Sunday 12th April 2024 3-5pm
http://www.midsussexradio.co.uk/listen
No Chorus Lines
The absence of a chorus in certain songs is not uncommon, and it can be because of different creative choices made by songwriters and musicians. So, while choruses remain a staple in popular music, artists continue to explore innovative ways to express themselves, sometimes opting for unconventional song structures that break out from established norms. So while the whole world is a stage, sometimes the stage is not big enough for chorus lines. Here are some non-chorus songs..
Here are some reasons why some songs don’t have a chorus:
Narrative Complexity: Some songs aim to tell intricate stories or convey complex emotions within a limited timeframe. In such cases, omitting a chorus allows the artist to focus on the lyrical content and maintain the song’s flow without interruption. For instance, Squeeze’s “Up The Junction” crams a relationship’s rise and fall, partying, pregnancy, marriage, cheating, and divorce into just three minutes, leaving no room for a traditional chorus.
Emphasis on Other Elements: Certain songs prioritize other musical elements over a chorus. For example, Queen’s iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody” features multiple distinct sections, each with its own memorable lines, rather than a single repeated chorus. The track’s unconventional structure demonstrates that a hit song need not follow a linear format.
Instrumental Dominance: Sometimes, the instrumental components take center stage. The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” relies heavily on sampled strings from the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time.” Adding a chorus might detract from the track’s surging momentum driven by those omnipresent strings.
Artistic Experimentation: Musicians enjoy experimenting with songwriting techniques. Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song” exemplifies this. Its unsettling rhythm, slurred melody, and ever-changing lyrics defy conventional song structures. In such cases, the absence of a chorus becomes an intentional artistic choice.
Freedom from Conventions: Artists may deliberately avoid established songwriting formulas. Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” encourages listeners to move forward without regrets, mirroring the song’s theme. By omitting a chorus, Springsteen emphasizes the protagonist’s unbridled pursuit of adventure.
Subtle Refrains: Some songs incorporate subtle refrains without a full chorus. R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” features the lines “I’ve said too much, I haven’t said enough,” creating a memorable refrain without adhering to traditional chorus patterns.
Hour One
David Gray – Please Forgive Me (White Ladder 1998)
Beady Eye – Flick Of The Finger (BE 2013)
Ride – Chelsea Girl (Ride EP 1990)
The Airborne Toxic Event – Sometime Around Midnight (The Airborne Toxic Event 2008)
Radiohead – Spectre (Single release only 2015)
Joy Division – Atmosphere (Substance (Substance 1980)
Courtney Barnett – Avant Gardener (The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas 2013)
R.E.M. – Country Feedback (Out Of Time 1991)
Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners – Evergreen (RMCM 2017)
Buffalo Springfield (Neil Young) – Mr Soul (Buffalo Springfield Again 1967)
The Lemonheads – My Drug Buddy (It’s A Shame About Ray 1992)
The Juliana Hatfield Three – My Sister (Become What You Are 1993)
Cat Stevens – The Wind (Teaser And The Firecat 1971)
Hour Two
Laura Nyro – And When I Die (More than a New Discovery 1967)
Billie Eilish – Everybody Dies (Happier Than Ever 2021)
Gordon Lightfoot – Black Day in July (Did She Mention My Name 1968)
Lisa Loeb – Stay (Reality Bites Soundtrack 1994)
Bruce Springsteen – Cautious Man (Tunnel of Love 1987)
Lana Del Rey – Fingertips (Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd 2023)
Sufjan Stevens – So You Are Tired (Javelin 2023)
Lucy Dacus – Historians (Historian 2018)
Fontaines D.C. – The Couple Across The Way (Skinty Fia 2022)
David Bowie – Make You Feel My Love (Unreleased 2015)
Dry Cleaning – Stumpwork (Stumpwork 2022)
Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye (Grace 1994)
Loyle Carner – Not Waving, But Drowning (Not Waving, But Drowning 2019)
