Verse–Prechorus–Chorus

This chapter demonstrates that the presence of a prechorus—traditionally tossed off as an insignificant addition—entirely alters a song’s construction. In verse–prechorus–chorus form, all of the structural harmonic motion occurs before the chorus, such that the chorus itself acts as a celebration of an arrival. Verse and prechorus usually lead to a telos chorus, prolonging tonic through repeated gestures encouraging a significant amount of “rocking out” on the part of the audience. When the chorus is instead sectional, the effect is one of plenitude; the dual cadences at the beginning and end of the chorus saturate listeners with the release of tension. Alternatively, the rare occurrence of a continuation chorus after a prechorus involves delaying a highly anticipated cadential arrival; done carefully, this can have a transcendent effect. The chapter also discusses verse–prechorus fusion, where verse and prechorus functions occur within a single section.

Continuous Verse–Chorus

This chapter looks at the second verse–chorus form: continuous verse–chorus form. Unlike sectional verse–chorus, continuous verse–chorus form is based on the cohesion of verse and chorus. The chapter demonstrates how this form results from cleaving apart a single verse into two sections. We can observe this in two domains: harmony, with the verse providing T and the chorus providing PD–D–T, and thematic structure, with the verse providing sr and the chorus providing dc of an overall srdc layout. Continuous verse–chorus is thus entirely different from sectional verse–chorus. One result of this difference is that continuous verse–chorus songs tend to exhibit larger trajectories across multiple verse–chorus cycles, by combining cycles into what John Covach calls “compound AABA form” and/or exhibiting a single continuous lyrical narrative over the entire song.

Sectional Verse–Chorus

This chapter opens the book’s study of verse–chorus forms. After defining the three primary verse–chorus forms, I turn to the first of these, namely, sectional verse–chorus form. Sectional verse–chorus form is based on verse and chorus sections that are autonomous and separated. The opposition between the sections defines the formal process, ultimately servicing a single broad expressive statement: a Hegelian synthesis of the two antithetical formal roles. Detailed analyses consider sectional verse–chorus form in relation to (1) discursive shifts in the lyrics from verse to chorus; (2) expressive use of modulation between the sections; and (3) songs with no harmonic trajectory. The chapter concludes with a look at bridges and other auxiliary sections, all of which take on an especially subordinate role in this form.

AABA and Strophic Forms

This chapter investigates the structure and expressive content of rock songs without choruses. Those that contain verses and bridges follow AABA form, and those that contain only verses follow strophic form. The chapter looks at the types of verses found in these forms (overwhelmingly sectional verses, especially following an srdc layout), as well as methods of creating large-scale coherence without a focal chorus section. Finally, the chapter looks at issues in AABA form, including B A fusion, where a single section functions as contrasting bridge and recapitulatory A, and chorus-like B sections, where the functional bridge suggests some elements of chorus function.

Verses

This chapter focuses on the harmonic and formal procedures found in rock’s verse sections. To begin, the chapter divides the category of verses into sectional verses—those that contain a complete harmonic structure ending with a cadence—and initiating verses—those that contain only the beginning of a harmonic structure, setting up a continuation in later sections. Sectional verses exhibit several common thematic layouts, including periods, srdc, twelve-bar blues, and small aaba, all of which have particular harmonic layouts. The chapter includes a discussion of refrains, in particular distinguishing them from choruses.

Prechoruses, Bridges, and Auxiliary Sections

This chapter offers a detailed look at the structure and function of prechoruses, bridges, and auxiliary sections including solos, instrumental breaks, intros, outros, postchoruses, and transitions. Though many consider prechoruses and bridges to contain essentially the same structure, this chapter demonstrates that their roles are entirely different within a song’s formal context: prechoruses combine with their preceding verse and ensuing chorus to create a single broad trajectory across the three sections, while bridges exist outside a song’s core cycle. The chapter divides bridges into classic bridges, which begin off-tonic and end with a retransitional half cadence, and groove bridges, which provide contrast but remain on the stable tonic.

Conclusion

This book has presented both a methodology for analyzing form in rock songs and a theory of formal organization in the rock output of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. The methodology grows out of the general concept of form as process described in the introduction, where rock songs are seen as cohesive entities unfolding through time. From this point of view, we approach a rock song by listening for broad trajectories, identifying points of stability and tension in small-scale phrases and sections as well as large-scale cycles and entire songs. More specifically, we focus first on a song’s harmonic trajectory, interpreting a prolongational progression through a functional circuit (or noting one’s absence), and then aligning that trajectory with the layout of formal functions. From this methodology comes the theory that the rock repertoire in question is based on a small set of conventional formal-harmonic patterns, what I have been calling rock’s ...

Choruses

This chapter looks at rock’s most expressively significant section: the chorus. The chapter argues that rock’s choruses divide into three general types, differentiated by their harmonic profiles but with distinct lyrical, thematic, and expressive features. Sectional choruses have complete harmonic and thematic structures and are relatively autonomous and separate from the verse; continuation choruses begin off-tonic and combine with the preceding verse in a single, unified trajectory; and telos choruses begin with an arrival and then plateau at a high energetic state.

Harmonic Syntax

This chapter adapts traditional Schenkerian analytical methodology to form a theory of rock harmony rooted in the concept of prolongation. The chapter begins with the premise that focusing on small-scale chord-to-chord successions, as many existing theories do, tells us little about rock’s harmonic organization. After describing a new, syntactically based approach to harmonic function, the chapter defines the functional circuit: a large-scale harmonic trajectory spanning at least one complete song section and comprising the functional succession from tonic to pre-dominant to dominant and back to tonic. This trajectory is familiar from centuries of theoretical work on harmonic function, but its adaptation to the rock style is not trivial. In particular, it requires disentangling the notion that only certain chords can carry certain functions. For instance, dominant function can arise not only from the standard V chord but also from IV, ii, or sometimes even I chords.