The Chorus

Songwriting Infobox

Song Model
Songwriting
Lyrics - Melody - Harmony - Rhythm - Form
Song Form
Title - Chorus - Verse - Prechorus - Bridge
v • d • e

A chorus is the part of the song that keeps coming back. This part of the song usually includes the song title and summarizes the main idea of the lyric. It is also usually the emotional high point—the most intense part of the lyric.

Why is it called a "chorus?" Because the audience is supposed to sing along.

Choruses are usually made up of two alternating types of lines:

Title Line

T represents the title

Swing Line

A swing line is a lyric that is different from the title. The dash “-” represents the swing line.

The title line and the swing line can contrast both lyrically and melodically.

Seven Basic Chorus Forms

The most common chorus types are:

T T

• Ex Girlfriend, No Doubt
• Message in a Bottle, The Police
• How Sweet It Is, Marvin Gaye
• Better Off Alone, Alice DeeJay
• Rockin' In The Free World, Neil Young

T - T -

• Genie In a Bottle, Christina Aguilera
• I Knew I Loved You, Savage Garden
• I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Whitney Houston
• Hello Old Friend, Eric Clapton
• Victim of Love, Eagles
• Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo, Rick Derringer

- T - T

• Material Girl, Madonna
• Best of My Love, Eagles
• Time After Time, C. Lauper

T T T T

• Rhiannon, Fleetwood Mac
• Power To The People, John Lennon
• Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen
• Spirits in a Material World, The Police

T - - T

• All I Have To Give, Backstreet Boys
• How Can We Be Lovers, Michael Bolton

- - - T

• Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
• The End Of The Innocence, Don Henley
• My First Night With You, Mya Mya
• I Shall Be Released, Bob Dylan
• I Want It That Way, Backstreet Boys
• Angel of Mine, Monica
• Candy, Mandy Moore
• That's The Way It Is, Celine Dion
• Separate Lives, Phil Collins
• King of Pain, The Police

T - - -

• Party Rock Anthem, LMFAO
• Good Times, Bad Times, Led Zeppelin
• Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
• I Will Remember You, Sarah McLachlan
• Fire & Rain, James Taylor
• Show Me The Meaning, The Backstreet Boys
• Fortress Around Your Heart, Sting
• Everything She Does Is Magic, The Police

Qualities of a Successful Chorus

Make each of these statements true about the chorus.

• The title has emphasis.
• It stands out.
• The chorus lyric summarizes or comments on the main idea of the verse/prechorus lyric.
• It is the emotional high point of the song.
• It is the most intense part of the song.
• It is the climax of the song.
• It feels like it lifts.
• It is easy to sing.
• It is easy to remember.
• It either fulfills audience expectations or surprises audience expectations.
• It contrasts the other song sections (Verse, Prechorus, Bridge; if they exist)
• It feels different from the other song sections.
• It has a different idea than verse—Lyrically, melodically, harmonically, rhythmically.
• It is developed differently—Lyrically, melodically, harmonically, rhythmically.
• It is the arrival point of the song = "This is what I'm talking about", "This is why I'm telling this story."
• It gains meaning and interest every time it is repeated.
• Big ideas in the chorus, small details in the verse.

You will know you have written a good chorus when:

• I hear the title stand out from everything else.
• I understand the meaning of the lyric and it resonates with my life experience.
• It feels more intense than the other sections.
• The listener is singing or humming along (not always out loud).
• The listener remembers the melody and the lyric long after the song is over.

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