The choruses of some songs forgo lyrics entirely, relying instead on music or nonverbal syllables to set the song’s mood.
We call a chorus without vocals an instrumental chorus. Most use a powerful melody or riff to set the mood of the song and contrast the verse sections.
Instrumental choruses don’t always mean the singer can rest, though — many still use nonverbal vocals or nonsense syllables (la la la).
Examples of Instrumental Choruses
Jason Molina — may he rest in peace — uses instrumental choruses often on his album Magnolia Electric Co. “Riding with the Ghost” uses haunting “Ooo” vowel sounds for its chorus; so does “Old Black Hen.”
“Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes drops the vocals and brings the guitar to the foreground during chorus sections.
“Wake Up” by the Arcade Fire uses an interesting pattern of notes held long in its chorus.
“Howlin’ For You” by the Black Keys uses the title as a refrain at the end of each verse, then launches its instrumental chorus after the refrain.