When I first began writing songs, I depended on my intuition to tell me when it was time to vary a song by adding a new section or introducing a new idea in the lyrics. My grasp of song form was purely osmotic—the product of a lifetime of listening.
I still remember sitting in my childhood home one evening, picking up a songwriting book that my father had left on the coffee table, and finding a list of all the major song sections: Verse, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, and Bridge. As I read the descriptions, I felt the relief and empowerment that comes with clear understanding. Rather than think in enormous vague terms like “I have to write a new song,” I was able to begin breaking the task down into little pieces, which gave me the mental framework I needed to be able to focus on each section of the song and its relationship to the whole.
The Two Major Song Sections
Most songwriting literature lumps all the sections together in one list, but two of those sections far outweigh the others.
Verse
The vocal parts of most songs begin on the first verse, just after an instrumental introduction. Some general observations on verses:
- The first lines of the first verse must capture the listener’s attention, since the first verse is usually the first vocal part that a listener hears. Make sure the first line of your lyric is a juicy one.
- It tells the story of the song. Verse lyrics fill the listener in on the plot, including where it is, who’s involved, what’s happening, and when. Each new verse usually contains new information about the story.
- Melody is the same from verse to verse, with some slight rhythmic changes to fit the lyric in where necessary. This keeps the verse’s music mostly free of distractions, allowing the listener to follow the story.
- Often contains vivid descriptions that immerse the listener in the story. Verses tend to hold a lot of sensory detail.
- The verse melody is generally less dramatic than the chorus melody, because the verse must accommodate a greater variety of information than the chorus.
- The last line of a verse provides either a sense of conclusion or a feeling of tension that leads us into the next section.
Chorus
This part of a song will stand out in a listener’s memory more than any other—because it is repeated numerous times, often word-for-word and note-for-note.
Observations on chorus sections:
- Both lyric and melody must bear repeating. We hear a chorus again and again, so it’s not painfully specific. It’s either very general and abstract (see below) or action-packed, with quick punchy images in a series. And a chorus is usually short, to keep from boring us.
- Choruses often center around a philosophical thought, a conclusion drawn from the evidence of the verses, or an emotional outpouring. It’s usually less descriptive than the verse, and more general. More relatable. Think of it as a crystallized truth, supported by all the song’s verses and sensory details. It gives the song a purpose. It explains why you are singing, and why we’re listening to you.
- A song’s title usually appears in the chorus. On the most impactful lines: the first, the last, or both.
Conclusion
Understanding just these two song sections will help you navigate through early drafts of your songs and get clear on what you’re trying to do within each of its sections.
There are more possible song sections, most of which simply connect these two major parts to one another in new and interesting ways. In the next article of this series, I’ll clearly explain the Pre-Chorus and Bridge, and how they relate to what we’ve already learned here.
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>Click here to read about More Song Sections