English For Music Students

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

and groove for the song, or it may consist of a solo melody sung by the
lead singer (or a group of backup singers), or played by an instrumentalist.


Verse
In popular music a verse roughly corresponds with a poetic stanza. When
two or more sections of the song have basically identical music and
different lyrics, each section is considered one verse.
The verse is the part of the song that tells a story. It gives listeners more
insight leading to the main message of the song and it moves the story
forward. A song may have a number of verses, depending on the form,
consisting of several lines each. It is not to be confused with a pre-verse
which is an interlude between the introduction of a song and its opening
verse. Although less common now, the pre-verse technique was popular
with the surf music of the 1960s.


Refrain
A refrain is a line (also can be the title) that is repeated at the end of every
verse. The refrain is different from the chorus in length and structure.


Pre-Chorus
Also known as the ‘climb’, this part of the song differs melodically and
lyrically from the verse and comes before the chorus. The reason why it is
called a climb is because it heightens the anticipation of the listeners for
the coming climax which is the chorus. Often when the verse and chorus
involve the same harmonic structure, for example, the pre-chorus will
introduce a new harmonic pattern in order to make the reappearance of the
verse harmony in the chorus seem fresh.


Chorus
The chorus is the part of the song that often sticks to the mind of a listener
because it contrasts with the verse and is repeated several times both
musically and lyrically. It is almost always of greater musical and
emotional intensity than the verse. The main theme is expressed in the
chorus; the title of the song is usually included in the chorus too. The
chorus is repetitive and usually contains the hook - the part that grabs the

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